Transcript Personality - AP Psychology

The Psychoanalytic
Perspective and Personality
The Psychoanalytic/Psychodynamic
Perspective

Emphasizes the influence of
unconscious thoughts and impulses on
the ways people think, feel, and
behave.
 Investigates the influence of such
unconscious conflicts as natural
impulses and drives, defense
mechanisms, early childhood
experiences, repressed memories,
fixation behaviors, etc.
What is the unconscious
mind, and how does it
affect behaviors?
–ID
–SUPEREGO
–EGO
ID
 The
most basic of all human
instincts and desires live in
this part of the unconscious
mind. Primitive,
uncontrolled thoughts about
such things as sex,
aggression, hunger.

The ID works on the
pleasure principle of
immediate gratification,
without any consideration to
consequences.
 The
ID houses our repressed
thoughts, passions, desires,
wishes, feelings, etc. All of the
things that we’d like to do if there
were no consequences, yet don’t
act upon, lie dormant in the ID.
SUPEREGO
 The
superego internalizes the real
world of ideals, standards, laws, rules
and morals and norms and evaluates
the morality, legality, and/or the
acceptableness of the ID’s desires.
 It is what we often call our
“conscience”.
The SUPEREGO v. The ID
EGO
 The
semi-conscious part of your
personality that operates on the
reality principle
 The EGO mediates behavior choices
between the wants and desires of the
ID, and the morals and norms of the
SUPEREGO

The ID, SUPEREGO, EGO Conflict
If the unconscious
mind influences our
feelings and behaviors,
how do we get a look
at what’s in there?
 Freud
believed that to really
understand a patient’s true
personality, he needed to access
the unconscious mind, or at least
interpret its disguised, conscious
manifestations
Free Association
Freud’s
method of exploring
the unconscious mind, in
which a person relaxes and
says whatever comes to
mind, no matter how trivial or
embarrassing
The Freudian Slip

Slips of speech when the ID passes through
unfiltered. Insights into your real thoughts and
feelings?
–
–
"As I was telling my husb—" before abruptly breaking off
and correcting herself: "As I was telling President Bush.“
Condoleezza Rice, 2006
“For seven and a half years I’ve worked alongside
President Reagan. We’ve had triumphs. Made some
mistakes. We’ve had some sex…uh…setbacks.”
George H. Bush, 1988
Dream Interpretation
Content –
the actual content
of dreams
 Latent Content –
the interpretation
of a dream
 Manifest
Dreams and Symbolism
http://www.dreammoods.com/dreamdictionary/
Thematic Appreciation Test (TAT)
 Subjects
are shown pictures and then
asked to make up stories abut them.
Researchers claim that the subjects
will project their own feelings, goals,
desires, etc. onto the picture, and
their resulting story will reveal their
inner, unconscious mind.
Hypnosis
 With
the conscious mind
resting, the still active
unconscious mind won’t
have a filter to stop it from
revealing its personality
Projective Test
The Rorschach Inkblot Test
A
set of 10 inkblots, without any
discernable patterns or images, are
presented to a patient. Subjects
simply identify what they think the
inkblot looks like, and researchers
interpret those identifications as
personality characteristics.
Rorschach Inkblot Test
What does this all mean?

Coping With New Situations
Good answers are bat, butterfly, moth, and (in center of blot) a
female figure. Mask, jack-o'-lantern, and animal face are
common responses too, but in some interpretation schemes
they suggest paranoia. A bad response is any that says
something about the central female figure. Avoid the obvious
comment that the figure has two breasts but no head.

This is the blot that supposedly can determine sexual preference.
Most people see the two human figures. Both figures have
prominent "breasts" and an equally prominent "penis." If you don't
volunteer the gender of the figures, you'll be asked to specify it. By
the traditional interpretation, seeing the figures as male is a
heterosexual response (for test subjects of both sexes).
Describing the figures as female or acknowledging the
androgynous nature of the blot is supposed to be a homosexual
response.

Plate IV is the "father card." At first glance it is a difficult blot to
see as a single image. The "boots" are fairly conspicuous;
between them is the apparent head of a dog or Chinese dragon.
Many subjects see the blot as an animal skin. After a few
seconds, though, most can see it as a standing figure seen from
below.
The boots become the feet, enlarged because of the unusual
perspective. The arms and head, at the top, are smaller.
Common descriptions are bear, gorilla, or man in a heavy coat.
Bad descriptions are monster or attacking bear or gorillaRorschach theorists equate your description of the figure with
your perception of your father or male authority figures.

Rorschach himself thought this was the easiest blot to
interpret. It is a bat or a butterfly, period. You don't want
to mention anything else. Seeing the projections on the
ends of the bat wings as crocodile heads signifies
hostility. Seeing the paired butterfly antennae or feet as
scissors or pliers signifies a castration complex.
Schizophrenics sometimes see moving people in this
blot.

This blot is supposed to reveal how you really feel
about your mother. Virtually everyone sees two girls or
women. Deprecating descriptions of the figures~
"witches," "gossips," "girls fighting," "spinsters" indicate
poor maternal relations. Seeing the blot as
thunderclouds instead of female figures suggests
anxiety to some psychologists; seeing it as a walnut
kernel may mean a vulgar fixation.
There is an entirely different side to this blot, but you're
not supposed to see it. The white space between the
girls or women can be interpreted as an oil lamp or
similar object. It is claimed that only schizophrenics
usually see the lamp.
 What
do you
do to relieve
stress in
your life?
Have you ever….?
Yelled at someone you weren’t really mad at
 Avoided certain situations that cause stress
 Made an excuse for why you did something
and made it sound okay to have done it
 Blamed someone else for your stress
 Ignored the stress and hoped it went away
 Cried, threw a tantrum, or stomped your feet

What are
“defense
mechanisms?”
The EGO is the executive portion of your
semi-unconscious mind that weighs all of
the options and makes a behavior choice.
The EGO is constantly under pressure and
stress to make “the right choice”.
 To alleviate or redirect stress, the EGO
employs the use of defense mechanisms.

Repression
 Banishes
anxiety-arousing
thoughts, feelings and memories
from conscious awareness.
Instead of dealing with the stress,
forget the issue altogether.
 Repression
is when someone almost
drowns as a child and can't
remember the event -- but he still has
a fear of open water.
 Repression is forgetting the last five
minutes leading up to a car crash, or
not being able to recall the face of a
mugger.
Regression
Occurs
when we
revert to comfort
behaviors to ease
the stress away.
A
child may begin to suck their thumb
again or wet the bed when they feel
scared or threatened. Teenagers may
giggle uncontrollably when introduced
into a social situation involving the
opposite sex. A freshman college
student may need to bring an old toy
from home.
Sublimation
An
individual satisfies
the sometimes deviant
demands of the ID
through a socially
acceptable behavior.
 When
someone who has a
book fetish works as a
librarian. A sex addict may
take up a painting class with
nude models. Someone with
anger issues takes up boxing.
Projection
Disguising
stressful
character flaws by
attributing them to
others.
You didn’t fail the group project because
you were lazy, your group members didn’t
do good research.
 You didn’t drop an easy pass, they threw it
too low to catch.
 You’re not annoying, everyone else talks
too much.
 You didn’t fall out of love, they became
distant and distracted by work.

Reaction Formation
 The
correct choice of behavior is
not socially acceptable, so the
EGO chooses a behavior that is
exactly opposite in order to cover
up for some perceived
inadequacy.
 An
individual who can’t accept their
homosexuality may become overly
macho and a gay basher. A women
who had a shameful abortion may
become a pro-life supporter. When
visiting the aunt that you don’t like you
can’t stop praising how nice her house
is and how much you missed her.
Rationalization
Offers
self-justifying
explanations for our
behaviors; we offer
excuses for our
behaviors
“What I’m doing is okay because
everyone else is doing it”
 “I could have done better but I really
didn’t care”
 “I’m a recovering alcoholic, but just one
drink on the holiday is ok.”
 “I really didn’t want to go to that school
anyway, it was too expensive, too far
away.”

Displacement
 Diverting
or shifting sexual or
aggressive impulses towards a
more acceptable (or less
threatening) object or person,
instead of dealing with the
issue straightforwardly
 When
you strike out in a baseball
game, you can’t yell at the
umpire, so instead you kick a
trash can or punch the water
cooler. You can’t yell at your
incompetent boss, but you can go
home and kick the dog and yell at
your wife.
Denial
Denial
is not forgetting.
It involves not accepting
the truth and continue
living as if the stress
isn’t there.



Bill and Sally broke up, though Bill can’t
accept it. He continues to call Sally, waits by
her locker at the end of school, and plans for
the prom in Spring.
You’re in debt and almost bankrupt, but you
still buy the fancy shoes and go out for fine
dinners.
If you never check the messages on the
machine you don’t have to call the bill
collectors or go to the dentist.
Regression Repression
Sublimation Projection
Reaction Formation


Denial
Rationalization
Displacement
Even a top baseball player will sometimes
strike out on an easy pitch. When this
happens, his next action may be to throw his
bat or kick the water cooler with all his might.
Soldiers exposed to traumatic experiences in
concentration camps during wartime
sometimes had amnesia and were unable to
recall any part of their ordeal.
Regression Repression
Sublimation Projection
Reaction Formation


Denial
Rationalization
Displacement
The mother of an unwanted child may feel
guilty about not welcoming her child. As a
result, she may try to prove her love by
becoming overindulgent and overprotective
of the child.
Mrs. Brown often accuses other women of
talking too much and spreading rumors. It is
rather obvious to those who know her that
she is revealing her own inclinations in that
area.
Regression Repression
Sublimation Projection
Reaction Formation


Denial
Rationalization
Displacement
After the admissions office at Yale rejected
John, he claimed that he wouldn't enjoy
attending such a large school anyway.
Besides, he might receive higher grades at a
smaller local college.
When a new baby arrives in the family, the
older child will sometimes cry more than
usual and be more insistent about receiving
caresses from the parents.
Regression Repression
Sublimation Projection
Reaction Formation


Denial
Rationalization
Displacement
Mr. Martin carried around a letter in his coat
pocket for weeks. The note which he
somehow neglected mailing was an invitation
to his mother-in-law to visit the family for
several months.
Jerry found that he could fulfill his odd desire
to wear furry animal outfits by gaining
employment at the local amusement park as
an animal mascot.
Defense Mechanisms - Practice

http://psych.wisc.edu/braun/281/Personality/
Defense.htm

What would you do first if you were in a
situation where:
–
–
–
–
–

The baby is crying.
The clothes are hanging outside and it has started
to rain.
The water is running from the tap.
The doorbell is ringing.
The phone is ringing.
Think about what you will do first, then
second and so on.
How else might this
perspective explain
our current
behaviors?
Freud
believed that a
person’s personality forms
during life’s first few
years, in a series of
psychosexual stages
 In
each stage, there is a
conflict that needs to be
resolved. How the conflict is
resolved (or not) will manifest
as a behavior later in life. An
unresolved issue is referred to
as a fixation.
1 – ORAL (0-18 mos.)
 Stage 2 – ANAL (18-36)
 Stage 3 – PHALLIC (3-6 years)
 Stage 4 – LATENCY (6-Puberty)
 Stage 5 – GENITAL (Puberty on)
 Stage
Do you, or did you…?
 Suck
your thumb
 Chew your nails
 Have a sarcastic personality
 Have an eating disorder
Oral Stage (0 -18 mos.)
 In
the oral stage, the issues
of attachment, eating and
verbal expression are dealt
with. Who should we bond
with, what should we eat,
and what should we say?



If we didn’t bond with our primary caregivers
(esp. mom through the oral behavior of latching)
it may manifest as oral fixations like chewing
nails or pen caps. We are still seeking a bond
with our mothers.
Overeating or anorexic behaviors occur because
we didn’t control our ID’s food impulses.
We may curse too much or be sarcastic because
we didn’t learn what we should or shouldn’t say
as a child.
Do you, or did you…?
Like to have everything clean and in its
place
 Like to be in control and plan in advance
 Compete over everything
 Have a messy room or a unkempt car
 Overweight
 Drive fast and carelessly
 Take risks and chances

Anal Stage (18 mos. – 3 yrs.)

In this stage we learn self-control.
If we take control too seriously we may develop
an anal retentive personality (overly clean, overly
organized, controlling). OCD needs of control
and precision.
If we don’t learn control, we may become anal
expulsive (disorganized, sloppy, reckless,
careless).
Do you, did you…?
Date a lot but not have serious
relationships
 Have an attraction to a particular type of
person
 Have a lot of relationships that end for no
apparent reason
 Have career aspirations that are typical of
the opposite sex

Phallic Stage (3 - 5)

The primary conflict in this stage is attraction
and power. We learn who we are and who we
should be attracted to in members of the
opposite sex. We learn how men should act,
and how women should act (gender roles).
– An Oedipus Complex refers to a boys inability
to resolve his attractions to his mother. He
may then date women like his mother, or have
conflicts with his father as a competitor.


Girls may develop an Elektra Complex, which
may manifest as dating men like their fathers
or conflicts with their mothers as competitors.
Women may also develop a penis envy
(recognizing that boys have power in society)
and may tend towards careers that are male
dominated.
Genital Stage (Puberty - ?)
 No
new conflicts arise here, but the
rest of our life is an expression of
either resolved or unresolved
childhood conflicts. Our
relationships, careers, personal
grooming habits, friendships, etc. are
all expressions of earlier childhood
conflict resolutions.

Individuals who have successfully resolved
conflicts understand their internal motivations
and understand that they control their
choices in life and are said to have an
internal locus of control. They resolve
conflicts as they arise, deal with stress in
positive ways, and are more confident and
self-assured.

Individuals who have not successfully
resolved conflicts do not understand their
internal motivations and do not understand
that they control their choices in life. They
are said to have an external locus of control.
They do not resolve conflicts as they arise,
deal with stress in negative ways, and are
less confident and self-assured.
Evaluating Personalities
 There
are various Trait Tests
that you can take to evaluate
your personality. Do I have any
fixations? What are my flaws?
Am I in denial? Am I really an
outgoing person or am I shy?
Which superhero ability would you
choose?

1. The ability to fly.
2. Time-travel ability.
3. Invisibility.
4. X-ray vision.
5. The power to change forms.
6. The ability to read minds.
7. The ability to see into the future.
8. Super hearing.
Choose your preferred sleeping
position from the list below.







- Fetal position.
- Sideways with arms by your sides.
- Sideways with arms outstretched.
- Lying on your back with both arms pinned to your sides.
- Lying on your back with both arms up around the pillow.
- Lying on your stomach with your head turned to one side.
- Tied up (hands or legs crossed, body twisted etc).
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp


This may also manifest as TYPE A
personalities.
These are individuals that set high goals, are
driven to succeed, maintain high personal
standards, are very competitive. Loud,
ruthless, take no prisoners. In control of their
lives but to an extreme of attempting to
control everything in their lives. They try to
manipulate every outcome.


This may also manifest as TYPE B
personalities.
These are individuals that are more relaxed
and easy going. Set more realistic goals that
they accept may or may not be
accomplished. Not as competitive, not as
much need to control. On the downside, not
as motivated, more complacency, less
achieved because they can only do so much
and then fate or chance or luck take over?
Type A
Type B
The Big Five Factors
http://personality-testing.info/tests/BIG5.php

Our personalities have 5 dimensions or levels that when
put together create our behaviors:
– How Conscientious are we? (Impulsive v.
Disciplined)
– How Agreeable are we? (Ruthless v. Soft-Hearted)
– How Emotionally stable are we? (Calm v. Anxious)
– How Open are we? (Practical v. Imaginative)
– How Extraverted are we? (Shy v. Sociable)
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality
Inventory
A
true/false test that compares
your answers against the group
to find determine your
personality
– T/F
Nothing in the newspaper
interests me except the comics

True? An indicator that you are depressed