Introduction to Personality

Curriculum guideline

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Course
PSYC 3331
Discontinued
No
Course code
PSYC 3331
Descriptive
Introduction to Personality
Department
Psychology
Faculty
Humanities & Social Sciences
Credits
3.00
Start date
End term
201420
PLAR
No
Semester length
15
Max class size
35
Contact hours
Lecture: 4 hrs per week / semester
Method(s) of instruction
Lecture
Learning activities

The course will employ a variety of instructional methods to accomplish its objectives, including some of the following:

  • lectures
  • audio visual materials
  • group discussions
  • computer simulated exercises
  • classroom demonstrations

Course description
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to theory and research in personality. Students will examine such topics as the assessment of personality, personality development, biological processes and personality, health and personality, defence mechanisms, personality disorders, and treatments aimed at modifying personality.
Course content

  1. The History of Personality Assessment
  2. Contemporary Methods of Assessing Personality
  3. Personality Traits
  4. The Validity of Personality Tests
  5. The Reliability of Personality Tests
  6. Theories of Personality
  7. The Heritability of Personality
  8. The Interaction Between Personality and the Environment
  9. Physiological Correlates of Personality Traits
  10. Psychological Correlates of Personality Traits
  11. Personality Disorders
  12. Modifying Personality Through Treatment

Learning outcomes

At the conclusion of the course the student will be able to:

  1. Describe the history of personality assessment.
  2. Describe how personality inventories are constructed and used.
  3. Describe how projective tests of personality are constructed and used.
  4. Distinguish between different types of validity.
  5. Distinguish between different types of reliability.
  6. Evaluate the validity and reliability of contemporary personality inventories.
  7. Evaluate the validity and reliability of contemporary projective tests of personality.
  8. Explain the interaction between personality and situational factors.
  9. Describe the major theoretical perspectives of personality (ie: dispositional, biological, psychodynamic, phenomenological, learning, and cognitive).
  10. Describe research conducted to test the major theories of personality.
  11. Evaluate the major theories of personality.
  12. Identify and describe the five major personality traits.
  13. Explain how the heritability of personality is assessed.
  14. Identify the role of biological processes in personality development and change.
  15. Identify the role of environmental process in personality development and change.
  16. Identify and describe the major mechanisms of defence.
  17. Evaluate the adaptive value of defence mechanisms.
  18. Describe research on the relationship between personality and physical health.
  19. Describe research on the relationship between personality and mental disorders.
  20. Identify and describe the various personality disorders.
  21. Describe methods of shaping personality.
  22. Describe therapeutic techniques used to treat people with personality disorders.

Means of assessment

Evaluation will be based on course objectives and will be carried out in accordance with Douglas College policy. The instructor will provide a written course outline with specific criteria during the first week of classes.

An example of a possible evaluation scheme would be:

2 Mid Term Exams (worth 20% each) 40%
Literature review paper 20%
Oral presentation of paper highlights 10%
Final Exam 30%
Textbook materials

Students will be required to purchase a textbook such as one of the following:

  • Brody, N. & Ehrlichman, H. (1998) Personality Psychology: The Science of Individuality Upper Saddle Rive, NJ, Prentice Hall
  • Carver, C.S. & Scheier, .F., (1996) Perspectives on Personality (3rd Ed.) Needham Heights, MA., Allyn and Bacon
  • Derlega, V.J.J., Einstead, B.A., & Jones, W. (1999) Personality: Contemporary Theory and Research (2nd Ed.) Chicago, IL, Nelson-Hall. 

Textbook to be updated periodically.

Prerequisites

PSYC 1200