PSYA02H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Nomothetic, Behaviorism, Projective Test
PSYA02 Lecture Notes
Chapter 12 - Personality
Ginny Chan
PSYA02 - Introduction to Clinical, Developmental, Personality and Social Psychology
Kyle Danielson
PO103 (room 108)
→ OH: Tuesdays and Thursdays @ 11-12:30PM
Priya Sivathason
SW427C
→ OH: Weekdays 10-12PM
Chapter 12 - Personality
Lecture 1
Personality* is an individual’s characteristic style of:
- Behaviour
- Thoughts
- Feelings
*It stays relatively stable across different time periods and situations; more change happens during childhood and
adolescence than during the adult life
The study of personality is a combination of both individual differences (idiographic approach) and common
trends in the population (nomothetic approach)
→ How do I differ from the average person? How are we all similar?
There are 2 major components to personality:
1. Describing Behaviour
→ What are the characteristics? What are the personality inventories?
→ What type of person are you?
2. Explaining Behaviour
→ Why does an individual behave the way that they do? How does personality affect behaviour? What are
different personality theories?
Idiographic Approach
Creates a detailed description of someone’s unique personality characteristics
Nomothetic Approach
Examines personality in large groups and generalizes trends
How can we measure personality?
1. Observation
We can observe people’s daily actions, their interactions, behavioural changes, decision making skills and conflict
resolution tactics. However, the drawback is that people tend to change their natural behaviour when they are
being observed, especially by a psychologist studying them
2. Personality Measurements
PSYA02 Lecture Notes
Chapter 12 - Personality
Ginny Chan
These usually take on 1 or 2 different forms. We see (a) Personality Inventories (personality scales and tests) or (b)
Projective Techniques
Personality Inventories
One of the simplest ways to assess someone's personality is via a personality inventory (also known as a
personality scale or test)
These inventories rely on self-report
→ They are subjective, honest descriptions of one’s own feelings, thoughts and behaviours
→ They are usually administered in an interview or questionnaire
However, the drawback is that people aren’t always honest about themselves and sometimes we can be blind to
certain quirks or aspects of our own personality. As well, most online personality tests have weaknesses in 2
areas:
1. Validity - The extent to which an instrument measures exactly what they are supposed to measure
2. Reliability - The extent to which results are consistent at different points in time (ie: blood tests are always
reliable)
One test that is recognized for its high validity and high reliability is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality
Inventory (MMPI). It is a widely available and clinically valid personality test.
Notes
- It consists of true/false questions. This limits the possibilities of answers, although questions tend to cover very
specific areas. As well, it avoids bias because there is no need for interpretation from test administrators
- It consists of MANY (around 500) questions. This causes fatigue and stimulates honest answers without filtering
and by instinctive nature
- With personalities that include scales, answers may be inaccurate or biased. As well, questions may be so
broad, similar to horoscopes, that they can be interpreted and applied to anyone’s life
ie: Rate yourself from 1-5, we may consistently answer 3
Critique of Personality Inventories
Critiques note that test administrators can be biased since they must interpret the given answers. The test taker
may not know everything about themselves, or their answers may be biased. We tend to answer questions and
omit certain answers to make ourselves more socially desirable
“Sometimes I get so mad I want to hit someone”
Validity Scales - Ensure the accuracy of answers by preventing the repetition of the same answers. If you
continuously choose “yes” for all answers, your test will be deemed invalid and thrown out
Lecture 2
Criticisms of Personality Inventories
The MMPI includes sets of questions that attempt to mitigate bias
PSYA02 Lecture Notes
Chapter 12 - Personality
Ginny Chan
Type
Description
Example
F-Scale
High rates of “true” may indicate that the individual has a
severe psychopathology disorder or that the individual is
simply answering “true” to every question. These are questions
to which the general population usually answers “false”
“Evil spirits possess me at
times”
“I got many physical
beatings”
“There is something wrong
with my mind”
Lie-Scale
High rates of “false” responses may indicate lying
“I don’t always tell the truth”
“Sometimes I think of things
that are so bad I can’t even
talk about them”
“Sometimes I feel like
swearing”
?-Scale
High rates of “i don’t know” responsibles may also lead to an
invalid test
Personality Theories
Aside from measuring personality, psychologists also try to describe and explain it, through the use of personality
theories. Throughout this course, we will be discussing 5 different theories. The most influential one is the Trait
Approach.
The Trait Approach
Attempts to describe personality as a series of traits. It is a relatively stable disposition to behave in a particular
and consistent way. The list of these traits is infinite, thus researchers used factor analysis to reduce this list to 5
key characteristic traits:
1. Individuals rate themselves on hundreds of traits
2. Traits that are highly correlated are combined into factors
3. Traits with no correlation to one another are considered parts of separate factors
For example, all of the following adjectives are highly correlated (positively or negatively) in the population:
- Softhearted
- Trusting
- Helpful
- Ruthless
- Suspicious
- Uncooperative
From this list, researchers have combined all adjectives into one factor: Agreeableness
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Document Summary
Psya02 - in rod c ion o clinical, developmen al, personali y and social psychology. Oh: t esdays and th rsdays @ 11-12:30pm k. danielson@ oron o. ca. *i s ays rela ively s able across differen ime periods and si a ions; more change happens d ring childhood and adolescence han d ring he ad l life. The s dy of personali y is a combina ion of bo h individ al differences (idiographic approach) and common. There are 2 major componen s o personali y: describing behavio r. Wha ype of person are yo : explaining behavio r. Crea es a de ailed descrip ion of someone"s niq e personali y charac eris ics. Examines personali y in large gro ps and generalizes rends. We can observe people"s daily ac ions, heir in erac ions, behavio ral changes, decision making skills and conflic resol ion ac ics.
