Unit 1—Introduction To Personality Theory

Front 1

Define theory and show its relationship with:

(a) philosophy

Back 1

a) Larger scope than a theory. define: love of wisdom. Philosophers not scientists.
One branch epistemology: nature of knowledge. Theory relates most closely to epistemology. Deal with “ought” and “should”

Front 2

Define theory and show its relationship with:

(b) speculation

Back 2

Theories rely on ___ . Theory not just flow from mind by from empirical observations.
relationship between science and theory: Science: study of observation and classification of data with the verification of general laws through the testing of hypothesis.
Theory is a useful tool for scientists.

Front 3

Define theory and show its relationship with:

(c) hypothesis

Back 3

Narrower scope than theory. Hypothesis: an educated guess. Theory is too general to lend itself to direct verification. Theories are practical tools used by scientists to guide research. A theory is more general than a hypothesis and may generate a multitude of hypotheses, that is, educated guesses.

Relationship between theory and ___ : Using deductive reasoning , a scientific investigator can derive testable hypotheses from a useful theory. The results from the test (support/contradict) the hypothesis feed back into the theory.

Front 4

Define theory and show its relationship with:

(d) taxonomy

Back 4

classification of things according to their natural relationships. Essential to the development of a science because without classification of data science could not ___ is not a theory but taxonomies can evolve into theories when they begin to generate testable hypotheses and to explain research findings.

Front 5

Define theory

Back 5

____ is a set of related assumptions that allow scientists to use logical deductive reasoning to formulate testable hypotheses.

Front 6

List six criteria of a useful theory

Back 6

a) Generate research

b) Falsifiable

c) Organizes Data

d) Guides Action

e) Is Internally Consistent

f) Is Parsimonious

Front 7

Describe the following criteria of a useful theory:

a) Generate research

i) Descriptive research

ii) Hypothesis testing

Back 7

a) Most important criterion. Ability to stimulate and guide further research.

Two types:
i) expanding an existing theory. concerned with measurement, labels, and categorization of the units employed in theory building. Symbolic relationship with theory. Provides building blocks for theory, and it receives its impetus from the dynamic, expanding theory. More useful the theory the more research it generates. the greater the amount of descriptive research. the more complete the theory.

ii) leads to indirect verification of the usefulness of the theory. Useful theory will generate # hypothesis that, when tested, add to a database that may reshape and enlarge the theory.

Front 8

Describe the following criteria of a useful theory:

b) Falsifiable

Back 8

Theory is evaluated by ability to be confirmed or disconfirmed.

Not ____ = not useful
___ theory is accountable to experimental results.
Theories on unobservable transformations in the unconscious are difficult to verify or falsify.

Front 9

Describe the following criteria of a useful theory:

c) Organizes Data

Back 9

Useful theory must be able to organize the research data that are not incompatible with each other. Without organization research findings remain isolated and meaningless.
Useful theories must be capable of integrating what is currently know about human behaviour and personality development. It must be able to shape as many bits of information as possible into a meaningful arrangement.
If personality theory doesn’t offer a reasonable explanation of at least some kinds of behaviour it ceases to be useful.

Front 10

Describe the following criteria of a useful theory:

d) Guides Action

Back 10

Ability to guide practitioner over the rough course of day-to-day problems.
Good theory provide structure for finding many answers.
W/o useful theory practitioners would stumble in the darkness of trial and error techniques; with a sound theoretical orientation they can discern a suitable course of action.
Also, can the theory stimulate thought and action in other disciplines. arts, philosophy, religion, education, business psychotherapy. Influence beyond psyc.

Front 11

Describe the following criteria of a useful theory:

e) Is Internally Consistent

Back 11

USeful theory is consistent with itself. doesn’t have to be consistent with others.

Components are logically compatible. Limitations of scope are carefully defined. Doesn’t explain anything beyond the scope.
Good theory will use concepts and terms that are clearly and operationally defined.

Front 12

Describe the following criteria of a useful theory:

f) Is Parsimonious

Back 12

Law of ____ : choosing the simpler of the two theories.
Straightforward theories are more useful. Not bogged down with complicated concepts or esoteric language.
Theory should begin on a limited scale and avoid sweeping generalizations.

Front 13

List the six dimensions for a concept of humanity

Back 13

a) determinism vs. free choice

b) pessimism vs. optimism

c) causality vs. teleology

d) conscious vs. unconscious

Front 14

Discuss the following dimension for a concept of humanity:

a) determinism vs. free choice

Back 14

a) Behaviour determined by forces over which they have no control or choose to be?

Front 15

Discuss the following dimension for a concept of humanity:

b) pessimism vs. optimism

Back 15

b) Doomed for misery or can they change and grow into psychologically happy, fully functioning humans?

Front 16

Discuss the following dimension for a concept of humanity:

c) i) causality vs.ii) teleology

Back 16

i) behaviour is a function of past experiences. OR

ii) explanation of behaviour in terms of future goals

Do people act as they do because of what has happened to them in their past or because of certain expectations of what will happen in the future?

Front 17

Discuss the following dimension for a concept of humanity:

d) conscious vs. unconscious

Back 17

d) determinants of behaviour.
People ordinarily aware of what they are doing and why they are doing it or do unconscious forces impinge on them and drive them to act without awareness of these underlying actions.

Front 18

Discuss the following dimension for a concept of humanity:

e) biological vs. social

Back 18

e) influences on personality. Creatures of hereditary vs environmentally determined?

Front 19

Discuss the following dimension for a concept of humanity:

f) uniqueness vs. similarities

Back 19

f) is the salient feature of people their individuality or is it common characteristics? Should the study of personality concentrate on those traits that make people alike, or should it look at those traits that make people different.

Front 20

Define reliability and discuss at least two types.

Back 20

Reliability: extend to which it yields consistent results.
refers to a measuring instrument's consistency and

includes test-retest reliability and internal consistency.

Front 21

Define validity and discuss at least two types.

a) Construct validity

i) convergent validity

ii) divergent validity

iii) discriminant validity

b) Predictive validity

Back 21

Degree to which an instrument measure is supposed to measure.

Refers to the accuracy or truthfulness of test and includes predictive validity and construct validity

a) Extent to which an instrument measures some hypothetical construct.

3 types of _____
i) extent that scores on that instrument correlate highly with scores on a variety of valid measures of that same construct.

ii) low or insignificant correlations with other inventories that do not measure that construct.

iii) if it discriminates between two groups of people known to be different.

b) extent that a test predicts some future behaviour.

Front 22

Express your own definition of personality

Back 22

Personality is a pattern of relatively permanent traits and unique characteristics that give both consistency and individuality to a person’s behaviour.

Front 23

Defend the need for more than one theory

Back 23

Alternate theories exist because the very nature of theory allows theorist to make speculations from a particular point of view.
Data collected and how this data is interpreted are personal decisions.
Divergent theories can be useful. All theories are a reflection of their author’s personal backgrounds, childhood experiences, philosophy of life, interpersonal relationships, and unique manner of looking at the world. Usefulness of theory is ability to generate research and explain research data and other observations.

Front 24

Show how an understanding of the various theorists' life story is related to their theory.

Back 24

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