Theories of Personality 521Practice Quiz How much do you remember?
Pick the best answer.
- In Rogers’s viewpoint, what is the striving to fulfill innate capacities
and needs called?
a. functioning fully
b. self-actualizing tendency
c. real self
d. self-concept - What did Carl Rogers mean by the term “fully functioning
person”?
a. Someone who is working to discover his or her real self.
b. Someone who is working to discover his or her ideal self.
c. Someone who is experiencing a match between his or her real
and ideal self and who is also trusting of their innermost intu-
itions and urges.
d. Someone who has discovered his or her self-efficacy.
3. Which of the following statements concerning the self-concept is false?
a. It is based on what people are told by others.
b. It is a reflection of the sense of self in the words and actions of others.
c. It is an important tool in human self-actualization.
d. It is formed based solely on what a person believes about
himself or herself.
4. Karen’s parents told her that they expected her to become a doctor,
like her father and grandfather before her. They told her that if she
chose any other career, they would no longer support her or respect
her choice. According to Rogers, Karen’s parents were giving her
a. unconditional positive regard.
b. conditional positive regard.
c. unconditional negative regard.
d. conditional negative regard.
Trait Theories: Who Are You?
The theories discussed so far attempt to explain how personality develops or how fac-
tors within or external to the individual influence personality. These theories may also
provide psychologists and other professionals with hints as to how personality may be
changed. However, not all personality theories have the same goals.
ALLPORT AND CATTELL: EARLY ATTEMPTS TO LIST AND DESCRIBE TRAITS
- 9 Describe early attempts to use traits to conceptualize personality.
Tr a i t t h e o r i e s are less concerned with the explanation for personality development
and changing personality than they are with describing personality and predicting
behavior based on that description. A trait is a consistent, enduring way of think-
ing, feeling, or behaving, and trait theories attempt to describe personality in terms
trait theories
theories that endeavor to describe the
characteristics that make up human
personality in an effort to predict
future behavior.trait
a consistent, enduring way of thinking,
feeling, or behaving.Rogers: believed that humans are always striving to fulfill their innate
capacities and capabilities (self-actualizing tendency)
self-concept is based on an individual’s view of his or her real self and ideal self;
when close/similar, people feel capable and competent;
when there is mismatch, anxiety and neurotic behavior can occur
self-actualization is facilitated through positive regard,
especially unconditional positive regard
when there is congruence between real and ideal selves, one is considered
to be fully functioning and capable of reaching the goal of self-actualizationHumanistic Perspective
(referred to as the third force in psychology; based largely on work of Rogers and Maslow)Concept Map L.O. 13.7, 13.8
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