Introduction to Personality

Curriculum Guideline

Effective Date:
Return to Course
Print Guideline
Course
PSYC 3331
Discontinued
No
Course Code
PSYC 3331
Descriptive
Introduction to Personality
Department
Psychology
Faculty
Humanities & Social Sciences
Credits
3.00
Start Date
End Term
Not Specified
PLAR
No
Semester Length
15
Max Class Size
35
Contact Hours
Lecture: 4 hrs per week / semester
Method(s) Of Instruction
Lecture
Learning Activities

The course will involve a number of instructional methods such as the following:

 

  • lectures
  • audio visual materials
  • group discussions
  • computer simulated exercises
  • classroom demonstrations

 

Course Description
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to theory and research in personality. Students will examine such topics as the assessment of personality, personality development, biological processes and personality, health and personality, personality disorders, and treatments aimed at modifying personality.
Course Content

 

  1. The History of Personality Assessment
  2. Contemporary Methods of Assessing Personality
  3. Personality Traits
  4. The Validity and Reliability of Personality Inventories and Tests
  5. Theories of Personality
  6. The Heritability of Personality
  7. The Interaction Among Personality, Genes, and the Environment
  8. Physiological Correlates of Personality Traits
  9. Psychological Correlates of Personality Traits
  10. Personality Disorders
  11. Modifying Personality Through Treatment

 

Learning Outcomes

At the conclusion of the course the successful student will be able to:

 

  1. Describe the history of personality assessment.
  2. Describe how personality inventories are constructed and used.
  3. Describe how projective tests of personality are constructed and used.
  4. Distinguish between different types of validity.
  5. Distinguish between different types of reliability.
  6. Evaluate the validity and reliability of contemporary personality inventories.
  7. Evaluate the validity and reliability of contemporary projective tests of personality.
  8. Explain the interaction between personality and situational factors.
  9. Describe and evaluate the major theoretical perspectives of personality (ie: dispositional, biological, psychodynamic, psychiatric, trait, existential, phenomenological, learning, and cognitive).
  10. Describe research conducted to test the major theories of personality.
  11. Explain how the heritability of personality is assessed.
  12. Identify the role of biological and environmental processes in personality development and change.
  13. Describe research on the relationship between personality and physical health.
  14. Describe research on the relationship between personality and mental disorders.
  15. Identify and describe the various personality disorders.
  16. Describe therapeutic techniques used to treat people with personality disorders.

 

Means of Assessment

The course evaluation will be in accordance with Douglas College and Psychology Department Policy. Evaluations will be based on the course objectives. Specific evaluation criteria will be provided by the instructor at the beginning of the semester.

An example of a possible evaluation scheme would be:

2 Mid Term Exams (worth 20% each) - 40%

Literature review paper - 20%

Oral presentation of paper highlights - 10%

Final Exam - 30%

Total - 100%

Textbook Materials

Textbook(s) such as the following, the list will be updated periodically:

  • Olson, M. H. & Hergenhahn, B. R. (2011). An Introduction to Theories of Personality (8th Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Publishing.
  • Crowne, D.P. Personality theory (current ed.). Toronto, ON: Oxford University Press.

 

Prerequisites

and

  • PSYC 2301 or alternative research methods course (with instructor approval)
Equivalencies

Courses listed here are equivalent to this course and cannot be taken for further credit:

  • No equivalency courses