Psy 311 Research Paper

Reflection of PSY 3111 The class Theories of Personality has taught me numerous topics of psychology that I am hoping to utilize in my future profession and also help me have a better understanding of those around me. This ranges from a vast variety of topics including: the Big Five personality traits, personality measurement strategies, my own personality, and several more. Each of these topics has given me a new perspective on how I view myself and others. I have also found the assignments and self-assessments that we have done in class to be helpful and to reflect on myself and who I am as a person. The Big Five Personality Traits Personality traits are the patterns of how we think, feel, and behave that distinguish us from other people. …show more content…
This may include self-report questionnaires, or observer ratings. Each trait describes distinct characteristics of an individual's personality. Openness involves being open to experience and the curiosity aspect of our personalities. Conscientiousness refers to how responsible and dependable we are. It is also associated with how organized someone is and goal-oriented. Extraversion is how social a person is. This includes how someone interacts with others and what their personal interactions are like. Agreeableness is about altruism, feeling empathy, and being compassionate. Neuroticism is the tendency to feel negative emotions such as anger, anxiety, and depression. Learning about these five traits has made me see others differently and understand them better. It has also given me insight into my own personality and it was fun to learn about where I stand with these five traits. Personality Measurement One of the challenges in personality psychology is measuring personality accurately. There are several different methods psychologists can use to measure such as self-report data, observer-report data, test data, and life-outcome …show more content…
This is when individuals provide information about themselves by doing interviews, questionnaires, or rating scales. The most common S-Data test is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). One of the disadvantages of using this testing strategy is that people may be biased towards themselves without realizing it, so the data may not be as accurate as other methods. The next type of personality measurement is the observer-report data (O-Data). This is when the psychologist will gather information on the person from other people in their life such as: their family, friends, coworkers, etc. This will provide unique information and multiple viewpoints. Some disadvantages could be biased rates or limited information. Observations have the potential to influence the way the subject behaves. Test-data (T-Data) is when they observe behaviors based on standardized testing. This may include the ink blot test or Milgram’s obedience test. Behavioral observations in controlled settings like this will provide valuable data on how they respond to events, and how they interact with their environment. These tests will show aspects of personality that may not have been revealed in self-report or

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