PSY230H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Kurt Lewin, Raymond Cattell, Gordon Allport

• School: UTSG
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSY230H1
• Professor: Amanda Sharples

Document Summary

Nomothetic approach: describing ppl along a single dimension according to their level of a particular trait. Idiographic approach: identifying the combo of traits that best accounts for the personality of an individual. Central traits: traits that best describe a person. Secondary traits: less relevant traits, only present in certain situations. Need: a readiness to respond in a certain way under given circumstances. Used factor analysis to determine structure of human personality. Reduced large groups of traits down to 16 core personality traits. 5 factors are valid & reliable: openness (intellect, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism. Big 5 model has both biological & environmental components. Evidence of relationship between big 5 traits & brain regions. Behaviour = function of person + environment. Personality traits have low cross-situational consistency type approach: type a personality. Dispositional optimism: extent to which ppl adopt to positive viewpoints. Don"t allow setbacks & temporary failures to get them down. Pessimists don"t believing things can be fixed.