Page 391 - Understanding Psychology

Figure 14.2 Characteristics of Personality
1. Review the Vocabulary Write your own definition of personality. How does your definition compare to the text- book’s definition?
2. Visualize the Main Idea Use a graphic organizer similar to the one below to list the purposes of personality theories.
Purposes of Personality Theories
3. Recall Information What are the major schools of personality, and how do they differ?
4. Think Critically Do you think that you choose your own behaviors freely, or do you believe that your current be- haviors are determined by previous behaviors and events? Explain.
5. Application Activity
Work with a small group of students and take turns recalling some early
memories. Jot down those memories, and discuss the following question: Do these early memories relate to your present personality?
In psychology, personality refers to the essential characteristics of a person. Cathy Guisewite, a cartoonist, has given personality charac- teristics to an animal—a dog. What factors do you think are influ- encing the personality of the dog in this cartoon?
theorists focus on how our thoughts, perceptions, and feelings shape our personalities. Humanistic theorists, like Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers, stress one’s potential for growth, such as creativity and spontane- ity. Finally, trait theorists, like Gordon Allport and Hans Eysenck, empha- size the importance of understanding basic personality characteristics such as friendliness and aggression.
Each of the theories we will discuss has a different image of human nature. What they have in common is a concern with understanding the differences among people.
Assessment
Chapter 14 / Theories of Personality 377