1. Personality
By
Mohamed Abdelghani
Ass. Lecturer of Psychiatry

2. Definition
 Personality is a dynamic organisation that
creates a person‟s characteristic patterns
of behaviour, thoughts and feelings.
 Dynamic Organisation aims to ongoing
readjustments and adaptation.

3. Theories of personality
I. Temperament theory
II. Kretschmer Types of physique
III. Sheldon's Body Personality
IV. Jung‟s Introversion and Extroversion Attitudes
V. Trait theories
VI. The psychoanalytic theory
VII. Behavioural and learning theory

4. I. Temperament theory
 “Four humors” theory.
 By the Greek physician Hippocrates (460-370 BC).
 Certain human moods, emotions and behaviors were
caused by body fluids (called "humors"):
1. Blood “sanguine”: optimism
2. Yellow bile “choleric”: irritability
3. Black bile “melancholic”: depression
4. Phlegmatic: sluggishness

5. II. Kretschmer Types of physique
 Three main body types:
A. Asthenic: (thin, small, weak) associated with
introversion and timidity, resembling a milder form
of the negative symptoms of schizophrenics.
B. Athletic: (muscular, large–boned) epileptic.
C. Pyknic: (stocky, fat) friendly, interpersonally
dependent, and gregarious, are predisposed
toward manic-depressive illness.

6. III. Sheldon's Body Personality
 Three personalities based on their physical make-up.
Endomorph Ectomorph Mesomorph
• Physically quite 'round„. • Opposite of the • Between the round
• Quite a lot of fat spread Endomorph. endomorph and the thin
across the body. • Narrow shoulders and ectomorph.
• Wide hips and narrow hips. • More 'desirable' body.
shoulders • Very little body fat.
• Sociable • Self-conscious • Adventurous
• Fun-loving • Private • Courageous
• Love of food • Introverted • Indifferent to what
• Tolerant • Inhibited others think or want
• Even-tempered • Socially anxious • Assertive/bold
• Good humored • Artistic • Competitive
• Relaxed • Intense • With a desire for
• With a love of comfort • Emotionally restrained power/dominance
• And has a need for • Thoughtful
affection

7. IV. Jung’s Introversion and Extroversion Attitudes
A. Introvert:
 Most aware of his or her inner world.
 More concerned with subjective appraisal.
 Gives more consideration to fantasies and dreams.
B. Extrovert:
 Characterized by the outward movement of psychic
energy.
 Places more importance on objectivity.
 Gains more influence from the surrounding.
environment than by inner cognitive processes.

8. V. Trait theories
 A trait is a relatively stable characteristic that causes
individuals to behave in certain ways.
 The combination and interaction of various traits forms a
personality that is unique to each individual.
 Theories:
1) Gordon Allport‟s Trait Theory
2) Raymond Cattell‟s Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire
3) Eysenck‟s Three Dimensions of Personality
4) The Five-Factor Theory of Personality

9. 1) Gordon Allport’s Trait Theory
 Gordon Allport categorized traits into three levels:
A. Cardinal Traits:
 Dominate an individual‟s whole life.
 The person becomes known specifically for these traits.
 People with such personalities often become so known for these traits.
 e.g.: hatred may have been a cardinal trait of Hitler.
B. Central Traits:
 The general characteristics that form the basic foundations of
personality.
 While not as dominating as cardinal traits, are the major
characteristics you might use to describe another person.
 E.g.: intelligent, honest, shy and anxious are considered central traits.
C. Secondary Traits:
 Traits that often appear only in certain situations or under specific
circumstances.
 E.g.: getting anxious when speaking to a group or impatient while
waiting in line.

10. 2) Raymond Cattell’s Sixteen Personality Factor
Questionnaire
 Raymond Cattell reduced the number of personality
traits from Allport‟s initial list of over 4,000 down to
171.
 Then, using “factor analysis”, he eventually reduced
his list to just 16 key personality traits.
 According to Cattell, these 16 traits are the source of
all human personality.
 The Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire
(16PF).

11. 3) Eysenck’s Three Dimensions of Personality
 Introversion/Extroversion:
o Introversion focuses attention on inner experiences, while
extroversion focuses attention outward on other people and
the environment.
o A person high in introversion might be quiet and reserved,
while an individual high in extroversion might be sociable
and outgoing.
 Neuroticism/Emotional Stability:
o Individuals who are high on this trait tend to be irritable,
sensitive, ambivalent or anxious.
 Psychoticism:
o Individuals who are high on this trait tend to have difficulty
dealing with reality and may be antisocial, hostile, non-
empathetic and manipulative.

12. 4) The Five-Factor Theory of Personality
 Both Cattell‟s and Eysenck‟s theory have been the
subject of considerable research.
 As a result, a new trait theory often referred to as the
"Big Five" theory emerged.
 This five-factor model of personality represents five
core traits that interact to form human personality.
 These include:
1. Extroversion
2. Agreeableness
3. Conscientiousness
4. Neuroticism
5. Openness

13. VI. The psychoanalytic theory “Freudian theory”
1. The id (biological):
• Completely unconscious.
• Acts under the pleasure principle ,immediate
gratification, not willing to compromise.
• Generates all of the personality‟s energy.
2. Superego (social)
• The moralist and idealistic part of the persoality.
• Operates on “ideal principle”.
• Begins forming at 4-5 yrs of age,
• Formed form environment and others (society,
family), Internalized conventions and morals.
3. Ego (psychological)
• Resides in all levels of awareness.
• Operates under “reality principle”.
• Attempts negotiation between Id and Superego
to satisfy both realistically.

14. Conflicts of Personality Components
 Conflicts between the Id, Superego and Ego arise in
unconscious mind.
 They come out to conscioussness in various ways:
 Slips of tongue (“Freudian slip”)
 Dreams
 Jokes
 Anxiety
 Defense Mechanisms…
 The conflict between biological drive and social inhibition
produces anxiety.
 Ego throws up defences to control and handle the
anxiety effectively.

15. VII. Behavioural and learning theory
 Behaviorists:
1. Traits don‟t have roots in the person.
2. They are the products of environmental forces and learning.
• John Watson (1878-1958):
1) Founder of the school of “Behaviorism”.
2) The first to study how the process of learning affects our
behavior.
• Skinner and other behaviorists:
 If the environment is sufficiently changed, aspects of
personality will be changed or replaced by others.

16. Thank U
Available at:
http://www.slideshare.net/mabdelghani