Integrative Personality Project

Name: Jiaxi Zhu
Course number:
Psych 238: Integrative Personality Project
« For this project be as objective as possible. Be a scientist to your own data and see yourself as the subject to be analyzed. (However, there is no need to write in third person.)
« Use the bolded titles and question numbers to organize your paper. The possible points are found in parentheses beside each item. Additional grading criteria are listed at the end. Be aware of the technical requirements.
PART 1: YOUR PERSONALITY
According to the descriptive approach of trait theorists, who are you?
PERSONALITY DESCRIPTION
1 (1 pt) Create a table to display your results from the Myers-Brigg Type Indicator (#5), the Big 5 (#17), the HEXACO (#18), and your strongest 4 from Cattell’s 16 Primary Factors test (#16).
1 Arrange the traits in each row from strongest to weakest presence for you. (For example, extraversion will appear at Trait 1 for Myers-Brigg, yet it may be Trait 4 for your Big 5, Trait 6 for the HEXACO, and not even appear for Cattell.)
2 Pay attention to the direction of each result and report it as it applies to you. (For example, if you score low in agreeableness, either report “low agreeableness” or “antagonistic.” Don’t simply right the category name.)
3 ** For the Myers-Brigg results, report Trait 3 as N or S and report Trait 4 as T or F if you had P at the end of your code and reported it in Trait 2. Reverse the order for Traits 3 and 4 (i.e., put T or F in 3 and N or S in 4) if you had J in Trait 2
Test*

1st Trait

2nd Trait

3rd Trait

4th Trait

5th Trait

6th Trait

Myers-Brigg Type Indicator

E or I

s or I

F or T

J or P



Big 5

Emotional Stability

Extraversion

Conscientiousness

Agreeableness

Intellect/imagination


HEXACO

Extraversion (X)

Openness to Experience

Agreeableness (A)

Emotionality (E)

Honesty-Humility (H)

Conscientiousness ©

Cattell’s Primary Factors

Emotional stability

Rule-consciousness

Privateness

Openness to change



* You may change the order of the tests to support your case and draw comparisons.
2 (1 pt) During the first week of class, you wrote three words to summarize your personality and a paragraph describing your personality (#1).
* What three words did you use? “Shy, kind, and happy”
* What characteristics emerge from the paragraph description?
My name is ____________. I’m from ____________. You can also call me Roger. I’m currently a junior and since I’m a bit shy, I normally do not like to talk to others. My current major is psychology and I like playing video games. I have two cats and a dog and they make my life better because my parents are not around. I really hope that I can get a good grade out of this course and sooner figure out what is my future career goal.
3 (4 pts) Using the prompts below, compare and discuss your results shown on the table, as well as your initial traits as reported in question 2. Don’t forget to include your lowest 4 traits from Cattell’s 16 in the discussion. Sometimes what we are not is also indicative of who we are.
* Are there clearly dominant traits that emerge from the tests in the table? Where do you see overlap among your results?
In the Myers Briggs test it was determined I was the ESFJ personality type. The 4 tests highlight that emotional stability and extraversion are dominant personality types. The lowest scores for from Cattell’s 16 are abstractedness, apprehension, self-reliance and tension.
* Are these traits consistent with how you described yourself earlier in the semester? Why or why not?
The traits are now what I described as I indicated I was shy, kind and happy, while the results show a high extraversion score, while shyness and introversion are two different traits, extroverts are less likely to be shy than introverts. However, one can be shy, but an extrovert.
* Were there inconsistencies across the tests? If so, explain why you think those inconsistencies arose.
The Big 5 test ranks conscientiousness before agreeableness, while HEXACO ranks agreeableness higher than conscientiousness, and the latter is the sixth ranked trait under HEXACO. There are different personality questions and the resultant self-rating scores based on the type of test.
* Based on the results of these analyses and your own introspection, what do you feel are your central dispositions or traits?
I am an observant, friendly and emotionally stable individual who is keen to build relationships, but also being rule conscious and private.
4 (1 pt) Based your experiences with the trait surveys (e.g., Big 5, HEXACO, and Cattell’s 16), do you believe a set number of traits captures your tendencies better or do you believe that Allport’s approach of common traits and unique, personal dispositions (e.g., similar to your assignment #1) has more methodological merits? Use your own data to support your case for which approach is more valid.
I believe a set number of traits captures your tendencies better, where the tests focus on different aspects of personality and the test results are complementary.
Now that you have established a general description of your personality, turn your attention to your cognitive elements.
COGNITIVE STYLES
Mischel spoke of encoding strategies, Rotter of expectancies, and Seligman of attributions being shaped by personal cognitive style. Others argue perceptual abilities, such as field independence, and construal patterns permeate differences in behavior and personality.
5 (1 pt) Create a table to display your results from Rotter’s locus of control scale (#14) and the embedded figures test (#12). Note some typical characteristics associated with YOUR result that YOU consistently exhibit.
Test

Your Result

YOUR characteristics/behaviors associated with the result

Locus of Control

external OR internal control

I have control over my grades
Sometimes, I cannot control my academic performance
I am optimistic about my abilities to improve in the future

Embedded Figures

field independence OR dependence

I am an independent learner
I am a highly motivated learner
I am well prepared

*If you are struggling with field dependence or locus of control, see the Cognitive Aspects chapter.
6 (3 pts) Briefly discuss all three bullet points for EACH cognitive style in the table above. That is, you should have six bullet points: three for locus of control and three for field independence/dependence.
* How does this cognitive style affect YOUR daily interpretation of events and situations and therefore, affect YOUR behavior day-to-day?
I believe that I can control some aspects of my more than others where my efforts help me achieve my goals. However, I also believe that my abilities may limit the extent to which I can achieve and meet my goals
* Now describe how this cognitive style connects to your meaning in Life Questionnaire (#9) results about the search for and presence of meaning.
In the MLQ the Presence subscale score was 13 and the Search subscale score was 25. I am still searching for meaning and purpose in life, and the cognitive style show I am motivated, but at times lack belief in myself.
* Then, how could this cognitive style connect to and explain your central dispositions/traits evident from your “Personality Description” section?
I am a happy person still trying to find my way, but open to meeting new people and new experiences.
7 (2.5 pts) Think about Kelly’s theory on personal constructs reflecting one’s personality. Revisit Homework #13 in which you compare your constructs from Kelly’s abbreviated repertory test (#13) and your “theory” for assessing other people’s personalities (#2).
* What important constructs emerge?
Under Kelly’s abbreviated repertory test, the most important construct was friendly versus unfriendly. I am also observant and a keen listener during conversations and among the 8 aspects of my personal theory, “traits” is one of the important aspects.
* What do you believe these constructs reflect about your personality?
I judge others by how they behave during interactions and the identified constructs highlight that I am keenly aware of my surroundings and notice the situation and experience to learn more about others and myself.
* Do you see any overlap between your construals and other descriptions (e.g., traits, cognitive/explanatory style) of your personality above?
Yes there is an overlap as trait and the interaction constructs are reflected in how people interact in specific situations and their behavior.
INTERPERSONAL STYLES
Attachment theorists described internal working models for self and other transferring from parent-child relationships to subsequent relationships. Other Neo- Analysts and later, Existentialists categorized personality into types or blended styles based on social conditions and interactions.
8 (1 pt) Create a table to summarize your primary types with a brief description of an important theme (Freud-#4) in your life or your working model of self and others according to Horney (#6), Adler (#7), Fromm (#8), and adult attachment research (#7).
For example, use something like this:
Approach