PSY 202 Chapter Notes - Chapter 14: Erogenous Zone, Phallic Stage, Twin
17 Apr 2016
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Document Summary
Personality is multiply determined including genetic, intrauterine (within the womb), parenting, peer influences, and life stressors. Traits are relatively enduring predispositions that influence our behaviour across many situations. The nomothetic approach to personality focuses on identifying general laws that govern the behaviour of all individuals. Allows for generalization across individuals but limited in one person"s attributes. The ideographic approach to personality focuses on identifying the unique configuration of characteristics and life history experiences within a person. Personality traits including anxiety, proneness, impulse control and traditionalism are influenced mostly by genetic factors however the correlations are not perfect, indicating non-shared environmental influences also play a role in personality. Most researchers have failed to find strong associations between birth order and personality (birth order is a non-shared environmental factor) Identical twins reared apart tend to be similar in their personality traits and are far more similar than fraternal twins.
