The Personality Puzzle by David C. Funder - Personal Statement Example

Personal Reflection on The Personality Puzzle Personal Reflection on The Personality Puzzle As a psychology Ihave learned several aspects relating to human beings that have made me to change my view on personality trait. In studying The Personality Puzzle by David C. Funder, I learned several theories, constructs and research findings about human personality that were well described in the book. Moreover, Funder has gone ahead to provide in depth summary about every topic covered in the book in order to provide a closer picture to the readers. This was helpful in my studies because I was able to reconnect various aspects of psychology discussed in various sections of the book. In this regard, this essay is a personal reflection describing how I understood and interpreted the course material. To start with, I learned the basic goals of personality psychology and how it is organized based on the approaches used to study human beings. In real sense personality psychology is concerned with understanding the nature of human beings by analyzing various behavioral traits of human beings. According to Funder, personality psychology aims to address three major human psychological factors including thoughts, feelings and behavior (2012). The three psychological factors underlie human characteristics that define help to explain differences between several people. Of more importance, I learned five effective approaches used to study human psychology from different perspectives. These approaches include “trait, bio-logical, psychoanalytic, phenomenological, and learning and cognitive processes” (Funder, 2012 p. 15). These approaches are effective because they not only analyze the physical characteristics of people under study but also recognize the role biological aspects in determining personality psychology among people. Additionally, I learned several research methods used to collect informational data about personality psychology. Collection of accurate data relating to people under study is vital for making correct interpretation on personality psychology. Therefore, approved approaches that can lead to accurate data collection are relied upon to construct the true personality of the individuals in question. On this basis, Funder’s Second Law, which states that “There are no perfect indicators of personality; there are only clues, and clues are always ambiguous”, proved to be useful approach in identifying the correct data for use in the analysis of personality (Funder, 2012 p. 21). This is because the law proposes that personality can be identified by analyzing several outcomes related to the person in question. More importantly, I was able to understand the four basic research methods used to collect relevant clues for determining psychological personality in a precise manner. The four research methods included asking people to evaluate their own personality, asking their acquaintances for evaluations, seeing how the people are faring in their life, and watching as closely as possible what the people in question do (Funder, 2012). These approaches are effective because involvement of different techniques help to reduce shortcomings of alternative approaches. Of more importance, I learned different techniques that are used to analyze the quality of data collected during personality psychology research and interpretation of the results as well as ethics that play part in the research. To begin with, I learned that psychological studies place more emphasis on the research methods used to draw specific conclusions. Therefore, research methods used in personality psychology have a well documented background that enables researchers to clearly understand human nature instead of developing hard fact criteria of human behavior explanation (Funder, 2012). Secondly, I learned that personality psychology research involves scientific techniques where researchers not only study on the existing facts but also incorporates aspects that can be used to identify what is not yet known. Clearly, this is an important aspect of research because it enables researchers to be in a position to develop techniques that are useful in solving issues anticipated in the future. Thirdly, I learned that data used in psychology research has to posses certain characteristics for it to be effective in the research. Such characteristics, which include reliability, validity and generalizability, make it possible for researchers to draw effective conclusions based on the collected. Fourthly, I learned about four research designs that are applicable in personality psychology research. These research designs include case, experimental, correlational and representative research designs (Funder, 2012). Experimental and correlational research designs are important in confirming ideas identified case studies that focus on particular subjects in detailed fashion. Representative research design helps to generalize results of particular research beyond the research settings. In addition, I learned that ethical use of collected data, mainly presentation of truthful information and avoidance of deception, is important in psychological research. Finally, I learned that analysis of results using Binomial Effect Size Display is an effective way of illustrating the strengths of the research outcomes. On the other hand, I learned how people are different and various methods of identifying their differences. In order to measure individual differences among different people, a trait approach that analyzes personality traits, which include thoughts, feelings, and behavior, with an assumption that they are different is essential (Funder, 2012). This is because such assumption makes the researchers to evaluate all the possible clues that can result into reliable data for further analysis. However, it is worth pointing out that I learned that people are inconsistent in their behavior from situation to situation hence making it hard for researchers to characterize people in terms of their personality traits only. Of more significance, I learned that inconsistent human behavior, which resulted into person-situation debate, made the opponents of the trait approach to argue that human traits have limited ability to predict human behavior, situations determine what people do more effectively and that the traits approach is a waste of time. However, it is worth acknowledging that situational variables are best suited in determining the behavior of people under specific situations. Similarly, the traits approach is also important in determining persistent human behaviors that affect important life outcomes (Funder, 2012). In short, personality psychology aims at studying psychological differences among human beings and uses the results to predict and understand what humans do. Further, I learned about the nature and importance of personality testing in personality psychology. To begin with, I learned that personality testing is a frequent activity that takes place in clinical and industrial research settlings. In reality, it is a normal occurrence for people to assess the personalities of other people they meet frequently in different settings. This is true because this assessment enables individuals to identify the ‘correct methods’ of dealing with their partners in different situations presented to them. This assessment involves evaluation of personality traits that are consistent over time and situations. In addition, personality testing includes analysis “psychological attributes such as goals, moods, and strategies”, which form important component of human behavior (Funder, 2012 p. 168). Secondly, there are two basic types of personality tests that consist of projective and objective test. Projective tests involve presenting ambiguous stimuli to the subjects while objective test present specific questions to the subjects and then analyzing their responses. However, it is important for people to analyze the accuracy of personality testing because it can affect their expectancies as well as their available opportunities. On a rather interesting note, I learned how to use personality traits to predict human behavior. Personality traits are important in predicting personality because they not only help in predicting behavior but also help researchers to understand the reasons for particular behavior observed in people (Otonari et al., 2012). The two trait approaches used in predicting behavior are single trait approaches and many trait approaches. In the single trait approach, one particular trait is analyzed for its consequences in behavior of the subject. On the other hand, many trait approach associates several traits to a particular behavior of the subject. These two approaches have proved to be effective in predicting personalities among people in the society hence are useful in establishment of effective personalities to undertake specific activities. In addition, the approaches have proved that differences in personality are stable when people grow older (Funder, 2012). Therefore, personality assessment is a continuous process that promotes psychological understanding of people. Finally, I learned the biological approaches used to understand the personality psychology. To start with, the anatomy and physiological functioning of the brain is important in determining personality (Ryman et al., 2011). Studies on the functioning of the brain were conducted through techniques such as electroencephalography, magnetoencepha-lography, transcranial direct current stimulation and functional magnetic res-onance imaging. In addition, I learned that there are bio-chemicals, mainly hormones and neuro-transmitters that determine human behavior depending on their body concentrations and potency. Similarly, I learned the roles of genetics in determining personality traits among human beings. Some traits are arguably in heritable in genetic fashion where particular characteristics can be comfortably associated to people within a particular genetic pool. However, it is also argued that behavioral attributes associated with genes can be changed over period through evolution. In conclusion, studying The Personality Puzzle as one of the material for reading in the course has helped me to understand greatly the meaning and procedures evaluating personality psychology. The book has delved into the various research techniques used to collect effective data for analysis in psychological research. In addition, I learned the importance of understanding research methods the emphasis placed the techniques rather than the results of researches. Moreover, I learned how to interpret research data so as to evaluate the strength of research results and the applicability in other similar areas in the field. Further, I learned how biological approaches play an important role in explaining personality psychology by evaluating the roles of independent biochemical components in the body. References David C. Funder. (2012). The Personality Puzzle (6th ed.). New York • London W. W. Norton & Company. Otonari, J., Nagano, J., Morita, M., Budhathoki, S., Tashiro, N., Toyomura, K and Takayanagi, R. (2012). Neuroticism and Extraversion Personality Traits, Health Behaviours, and Subjective Well-Being: The Fukuoka Study (Japan). Quality of Life Research, 21(10), 1847-55. Ryman, Sephira G, Chuck Gasparovic, Edward J. Bedrick, Ranee A. Flores, Alison N. Marshall and Rex E. Jung. (2011). Brain Biochemistry and Personality: A Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Study. Read More