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Personality (5-7%)
Compare and contrast how each of the major theories and approaches (e.g., psychodynamic, trait, humanistic, social cognitive, and behavioral) explains the concept of personality and personality development. To further illustrate these different approaches students can analyze the personality development of a famous person or a film character, such as Darth Vader from Star Wars. Examine the various assessment techniques associated with each approach, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of such assessments. It is important that students know about the contributions of major figures in the field (e.g., Freud, Jung, Adler, Allport, Cattell, Eysenck, Rogers, Mischel, and Bandura). In addition, look at the concept of the self and how self-concept and self-esteem are measured.
AP students in psychology should be able to do the following:
• Compare and contrast the major theories and approaches to explaining personality (e.g., psychoanalytic, humanist, cognitive, trait, social cognition, behavioral).
• Describe and compare research methods (e.g., case studies and surveys) that psychologists use to investigate personality.
• Identify frequently used assessment strategies (e.g., the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory [MMPI], the Thematic Apperception Test [TAT]), and
evaluate relative test quality based on reliability and validity of the instruments.
• Speculate how cultural context can facilitate or constrain personality development, especially as it relates to self-concept (e.g., collectivistic versus
individualistic cultures).
• Identify key contributors to personality theory (e.g., Alfred Adler, Albert Bandura, Paul Costa and Robert McCrae, Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Abraham
Maslow, Carl Rogers).
Essential Questions:
How do psychologists define and study personality?
What advantages and limitations exist for each theory’s description of personality?
How do psychologists reliably measure personality and interpret personality’s role in behavior?
• Explain how the different perspectives—psychodynamic, humanistic, trait, and social-cultural—approach the study of personality.
• Evaluate the advantages and drawbacks of each theory of personality.
• Determine how psychologists assess personality according to the various perspectives.
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