TEST BANK
Theories of Personality
GREGORY J. FEIST, TOMI-ANN ROBERTS, JESS FEIST
Tenth edition
, Chapter 1 Introduction
to Personality Theory
Summary Outline
I. Overview of Personality Theory
From the investigations of Freud during the last decade of the 19th century
until the present time, several personality theorists have (1) made controlled
b
observations of human behavior and (2) speculated on the meaning of those
observations. Differences in the theories of these men and women are due
to more than differences in terminology. They stem from differences on
basic issues concerning the nature of humanity.
II. What Is Personality?
The term personality comes from the Latin word persona, meaning the
mask people wear or the role they play in life. However, most psychologists
use the term to refer to much more than the face or facade people show to
others. Personality can be defined as a pattern of relatively permanent traits
b
and unique characteristics that give both consistency and individuality to
human behavior
III. What is a Theory?
The term theory is often used quite loosely and incorrectly to imply something
other than a useful scientific concept. Theories are used by scientists to
generate research and organize observations.
A. Theory Defined
A theory is a set of related assumptions that allow scientists to use logical
deductive reasoning to formulate testable hypotheses
B. Theory and Its Relatives
People often confuse theory with philosophy, speculation, hypothesis, or
taxonomy. Although theory is related to each of these concepts, it is not
synonymous with any of them. Philosophy—the love of wisdom—
,is a broader term than theory, but one branch of philosophy—
epistemology—
relates to the nature of knowledge, and theories are used by scientists in
pursuit of knowledge. Theories rely on speculation, but speculation must be b
based on the controlled observations of scientists. Science is the branch of
study concerned with observation and classification of data and with the
verification of general laws. Theories are practical tools used b y scientists to
guide research. A theory is more general than a hypothesis and may generate
a multitude of hypotheses, that is, educated guesses. A taxonomy is a
b
classification system, and classification is necessary to science. Taxonomies,
however, do not generate hypotheses—
a necessary criterion of a useful theory.
C. Why Different Theories?
Psychologists and other scientists have developed a variety of personality
theories because they have differed in their personal background, their
philosophical orientation, and the data they chose to observe. In addition,
theories permit individual interpretation of the same observations, and each
b
theorist has had his or her own way of looking at things.
D. Theorists' Personalities and Their Theories of Personality
Because personality theories evolve from a theorist's personality,
psychologists interested in the psychology of science have begun to study
the personal traits of leading personality theorists and their possible impact
on their scientific theories and research.
E. What Makes a Theory Useful?
A useful theory (1) generates research, both descriptive and hypothesis
testing; (2) is falsifiable; that is, it must generate research that can either
confirm or disconfirm its major tenets; (3) organizes and explains data
into some intelligible framework; (4) guides action; that is, it provides the
practitioner with a road map for making day-to-
day decisions; (5) is internally consistent and relies on operational
definitions that define concepts in terms of specific operations; and (6) is
, parsimonious, or simple.
IV. Dimensions for a Concept of Humanity
Personality theorists have had different conceptions of human nature, and
b
the authors of Theories of Personality use six dimensions for comparing
these conceptions. The dimensions include determinism versus free
choice, pessimism versus optimism, causality versus teleology,
conscious versus unconscious determinants of behavior, biological
versus social influences on personality, and uniqueness versus
similarities among people.
V. Research in Personality Theory
Personality theories, like other theories, are based on systematic research
that allows for the prediction of events. In researching human behavior
, personality theorists often use various measuring procedures, which must
be both reliable and valid. Reliability refers to a measuring instrument's
consistency and includes test-retest reliability and internal consistency.
Validity refers to the accuracy or truthfulness of test and includes predictive
validity and construct validity.
Theories of Personality
GREGORY J. FEIST, TOMI-ANN ROBERTS, JESS FEIST
Tenth edition
, Chapter 1 Introduction
to Personality Theory
Summary Outline
I. Overview of Personality Theory
From the investigations of Freud during the last decade of the 19th century
until the present time, several personality theorists have (1) made controlled
b
observations of human behavior and (2) speculated on the meaning of those
observations. Differences in the theories of these men and women are due
to more than differences in terminology. They stem from differences on
basic issues concerning the nature of humanity.
II. What Is Personality?
The term personality comes from the Latin word persona, meaning the
mask people wear or the role they play in life. However, most psychologists
use the term to refer to much more than the face or facade people show to
others. Personality can be defined as a pattern of relatively permanent traits
b
and unique characteristics that give both consistency and individuality to
human behavior
III. What is a Theory?
The term theory is often used quite loosely and incorrectly to imply something
other than a useful scientific concept. Theories are used by scientists to
generate research and organize observations.
A. Theory Defined
A theory is a set of related assumptions that allow scientists to use logical
deductive reasoning to formulate testable hypotheses
B. Theory and Its Relatives
People often confuse theory with philosophy, speculation, hypothesis, or
taxonomy. Although theory is related to each of these concepts, it is not
synonymous with any of them. Philosophy—the love of wisdom—
,is a broader term than theory, but one branch of philosophy—
epistemology—
relates to the nature of knowledge, and theories are used by scientists in
pursuit of knowledge. Theories rely on speculation, but speculation must be b
based on the controlled observations of scientists. Science is the branch of
study concerned with observation and classification of data and with the
verification of general laws. Theories are practical tools used b y scientists to
guide research. A theory is more general than a hypothesis and may generate
a multitude of hypotheses, that is, educated guesses. A taxonomy is a
b
classification system, and classification is necessary to science. Taxonomies,
however, do not generate hypotheses—
a necessary criterion of a useful theory.
C. Why Different Theories?
Psychologists and other scientists have developed a variety of personality
theories because they have differed in their personal background, their
philosophical orientation, and the data they chose to observe. In addition,
theories permit individual interpretation of the same observations, and each
b
theorist has had his or her own way of looking at things.
D. Theorists' Personalities and Their Theories of Personality
Because personality theories evolve from a theorist's personality,
psychologists interested in the psychology of science have begun to study
the personal traits of leading personality theorists and their possible impact
on their scientific theories and research.
E. What Makes a Theory Useful?
A useful theory (1) generates research, both descriptive and hypothesis
testing; (2) is falsifiable; that is, it must generate research that can either
confirm or disconfirm its major tenets; (3) organizes and explains data
into some intelligible framework; (4) guides action; that is, it provides the
practitioner with a road map for making day-to-
day decisions; (5) is internally consistent and relies on operational
definitions that define concepts in terms of specific operations; and (6) is
, parsimonious, or simple.
IV. Dimensions for a Concept of Humanity
Personality theorists have had different conceptions of human nature, and
b
the authors of Theories of Personality use six dimensions for comparing
these conceptions. The dimensions include determinism versus free
choice, pessimism versus optimism, causality versus teleology,
conscious versus unconscious determinants of behavior, biological
versus social influences on personality, and uniqueness versus
similarities among people.
V. Research in Personality Theory
Personality theories, like other theories, are based on systematic research
that allows for the prediction of events. In researching human behavior
, personality theorists often use various measuring procedures, which must
be both reliable and valid. Reliability refers to a measuring instrument's
consistency and includes test-retest reliability and internal consistency.
Validity refers to the accuracy or truthfulness of test and includes predictive
validity and construct validity.
