2.8.3 - Behavioural Analysis
Enroll to start learning
You’ve not yet enrolled in this course. Please enroll for free to listen to audio lessons, classroom podcasts and take practice test.
Interactive Audio Lesson
Listen to a student-teacher conversation explaining the topic in a relatable way.
Concept of Self
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Today, we're exploring the concept of self. Can anyone tell me what they think 'self' means in psychological terms?
I think it has to do with how we see ourselves.
Exactly! The self is essentially our identity, shaped through interactions. It encompasses our subjective experiences. It's vital to know that it's not static; it evolves with our experiences. To remember this, think of S.E.E. - Social Influence, Experience, and Evolution.
Does the self influence our personality?
Great question! Yes, it’s foundational to our personality. The personality reflects consistent behavior patterns, which are rooted in our self-views.
So, does that mean someone with a positive self-view could have a different personality than someone with a negative one?
Precisely! Positive self-esteem can lead to traits like confidence, while negative self-views might lead to reticence. Remember, the way we view ourselves can greatly shape how we behave.
What about different kinds of selves mentioned?
Good point! We have personal, social, and relational selves, which all play distinct roles in how we interact with the world. We can think of them as layers. Let’s summarize: self is dynamic and shapes personality, influenced by our social context.
Dimensions of Self
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Moving on, let's delve into self-esteem and self-efficacy. Who can tell me what self-esteem is?
Isn’t it about how much we value ourselves?
Yes! Self-esteem is the overall judgment we make about our worth. To remember this, think of the acronym V.O.W. - Value, Opinion, Worth. How we see our worth can affect our behavior.
How about self-efficacy?
Great! Self-efficacy refers to our belief in our abilities to achieve goals. This plays a crucial role in determining whether we take on challenges or avoid them.
So, someone with high self-efficacy is more likely to try tough tasks?
Exactly! High self-efficacy encourages persistence. Let's wrap this session by stating: high self-esteem and self-efficacy can motivate better performance and deeper engagement in life.
Approaches to Personality
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Now, let's turn our attention to the approaches to studying personality. What do you think the type approach refers to?
It's about categorizing people, right?
Exactly! The type approach simplifies complex behaviors into broad categories based on common traits. Remember: S.T.C - Simplification, Traits, Categories. Next, what about the trait approach?
It focuses on specific traits that define us?
Absolutely! It seeks to identify the underlying traits that form an individual's personality. The Five-Factor Model summarises this effectively. Any thoughts on that model?
Isn’t it about openness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism, and conscientiousness?
Perfect recall! Let’s summarize this session: type vs. trait approaches both aim to understand personalities but from different angles.
Psychodynamic Approach
🔒 Unlock Audio Lesson
Sign up and enroll to listen to this audio lesson
Freud’s contributions have been pivotal. Can anyone explain what the id, ego, and superego are?
The id is our basic instincts, right?
Correct! The id seeks immediate pleasure. Let’s remember it with P.I.E – Pleasure, Immediate, Energy. What about ego and superego?
The ego makes decisions based on reality, and the superego reflects moral values.
Exactly! The interplay among these structures shapes our personality. Summarizing this session: Freud explained our complexities through conflicting forces within.
Introduction & Overview
Read summaries of the section's main ideas at different levels of detail.
Quick Overview
Standard
The section discusses the evolution of self and personality as key psychological constructs. It explains the distinction between self and personality, highlights their interconnectedness, and reviews major approaches like the trait, psychodynamic, behavioral, and humanistic perspectives. Key aspects such as self-esteem, self-efficacy, and personality assessment methods are also covered.
Detailed
Detailed Summary of Section 14.3: Behavioural Analysis
The concepts of self and personality serve as crucial frameworks within psychology for understanding human behavior. The self is a product of social interactions and develops a subjective identity which is further categorized into personal, social, and relational aspects. This influences how individuals perceive themselves in various contexts.
A fundamental aspect of this section elucidates the relationship between self and personality, asserting that the self crafts the foundation of an individual's personality traits. The development of self-esteem and self-efficacy is crucial; these elements influence how a person regulates their behavior in response to environmental pressures and internal desires.
The section details various approaches to understanding personality:
- Type Approaches which classify individuals into broad personality types,
- Trait Approaches focusing on stable characteristics,
- The Five-Factor Model of Personality, emphasizing five core dimensions,
- The Psychodynamic Approach led by Freud's theories focusing on unconscious processes,
- The Behavioral Approach considering observable behaviors in response to stimuli, and
- The Cultural Approach examining how individual behaviors are shaped by societal norms.
Personality assessments are also discussed, highlighting self-report measures, projective techniques, and observational methods, each contributing to a more holistic understanding of the individual.
Overall, this section encapsulates the significant influence of both self and personality on human behavior and presents various frameworks for analyzing these concepts.
Youtube Videos
Audio Book
Dive deep into the subject with an immersive audiobook experience.
Understanding Self and Personality
Chapter 1 of 5
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
Quite often you must have found yourself engaged in knowing and evaluating your own behaviour and that of others. You must have noticed how you react and behave in certain situations in a manner different from others? You may have also often asked questions about your relationships with others. To find an answer to some of these questions, psychologists use the notion of self. Similarly when we ask questions such as why people are different, how they make different meaning of events, and how they feel and react differently in similar situations (i.e. questions relating to variations in behaviour), the notion of personality comes into play. Both these concepts, i.e. self and personality are intimately related. Self, in fact, lies at the core of personality.
Detailed Explanation
This chunk explains the importance of understanding self and personality. It highlights that people often reflect on their behavior and how it differs from others. Psychologists regard the concept of self as central to personality and use it to explore personal differences in behavior and emotional responses. In simpler terms, who we are (self) and how we behave (personality) are linked: our self-image influences our personality traits and vice versa.
Examples & Analogies
Think of a time when you faced a challenging situation, like a group project at school. You may have acted confidently while others were more reserved. This instance illustrates how your self-perception—seeing yourself as capable—helped you behave differently from your peers, showcasing the relationship between self and personality.
The Interconnectedness of Self and Personality
Chapter 2 of 5
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
The study of self and personality helps us understand not only who we are, but also our uniqueness as well as our similarities with others. By understanding self and personality, we can understand our own as well as others’ behaviour in diverse settings. Several thinkers have analysed the structure and function of self and personality. As a result, we have different theoretical perspectives on self and personality today. This chapter will introduce you to some basic aspects of self and personality. You will also learn some important theoretical approaches to self and personality, and certain methods of personality assessment.
Detailed Explanation
This chunk emphasizes that by exploring self and personality, we gain insights into our uniqueness and commonalities with others. Various theorists have contributed different perspectives on these concepts. Understanding this interconnectedness allows us to make sense of our behavior and that of others across different situations. Essentially, knowing yourself leads to better interactions and relationships with people around you.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine you are in a group discussion. By understanding your own personality traits—like being talkative—you might notice how they mesh with a quieter member's approach. This insight can help you appreciate your differences while cooperating effectively, illustrating how self-awareness impacts social interactions.
Observing Behavior through Self and Personality
Chapter 3 of 5
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
These studies have brought out many aspects of our behaviour related to self. As indicated earlier, all of us carry within us a sense of who we are and what makes us different from everyone else. We cling to our personal and social identities and feel safe in the knowledge that it remains stable in our lifetime.
Detailed Explanation
The chunk indicates that studies on self reveal important aspects of how we behave based on our self-perceptions. Each person has a unique sense of identity that they tend to hold onto throughout life, providing a sense of stability. This identity influences how we respond to various situations, reinforcing our behaviors and choices.
Examples & Analogies
Consider a person who identifies strongly as an artist. This self-concept could lead them to express themselves more openly in creative ways, such as in conversations or clothing. They might feel less inclined to follow conventional paths, demonstrating how a strong self-identity impacts behavioral choices.
The Role of Interaction in Self Development
Chapter 4 of 5
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
Our interaction with other people, our experiences, and the meaning we give to them, serve as the basis of our self. The structure of self is modifiable in light of our own experiences and the experiences we have of other people.
Detailed Explanation
This chunk discusses how our self-concept is shaped by interactions with others and our experiences. It highlights that the understanding of who we are is not fixed but can change based on our social experiences and the interpretations we make. This fluidity allows for personal growth and adaptation over time.
Examples & Analogies
Think about a student who initially sees themselves as poor at math. However, after working with a tutor and experiencing success, they start to view themselves as capable. This development shows how positive interactions and experiences can reshape self-identity.
Types of Selves
Chapter 5 of 5
🔒 Unlock Audio Chapter
Sign up and enroll to access the full audio experience
Chapter Content
A distinction is made between ‘personal’ and ‘social’ self. The personal self leads to an orientation in which one feels primarily concerned with oneself. Social self emerges in relation with others and emphasises such aspects of life as cooperation, unity, affiliation, sacrifice, support or sharing.
Detailed Explanation
This chunk introduces the distinction between personal self and social self. The personal self is focused on individual needs and achievements, while the social self emphasizes relationships and community. Recognizing these two aspects helps us understand the dual nature of identity, where one might prioritize personal goals in some scenarios and social responsibilities in others.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine a student who excels in sports and is very focused on their achievements (personal self). In contrast, during team activities, they collaborate and support teammates (social self). This shift reflects how circumstances may trigger different aspects of their identity.
Key Concepts
-
Self: The idea of identity shaped through social interactions.
-
Self-esteem: The value judgment individuals make about their self-worth.
-
Self-efficacy: Belief in one’s capabilities influencing actions.
-
Personality: Characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving.
-
Trait Approach: Focus on stable characteristics that define behavior.
-
Type Approach: Categorizes individuals based on shared traits.
Examples & Applications
A person with high self-esteem tends to take on challenges confidently, while someone with low self-esteem may avoid them.
In a job interview, candidates with high self-efficacy believe they'll excel, enhancing their chances of success.
Memory Aids
Interactive tools to help you remember key concepts
Rhymes
Self-esteem is how you feel, a mirror to your worth, that's real.
Stories
Imagine a young girl named Mia who believed she could paint beautifully. Her self-efficacy led her to take part in an art competition, where she won first place!
Memory Tools
In psychology class, remember 'P.E.T.' - Personality, Environment, Traits for approaches.
Acronyms
For self-esteem, think 'V.O.W.' - Value, Opinion, Worth to recall its elements.
Flash Cards
Glossary
- Self
The individual’s sense of identity, shaped through social interactions.
- Selfesteem
The subjective evaluation of one's worth.
- Selfefficacy
Belief in one’s own ability to succeed in specific situations.
- Type Approach
Categorization of personality into types based on broad behavioral traits.
- Trait Approach
Focus on identifying specific traits that underlie a person's consistent behaviors.
- Psychodynamic Approach
A perspective on personality focusing on unconscious forces and childhood experiences.
- FiveFactor Model
A model outlining five core dimensions of personality: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.
Reference links
Supplementary resources to enhance your learning experience.