Discussion Questions I

All assignments MUST be typed and double-spaced, in APA style and must be written at graduate level English. The content, conciseness and clarity of your answers will be considered in the evaluation of your work. You must use and integrate the material presented in the course text and cite your work according to APA format. Use of outside resources can be used to enhance the text information, but cannot replace the text.

Respond to each question in 1-1 ½ pages per question.

Total assignment should be 4-6 pages total plus a Title and Reference Page

Do not copy the questions in your responses. See APA style on how to create Topic Headings.  Suggested Topic Headings follow each question.  You may use them or create your own.

Question One: The text discusses three main approaches to personality research:  case studies, experimental studies conducted in laboratory settings, and correlational studies.  If you were to conduct a research study today, which approach would you use and why?

Suggested Topic Heading:   Personality Research

Question Two: It has been said that psychoanalytic theory suffers from a number of cultural biases due to the limitations in kinds of patients seen and the Victorian era from which the concepts were originally derived. Which concepts or parts of the theory do you think could become a particular target for arguments of cultural bias?

Suggested Topic Heading:  Cultural Bias in Psychoanalytic Theory

Question Three: As you will see in subsequent chapters, many personality theorists developed ideas that differed markedly from those of Freud and the various neo-Freudian theorists.  What aspects of Freudian theory would you “least want to lose” in such developments – i.e., which features seem so important that they should be taken into account by any other personality theory? 

Suggested Topic Heading: Positive Aspects of Freudian Theory

Question Four: Rogers proposed that the fundamental human motive is self-actualization: a positive, growth-oriented human motive.  That sounds like a very nice idea. And it is easy to think of cases in which people seem to be striving toward self-actualization.  But it naturally raises the question of how, in Rogerian theory, one could explain the personality of people who seem oriented toward evil rather than positively-oriented growth.  In other words, what about Hitler?  Mass murderers? Etc. How could one posit a self-actualization theory in the face of such cases? 

Suggested Topic Heading:  Self-Actualization and Evil

Assignment Outcomes

Distinguish the major theories of personality

Contrast historical and current views of personality

Integrate evidence based treatment interventions

Combine current research to assessment and technique

Identify legal, ethical issues in theories of personality and psychotherapy

Examine issues of culture and diversity in theories and application

Must have turn it in 

Cervone, D. & Pervin, L.A.   (2016).   Personality theory and research.   (13th ed.).   New York , NY   Wiley, John & Sons, Inc.    ISBN 9781118976296