A2 PE - Personality

A2 PE - Personality

1. Nuture

   • A learned pattern of behaviour acquired through reinforcement, imitation of the behaviour of others and general environment influences.

2. Nature

   • Individuals are a product of the genes of their parent. A genetically inherited disposition.

3. Trait

   • An inate, enduring trait characteristic possessed by an individual that can be used to explain and predict behaviour in different situations.
   • Stable Enduring Consistent

4. Definitions

   • Gross (1992) Those relatively stable and enduring aspects of individuals, which distinguish them from other people, making them unique but at the same time permit a comparison between individuals.
   • Eysenck (1995) Personality is more or less stable and enduring organisations of a person's character, temperament, intellect and physique, which determines unique adjustment the individual makes to the environment.
     • Eysenck's Circular Diagram
       • Stable Unstable Introverted Extraverted
   • Hollander (1971) Personality is the sum total of an individual's characteristics which make him/her unique.
     • Hollander's (1967) Structure of Personality: 1. Psychological Core 2. Typical Response 3. Role Related Behaviour

5. Personality Theories

   • Trait Theories: Dimension Trait Theory
     • Extrovert Introvert Stable Neurotic
     • They suggest we are born with inherited characteristics which do not alter over time and which cause us to react in a similar fashion irrespective of the situation.
   • Bandura's Social Learning Theory
     • Theory suggest that rather than being born with characteristics we learn them from other people, especially from those we hold in high esteem.
     • Demonstration Attention Retention Motivation Matching Performance Motor Reproduction
   • Achievement Goal Theory
     • Task Orientated Goals: A goal that is set to judge the performance of the individual against others and his/her own standards rather than against other competitors.
     • Outcome Goals; A goal that is set to judge the performance of the individual against others and the end result.

6. Approach To Personality

   • Narrow Band Approach
     • Type A Characteristics: Highly Competitive, Strong desire to succeed, Works Fast, Likes to control, Prone to suffer stress.
     • Type B Characteristics: Non-Competitive, Unambitious, Works more slowly, Doesn't enjoy control, Less prone to stress.
   • Interactionist Approach
     • Interactionist theories propose that personality is a mixture of inherited traits and a person's current situation.
     • Lewin (1936) B = f (PxE)
       • Behaviour (B) Function (f) Personality (P) Environment (E)

7. Marten's Structure of Personality

   • External Dynamic Internal Consistent

8. Measurement of Personality

   • Observations, Self-Report Questionaires, Interviews

9. Morgan (1979) Mood States

   • The personality of the performer can change from one moment to the next. Mood states are temporary and change with the situation.
     • POMS (Profile of Mood States) Include: Tension, Depression, Anger Vigour, Fatigue, and Confusion
       • Morgan's Iceberg Profile compares the moods states of successful & unsuccessful athletes. Successful athletes will have high amounts of vigor and low amounts of depression, whereas the unsuccessful performer high amounts of tension, and low amounts of vigour.

10. McCelland & Atkinson (1964): Need to Achieve (n.Ac) , Need to Avoid Failure (n.AF)

    • Avoidance Behaviour Approach Behaviour
    • (Ms-Maf) x (Ps x {I - Ps})
      • Ms; Motive to succeed Maf: Motivation to avoid failure, Ps: Probability of success I: Incentive

11. Achievement Motivation

    • Motivation is the desire to participate in a goal directed activity.
      • Intrinsic Motivation, Extrinsic Motivation, Tangible, Intangible
    • Desire to succeed - Fear of failure