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11 Chapter

This chapter discusses theories of personality and self across the lifespan. It covers psychoanalytic theory, trait theory, social learning theory and how the self develops from infancy through adulthood. Key aspects of personality covered include temperament, self-concept, identity and the "Big Five" personality traits. Factors that influence personality development at different stages are also examined.

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Vahid Uzunlar
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251 views29 pages

11 Chapter

This chapter discusses theories of personality and self across the lifespan. It covers psychoanalytic theory, trait theory, social learning theory and how the self develops from infancy through adulthood. Key aspects of personality covered include temperament, self-concept, identity and the "Big Five" personality traits. Factors that influence personality development at different stages are also examined.

Uploaded by

Vahid Uzunlar
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A.

Rider
Chapter 11

Chapter 11
Self and Personality
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11

Personality
• An organized combination of attributes,
motives, values, and behaviors
– Unique to each individual
– Traits
• consistent across situations and time
• Self-concept: perceptions
• Self esteem: evaluation
• Identity: overall sense of who you are
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11

Psychoanalytic Theory
• Sigmund Freud
• Three parts of the personality
– Selfish Id; Rational Ego; Moralist Superego
• Stages of psychosexual development
– Biological: ends at sexual maturity
– Personality formed in first 5 years
– Child anxieties become adult traits
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11

Psychoanalytic
• Erik Erikson
– Emphasized
• Social influences
• Rational ego
• Life-span development
– Crisis-oriented stages result from
• Maturational forces
• Social demands
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11

Trait Theory
• Psychometric approach
– Personality: a set of traits
– Individual differences in each trait
– Measurement approach
– “Big Five” - Universal and stable
– Evidence of genetic basis
– Universal
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11

Social Learning Theory


• Personality
– A set of behavior tendencies
– Shaped by interactions
– Found in specific social situations
• No universal stages
• Not enduring traits
• People change as environment changes
• Situational influences important
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11

Infancy: The Emerging Self


• First 6 months: Discover physical self
• Joint attention – 9 months
– Difference in perceptions can be shared
• Self-recognition – 18 months
• Categorical self (age, sex) - 18 – 24 months
• Based on cognitive development
• Requires social experience
– The looking-glass self: a “reflection”
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11

Temperament
• Seen in infancy
• Genetically based
• Tendencies to respond in predictable ways
• Building blocks of personality
• Goodness of fit (Thomas & Chess)
– Parenting techniques
– Learning to interpret cues
– Sensitive responding
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11

The Child
• Childhood “Self”
• By age 2
– Use of “I” “me” “mine”
– Use physical characteristics to describe
• By age 8
– Social identity
– Personality trait terms used
– Social comparison
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11

Self Esteem: Multidimentional


• By 3rd grade (Harter)
– Scholastic competence
– Social acceptance
– Behavioral conduct
– Athletic competence
– Physical appearance
• Accuracy improves with age
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11

Influences on Self-Esteem
• Competence Differences
• Social feedback – positive or negative
• Genetic
• Parents (cross-cultural)
– Warm and democratic
– Enforce clearly stated rules
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11

Early Temperament and Later Personality


• Some weak links found
– Shy 3 yr-olds become cautious teens
– Difficult 3 yr-olds remain difficult
– Well-adjusted 3 yr-olds also
• Current research
– Temperament and Big 5 related
– May carry-over into adulthood
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11

Adolescent Integration
• Different selves in different situations
• Storm and Stress in about 20%
• Move to middle school
– Often difficult
– Especially for females
• Most readily regain high self-esteem
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11

A Sense of Identity
• Erikson: Identity vs. Role Confusion
• Adolescence
– Identity Crisis
– Moratorium
• Marcia’s Identity Statuses (next slide)
– Diffusion
– Foreclosure
– Moratorium
– Achieved
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11

Influences on Identity Formation


• 1. Cognitive growth: formal operations
• 2. Relationships with parents
– Rejection except for diffusion status
– Identification w/parents first helps
– Foreclosure: may not develop own ID
– Achieved more likely if living independently
– Moratorium -> Identity Achieved
• Affection and freedom at home
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11

Influences on Identity 2
• 3. Experiences outside the home
– E.g., going to college
• 4. Broader cultural context
– Modern Western society
• Forge own ID after exploration of many
– Traditional societies
• Foreclosure may be more adaptive
• Vocational identity: Ginzberg
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11

Self-Concept and Aging


• Stable self-esteem generally good
• Ability to adjust ideal to real self
• Evaluate self with different standards
• Comparisons with age-mates
• Related to stable personality traits
• Collectivist vs Individualistic culture
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11

Changes in Personality
• Cross-sectional studies show changes
• Longitudinal/cross-cultural studies
– Adulthood: achievement and confidence
– Older adults
• Activity levels decline
• Introversion and introspection increase
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11

Costa & McRae: “The Big 5”


• Biologically based
– Cross-age consistency
• Resistant to environmental changes
– Historical context influential
• Universal maturational change
– Achievement through middle adulthood
– Less N, E, and O
– More C and A
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11

Influences on Personality Change


• Effects of early experiences
• Stability of environment
• Gene-environment interaction
• Biological factors (disease)
• Social environment
• Poor person-environment fit
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11

Adulthood: Erikson and Research


• Men: Identity then Intimacy
• Women: Identity & Intimacy together
• Generativity supported
• Integrity supported
– Life review
• Path to adulthood
– EE: Eight stages of Development
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11

Midlife Crisis
• Stereotype
– Painful self-evaluation
– Dramatic life changes
– Desire to regain youth
• Erikson: Not really
• Levinson: questioning “Life Structure”
• Most evidence for trait stability – not change
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11

Vocational Development
• Young adults: career exploration
• 1982: average man held 7 jobs between ages
18 and 36
• Women: fewer children = better career
• Career peaks in 40’s
– Define self by their work
– Person/environment fit important
Life-Span Human Development, Fifth Edition, Carol K. Sigelman and Elizabeth A. Rider
Chapter 11

Older Workers and Retirement


• Older workers: competent and satisfied
– Selective optimization and compensation
• Retirement phases
– Preretirement: Planning
– Honeymoon: Novelty of lifestyle w/o work
– Disenchantment: Feel aimless, unhappy
– Reorientation: Realistic, satisfying lifestyle
• Activity vs. Disengagement theories

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