Personality Development

Dr Ros Weston Psychology

Definition:
Child (1968) More or less stable, internal factors that make one persons behaviour consistent from one time to another, and different from the behaviour other people would manifest in comparable situations Stable Internal Consistent Different

Personality is INTERNAL
Freuds theories on Personality Development Change and development are the key words : internal process + past experiences The dynamics of behaviour which is what distinguishes this theory from the cognitive (Glassman, 1995)

Innate drives + early experiences

id ego super ego

pleasure principle

defence mechanisms Anna Freud defence against instinct The child learns defensive behaviours to control id

Defence Mechanisms 1 Repression 2 Displacement 3 Projection 4 Denial 5 Intellectualisation

Psycho - sexual Development

Other Defence Mechanisms Fixation Affective strategies in personality development Regression Anna O Little Hans Myers & Brewin (1994) Childhood Memories Williams (1994) Sexual Abuse McGunnies (1949) Perception defence things are likely to be ignored if they are unpleasant or emotionally threatening Levinger & Clarke (1961) supported this using emotionally provoking words. (they recalled the words that had neutral associations)

Case studies:

(Evaluatory comment on each of these and on Freuds theory of personality development)

Neo - Freudians Erikson (1959)

Conflict
WAR
Parents
friends

natural processes of maturation

expectations of society

teachers employers norms & values

Chart of Eight Stages

Evaluatory Comments Used clinical evidence (therapist case studies using Freuds clinical method) theory imprecise & anecdotal experimental research provides indirect support for Erikson (Ainsworth & Bell: 1970) (Bowlby, 1952) Stage 4 has been supported by work of Damon & Hart (1988) (older children used more internal psychological terms. Younger children focused on concrete & tangible ) Strengths : - focuses on social process & ego development - the facing of developmental tension / conflicts - most of the conflicts lie with the family (Freud also said : When you are looking at a sick (mentally) or disturbed person you often dont have to look far for a cause. (that does not mean the parents are to blame. It is the conflict that is problematic) Does not give detail of how you move from one stage to another Dwaretzky (1996) feels there is little convincing evidence for E theory Hard to test this theory The evidence is correlational It gives a very tidy account of development

Social Learning Theory Key term : Significant others Social Modelling Attention Retention Reproduction Motivation Conditioning
Vicarious

Classical Operant

reinforcement
This is exact opposite of learned helplessness Banduras work

Observation & internalisation Reciprocal determination Self efficacy (self image & belief in self

What would help a child learn self - efficacy? -? -? -? -? Continue

Evidence

Bobo doll Harter & Monsour (1992) Bandura & Cervone (1983)

Evaluatory Comment More than one self? (Baars, 1997) Not a development theory

Situationalism Bandura suggested that personality is not a stable trait of an individual Mischel & Peakes theory (1982) suggest a consistency paradox. Research failed to show consistency Behavioural specificity (M & P, 1982) We think it is a stable trait because we see people in similar situations Individual differences (M & P, 1993) Person variables Cognitive & behavioural Encoding & personal constructs Expectancy Subjective stimulus value self - regulatory systems & plans

Evidence Context - dependent learning research (Abernety, 1940) Generalising learning Lack of fragmentation

What is gender? (as part of personality)

Sex

Sexual identity

Behaviour

Gender identity

Situation (upbrining & social context) Gender stereo types

Gender role

See : - Debates and all the work we did on real and perceived differences - Psychoanalytical theory - Social learning - Cognitive (Kohlberg) - Behaviourist - Humanistic (Carl Rogers : Erikson)

Kohlbergs (1966) Cognitive - developmental theory (1966) The child actively constructs his own experiences and they are not products of social training Basic - gender identity (2-3) Gender stability (3 - 4) Gender consistency (4 - 7yrs) (fits with Piagets notion of conservation) Evidence Munroe, Shimmin & Munroe (1984) These stages are cross - cultural. Slaby & Frey (1975) - attending to some sex models. Ruble, Balabon & Cooper (1981) Adverts & gender consistency. Evaluatory Comments Cross cultural interactivity gender identity - increases gender role How they interact in the world requires gender identity Criticism : gender role behaviour - depends on gender consistency Contradictions Individualistic (not social context)

Gender Schema Theory An organised set of beliefs about the sexes (Martin et al, 1987) in group, out group schema our gender schema children are not passive gender - schemas help them pay attention to & interpret the world & what they remember gender schemas structure experience Evidence : (Martin et al, 1987) (Bradbard et al, 1986) (Masters et al, (1979) Evaluatory Comment seems to explain & fit with other theories of child development specially cognitive individualistic schemas are overaggerated should be able to change schemas. As Durkin (1995) found: it is easier to change concepts Continued...

Now : Compare social learning theory yourself using biological; social biological theory by explaining Theory (giving) evidence (including) evaluatory comment

Theories of Adolescent Development What evidence is there that these are important

The Isle of Wight Study (1976) Rutters large scale study.

Relationship with parents Relationship with peers Cultural differences

What factors cause disturbance in young people?

Marcias theory (1966-1980) -Alternatives to choose from -Have fun commitment been made Four possible identity statuses -Identity diffusion -Foreclosure -Moratorium

What is the problem of retrospective data?

Eriksons theory (1902, 1994) -Identity diffusion -Identity crisis

-Identity achievement Evidence to support : Meilman (1979) Evidence against : (Munroe & Adams (1977) Colemans focal theory (1974) Storm & Stress

-Counter evidence
-Support evidence