PSY230H1 Chapter Notes - Chapter 8: Gordon Allport, Carl Jung, Theophrastus
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PSY230H1 Full Course Notes
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In ancient greece, ideas of character and temperament develop, as caused by the four bodily humours; nature is thought to be composed of air, earth, fire, and water. Religious interpretations view persons as divine creations possessed by good or evil. Search for basic traits of individual differences begins unsuccessfully, enlightenment philosophers search for core of human nature. Carl jung and colleagues search for deep-rooted individual differences in orientation towards world; experimental psychology is dominated by behaviourism; clinical by psychoanalysis. Gordon allport defines traits as neuropsychic structures that make certain stimuli functionally equivalent and guide consistent behaviour. Crisis in personality as traits fail to fully predict behaviour in all situations. The big five approach to traits takes hold, longitudinal studies reveal long-term stability of individual differences. Traits, motives, goals, and expressive styles are studied in more sophisticated ways; more attention paid to behavioural manifestation of traits; personality psychology is reestablished as a major subfield.
