PERSONALITY

1
PERSONALITY
Bhavana Nair SOCIAL EPIDEMIOLOGY MASTERS
PROGRAM November 1, 2004
2
Personality

• Who we are our uniqueness
• Has a bearing on our behavior, thoughts, moods,
  attitudes, emotions, even our unconscious
  feelings
• Is reflected in our interactions with other
  people and the environment around us
• Can predict how we would act or react under
  different situations

3
Why should we know more about our
personality ?

• Links between personality, emotion, health and
  illness have long been described
• The link gained credibility as present day
  research between stress and illness grew
• Our personality can be molded in different ways
• Nature vs Nurture
• - genes (biological factors )
• - environmental factors (including
  childhood experiences, socio-cultural influences,
  interpersonal relationships, situational
  circumstances, life events)
• All these have a strong bearing on our health and
  functioning

4
Models of Personality and Increased Illness Risk

• The Personality Induced Hyper-reactivity Model
• The Constitutional Predisposition Model
• The Personality As Precipitator Of Dangerous
  Behavior Model

5
The Personality Induced Hyper-Reactivity Model
Stress appraisal
Personality
Health Risk
Physiological Hyper-reactivity
6
The Constitutional Predisposition Model
Personality trait
Physiological status
Health Risk
7
The Personality As A Precipitator of Dangerous
Behavior Model
RISK (DANGEROUS BEHAVIOURS)
Personality
Physiological status
8
Ecological Perspective Model
9
Types of Personality

• Main types Type A, B, C
• TYPE A PERSONALITY
• - impatient hyperactive
• - highly competitive ambitious
• - always in a hurry
• - easily annoyed or upset
• - sense of being under constant time
  pressure
• - never satisfied
• - try to do multiple things at a time
• - constant apprehension of future disasters
• - very independent
• - prone to outbursts of rage or temper
  tantrums
• - prone to hostile episodes
• - actively try to control the situation at
  hand born leaders
• - achievementoriented successful in
  their professions
• - prone to high risk for CHD this is a
  very strong link

10
Types of Personality

• TYPE B PERSONALITY
• - relaxed
• - not prone to outbursts of rage or
  anger
• - non-competitive less driven
• - easy-going
• - patient
• - optimistic
• - have a sense of humor
• - at peace with their environment and
  themselves
• - able to express their emotions
  appropriately
• - pleasant demeanor
• - temporary fearlessness in face of
  trauma
• - hence able to cope with stress
  effectively
• - less susceptible to disease
• - though not driven over-achievers,
  they are often successful in their professions

11
Types of Personality

• TYPE C PERSONALITY
• - the cancer prone personality type
• - present a calm front externally, but
  often have pent-up emotions, usually negative
  emotions like anger, depression,
• - non competitive submissive
• - have difficulty expressing their
  emotions and feelings
• - often overwhelmed with feelings of
  hopelessness helplessness
• - meticulous, serious and neat people
• - have an increased susceptibility to
  oncogenic viruses and cancer
• (decreased immunological function as
  a result of their altered neuro-endocrine
  responses)
• - have poor coping skills to stressful
  situations
• - show self-blame at the time of
  diagnosis of terminal illnesses especially cancer
  

12
Theories of Personality

• Different personality theories have been put
  forward by many different famous researchers and
  sociologists
• - Sigmund Freud The id, ego, superego
  theory
• - Hans Eysenck hereditary factors and
  environment
• - Raymond Catell 2 tiered personality
  structure with 15 primary factors and 5 secondary
  factors
• - Albert Bandura Suggested that forces of
  memory and feelings worked in conjunction with
  environmental influences
• - B. F. Skinner - Suggested that human
  personality was developed through external
  stimuli
• - Gordon Allport Delineates 3 kinds of
  traits with varying degrees of intensity
  cardinal traits, central traits and secondary
  traits
• - Lewis Goldberg Proposed a 5 dimension
  personality model called the Big Five
  Extroversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness,
  Emotional stability and Intellect
• - Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers who
  emphasized the basic goodness of people
• - Carl Jung

13
Theories of Personality

• Sigmund Freuds Personality Theory
• - Freuds psychoanalytical theory most
  influential theory still to date
• - He discovered the method of free
  association and through recalling dreams and
  childhood memories there were signs of
  unconscious wishes and fears

14
Theories of Personality

• Sigmund Freuds Personality Theory
• - ID The oldest system of the personality
  from which the ego super ego develop. Already
  present from birth and only knows the inner world
  of opinions and feelings. Operates by the
  pleasure- pain principle (attempts to obtain
  pleasure and avoid pain), regardless of external
  circumstances and deals with primary desires
  eat, drink, eliminate wastes, etc
• EGO Represents reasonable and sensible
  thinking. Tries to make the connection with
  reality. Understands what and when actions are
  appropriate. Operates by the reality principle.
• SUPEREGO Represents moral standards. Sets a
  sense of right and wrong behavior and thus a
  moral code on our behaviors

15
Personality Testing

• Types of Personality Testing
• - Self report inventories
• - Projective Testing
• Self Report Inventories
• - Include personality testing
  questionnaires
• - Different popular personality
  tests Eysencks questionnaires, Myer-Briggs
  Personality Indicator, Enneagram tests, Big Five
  personality tests
• - The Minnesota Multiphasic
  Personality Inventory

16
Personality Testing

• Projective Testing
• - Very abstract manner of testing
  to eliminate problems with the person tending to
  give socially acceptable answers
• - 2 widely used are the Rorschach
  Test the Thematic Apperception Test

17
Personality Disorders
18
Personality Disorders
19
Personality Disorders

• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental
  Disorders (DSM IV)
• Personality Disorders in 3 main clusters or
  groups
• Cluster A (the Odd Eccentric Group Psychotics)
• paranoid, schizoid
  schizotypal personality disorders
• Cluster B (Dramatic, Erratic Group Extraverts)
• antisocial, borderline,
  histrionic narcissistic personality
• disorders
• Cluster C (Anxious, Fearful Group Neurotics)
• avoidant, dependent and
  obsessive-compulsive
• personality disorders

20
Personality Disorders

• Cluster A
• Paranoid Personality Disorder SUSPECT (4
  criteria)
• S Spouse fidelity suspected
• U Unforgiving (bears grudges)
• S Suspicious of others
• P Perceives attacks (and reacts quickly)
• E Enemy or friend (suspects associates,
  friends)
• C Confiding in others feared
• T Threats perceived in benign events

21
Personality Disorders

• Schizoid Personality Disorder DISTANT (4
  criteria)
• D Detached (or flattened affect)
• I Indifferent to criticism or praise
• S Sexual experiences of little interest
• T Tasks (activities ) done solitarily
• A Absence of close friends
• N Neither desires nor enjoys close relations
• T Takes pleasure in a few activities

22
Personality Disorders

• Schizotypal Disorder ME PECULIAR (5 criteria)
• M Magical thinking or odd beliefs
• E Experiences unusual perceptions
• P Paranoid ideation
• E Eccentric appearance or behavior
• C Constricted (or inappropriate) affect
• U Unusual (odd) thinking and speech
• L Lacks close friends
• I Ideas of reference
• A Anxiety in social situations
• R Rule out psychotic disorders pervasive
  development disorder

23
Personality Disorders

• Cluster B
• Antisocial personality disorder CORRUPT (3
  criteria)
• C Conformity to law lacking
• O Obligations ignored
• R Reckless disregard for safety of self and
  others
• R Remorse lacking
• U Underhanded (deceitful, lies, cons others)
• P Planning insufficient (impulsive)
• T Temper (irritable and aggressive )

24
Personality Disorders

• Borderline Personality Disorder AM SUICIDE (5
  criteria)
• A Abandonment
• M Mood instability (marked reactivity of mood)
• S Suicidal or self mutilating behavior
• U Unstable and intense relationships
• I Impulsivity
• C Control of anger
• I Identity disturbance
• D Dissociative (or paranoid) symptoms that are
  transient stress related
• E Emptiness (chronic feelings of)

25
Personality Disorders

• Histrionic Personality disorder PRAISE ME (5
  criteria)
• P Provocative (or sexually seductive) behavior
• R Relationships (considered more intimate than
  they are)
• A Attention (uncomfortable when not in center
  of attention)
• I Influenced easily
• S Style of speech (impressionistic, lacks
  detail)
• E Emotions (rapidly shifting and hollow)
• M Made up (physical appearance used to draw
  attention to self)
• E Emotions exaggerated (theatrical)

26
Personality Disorders

• Narcissistic Personality Disorder SPECIAL (5
  criteria)
• S Special (believes he/she is special and
  unique)
• P Preoccupied with fantasies (of unlimited
  success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal
  love)
• E Entitlement
• C Conceited (grandiose sense of
  self-importance)
• I Interpersonal exploitation
• A Arrogant (haughty)
• L Lacks empathy

27
Personality Disorders

• Cluster C
• Avoidant Personality Disorder CRINGES (4
  criteria)
• C Certainty (of being liked required before
  willing to get involved in others)
• R Rejection (or criticism) preoccupies ones
  thoughts in social occasions
• I Intimate relationships (restraint in
  intimate relationships due to fear of being
  shamed)
• N New interpersonal relationships (is inhibited
  in)
• G Gets around occupational activity (involving
  interpersonal contact)
• E Embarrassment (potential) prevents new
  activity or taking personal risks
• S Self-viewed as unappealing, inept or inferior
  

28
Personality Disorders

• Dependent Personality Disorder RELIANCE (5
  criteria)
• R Reassurance required for decisions
• E Expressing disagreement difficult (due to
  fear of loss of support or approval)
• L Life responsibilities (needs to have these
  assumed by others)
• I Initiating projects difficult (due to lack of
  self-confidence)
• A Alone (feels helpless and discomfort when
  alone)
• N Nurturance (goes to excessive lengths to
  obtain nurturance and support)
• C Companionship (another relationship) sought
  urgently when close relationship ends
• E Exaggerated fears of being left to care for
  self

29
Personality Disorders

• Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder LAW
  FIRMS
• 
  (4 criteria)
• L Loses point of activity (due to preoccupation
  with detail)
• A Ability to complete tasks (compromised by
  perfection)
• W Worthless objects (unable to discard)
• F Friendships (and leisure activities) excluded
  due to preoccupation with work
• I Inflexible, scrupulous, over-conscientious
  (on ethics, values, morality, not accounted for
  by religion or culture)
• R Reluctant to delegate (unless others submit
  to exact guidelines)
• M Miserly (towards self and others)
• S Stubbornness (and rigidity)

30
Personality Disorders

• TREATMENT OF PERSONALITY DISORDERS
• - Individual Level
• Medical care
• Psychodynamic psychotherapy,
  Cognitive therapy ,
• Interpersonal therapy, Group
  therapy
• Medications Antidepressants,
• Anticonvulsants, Antipsychotics
• - Community Level

31
Implications for Society

• INTERVENTIONS
• To the extent that some personality
  characteristics can be modified via psychological
  intervention, people can be helped through such
  therapies such as stress management anger
  control any therapy that will reduce stress,
  anger, cynicism and other negative emotions
• DIRECTIONS FOR FUTURE
• Besides personality, we need to look
  at social factors, genetic factors and health
  risk behaviors, undertake more research in these
  areas and apply them to effective policy
  interventions at both the individual community
  level