Theories of Psychology

Syllabus

Axia College/College of Social Sciences

PSY/230 Version 4

Theories of Personality

Copyright © 2011, 2009, 2007, 2006 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved.

Course Description

What is theory? What is personality? What is your theory of your personality? This course introduces the student to a number of personality theorists, their personalities, and their views in offering insight in to the question of the self. Psychoanalytic, social, behavioral, traits, biological, humanistic, and cognitive are some of the theories that will be discussed in this course.

Policies

Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within the following two documents:

· University policies: You must be logged into the student website to view this document.

· Instructor policies: This document is posted in the Course Materials forum.

University policies are subject to change. Be sure to read the policies at the beginning of each class. Policies may be slightly different depending on the modality in which you attend class. If you have recently changed modalities, read the policies governing your current class modality.

Course Materials

McAdams, D. P. (2006). The person: A new introduction to personality psychology. (4th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.

Axia College’s Writing Style Handbook, available online at https://axiaecampus.phoenix.edu/Writing_Style_Handbook_AxiaUOP.pdf

All electronic materials are available on the student website.

Week One: Personality Theories

Details Due Points Objectives 1.1 Describe the five basic dispositional traits.

1.2 Discuss the three levels of personality.

1.3 Explain the three steps of the scientific process as applied to personality psychology.

Course Preparation Read the course description and objectives.

Read the instructor’s biography and post your own.

Readings Read Appendix A.

Read Ch. 1 & 3 of The Person.

Participation

(Main Forum) Participate in class discussion. Various 4 days 40 Discussion Questions

(Main Forum) Respond to weekly discussion questions. Tuesday and Thursday 20 CheckPoint

Observations

(Attach to Assignment Link) Write a 250- to 300-word response to the following: How have you used the scientific process (unsystematic observation, building theories, and evaluating propositions) in your life to better understand your personality? Provide an example in your response. Friday 20

Week Two: Social-Learning Theory and Behaviorism

Details Due Points Objectives 2

2.1 Describe the three historic periods of modern personality psychology.

2.2 Summarize key concepts of behaviorism and of Bandura’s social-learning theory.

CheckPoint

History of Personality Psychology

(Attach to Assignment Link) Resource: pp. 22–26 of The Person (Do NOT use Appendix B)

List at least five of the events or major concepts found in each of the three historic periods of personality psychology (15 events total). Include an explanation of why each event you listed was important. Friday 20 Individual

Personality Theory Presentation

(Attach to Assignment Link) As an expert in the field of personality theory, you have been asked to present at a large Psychology conference. The focus of your presentation is behaviorism and social-learning theory.

Create a 10- to 12-slide PowerPoint® presentation on behaviorism and social-learning theory.

Include speaker notes and graphics, use appropriate font size, limit text on each slide to five lines, and use approximately five words per bulleted item.

Incorporate key concepts from the following theories in your presentation:

· Behaviorism – Classical conditioning, operant conditioning, reinforcement, tabula rasa, etc.

· Bandura’s social-learning theory – Information on observational learning and self-efficacy Sunday 80

Week Three: The Nature of Traits

Details Due Points Objectives 3

3.1 Describe the qualities of an effective trait inventory.

3.2 Compare mechanistic and reciprocal interactionism.

3.3 Compare and contrast the different positions of the nature of traits as presented by 20th-century theorists.

Readings Read Appendix A.

Read Ch. 4 & 5 of The Person.

Participation

(Main Forum) Participate in class discussion. Various 4 days 40 Discussion Questions

(Main Forum) Respond to weekly discussion questions. Tuesday and Thursday 20 In-Depth DQ

Interactionism

(Main Forum) Resource: Table 4.1 on p. 110 of The Person.

Observe a social gathering.

Post a 250- to 300-word response to the following: What influence does culture have on personality? Do you see a person’s reaction to something as separate from social experience or as a result of social experience? Which one of the four positions of the nature of traits do you agree with most and why? Compare and contrast your position against one of the other four positions of the nature of traits. Friday 20

Week Four: Basic Traits

Details Due Points Objectives 4

4.1 Discuss the meaning and implications of the Big Five basic trait clusters.

CheckPoint

The Clusters

(Attach to Assignment Link) Resource: The Person

Select three of the five clusters.

Explain, in 250 to 300 words where you think you fall within the spectrum of each. Of the five clusters, where do you think your personality fits overall? Friday 20 Individual

Character Evaluation

(Attach to Assignment Link) Think about a character from one of your favorite films, fictitious or biographical.

Write a 350- to 700-word paper that describes the character’s personality in terms of the five trait clusters.

Provide specific examples of how these personality characteristics affect the character’s choices.

Cite the film you used as a reference.

Format consistent with APA guidelines. Sunday 80

Week Five: Personality Traits Over Time

Details Due Points Objectives 5

5.1 Distinguish between absolute continuity and differential continuity.

5.2 Discuss trait continuity patterns from infancy through adulthood.

5.3 Compare genetic and environmental influence on trait origins and development.

Readings Read Appendix A.

Read Ch. 6 & 7 of The Person.

Participation

(Main Forum) Participate in class discussion. Various 4 days 40 Discussion Questions

(Main Forum) Respond to weekly discussion questions. Tuesday and Thursday 20 In-Depth DQ

My Experience

(Main Forum) Think about an experience, positive or negative, that has affected the course of your life.

Post a 250- to 300-word response to the following: Do you think this event changed your personality? If it has changed your personality, how has your personality been changed? If the event has not changed your personality, why not? How much of your personality do you think has been determined by environmental influence vs. genetic influence? Friday 20

Week Six: Human Motivation

Details Due Points Objectives 6

6.1 Compare and contrast the psychoanalytic, humanistic, and diversity views of human motivation.

CheckPoint

Motivation Theories

(Attach to Assignment Link) Post a 250- to 300-word response to the following: With which of the motivation theories do you agree most? With which of the theories do you agree least? Explain your position. Friday 20 Individual

Motivation Evaluation

(Attach to Assignment Link) Select a famous person in the media or in history and think about a choice the person has made. Do NOT use Bill Clinton, Lindsay Lohan, Michael Jackson, Oprah Winfrey, Tiger Woods, George Bush or Barack Obama. Focus on a particular choice and try to select something positive.

Write a 350- to 700-word paper profiling this person and explain how each of the three views of motivation—psychoanalytic, humanistic, and diversity—may help understand his or her reasoning and choice.

Include a summary of the concepts and terms from Henry Murray’s theory of needs.

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. Sunday 80

Week Seven: Social-Cognitive Theory

Details Due Points Objectives 7

7.1 Describe how cognitive styles influence personality.

7.2 Examine the major components of social-cognitive theory.

7.3 Analyze George Kelly’s theory of personal constructs.

Readings Read Appendix A.

Read Ch. 8–10 of The Person.

Participation

(Main Forum) Participate in class discussion. Various 4 days 40 Discussion Questions

(Main Forum) Respond to weekly discussion questions. Tuesday and Thursday 20 In-Depth DQ

Personal Constructs

(Main Forum) Explain the concept of personal constructs. What is a personal construct? How are personal constructs related to social perspectives? What is the relationship between personal constructs and behavior?

Compose your response in a single, 250- to 300-word post. Friday 20

Week Eight: Stages of Life and Development

Details Due Points Objectives 8

8.1 Examine Erik Erikson’s eight stages of life.

8.2 Explain Jane Loevinger’s stages of ego development.

CheckPoint

Stages of Ego Development

(Attach to Assignment Link) Explain Jane Loevinger’s stages of ego development in 250 to 300 words.

Include manifestations that might appear during each of the stages. Friday 20 Individual

Erikson’s Timeline

(Attach to Assignment Link) Write a 350- to 700-word paper that explains in which of Erikson’s eight stages of life you believe you are currently.

Explain why you think you are at that stage and describe that stage in your paper. What is the central question posed during that stage? How have you consciously or unconsciously sought to answer that question? Provide specific examples.

Choose someone you know who you think is at another stage in his or her life. Briefly describe that stage. What is a central question posed during that stage? How has this person consciously or unconsciously sought to answer that question? Provide specific examples.

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. Sunday 80

Week Nine: Narrative Identity and You

Details Due Points Objectives 9

9.1 Compose a personal narrative identity.

9.2 Construct a unique personality theory.

Participation

(Main Forum) Participate in class discussion. Various 4 days 40 Capstone Discussion Question

(Main Forum) Respond to the capstone discussion question.

· Post your response to the following: Integrate multiple ideas from theorists you have studied during this course to construct your own personality theory. Using the text (please cite sources) to support your theory, address the following questions:

How is personality developed? What roles do genetics and environment play in personality development? How do experiences influence personality? How is a person motivated? Wednesday 20 Final Project

Personal Narrative

(Attach to Assignment Link) Review the Final Project Overview in Appendix A.

Review your responses to CheckPoints in Weeks Three and Five.

Write a 700- to 1,050-word personal narrative that addresses the following questions:

· How have you seen the purpose and meaning of your life evolve over the past 5 years? What events have led to this evolution? Describe how one of the theories from your text might explain this evolution. Use specific concepts and terminology from the theory in your answer.

· What roles have religion, race, culture, family, and gender played the development of your personality?

· Suppose you might change one of the major episodes of your life (your earliest memory, a turning point, a high point, or a low point, for example). What change would you make and why?

Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines.

No late assignments are accepted after the last day of class. Sunday 220

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Stephanie Munro, MAPC, LAC
Faculty
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