THEORIES OF PERSONALITY

Theories Of Personality

Theories Of Personality

Introduction

Antwone Fisher is a 2002 American drama film directed by Denzel Washington, marking his directorial debut. He also stars in the film as the psychiatrist, Jerome Davenport, alongside Hollywood newcomers Derek Luke, who plays the title role (and personally knew the real Antwone Fisher), and ex-model Joy Bryant, as Fisher's girlfriend.

The film is inspired by a true story, with the real Antwone Fisher credited as the screenwriter, and is based on his autobiographical book Finding Fish. The film was produced by Washington, Nancy Paloian, and Todd Black, and features a soundtrack by Mychael Danna.

Black was first inspired to make the movie upon hearing the story from Fisher, who was then working as a security guard at Sony Pictures Studios. The film is about an American sailor who finds himself confronting his traumatic past after being sent to a naval psychologist. Refusing at first to open up, the young man eventually breaks down and reveals a horrific childhood. Various flashbacks directly present his foster mother physically abusing him. Another flashback has her daughter ordering him to kiss her and then go to the basement where it is presumed she sexually abused him at age six whenever the mother left them alone. Through the guidance of his naval psychologist, he not only confronts his painful past but also begins a quest to find the family he never knew.

Theory

Major Component

Structure

Process

Growth and Development

Psychopathology

Change

Trait Theory of Personality

The trait approach to personality is one of the major theoretical areas in the study of personality. The trait theory suggests that individual personalities are composed broad dispositions. Consider how you would describe the personality of a close friend. Chances are that you would list a number of traits, such as outgoing, kind and even-tempered. A trait can be thought of as a relatively stable characteristic that causes individuals to behave in certain ways.

Unlike many other theories of personality, such as psychoanalytic or humanistic theories, the trait approach to personality is focused on differences between individuals. The combination and interaction of various traits combine to form a personality that is unique to each individual. Trait theory is focused on identifying and measuring these individual personality characteristics.

In 1936, psychologist Gordon Allport found that one English-language dictionary alone contained more than 4,000 words describing different personality traits.1 He categorized these traits into three levels:

Cardinal Traits: Traits that dominate an individual's whole life, often to the point that the person becomes known specifically for these traits. People with such personalities often become so known for these traits that their names are often synonymous with these qualities. Consider the origin and meaning of the following descriptive terms: Freudian, Machiavellian, narcissism, Don Juan, Christ-like, etc. Allport suggested that cardinal traits are rare and tend to develop later in life.2

Central Traits:

The general characteristics that form the basic foundations of personality. These central traits, while not as dominating as cardinal traits, are the major characteristics you might use to describe another ...