Instructor Manual: Burger, Personality, 12e ©2027, 9798214159294; Chapter 1: What Is Personality?
Instructor Manual
Burger, Personality, 12e ©2027, 9798214159294; Chapter 1: What Is Personality?
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Purpose and Perspective of the Chapter......................................................................2
Chapter Objectives........................................................................................................2
Key Term.......................................................................................................................3
What's New in This Chapter........................................................................................3
Chapter Outline.............................................................................................................3
Additional Discussion Questions..................................................................................6
Additional Activities and Assignments.........................................................................8
Additional Resources....................................................................................................9
External Videos or Playlist........................................................................................................................9
Internet Resources....................................................................................................................................10
Primary Sources....................................................................................................................................... 11
© 2027 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a 1
publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
, Instructor Manual: Burger, Personality, 12e ©2027, 9798214159294; Chapter 1: What Is Personality?
PURPOSE AND PERSPECTIVE OF THE CHAPTER
The purpose of this chapter is to introduce students to the concepts of personality. The chapter begins by
highlighting the Paradise fire tragedy in California, outlining different response types of the residents of
the town. The chapter then poses the question: Is our behavior shaped by the situation we encounter or by
the type of person we are? Then, the debate among the psychologists of how situations affect behavior,
and how behavior reflects the individual, is unpacked. Following this, definitions of personality are
presented, with the added notion that there is disagreement among psychologists as to how personality
can be defined. The chapter notes the idea that several aspects of the definition need to be further
elaborated.
In the next section, six approaches to personality are highlighted, including the psychoanalytic, trait,
biological, humanistic, behavioral/social learning, and cognitive approaches. These approaches are
unpacked with examples, looking at aggression and depression. Next, the chapter transitions to
personality and culture, with psychologists recognizing that people and their personalities exist within a
cultural context, identifying differences between individualistic and collectivist cultures.
Following this section, the chapter briefly outlines the structure of the rest of the textbook: the textbook is
divided into sections, with each section presenting one of the different approaches to personality. Each
section begins with a theory, followed by an application, assessments, and research of each approach.
The chapter ends with a description of the upcoming, brief biographies that will be presented throughout
the rest of the text. These biographies will highlight individuals who played a central role in the history of
personality psychology.
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
The following objectives are addressed in this chapter:
1.1 Explain how the person and the situation influence behavior.
1.2 Describe the subject matter of personality psychology.
1.3 Identify the focus of each of the six approaches to personality.
1.4 Discuss the role culture plays in personality psychology.
1.5 State how theory, application, assessment, and research combine to form the study of
personality.
KEY TERM
Personality: Consistent behavior patterns and intrapersonal processes originating within the individual.
[return to top]
WHAT'S NEW IN THIS CHAPTER
The following elements are improvements in this chapter from the previous edition:
New introduction example.
© 2027 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a 2
publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
, Instructor Manual: Burger, Personality, 12e ©2027, 9798214159294; Chapter 1: What Is Personality?
New table summarizing different approaches.
New subsection on how the field today reflects much greater gender, ethnic and cultural diversity
than in the past.
New references.
[return to top]
CHAPTER OUTLINE
The following outline organizes activities (including any existing discussion questions in PowerPoints or
other supplements) and assessments by chapter (and therefore by topic), so that you can see how all the
content relates to the topics covered in the text.
I. The Person and the Situation
a. Is our behavior shaped by the situation we encounter or by the type of person we are?
b. Dividing fields of study within psychology based on typical response patterns or
individual differences in response patterns to situations.
II. Defining Personality
a. There is importance in defining terms, but personality psychologists do not agree on a
single definition of personality.
b. There are several aspects of the provided definition that are expanded upon, such as
individual differences, intrapersonal processes, and consistency.
III. Six Approaches to Personality
a. This text examines six general approaches to explaining personality, which are
introduced in this section: the psychoanalytic approach, the trait approach, the biological
approach, the humanistic approach, the behavioral/social learning approach, and the
cognitive approach.
b. Each approach correctly identifies and examines an important aspect of human
personality, though sometimes these explanations are incompatible.
c. Two examples: Aggression and Depression
Example 1: Aggression
(1) Each of the six approaches to personality provides at least one answer to
the question of why some people are more prone to act aggressively than
others.
(a) Psychoanalytic approach: we all possess an unconscious desire
to self-destruct or aggression results when we are blocked from
reaching our goals.
(b) Trait approach: measure the extent to which, and consistency of,
individual differences in aggression over time.
(c) Biological approach: a genetic or hormonal predisposition to act
aggressively, or approaching aggression from an evolutionary
perspective.
(d) Humanistic approach: aggression comes from an environment in
which basic needs are not adequately met.
(e) Behavioral/social learning approach: people learn to be
aggressive in the same way they learn other behaviors, typically
from watching models.
© 2027 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a 3
publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
, Instructor Manual: Burger, Personality, 12e ©2027, 9798214159294; Chapter 1: What Is Personality?
(f) Cognitive approach: focusing on how aggressive people process
information.
(2) Only one approach might be correct, or all six may be partially correct
and vary in their focus.
Example 2: Depression
(1) Each of the six approaches to personality provides at least one answer to
the question of why some people are more prone to depression than
others.
(a) Psychoanalytic approach: depression is anger turned inward.
(b) Trait approach: current emotional levels predict future emotional
levels.
(c) Biological approach: genetic susceptibility to depression.
(d) Humanistic approach: depression is explained in terms of self-
esteem.
(e) Behavioral/social learning approach: depression stems from lack
of positive reinforcements, or exposure to aversive situations in
which a person has limited control.
(f) Cognitive approach: some people are prone to episodes of
depression because of how they process information.
(2) You do not need to align yourself with the same approach to personality
when explaining different experiences.
IV. Personality and Culture
a. Culture plays an important role in understanding personality.
b. One of the most important distinctions cross-cultural personality researchers make is
between individualistic cultures and collectivistic cultures.
c. The same concepts can mean different things in different cultures.
d. Culture needs to be considered when identifying and treating psychological disorders.
V. The Study of Personality: Theory, Application, Assessment, and Research
a. This text is divided into sections, and each section presents one of the seven different
approaches to personality (the psychoanalytic approach is divided into two sections).
b. The four components necessary for a complete understanding of personality – theory,
application, assessment, and research – are outlined in each of the seven approaches.
VI. The Changing Face of the Field
a. This text also highlights prominent individuals who played a central role in the history of
personality psychology.
b. The limitations of these highlighted individuals are discussed as well as the future
trajectory of personality psychology researchers.
VII. Summary
a. Four review statements are presented that encompass each of the chapter objectives.
1. Personality psychology is concerned with differences among people, and a
definition of personality is presented.
2. There are many theories of personality, which provide different explanations
for individual differences in behavior. These theories are divided into six
general categories: psychoanalytic, trait, biological, humanistic,
behavioral/social learning, and cognitive approaches.
© 2027 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a 4
publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Instructor Manual
Burger, Personality, 12e ©2027, 9798214159294; Chapter 1: What Is Personality?
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Purpose and Perspective of the Chapter......................................................................2
Chapter Objectives........................................................................................................2
Key Term.......................................................................................................................3
What's New in This Chapter........................................................................................3
Chapter Outline.............................................................................................................3
Additional Discussion Questions..................................................................................6
Additional Activities and Assignments.........................................................................8
Additional Resources....................................................................................................9
External Videos or Playlist........................................................................................................................9
Internet Resources....................................................................................................................................10
Primary Sources....................................................................................................................................... 11
© 2027 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a 1
publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
, Instructor Manual: Burger, Personality, 12e ©2027, 9798214159294; Chapter 1: What Is Personality?
PURPOSE AND PERSPECTIVE OF THE CHAPTER
The purpose of this chapter is to introduce students to the concepts of personality. The chapter begins by
highlighting the Paradise fire tragedy in California, outlining different response types of the residents of
the town. The chapter then poses the question: Is our behavior shaped by the situation we encounter or by
the type of person we are? Then, the debate among the psychologists of how situations affect behavior,
and how behavior reflects the individual, is unpacked. Following this, definitions of personality are
presented, with the added notion that there is disagreement among psychologists as to how personality
can be defined. The chapter notes the idea that several aspects of the definition need to be further
elaborated.
In the next section, six approaches to personality are highlighted, including the psychoanalytic, trait,
biological, humanistic, behavioral/social learning, and cognitive approaches. These approaches are
unpacked with examples, looking at aggression and depression. Next, the chapter transitions to
personality and culture, with psychologists recognizing that people and their personalities exist within a
cultural context, identifying differences between individualistic and collectivist cultures.
Following this section, the chapter briefly outlines the structure of the rest of the textbook: the textbook is
divided into sections, with each section presenting one of the different approaches to personality. Each
section begins with a theory, followed by an application, assessments, and research of each approach.
The chapter ends with a description of the upcoming, brief biographies that will be presented throughout
the rest of the text. These biographies will highlight individuals who played a central role in the history of
personality psychology.
CHAPTER OBJECTIVES
The following objectives are addressed in this chapter:
1.1 Explain how the person and the situation influence behavior.
1.2 Describe the subject matter of personality psychology.
1.3 Identify the focus of each of the six approaches to personality.
1.4 Discuss the role culture plays in personality psychology.
1.5 State how theory, application, assessment, and research combine to form the study of
personality.
KEY TERM
Personality: Consistent behavior patterns and intrapersonal processes originating within the individual.
[return to top]
WHAT'S NEW IN THIS CHAPTER
The following elements are improvements in this chapter from the previous edition:
New introduction example.
© 2027 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a 2
publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
, Instructor Manual: Burger, Personality, 12e ©2027, 9798214159294; Chapter 1: What Is Personality?
New table summarizing different approaches.
New subsection on how the field today reflects much greater gender, ethnic and cultural diversity
than in the past.
New references.
[return to top]
CHAPTER OUTLINE
The following outline organizes activities (including any existing discussion questions in PowerPoints or
other supplements) and assessments by chapter (and therefore by topic), so that you can see how all the
content relates to the topics covered in the text.
I. The Person and the Situation
a. Is our behavior shaped by the situation we encounter or by the type of person we are?
b. Dividing fields of study within psychology based on typical response patterns or
individual differences in response patterns to situations.
II. Defining Personality
a. There is importance in defining terms, but personality psychologists do not agree on a
single definition of personality.
b. There are several aspects of the provided definition that are expanded upon, such as
individual differences, intrapersonal processes, and consistency.
III. Six Approaches to Personality
a. This text examines six general approaches to explaining personality, which are
introduced in this section: the psychoanalytic approach, the trait approach, the biological
approach, the humanistic approach, the behavioral/social learning approach, and the
cognitive approach.
b. Each approach correctly identifies and examines an important aspect of human
personality, though sometimes these explanations are incompatible.
c. Two examples: Aggression and Depression
Example 1: Aggression
(1) Each of the six approaches to personality provides at least one answer to
the question of why some people are more prone to act aggressively than
others.
(a) Psychoanalytic approach: we all possess an unconscious desire
to self-destruct or aggression results when we are blocked from
reaching our goals.
(b) Trait approach: measure the extent to which, and consistency of,
individual differences in aggression over time.
(c) Biological approach: a genetic or hormonal predisposition to act
aggressively, or approaching aggression from an evolutionary
perspective.
(d) Humanistic approach: aggression comes from an environment in
which basic needs are not adequately met.
(e) Behavioral/social learning approach: people learn to be
aggressive in the same way they learn other behaviors, typically
from watching models.
© 2027 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a 3
publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
, Instructor Manual: Burger, Personality, 12e ©2027, 9798214159294; Chapter 1: What Is Personality?
(f) Cognitive approach: focusing on how aggressive people process
information.
(2) Only one approach might be correct, or all six may be partially correct
and vary in their focus.
Example 2: Depression
(1) Each of the six approaches to personality provides at least one answer to
the question of why some people are more prone to depression than
others.
(a) Psychoanalytic approach: depression is anger turned inward.
(b) Trait approach: current emotional levels predict future emotional
levels.
(c) Biological approach: genetic susceptibility to depression.
(d) Humanistic approach: depression is explained in terms of self-
esteem.
(e) Behavioral/social learning approach: depression stems from lack
of positive reinforcements, or exposure to aversive situations in
which a person has limited control.
(f) Cognitive approach: some people are prone to episodes of
depression because of how they process information.
(2) You do not need to align yourself with the same approach to personality
when explaining different experiences.
IV. Personality and Culture
a. Culture plays an important role in understanding personality.
b. One of the most important distinctions cross-cultural personality researchers make is
between individualistic cultures and collectivistic cultures.
c. The same concepts can mean different things in different cultures.
d. Culture needs to be considered when identifying and treating psychological disorders.
V. The Study of Personality: Theory, Application, Assessment, and Research
a. This text is divided into sections, and each section presents one of the seven different
approaches to personality (the psychoanalytic approach is divided into two sections).
b. The four components necessary for a complete understanding of personality – theory,
application, assessment, and research – are outlined in each of the seven approaches.
VI. The Changing Face of the Field
a. This text also highlights prominent individuals who played a central role in the history of
personality psychology.
b. The limitations of these highlighted individuals are discussed as well as the future
trajectory of personality psychology researchers.
VII. Summary
a. Four review statements are presented that encompass each of the chapter objectives.
1. Personality psychology is concerned with differences among people, and a
definition of personality is presented.
2. There are many theories of personality, which provide different explanations
for individual differences in behavior. These theories are divided into six
general categories: psychoanalytic, trait, biological, humanistic,
behavioral/social learning, and cognitive approaches.
© 2027 Cengage Learning, Inc. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a 4
publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
