Chapter 2 Theories of Personality 71constructive traits, such as courage, altruism,
the motivation to excel, and self-confidence.
Developmental psychologists are studying ways
to foster children’s empathy and creativity. And
some researchers are studying the emotional and
behavioral effects of the existential fear of death
(Cohen et al., 2009; Pyszczynski, Rothschild, &
Abdollahi, 2008).
Humanist views of personality share one cen-
tral message: We have the power to choose our
own destinies, even when fate delivers us into
tragedy. Across psychology, this message has fos-
tered an appreciation of resilience in the face of
adversity.Recite & Review
Recite: Choose to exercise free will by reciting out loud what you know about humanist psychol-
ogy, Abraham Maslow and his notions of peak experiences and self-actualization, Carl Rogers and
unconditional positive regard, and Rollo May and existentialism.
Review: Next, read this section again.Now take this Quick Quiz:
- According to Carl Rogers, a man who loves his wife only when she is looking her best is giving
her __ positive regard. - The humanist who described the importance of congruence between the public self and pri-
vate feelings was (a) Abraham Maslow, (b) Rollo May, (c) Carl Rogers. - A humanist and a Freudian psychoanalyst are arguing about human nature. What underlying
assumptions about psychology and human potential are they likely to bring to their discussion?
How can they resolve their differences without either–or thinking?
Answers:
Study and Review at mypsychlab- The Freudian assumes that human nature is basically selfish and destructive; the humanist as3. c2. conditional1.
- sumes that it is basically loving and cooperative. They can resolve this either–or debate by recognizing that human be
ings have both capacities, and that the situation and culture often determine which capacity is expressed at a given time.H
ow are the dimensions of personality woven to-
gether in the case of Steve Jobs? How might the
approaches to personality described in this chapter
help us to understand this fascinating man and his
remarkable life?
Some of his traits, such as his openness to new
experience and his position at the “antagonistic”
end of the “agreeable-antagonistic” dimension of the
Big Five, seem likely to have a genetic component.
The same applies to his passionate nature: Jobs’sbiographer wrote that passion—for his work, for excel-
lence, for accomplishment—ran through every project
he took on (Isaacson, 2011). As behavioral geneticists
would predict, however, his personality was also shaped
by unique experiences in his childhood, unshared with
his sister. For example, his adoptive father, Paul, who
worked as a mechanic and a carpenter, taught Steve
how to work with his hands, taking apart and rebuilding
radios and televisions in the family garage. As a result,
Steve developed a love of tinkering with electronics.Psychology in the news revisited
42PSYCHOLOGY IN THE NEWS(^) Personality Psychodynamic Theories of (^) The Modern Study of
(^) Personality Genetic Influences on Personality^
Environmental Influences on Personality Cultural Influences on
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2 Yo“Barnum Effect” u: How to Avoid the
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THEORIES OF
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Steve Jobs is remembered as a man of many contradictions.
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