PSYC07020 2022 Personality and Individual Differences

Describe a variety of psychological approaches to explaining and understanding personality and individual differences.

Explain the main ideas underpinning key psychological approaches to individual differences.

Examine evidence from psychological research in the field of personality and individual differences.

Critically compare and evaluate personality theorists and theories.

Appraise the relevance of a range of psychological models of personality and individual difference.

Through lectures, interactive tutorials, and co-constructed classroom activity, students will be encouraged to approach their learning through a ‘psychological lens’ by researching, analysing, considering evidence and research data, and evaluating the applications and implications of the models studied.

Learning activities may include engagement with relevant research articles, video, directed reading, demonstration psychometric assessments, popular fiction, non-fiction and film, and a dedicated virtual learning environment (Moodle).

Assessment will facilitate both feedback and feed forward through formative and summative evaluation of a multi-part assignment phased across the semester.

Students are expected to engage in approximately 3 Independent Learning Hours per week.

Assessment will involve ongoing continuous assessment in the form of a group research based project with individual elements. Opportunities for formative feedback and feed forward, from both peers and lecturer, will be scheduled throughout the semester. Groups will present their work in class from Week 7 onwards with the individual element submitted 2 weeks after each presentation. Summative feedback and feed forward will be provided upon completion of the assignment.

The required citation style for this module is American Psychological Association (APA).

Repeat assessment will require completion of course work as appropriate and will be discussed at Examination Board meetings in line with IT Sligo policy.

LO 1: Describe a variety of psychological approaches to explaining and understanding personality and individual differences.

• Trait Approaches.
• Psychoanalytic Approaches.
• Biological Approaches.
• Cognitive Approaches including Behaviourist and Humanist influences.
• Individual Differences in Intelligence.

LO 2: Explain the main ideas underpinning key psychological approaches to individual differences.

• What do we mean by personality?
• How can we study the differences between individuals?
• Is there a 'one size fits all' (universal) way of describing and explaining people's personalities?
• Why are people's personalities the way they are?
• Is intelligence inherited?
• Do psychologists always agree on the answers to these and other questions about personality and individual differences?

LO 3: Examine evidence from psychological research in the field of personality and individual differences.

• Historical aspects.
• Methodologies in individual difference research.
• Personality assessment and intelligence testing.
• Debates, dilemmas, and developments for psychologists studying individual differences.

LO 4: Critically compare and evaluate personality theorists and theories.

• Assumptions and approaches of trait theories. Eysenck’s 3 factor model. The Big Five.
• Psychoanalytic theories of personality structure and development, for example Freud’s Psychoanalytic approach, Jung’s Analytic Psychology, Erikson’s Psychosocial Developmental approach.
• Behavioural genetics, heritability, and twin studies.
• Evolving biological perspectives on individual differences from Humours to Neurotransmitters. Eysenck’s General Arousal Theory.
• The Behaviourist origins of cognitive models of personality. Theorists may include Watson, Skinner, Dollard and Miller.
• The Cognitive components of Social Learning theory eg Bandura, Rotter, and Social Constructivist theory eg Kelly.
• The Humanist understanding of individual differences eg Maslow, Rogers.
• Psychological theories and ways of measuring intelligence eg Galton, Binet, Terman. General intelligence (g) and Multiple Intelligences, IQ (intelligence Quotient).

LO 5: Appraise the relevance of a range of psychological models of personality and individual difference.

• Measuring Personality and Intelligence.
• Quality issues in psychometric testing: reliability, validity, test development and administration.
• Examples and applications. Using tests of individual difference to predict outcomes in real world situations eg job performance, academic achievement.