The quality of our results depends on our research methods. We only get sensible results if our methodology makes sense.
At its core, research is the search for causality. It is applying the rules of systematic observation to people watching. We want to know if A causes B. Sometimes we can manipulate or change the value of A and see what happens to B. But it is not always that simple.
But let me address the larger perspective. Learning is something you already do automatically. I mean that you do it without thinking, as a natural process. But also that you haven’t thought about or tried to improve it. You are using learning right out of the box.
Think of memory as a large house with limited storage space. There are a lot of rooms but few closets. The goal is not to fill every corner but to select significant and valuable elements to put on display. Some items are in long term storage but the majority of the resources are to facilitate daily living.
Memory is vital to daily living, and always has been so. Knowing where the Saber Tooth Tiger lives is important information. It is in the best interests of your survival to be able to store and retrieve the proper information at the right moment in time. Tigers tend not to wait while you ponder the matter or shuffle through your notes to find the right answer.
Although we will discuss animal intelligence, we will focus on human cognition. Sometimes we want to be alone with our thoughts. There is a simplicity and complexity that comes when thinking. We can be “lost” in thought, “centered” or making “mental leaps.” We feel like thinking, pondering, problem solving and story telling (which are all a part of cognition) are what make us unique.
Early theories of psychology were used to study perception but not the larger issues of thinking, deciding and problem solving. Gestalt psychology was a pre-cognitive theory. In contrast to behavioral approaches, Gestalt thinking allowed for the value of thinking.
Social psychology is the study of how being in a group influences us. Groups can increase or decrease aggression, creativity, and independent thinking. We can act exactly the same or quite, depending on which group we join.
we start off in a family, go to school and play with friends. We are never not part of a group. Those groups help shape us. We influence them, and they influence us. It is a reciprocal relationship.
Everyone is psychology has at least one idea about what should be excluded in a definition of personality. But nobody agrees on what should be included. Some say there are over 50 definitions of personality but I think that’s a major underestimate. About all everyone agrees on is that there are too many definitions of personality.
Since personality describes who you are as a person, there are a lot of possibilities available. You do, think, say, process, interpret and feel. But which, some, or all of these should be included? It depends on your approach.
Here are three questions you must ask when you study personality:
1. Are the characteristics of personality static or dynamic? Dynamic views maintain that personality is constantly changing. They point to the relatively poor test-retest reliabilities of personality tests. If personality is stable, why do people change from week to week? In contrast, static views of personality note that you tend to act pretty much the same. This fits with our internal view of ourselves as being constant. Static theories have the added requirement of defining when personality is complete: at 6 months, 4 years old, etc.
2. Are you interested in what we have in common (human nature) or what makes us unique (individual differences)? We can and do compare ourselves to others. We want to be sure we’re not strange or weird. But we also want to be special and different. So personality can be described by common traits, process or principles. Or it can be described by uncommon dispositions, goal and strivings.
3. Is your primary interest theoretical, practical or experimental? A theoretical approach requires nothing more than an armchair and your mind. You can create a definition or a complete theory of personality with nothing but your imagination. A practical approach to personality might focus on finding a quick (if not stereotypical) sketch of a person. You might want to know what is typical of this person. Experimental approaches to personality convert theoretical constructs into measureable variables. Studies can be conducted in a lab or in the real world.
Here is a catalog style description of the course:
Major theoretical paradigms of personality are explored. Topics include psychoanalysis, humanism, social, cognitive and existentialism. Special attention paid to testing, diagnosis and research design.
Here is what it really means:
You will learn a lot of theories, and to be wary of personality testing.
Let’s start with the oldest but perhaps most widespread approach to personality.
Trait Theory
There are 10 things we are going to look at:
Credit: Photo by Boudewijn Huysmans on Unsplash
