Major Concepts and Behavioral Objectives

CONCEPT I: Psychoanalytic Theories

Personality comprises the characteristics and tendencies that determine our responses to environmental circumstances. Several theories attempt to illuminate the structure and functioning of personality. Sigmund Freud, founder of the psychoanalytic approach, identified unconscious sexual conflicts as the fundamental motivating force in human behavior.

1. Define personality and explain the questions addressed by theories of personality.

2. Describe Freud's theory of the structure of personality.

3. Explain and distinguish between the defense mechanisms that reduce anxiety.

4. Discuss the role of zones of pleasure and sources of anxiety in Freud's concept of the development of personality.

5. Discuss the changes the post-Freudians have made in Freud's original theory.

6. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the psychoanalytic approach.

CONCEPT II: Trait Theories

Trait theorists understand personality as a collection of traits. A trait is any characteristic that distinguishes an individual.

7. Describe the basic features of trait theories of personality.

8. Describe, compare, and evaluate the trait theories of Allport, Cattell, and Eysenck.

9. Discuss the research pertaining to Type A personality and its link to coronary heart disease.

CONCEPT III: Social Cognitive Theories

Social cognitive theories emphasize the active, conscious dynamics of personality. They focus on how our thoughts about ourselves and our situations influence our behavior.

10. Describe the major features of social cognitive theory and discuss how observation learning can play a role in personality development.

11. Discuss and evaluate the major social cognitive theories.

CONCEPT IV: Humanistic Theories

Humanistic approaches emphasize the individual's unique perception of the world and the inherent potential in each of us to contribute to our surroundings.

12. Discuss the assumptions underlying humanistic approaches to the study of personality.

13. Describe and evaluate the humanistic theories by Rogers, Maslow, and McAdams.

CONCEPT V: Biological Approaches

14. Explain and evaluate the major biological approaches to the study of personality.

CONCEPT VI: Integrating Different Approaches to Personality

15. Discuss the common features of the various theories of personality.