Psy 504 - Scientific Study of Personality

Scientific Study of Personality

Germaine Murray-Davis

PSYCH 504

May 20, 2013

Dr. Melissa G. Venezia

Scientific Study of Personality

When looking at behavior one would have to consider personality. When defining personality it is not a clear definition that states exactly what it is. Understanding personality takes on different meaning for individuals as regarding what they do and why they do it. Psychologists take on the task of defining the complexity of personality. As a theorist research what makes a person the way he, or she is first a theory is developed for the personality theorist to look for ways to measure the research. A discussion defining personality and three methods researchers use case studies, correlational designs, and experimental designs.

Definition of Personality

Personality described as psychological qualities that contribute to an individual's enduring and distinctive pattern of feeling, thinking, and behavior (Cervone & Pervin, 2010). A person in his or her life deals with many situations over time. Enduring is described as the qualities consistent across time and across different situations (Cervone & Pervin, 2010). In defining distinctive in the definition of personality described as psychological features that differentiate people from each other (Cervone & Pervin, 2010). Contribute to in personality are factors that influence and explain distinctive and enduring tendencies (Cervone & Pervin, 2010).

Personality psychology deemed to be descriptive but theorists want to change this to a scientific explanation by finding psychological factors that identify patterns of development, and behavior observed (Cervone & Pervin, 2010).

Case Studies

Case studies provide and in-depth analyses of an individual. It captures the complexities of human personality. To conduct a case study a researcher has to have extensive contact with a client to develop an understanding of the individual's psychological structures and processes important to his or her personality (Cervone & Pervin, 2010). Each case study is idiographic, meaning that the information gathered is a portrait for a particular person (Cervone & Pervin, 2010). Data obtained from observation, personal records, and information from family, or social contacts of a client.

This information collected in a case study leads to clinical treatment for a client. A researcher must understand the uniqueness of a client to develop an intervention for him or her (Cervone & Pervin, 2010). The data gathered is pertaining to how the individual views himself or herself, how he or she reacts in different situations and events. The information collected from clinical case studies have helped develop theory used to help with treating clients (Cervone & Pervin, 2010).

There are advantages and disadvantages to using case study as there are in any of the other methods discussed. Case studies are feasible to studying area of a client's life. The advantage of conducting case studies overcomes potential superficiality and artificiality presented in other methods of study (Cervone & Pervin, 2010). The clinician gains important aspects from observing their client.

The disadvantages that come with conducting case studies include not being able to generalize to others. Case studies are geared to individuals or groups and using this as an aid to help everyone is not feasible (Cervone & Pervin, 2010). The results of the study are not generalizable because not knowing if the case investigated is a representative of the wider body of "similar" instances