Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTheories of PersonalityDefinitionCharacteristicsResearch MethodsTerminologyFamous Psychologists
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Table of Contents
Theories of Personality
Definition
Characteristics
Research Methods
Terminology
Famous Psychologists
Close
Personality theories seek to explain how personality forms, changes, and impacts behavior. Five key personality theories focus on biological, behavioral, psychodynamic, humanistic, and trait approaches. While these theories offer different explanations for personality, each offers important insights that help us better understand ourselves.
Understanding some of the basics about personality is essential to understanding personality theories in psychology. What exactly is personality? Where does it come from?Does it changeas we grow older? These sorts of questions have long fascinated psychologists and inspired many different theories of personality.
At a GlanceSome of the best-known personality theories focus on how personality forms and influences behavior. Some focus on early childhood experiences, while others focus on the traits that make up personality. In other cases, personality theories are centered on how experiences and individual needs shape and influence personality. Keep reading to learn more about some of the major theories and how they have shaped our understanding of personality.
At a Glance
Some of the best-known personality theories focus on how personality forms and influences behavior. Some focus on early childhood experiences, while others focus on the traits that make up personality. In other cases, personality theories are centered on how experiences and individual needs shape and influence personality. Keep reading to learn more about some of the major theories and how they have shaped our understanding of personality.
5 Major Personality Theories
Five of the main theories of personality are biological theories, behavioral theories, psychodynamic theories, humanist theories, and trait theories.
Biological Personality Theories
Biological approaches suggest that genetics are primarily responsible for personality. In the classicnature versus nurture debate, the biological theories of personality side with nature.
Research on heritability suggests that there is a link between genetics and personality traits.Twin studies are often used to investigate which traits might be linked to genetics versus those that might be linked to environmental variables. For example, researchers might look at differences and similarities in the personalities of twins raised together versus those who are raised apart.
One of the best-known biological theorists wasHans Eysenck, who linked aspects of personality to biological processes.
Behavioral Personality Theories
Behavioral theorists includeB. F. SkinnerandJohn B. Watson. Behavioral personality theories suggest that personality is a result of interaction between the individual and the environment.Behavioral theorists study observable and measurable behaviors, rejecting theories that take internal thoughts, moods, and feelings play a part as these cannot be measured.
According to behavioral theorists, conditioning (predictable behavioral responses) occurs through interactions with our environment which ultimately shapes our personalities.
Psychodynamic Personality Theories
Freud believed the three components of personality were theid, ego, and superego. The id is responsible for needs and urges, while the superego regulates ideals and morals. The ego, in turn, moderates the demands of the id, superego, and reality.
Freud suggested that children progress through a series of stages in which the id’s energy is focused on different erogenous zones.
Erikson also believed that personality progressed through a series of stages, with certain conflicts arising at each stage. Success in any stage depends on successfully overcoming these conflicts.
Humanist Personality Theories
Humanist theories emphasize the importance of free will and individual experience in personality development.Humanist theorists include Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow.
Humanist theorists promote the concept ofself-actualization, which is the innate need for personal growth and how personal growth motivates behavior. According to this approach, people are inherently good and have a natural tendency to want to make themselves and the world better.
Trait Personality Theories
Thetrait theoryapproach is one of the most prominent areas in personality psychology. According to these theories, personality is made up of a number of broad traits.
A trait is a relatively stable characteristic that causes an individual to behave in certain ways. It is essentially the psychological “blueprint” that informs behavioral patterns.
Some of the best-known trait theories include Eysenck’s three-dimension theory and thefive-factor theoryof personality.
Eysenck utilized personality questionnaires to collect data from participants and then employed a statistical technique known as factor analysis to analyze the results. Eysenck concluded that there were three major dimensions of personality: extroversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism.
Eysenck believed that these dimensions then combine in different ways to form an individual’s unique personality. Later, Eysenck added the third dimension known as psychoticism, which related to things such as aggression,empathy, and sociability.
Later, researchers suggested that a person’s personality has five broad dimensions, often referred to as theBig 5 theory of personality.
Defining Personality
While personality is something that we talk about all the time (“He has such a great personality!” or “Her personality is perfect for this job!"), you might be surprised to learn that psychologists do not necessarily agree on a single definition of what exactly constitutes personality.
Personality is broadly described as the characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that make a person unique. In plain English, it is what makes youyou.
Researchers have found while some external factors can influence how certain traits are expressed, personality originates within the individual. While a few aspects of personality may change as we grow older, personality also tends to remain fairly consistent throughout life.
Because personality plays such an important role in human behavior, an entirebranch of psychologyis devoted to studying this fascinating topic. Personality psychologists are interested in the unique characteristics of individuals and similarities among groups of people.
10 Fascinating Facts About Personality
Characteristics of Personality
To understand the psychology of personality, it is important to learn some of the key characteristics of how personality works.
How Personality Impacts Physical and Mental Health
Investigating Personality Theories
Now that you know a bit more about the basics of personality, it’s time to take a closer look at how scientists actually study human personality. There are different techniques that are used in the study of personality. Each technique has its own strengths and weaknesses.
Experimental Methods
Experimental methods are those in which the researcher controls and manipulates the variables of interest and takes measures of the results. This is the most scientific form of research, butexperimental researchcan be difficult when studying aspects of personality such asmotivations,emotions, and drives.
These ideas are internal, abstract, and can be difficult to measure. The experimental method allows researchers to look at cause-and-effect relationships between different variables of interest.
Case Studies
Because of this, these methods tend to be highly subjective and it is difficult to generalize the findings to a larger population.
Clinical Research
Clinical research relies upon information gathered from clinical patients over the course of treatment. Many personality theories are based on this type of research, but because the research subjects are unique and exhibit abnormal behavior, this research tends to be highly subjective and difficult to generalize.
Key Terms to Know About Personality Theories
In addition to understanding some of the major theories of personality psychology, it is important to know more about some of the key terms and concepts that are central to these theories.
Classical Conditioning
Classical conditioningis a behavioral training technique that begins with a naturally occurring stimulus eliciting an automatic response. Then, a previously neutral stimulus is paired with the naturally occurring stimulus.
Eventually, the previously neutral stimulus comes to evoke the response without the presence of the naturally occurring stimulus. The two elements are then known as theconditioned stimulusand theconditioned response.
Operant Conditioning
Operant conditioningis a behavior training technique in which reinforcements or punishments are used to influence behavior. An association is made between a behavior and a consequence for that behavior.
Unconscious
In Freud’s psychoanalytic theory of personality, theunconsciousmind is a reservoir of feelings, thoughts, urges, and memories that are outside of our conscious awareness. Most of the contents of the unconscious are unacceptable or unpleasant, such as feelings of pain, anxiety, or conflict.
According to Freud, the unconscious mind continues to influence our behavior and experiences, even though we are unaware of these underlying influences.
Id
According to Freud’s psychoanalytic theory of personality, theidis the personality component made up of unconscious psychic energy that works to satisfy basic urges, needs, and desires. The id operates based onthe pleasure principle, which demands immediate gratification of needs.
Ego
Superego
Thesuperegois the component of personality composed of our internalized ideals that we have acquired from our parents and from society. The superego works to suppress the urges of the id and tries to make the ego behave morally, rather than realistically.
Thinkers Behind Personality Theories
Some of the most famous figures in the history of psychology left a lasting mark on the field of personality. Learning more about the lives, theories, and contributions to the psychology of these eminent psychologists can help one better understand the different personality theories.
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) was the founder of psychoanalytic theory. His theories emphasized the importance of the unconscious mind, childhood experiences,dreams, and symbolism. His theory of psychosexual development suggested that children progress through a series of stages during which libidinal energy is focused on different regions of the body.
His ideas are known as grand theories because they seek to explain virtually every aspect of human behavior.
Erik Erikson
B. F. Skinner
B. F. Skinner (1904-1990) was a behaviorist best known for his research onoperant conditioningand the discovery ofschedules of reinforcement. Schedules of reinforcement influence how quickly a behavior is acquired and the strength of response.
Sandra Bem
Abraham Maslow
Abraham Maslow(1908-1970) was a humanist psychologist who developed the well-knownhierarchy of needs. The hierarchy includes physiological needs, safety and security needs, love and affection needs, self-esteem needs, and self-actualizing needs.
Carl Rogers
Carl Rogers(1902-1987) was a humanist psychologist who believed that all people have anactualizing tendency—a drive to fulfill the individual potential that motivates behavior. Rogers called healthy individualsfully functioning, describing them as those who areopen to experience, live in the moment, trust their own judgment, feel free, and are creative.
Takeaways
By learning more about these theories, you can better understand how researchers have come to know the psychology of personality as well as consider questions that future research might explore.
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11 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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