PSYC 2740 Midterm: Personality Psychology Midterm 1

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 2740
• Professor: Stephen Lewis

Document Summary

Personality: the set of psychological traits and mechanisms within the individual that is organized and relatively enduring and that influences his or her interactions with, and adaptations to, the environment (including the intrapsychic, physical, and social environment). "mechanisms within the individual": the process of personality: inputs --> decision making --> outputs. Traits are average/stable, but states may arouse non-characteristic emotions. "influences interactions with, and adaptations to": how you think about yourself, interact with others, cope with / respond to changes are influenced by personality. Three levels of analyzing personality: human nature, individual & group difference, individual uniqueness. Individual & group difference level: like some others. Two approaches to analyze personality at individual uniqueness level: nomothetic, idiographic. Nomothetic: recognizes differences between (multiple) people & uses statistical methods. Idiographic: research focusing on just one individual (more qualitative) Domains of human nature: dispositional, biological, intrapsychic, cognitive-experiential, social-cultural, adjustment.