Session 35 Allport’s Trait Theory.pptx..

allport

1. Ms. Muskan Sethi Introduction to Personality Assistant Professor School of Liberal Arts (SOLA) K. R. Mangalam University Unit III Theories of Temperament and Trait Theories ​ 1

2. Session 35 Allport’s Trait Theory 2

3. Concept of Personality 01 Structure of Personality 02 Dynamics of Personality 03 References Contents: Evaluation of Theory 04 Conclusion

4. He takes the biological approach to an extent and mentions about how children are born with reflexes and as they use the reflexes continuously, how in course of time these reflexes become a habit and how habits by indulging in them continuously turn into traits, which are relatively permanent entities in the individual and which are reflected in the individual’s many behaviours in many different situations. Gordon Willard Allport was born on November 11, 1897, in Montezuma,Indiana , the fourth and youngest son of John E. Allport and Nellie Wise Allport . Concept of Personality: Allport emphasized the uniqueness of the individual. He believed that attempts to describe people in terms of general traits rob them of their unique individuality. Gordon Allport put forward the concept of traits in understanding personality.

5. Structure of Personality: The structure of personality refers to its basic units or building blocks. It is primarily represented in terms of traits, and at the same time, behavior is motivated or driven by traits. Intentions Trait The Propium 04 03 02 Structure of Personality 01 Personality, Character, Temperament

6. Characteristic Determine Psychophysical Dynamic Organization An integration or interrelatedness of the various aspects of personality. “Personality is the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his characteristic behavior and thought.” Behavior & thought Emphasizes the importance of both the psychological and the physical aspects of personality. All facets of personality activate or direct specific behaviors and thoughts. Refer to anything the person does Marked with a unique engraving, a stamp or marking, that no one else can duplicate. ( Allport , 1961, p. 28). Definition of Personality:

7. 01 02 03 2.1 Personality, Character and Temperament What is Personality: Personality is both physical and psychological; it includes both overt behaviors and covert thoughts; it not only is something, but it does something. Personality is both substance and change, both product and process, both structure and growth. Thus, each person is unique. Character: Character implied some code of behavior in terms of which individuals or their acts are appraised. It is an ethical concept. For describing the character of individual the word good or bad is employed. Temperament: Temperament means those dispositions that are closely linked to biological or physiological determinants and that consequently show relatively little modification with development. It is the raw material along with intelligence and physique out of which personality is fashioned.  

8. 2.2 Personality Trait Personality Trait Trait Motivational and Stylistic Dispositions Personality Dispositions

9. 2.3 Intentions Allport concluded that human behavior is not determined by prior causes, instead it is guided by our intentions. It involves both an emotional want and a plan to satisfy it that is directed toward some future goal. 2.4 Proprium The proprium includes a person’s values as well as that part of the conscience that is personal and consistent with one’s adult beliefs. Eight different aspects of the proprium : 03 Sense of bodily self Self Identity Self Extension Self Image Self Coping Unifying Sense Propriate Strivings Self Esteem

10. Dynamics of Personality: 1 2 3 Functional Autonomy Conscious and Unconscious Motivation Psychological Maturity There are various factors that underlying the functioning of an individual’s personality. In order to understand the personality of an individual there are three basic concepts as underlying dynamics of personality and these are :

11. 3.1 Functional Autonomy “Functional autonomy regards adult motives as varied and as self-sustaining, contemporary systems growing out of antecedent systems but functionally independent of them.” ( Allport , 1961, p. 227)

12. Infact all the conscious motivations are somehow influenced by desires hidden in the unconscious. Allport claimed that a mature normal adult’s personality is fully in control of the conscious. He refuted Freud’s claim that ego does not have energy of its own and personality is controlled by the unconscious. Allport in his theory laid emphasis on conscious motivation stating that an adult individual is fully aware of what he is doing. But he also gave due recognition to the concept of unconscious motivation. 3.2 Conscious and Unconscious Motivation

13. 3.3 Psychological Maturity 1 2 3 4 5 6 Warm Relating of Self to Others Realistic Perception of Their Environment Unifying Philosophy of Life Extension of The Sense of Self Emotional Security or Self-acceptance Self-objectification

14. 3.4 Study of Values 1. Theoretical: 2. Economic: 3. Aesthetic: 4. Social: 5. Political: Focus on the discovery of truth, and interests. Focus on usefulness and being practical. Focus on form and harmony . Focus on the altruistic love of others. Focus on power over others and social recognition. Focus on unity. 6. Religious:

15. Evaluation Of Theory : It is grounded more in philosophical speculations and common sense than in scientific research. Allport attributed too much credit to what goes on inside the organism and not enough credit to the seductive and constraining impact of external forces. Critics also point to the idiographic approach taken to the personality taken by allport . “The fallacy of the unique personality” represents a major disagreement between allport’s beliefs and those of most contemporary social scientists. This theory does not mention how an original motive develops into a functionally autonomous motive. Functional autonomy is a concept that can’t be manipulated in experimental conditions. 6 5 4 3 2 1 4.1 Critics of The Theory Critics

16. 4.2 Relevance of The Theory Allport’s view that people are shaped more by future expectations than by past events is congenial with a hopeful and humanistic philosophy. It emphasis on uniqueness, and focus on the importance of goals are reflected in the work of the humanistic psychologists . Making the study of personality academically respectable and emphasizing the role of genetic factors within a trait approach to personality. The role of individual traits in an adequate theory of personality remains highly relevant and provocative to the present day for personality psychologists . Allport presented an optimistic image of human nature and emphasized the uniqueness of the individual. Allport’s theory is comprehensive in the sense that it is incredibly eclectic. . Allport’s approach to personality is both stimulating and enlightening Relevance

17. Allport’s theory is considered humanistic in one sense and personalistic in another sense. He combines the opposites in his theory such as objectivity and subjectivity, rationality and irrationality etc.  Allport's approach to human psychology combined the empirical influence of the behaviorists with the acknowledgment that unconscious influences could also play a role in human behavior. . So this theory of personality is considered pioneering work in the personality field. It relied on statistical data rather than on the personal experience of the individuals. Conclusion:

18. References: Burger, J.M.(7th Eds,2008) Personality , Belmont, USA, Wadsworth Cengage Learning Dan, P. McAdams (2008). The Person: An Introduction to the Science of Personality Psychology. John Wiley and Sons, New Jersey. Ewen , R.B.(2013) Personality: A Topical Approach: Theories, Research, Major Controversies, and Emerging Findings Feist J. & Feist G.J.(7th Eds,2008) Theories of Personality, McGraw-Hill Primis Online Hall, C.S., Lindzey G. & Campbell J.B.(4th Eds,2002) Theories of Hogen , R., Johnson J. & Briggs S.(1997) Handbook of Personality Psychology, California, Long, L. M. K. (1952). Alfred Adler and Gordon W. Allport : a comparison on certain topics in personality theory. American Journal of Individual Psychology, 10, 43–53. Ryckman R.M. (9th Eds,2008) Theories of Personality, Belmont, USA Schultz D.P. & Schultz S.E.(8th Eds,2005) Theories of Personality, Belmont, USA http://egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/23525/1/Unit-2.pdf https://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/allport.html

19. Thank You