An individual's unique constellation of consistent behavioral traits

Personal Growth Paper

This assignment is intended to push you out of your self-imposed limitations. Do something you would not have normally done (go to a Buddhist meditation, sing karaoke, start a conversation with a stranger, give a public speech, buy dinner for someone less fortunate, etc.) and write a brief 2-page typed (double space, 12 point font, Times New Roman) reaction about your experience. Try to think of something that is genuinely outside of your comfort zone or usual way of operating. Feel free to be creative, this is for you! In your paper, discuss the following;

a. What did you do and when did you do it (HAD to be during the semester!) In what ways was it different from how you usually operate?

b. What were your expectations prior to engaging in the experience? What elements of your experience were consistent with your observations? What elements were inconsistent (different from what you expected?).

c. What advice would you give to other people who are planning on taking on this experience or activity?

d. Do you plan on participating in this activity again? Why or why not?

e. What would you have done differently, if anything, I terms of your preparation for the activity?

Measurement Procedure: Students will be evaluated on the completeness of their reflection with regard to the topic area identified as well as the professionalism of the paper and adherence to formatting guidelines. This fulfills SLO 1, 2, 3, 4. As a professional in any field, it is your responsibility to manage your time.

what Is Personality

· According to the text

· Personality is, “an individual’s unique constellation of consistent behavioral traits”(Weiten, Hammer, and Dunn, 2014)

· “Personality includes characteristic patterns of thought, emotion, and behavior, together with the psychological mechanisms-hidden or not-behind those patterns.” (Funder, 2007)

· Psychologists who research personality take different approaches to their research:

· Basic approach

· Observes patterns

· Trait approach

· Focuses on traits

· Biological approach

· Looks at anatomy, physiology, genetics, evolution

· Psychoanalytic approach

· Assessing unconscious, subconscious

· Phenomenological approach

Listen to people’s conscious experience of the world

Personality Traits

· A personality trait is, “a durable disposition to behave in a particular way in a variety of situations.”

· How do you most commonly behave across different situations?

· Shy

· Honest

· Moody

· Friendly

· THINK: Describe your personality. What kind of traits come to mind? How would someone else describe your personality?

· What do you notice about other people’s personalities?

Five-Factor Theory of Personality

· One of the most prominent theories of personality

· Also referred to as the "Five Factor Model" or FFM (Costa & McCrae, 1992), and as the Global Factors of personality (Russell & Karol, 1994)

· This theory states that almost all personality traits derive from the Big Five Personality Traits

· Extroversion, Neuroticism, Openness to experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness

Five Factors

· Openness

· Curiosity, flexibility, vivid imagination, impulsive

· Conscientiousness

· Diligent, disciplined, well organized, dependable

· Extraversion

· Outgoing, sociable, upbeat, friendly, assertive

· Agreeableness

· Sympathetic, trusting, cooperative, modest

· Neuroticism

· Anxious, hostile, self-conscious, insecure, vulnerable

All five factors show an influence from both heredity and environment.

Freudian Psychoanalytic Theory of Personality

· According to Freud: personality is divided into three main components:

· Id

· Primitive, instinctive component of personality that operates according to the pleasure principle

· Ego

· The decision making component of personality that operates according to the reality principle

· Superego

· Moral component of personality that incorporates social standards about what represents right and wrong

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

· Introspective, self report inventory

· Assesses how people perceive the world and make decisions

· Based on Carl Jung’s theory of psychological types, uses 4 scales

· Extroversion/Introversion

· Sensing/Intuitive

· Thinking/Feeling

· Judging/Perceiving

· Results come in a Four letter combination

· ENFP

· An example of an MBTI type assessment can be found here

https://www.16personalities.com/free-personality-test

Why does personality matter?

· We use what we know about a person’s personality to predict their behavior

· We use what we know about our own personality to develop coping skills and adaptability, preferences, and self-concepts

· Assessment of personality helps us determine who we want to spend our time with

· Personality traits impact several different life outcomes (stress, happiness, health, longevity, etc.)

· Assessing your own personality and comparing to who you want to be is an important part of personal growth

· THINK: What traits would I change about myself? What traits do I have that I would change?

Keep this in mind for your first journal