PSY 610 Syllabus

NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

PSY 610 PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY

Dr. Virginia Blankenship

Fall Semester 2007

Class Hours: 12:45-2 p.m. Tues. Thurs.	Virginia.Blankenship@nau.edu
Class Location: Room 233 SBS	Office Location: 345 SBS
Telephone: 928-523-5500	Office Hours: 2:30-4 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays

Course Description . This course provides a comparative analysis of the major theories of personality and the empirical research testing those theories.

Course Objectives. The first objective of this course is to provide you, through your readings, with a solid basis for understanding research and theory in Personality Psychology. Classroom sessions will be conducted in a seminar and discussion format in which you, as students, will take an active part. Each student will be responsible for leading three classes, thus developing your abilities to make presentations with and to your peers. Course exam will assess your ability to understand and compare the major theories and to evaluate the research findings. Additionally, this course is designed to lead you through the process of writing a review of the literature in an area of Personality Psychology. You will gain experience in reading primary research papers (journal articles) and in putting the findings into a logical sequence that describes the current state of knowledge in your topic.

Course Structure/Approach: This course will be conducted as a seminar in which student participation is central. The assigned readings will provide the focus for class discussion, and should be completed before the class period. At the end of each class, you will evaluate yourself on your class participation and hand in your evaluation to Dr. B.

Required Textbook:

Derlega, V. J., Winstead, B. A., & Jones, W. H. (2005). Personality: Contemporary theory and research, 3rd Edition. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth. (DWJ)

Readings are on electronic reserve. accessob; through the class Vista shell..

Highly Recommended: APA Publication Manual, 2001.

Calculation of Course Grade:

Class Participation and Presentations	30%
Examination	35%
20+-page Review Paper	35%
Total	100%

Assignments for the date given are to be completed BEFORE CLASS.

Aug. 28 Organization and Preview. The NEO-PI.

Aug. 30 Chapter 1 (DWJ). The Scientific Study of Personality
Funder, D. C. (2002). Personality psychology: Current status and some issues for the future. Journal of Research in Personality, 36, 638-639.
Blankenship, V. , et al. (2006). Using the multifaceted Rasch model to improve the TAT/PSE measure of need for achievement. Journal of Personality Assessment, 86 (1), 100-114.

Sept. 4 Chapter 2 (DWJ). Personality Measurement
Allen, J. (2002). Assessment training for practice in American Indian and Alaska Native settings. Journal of Personality Assessment, 79 (2), 216-225.

Sept. 6 Chapter 3 (DWJ). Genetic and Environmental Influences
McCrae, R. R., Costa, P. T., Jr., Ostendorf, F., et al. (2000). Nature over nurture: Temperament, personality, and life span development. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78, 173-186.

Sept. 11 Chapter 4 (DWJ). Personality, Biological Perspectives
Caseras, X., Torrubia, R., & Farre, J. M. (2001). Is the behavioral inhibition system the core vulnerability for cluster C personality disorders? Personality and Individual Differences, 31, 349-359.

Sept. 13 Chapter 5 (DWJ). Personality Development
Habermas, T., & Bluck, S. (2000). Getting a life: The emergence of the life story in adolescence. Psychological Bulletin, 126, 748-769.

Sept. 18 Chapter 6 (DWJ). Motives
Wirth, M. M., & Schultheiss, O. C. (2006). Effects of affiliation arousal (hope of closeness) and affiliation stress (fear of rejection) on progesterone and cortisol. Hormones and Behavior, 50,786-795.

Sept. 20 Chapter 7 (DWJ). Personality Structure
Trull, T. J., Widiger, T. A., Lynam, D. R., & Costa, P. T., Jr. (2003). Borderline personality disorder from the perspective of general personality functioning. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 112, 193-202.

Apfel, R. E. (2001). Animation-Accommodation-Authorization theory of the human personality. New Ideas in Psychology, 19, 145-168.

Sept. 25 Chapter 8 (DWJ). The Psychological Unconscious
Kwon, P., & Lemon, K. E. (2000). Attributional style and defense mechanisms: A synthesis of cognitive and psychodynamic factors in depression. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 56 (6), 723-735.

Sept. 27 Chapter 9 (DWJ). Self-concept, Self-esteem, and Identity
Yoder, A. E. (2000). Barriers to ego identity status formation: A contextual qualification of Marcia's identity status paradigm. Journal of Adolescence, 23, 95-106.

Oct. 2 Caspi, A. (2000). The child is father of the man: Personality continuities from childhood to adulthood. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78, 158-172.
Helson, R., Kwan, V. S. Y, John, O. P., & Jones, C. (2002). The growing evidence for personality change in adulthood: Findings from research with personality inventories. Journal of Research in Personality, 36, 287-306.

Oct. 4 Review

Oct. 9 Examination due - No Class

Oct. 11 Chapter 10 (DWJ). Self-awareness and Self-consciousness
Phillips, A. G., & Silvia, P. J. (2005). Self-awareness and the emotional consequences of self-discrepancies. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 31 (5), 703-713.

Oct. 16 Chapter 11 (DWJ). Personality and Control
Bauer, J. J., & Bonanno, G. A. (2001). I can, I do, I am: The narrative differentiation of self-efficacy and other self-evaluations while adapting to bereavement. Journal of Research in Personality, 35, 424-448.

Oct. 18 Chapter 12 (DWJ). Sex and Gender
Lippa, R. A., & Tan, F. D. (2001). Does culture moderate the relationship between sexual orientation and gender-related personality traits? Cross-Cultural Research, 35 (1), 65-87.

Oct. 23 Chapter 13 (DWJ). Emotions
Skoe, E. E. A., Eisenberg, N., & Cumberland, A. (2002). The role of reported emotion in real-life and hypothetical moral dilemmas. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28 (7), 962-973.

Oct. 25 Chapter 14 (DWJ). Moral Character
Baltes, P. B., & Staudinger, U. M. (2000). Wisdom: A metaheuristic (pragmatic) to orchestrate mind and virtue toward excellence. American Psychologist, 55 (1), 122-136.

Oct. 30 Chapter 15 (DWJ). Culture and Personality
Kim, H., & Markus, H. (1999). Deviance or uniqueness, harmony or conformity? A cultural analysis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77, 785-800.

Kanagawa, C., Cross, S. E., & Markus, H. R. (2001). "Who am I?" The cultural psychology of the conceptual self. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27(1), 90-103.

Nov. 1 Chapter 16 (DWJ). Stress and Illness
King, A. C., Bernardy, N. C., & Hauner, K. (2003). Stressful events, personality, and mood disturbance: Gender differences in alcolics and problem drinkers. Addictive Behaviors, 28, 171-187.

Nov. 6 Topic Ideas for Review Paper and PsychINFO abstracts due TODAY.
Chapter 17 (DWJ). The Interface of Personality and Relationships

Begue, L. (2002). Beliefs in justice and faith in people: Just world, religiosity and interpersonal trust. Personality and Individual Differences, 32, 375-382.

Christensen, M., & Manson, S. (2001). Adult attachment as a framework for understanding mental health and American Indian families: A study of three family cases. American Behavioral Scientist, 44(9), 1447-1465.

Nov. 8 Chapter 18 (DWJ). Disorders of Personality: Diseases or Individual Differences?
Seedat, S., & Stein, D. J. (2002). Hoarding in obsessive-compulsive disorder and related disorders: A preliminary report of 15 cases. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 56, 17-23.

Steketee, G., Frost, R. O., & Kim, H. J. (2001). Hoarding by elderly people. Health & Social Work, 26 (3), 176-184.

Cramer, P. (1999). Personality, personality disorders, and defense mechanisms. Journal of Personality, 67(3), 535-554.

Nov. 13 Norem, J. K., & Illingworth, K. S. S. (2004). Mood and performance among defensive pessimists and strategic optimists. Journal of Research in Personality, 38 (4), 351-366.
Elliot, A. J., & Church, M. A. (2003). A motivational analysis of defensive pessimism and self-handicapping. Journal of Personality, 71(3), 369-396.

Nov. 15 Oyserman, D., Bybee, D., & Terry, K. (2004). Possible selves as roadmaps. Journal of Research in Personality, 38 (2), 130-149.
King, L. A., & Smith, N. G. (2004). Gay and straight possible selves: Goals, identity, subjective well-being, and personality development. Journal of Personality, 72 (5), 967-994.

Nov. 20 Outline of paper and list of references due - no class

Nov. 22 Thanksgiving holiday - no class

Nov. 27 Carver, C. S., & Scheier, M. F. (2002). Control processes and self-organization as complementary principles underlying behavior. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 6(4), 304-315.
Bandura, A., & Locke, E. A. (2003). Negative self-efficacy and goal effects revisited. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88 (1), 87-99.

Nov. 29 Elliot, A.J., & McGregor, H.A. (2001). A 2 X 2 achievement goal framework. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80(3), 501-519.
McGregor, H. A., & Elliot, A. J. (2005). The shame of failure: Examining the link between fear of failure and shame. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 31 (2), 218-231.

Dec. 4 McAdams, D. P. (1996). Alternative futures for the study of human individuality. Journal of Research in Personality, 30, 374-388.
Diener, E., & Scollon, C. N. (2002). Our desired future for personality psychology. Journal of Research in Personality, 36, 629-637.

Dec. 6 Short presentations of paper topics.

Dec. 11 Review paper due in my office by 2 p.m. (No class meeting)

The Review Paper

The process of writing your review paper will be divided into successive steps to make the task more manageable and allow me to monitor your progress. Your paper for this course must be an original paper (not used for any other course), must be on a topic central to personality theory and research, and must be completed in the manner outlined below.

I WILL NOT ACCEPT PAPERS THAT HAVE NOT MET ALL THE STEPS OUTLINED. IF YOU CHANGE YOUR TOPIC, WE MUST AGREE TOGETHER TO THAT TOPIC CHANGE AND YOU MUST GO BACK AND COMPLETE ALL THE STEPS UP TO THE CURRENT ONE. YOUR FINAL PAPER MUST BE ON THE TOPIC WE HAVE AGREED UPON AS THE PROCESS CONTINUES.

Articles in Psychological Bulletin are review articles and provide a model for your paper. On page 5 of the APA Publication Manual, 5th Edition, there is a description of a review article. Reading that description will be very helpful for you.

It is required that you type all papers using 12 point type Times New Roman or similar font, double-spaced with 1-inch margins. The structure of the paper must conform to APA style.

Step 1: Topic Ideas for Review Paper and PsycINFO Abstracts Due: Nov.6

1-2 pages for ideas + 20 abstracts from PsycINFO:

The first step in the process is to determine the subject of your review paper. Your topic must focus on personality research and/or personality theories. It is important that you discuss your topic(s) with me so I can help you focus on something that will be "do-able."

You will perform a PsycINFO search in the library to identify at least 20 preliminary articles that bear on your topic. Please attach copies of the abstracts from that search to your 1-2 page topic paper. The topic you choose should be broad enough that you can easily identify 20 articles, some of which should be from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (JPSP), American Psychologist, Journal of Personality, Journal of Personality Assessment, Educational and Psychological Measurement, and/or Journal of Clinical Psychology. At this point, you should be securing copies of articles that are available only through Inter-library Loan.

Step 2: Outline of Review Paper and List of References Due: Nov. 20

2-4 Pages including a full list of references to be used.

The more complete your outline is, the more guidance I can give you on how to modify your paper to meet the requirements for a review paper. Make sure your references are typed in correct APA style.

Step 3: Review Paper Due: Dec. 11, 2 p.m.

Your review paper should rely on primary sources (journal articles) and not secondary sources (textbooks). Chapters in edited books are usually primary sources (reprints of journal articles). Some common failings of student papers include: relying too much on direct quotes and failure to put page numbers after direct quotes. You should write the paper in your own words, taking the ideas in the articles and expressing them as you understand them. You will, of course, provide a citation for the article from which those ideas came. Use direct quotes only if the way the author expressed the idea is so important that you cannot possibly change it and maintain the integrity of the idea. When you do include direct quotes, make sure that each quote has a single citation identifying the source, and a page number. Remember that you need to include the complete citation just once in each paragraph. Consult the APA Publication manual for details. When using diagnostic criteria in your paper, use and cite the DSM-IV (not earlier editions, except for comparison). Your review paper should have a cover page, an abstract, your review of your topic, including at least 20 references, and a Reference List, all in APA format. Edit and proof read it carefully.

*****************************************************************************

Class Presentations Guidelines: Provide a printed outline of your presentation to the entire class in which you summarize the major points of the chapter and readings for that day. During your presentation you are asked to:

1. present the main ideas of the chapter and the readings,

2. engage the rest of the class in critiquing the chapter and readings to identify faults in logic and/or design,

3. situate the reading within the context of other material (e.g., the Derlega, Winstead, and Jones book),

4. with the rest of the class, explore new ideas extending the reading to possible new studies, professional consultation, and real world applications,

5. bring in examples or applications from videos, the internet, etc., and

6. provide class activities to illustrate the ideas and/or research methods (simulations, questionnaires, etc.).

You will also be evaluated on your ability to answer questions posed by other seminar members and by the instructor.

Return to Home Page

Aug. 28	Organization and Preview. The NEO-PI.
Aug. 30	Chapter 1 (DWJ). The Scientific Study of Personality Funder, D. C. (2002). Personality psychology: Current status and some issues for the future. Journal of Research in Personality, 36, 638-639. Blankenship, V. , et al. (2006). Using the multifaceted Rasch model to improve the TAT/PSE measure of need for achievement. Journal of Personality Assessment, 86 (1), 100-114.
Sept. 4	Chapter 2 (DWJ). Personality Measurement Allen, J. (2002). Assessment training for practice in American Indian and Alaska Native settings. Journal of Personality Assessment, 79 (2), 216-225.
Sept. 6	Chapter 3 (DWJ). Genetic and Environmental Influences McCrae, R. R., Costa, P. T., Jr., Ostendorf, F., et al. (2000). Nature over nurture: Temperament, personality, and life span development. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78, 173-186.
Sept. 11	Chapter 4 (DWJ). Personality, Biological Perspectives Caseras, X., Torrubia, R., & Farre, J. M. (2001). Is the behavioral inhibition system the core vulnerability for cluster C personality disorders? Personality and Individual Differences, 31, 349-359.
Sept. 13	Chapter 5 (DWJ). Personality Development Habermas, T., & Bluck, S. (2000). Getting a life: The emergence of the life story in adolescence. Psychological Bulletin, 126, 748-769.
Sept. 18	Chapter 6 (DWJ). Motives Wirth, M. M., & Schultheiss, O. C. (2006). Effects of affiliation arousal (hope of closeness) and affiliation stress (fear of rejection) on progesterone and cortisol. Hormones and Behavior, 50,786-795.
Sept. 20	Chapter 7 (DWJ). Personality Structure Trull, T. J., Widiger, T. A., Lynam, D. R., & Costa, P. T., Jr. (2003). Borderline personality disorder from the perspective of general personality functioning. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 112, 193-202. Apfel, R. E. (2001). Animation-Accommodation-Authorization theory of the human personality. New Ideas in Psychology, 19, 145-168.
Sept. 25	Chapter 8 (DWJ). The Psychological Unconscious Kwon, P., & Lemon, K. E. (2000). Attributional style and defense mechanisms: A synthesis of cognitive and psychodynamic factors in depression. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 56 (6), 723-735.
Sept. 27	Chapter 9 (DWJ). Self-concept, Self-esteem, and Identity Yoder, A. E. (2000). Barriers to ego identity status formation: A contextual qualification of Marcia's identity status paradigm. Journal of Adolescence, 23, 95-106.
Oct. 2	Caspi, A. (2000). The child is father of the man: Personality continuities from childhood to adulthood. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 78, 158-172. Helson, R., Kwan, V. S. Y, John, O. P., & Jones, C. (2002). The growing evidence for personality change in adulthood: Findings from research with personality inventories. Journal of Research in Personality, 36, 287-306.
Oct. 4	Review
Oct. 9	Examination due - No Class
Oct. 11	Chapter 10 (DWJ). Self-awareness and Self-consciousness Phillips, A. G., & Silvia, P. J. (2005). Self-awareness and the emotional consequences of self-discrepancies. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 31 (5), 703-713.
Oct. 16	Chapter 11 (DWJ). Personality and Control Bauer, J. J., & Bonanno, G. A. (2001). I can, I do, I am: The narrative differentiation of self-efficacy and other self-evaluations while adapting to bereavement. Journal of Research in Personality, 35, 424-448.
Oct. 18	Chapter 12 (DWJ). Sex and Gender Lippa, R. A., & Tan, F. D. (2001). Does culture moderate the relationship between sexual orientation and gender-related personality traits? Cross-Cultural Research, 35 (1), 65-87.
Oct. 23	Chapter 13 (DWJ). Emotions Skoe, E. E. A., Eisenberg, N., & Cumberland, A. (2002). The role of reported emotion in real-life and hypothetical moral dilemmas. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28 (7), 962-973.
Oct. 25	Chapter 14 (DWJ). Moral Character Baltes, P. B., & Staudinger, U. M. (2000). Wisdom: A metaheuristic (pragmatic) to orchestrate mind and virtue toward excellence. American Psychologist, 55 (1), 122-136.
Oct. 30	Chapter 15 (DWJ). Culture and Personality Kim, H., & Markus, H. (1999). Deviance or uniqueness, harmony or conformity? A cultural analysis. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 77, 785-800. Kanagawa, C., Cross, S. E., & Markus, H. R. (2001). "Who am I?" The cultural psychology of the conceptual self. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27(1), 90-103.
Nov. 1	Chapter 16 (DWJ). Stress and Illness King, A. C., Bernardy, N. C., & Hauner, K. (2003). Stressful events, personality, and mood disturbance: Gender differences in alcolics and problem drinkers. Addictive Behaviors, 28, 171-187.
Nov. 6	Topic Ideas for Review Paper and PsychINFO abstracts due TODAY. Chapter 17 (DWJ). The Interface of Personality and Relationships Begue, L. (2002). Beliefs in justice and faith in people: Just world, religiosity and interpersonal trust. Personality and Individual Differences, 32, 375-382. Christensen, M., & Manson, S. (2001). Adult attachment as a framework for understanding mental health and American Indian families: A study of three family cases. American Behavioral Scientist, 44(9), 1447-1465.
Nov. 8	Chapter 18 (DWJ). Disorders of Personality: Diseases or Individual Differences? Seedat, S., & Stein, D. J. (2002). Hoarding in obsessive-compulsive disorder and related disorders: A preliminary report of 15 cases. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 56, 17-23. Steketee, G., Frost, R. O., & Kim, H. J. (2001). Hoarding by elderly people. Health & Social Work, 26 (3), 176-184. Cramer, P. (1999). Personality, personality disorders, and defense mechanisms. Journal of Personality, 67(3), 535-554.
Nov. 13	Norem, J. K., & Illingworth, K. S. S. (2004). Mood and performance among defensive pessimists and strategic optimists. Journal of Research in Personality, 38 (4), 351-366. Elliot, A. J., & Church, M. A. (2003). A motivational analysis of defensive pessimism and self-handicapping. Journal of Personality, 71(3), 369-396.
Nov. 15	Oyserman, D., Bybee, D., & Terry, K. (2004). Possible selves as roadmaps. Journal of Research in Personality, 38 (2), 130-149. King, L. A., & Smith, N. G. (2004). Gay and straight possible selves: Goals, identity, subjective well-being, and personality development. Journal of Personality, 72 (5), 967-994.
Nov. 20	Outline of paper and list of references due - no class
Nov. 22	Thanksgiving holiday - no class
Nov. 27	Carver, C. S., & Scheier, M. F. (2002). Control processes and self-organization as complementary principles underlying behavior. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 6(4), 304-315. Bandura, A., & Locke, E. A. (2003). Negative self-efficacy and goal effects revisited. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88 (1), 87-99.
Nov. 29	Elliot, A.J., & McGregor, H.A. (2001). A 2 X 2 achievement goal framework. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80(3), 501-519. McGregor, H. A., & Elliot, A. J. (2005). The shame of failure: Examining the link between fear of failure and shame. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 31 (2), 218-231.
Dec. 4	McAdams, D. P. (1996). Alternative futures for the study of human individuality. Journal of Research in Personality, 30, 374-388. Diener, E., & Scollon, C. N. (2002). Our desired future for personality psychology. Journal of Research in Personality, 36, 629-637.
Dec. 6	Short presentations of paper topics.
Dec. 11	Review paper due in my office by 2 p.m. (No class meeting)