Chapter 1    Introduction to Personality Theory9
fei75766_ch01_001-018.indd 9  02/06/20 10:41 AMisreinforced orpunished). Toshape desired behaviors, wehavetounderstand and
thenestablish theconditions thatbring about those particular behaviors. 
Thecognitive perspective argues thathowwethink about ourselves andother 
people, aswellastheassumptions wemake andthestrategies weuseforsolving prob-
lems, arethekeystounderstanding differences among people. Whether webelieve we
candosomething successfully ornotinfluences ourbehavior aswellasourpersonal -
ity.Inshort, what personality wehaveisshaped byhowwethink andperceive the
world. 
TABLE 1.1
Overview of Five Major Theoretical Perspectives in Personality Psychology
Perspective Primary Assumptions Focus/Key Terms Key Figures
Psychodynamic • First5years oflifemost 
shape personality
• Unconscious forces aremost 
important
• Neurosis results from 
unhealthy moving toward, 
against, oraway from othersUnconscious 
Early recollections
Collective unconscious
Archetypes
Object relations
Identity crises
RelatednessFreud
Adler
Jung
Klein
Horney
Erikson
Fromm
Humanistic-
Existential• People strive tolive
meaningful, happy lives
• People aremotivated bygrowth 
andpsychological health
• Personality isshaped by
freedom ofchoice, response 
toanxiety, andawareness 
ofdeathMeaningful life,
psychological well-being 
andgrowthMaslow
Rogers
May
Dispositional • People arepredisposed 
tobehave inunique and
consistent ways; theyhave
unique traits
• There arefivetraitdimensions 
inhuman personalityTraits
MotivesAllport
McCrae &Costa
Biological-
Evolutionary• Thefoundation forthought 
andbehavior isbiological and
genetic forces
• Human thoughts and
behaviors havebeen shaped 
byevolutionary forces 
(natural andsexual selection)Brain structures, 
neurochemicals, and
genes
Adaptive mechanismsEysenck
Buss
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