Impulse and Constraint: Perspectives From Personality Psychology, Convergence With Theory in Other Areas, and Potential for Integration

2005 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 312-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles S. Carver
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Psychology ◽  
Social Psychological ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Psychological Theories ◽  
Behavioral Dimension ◽  
Personality Theories

A behavioral dimension of impulse versus constraint has long been observed by personality psychologists. This article begins by reviewing processes underlying this dimension from the perspectives of several personality theories. Some cases of constraint reflect inhibition due to anxiety, but some theories suggest other roots for constraint. Theories from developmental psychology accommodate both possibilities by positing 2 sorts of control over action. These modes of influence strongly resemble those predicated in some personality theories and also 2 modes of function that are asserted by some cognitive and social psychological theories. Several further literatures are considered, to which 2-mode models seem to contribute meaningfully. The article closes by addressing questions raised by these ideas, including whether the issue of impulse versus constraint applies to avoidance as well as to approach.

MOTIVATION PROBLEMS IN FOREIGN PERSONALITY THEORIES

2020 ◽  
pp. 12-28
Author(s):  
Inna R. Altunina ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Human Behavior ◽  
Psychological Theory ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Psychological Theories ◽  
Personality Theories ◽  
Theoretical Issues ◽  
Theory Of Motivation

Foreign author’s psychological theories of personality from the point of view of formulating and solving issues related to the field of motivation of human behavior are examined in the article. The theories are mainly presented, which are usually considered both in monographs devoted to theoretical issues of personality psychology, and in books, the purpose of which is to illuminate motivational issues. The provisions of these theories related to the topic of motivation are revealed and discussed. Particular attention is paid to the lack of clear scientific criteria for classifying a particular theory as a personal or motivational problem, although in fact motivation is only a particular aspect of personality psychology. In conclusion, the point is made that in modern theories of personality, the issues of motivation of human behavior are disclosed quite fully and versatile, however, there is still no unified, holistic psychological theory of motivation and a clear division of the theory into personal and motivational. The same is stated with regard to psychological theories of personality, which differ significantly from each other in terms of terminology, problems considered in them and scientific solutions offered to them.

scholarly journals So Useful as a Good Theory? The Practicality Crisis in (Social) Psychological Theory

2021 ◽  
pp. 174569162096965
Author(s):  
Elliot T. Berkman ◽  
Sylas M. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Social Issues ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
National Level ◽  
Laboratory Data ◽  
Psychological Theory ◽  
Social Psychological ◽  
Psychological Theories ◽  
Health Domains ◽  
Societal Problems ◽  
Social Psychological Theory

Practicality was a valued attribute of academic psychological theory during its initial decades, but usefulness has since faded in importance to the field. Theories are now evaluated mainly on their ability to account for decontextualized laboratory data and not their ability to help solve societal problems. With laudable exceptions in the clinical, intergroup, and health domains, most psychological theories have little relevance to people’s everyday lives, poor accessibility to policymakers, or even applicability to the work of other academics who are better positioned to translate the theories to the practical realm. We refer to the lack of relevance, accessibility, and applicability of psychological theory to the rest of society as the practicality crisis. The practicality crisis harms the field in its ability to attract the next generation of scholars and maintain viability at the national level. We describe practical theory and illustrate its use in the field of self-regulation. Psychological theory is historically and scientifically well positioned to become useful should scholars in the field decide to value practicality. We offer a set of incentives to encourage the return of social psychology to the Lewinian vision of a useful science that speaks to pressing social issues.

Paul and the Author of 1 Clement as Entrepreneurs of Identity in Corinthian Crises of Leadership

2021 ◽  
pp. 0142064X2110647
Author(s):  
Katja Kujanpää
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Identity Construction ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Social Psychological ◽  
The Past ◽  
Psychological Theories ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Identity Approach

When Paul and the author of 1 Clement write letters to Corinth to address crises of leadership, both discuss Moses’ παρρησία (frankness and openness), yet they evaluate it rather differently. In this article, I view both authors as entrepreneurs of identity and explore the ways in which they try to shape their audience’s social identity and influence their behaviour in the crisis by selectively retelling scriptural narratives related to Moses. The article shows that social psychological theories under the umbrella term of the social identity approach help to illuminate the active role of leaders in identity construction as well as the processes of retelling the past in order to mobilize one’s audience.

Introduction to Psychophysiology of Human Personality

2017 ◽  
pp. 1-26
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Psychological Functioning ◽  
Historical Data ◽  
Measurement Methods ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Human Personality ◽  
Biological Basis ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Personality Theories ◽  
Psychological Concepts

The analysis of historical data has shown that there have been numerous attempts in exploring and understanding individual differences in human personality. Many of them have been using the arousal construct seemed as the most dominant one. Since then, personality psychology has revealed many personality theories and measurement methods as a theoretical and methodological frame in understanding human personality. Besides that, the same researchers and many others have tried to explain human personality and its various psychological concepts using different psychophysiological methods. Therefore, contemporary psychophysiology of personality includes all research on the biological basis of personality underlying trait-like differences in psychological functioning. This section will provide a detailed overview of the psychophysiology of human personality along with the most intriguing research questions.

Sticks and Stones

2016 ◽  
pp. 101-132
Author(s):  
Robin Maria Valeri ◽  
Kevin Borgeson
Keyword(s):  
Social Identity ◽  
Social Identity Theory ◽  
Relative Deprivation ◽  
Identity Theory ◽  
Terror Management ◽  
Psychological Approach ◽  
Social Psychological ◽  
Hate Groups ◽  
New Members ◽  
Psychological Theories

The present chapter takes a social psychological approach to understanding hate groups and how hate groups use hate as a promotional tool and as an implement of aggression. As a promotional tool, hate groups use hate to attract new members to their organizations and to promote their beliefs to the mainstream public. Hate also serves as an incendiary, to fuel the emotions of their members, to incite them into action, and to wield against their targets. In this chapter we will attempt to explain why people hate and how they justify their hatred and resulting actions through a number of social psychological theories including realistic group conflict (Bonacich, 1972; Sherif et al., 1961/1988) relative deprivation (Catalono et al., 1993; Hepworth & West, 1988; Hovland & Sears, 1940), social identity theory (Abrams & Hogg, 1990; Festinger, 1954; Tajfel & Turner, 1986; Thoits & Virshup, 1997) and terror management (Pyszczynski, Solomon, & Greenberg, 1997; 2005; Solomon, Greenberg, & Pyszczynski, 1991; 2004).

Why Psychology and Criminal Justice Can Only Take Us So Far

2021 ◽  
pp. 1840-1857
Author(s):  
Lisa Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Criminal Justice ◽  
School Violence ◽  
Current Literature ◽  
Violent Behavior ◽  
Social Psychological ◽  
Psychological Theories ◽  
The Social ◽  
American Schools ◽  
The U.S

Concerns about continued increases in violent behavior in American schools and schools' ability to mitigate and reduce risks abound. Psychology and criminal justice have contributed much to what we know and understand about violence in schools; however, the author argues that these dominant disciplinary perspectives also obscure some important aspects of these phenomena, namely focus on underlying cultural logics that may be impacting violence in schools. In this chapter, the author sets out to achieve two objectives. First, she provides an overview of areas of focus in current literature in psychology and criminal justice that represent the dominant framework within which school violence in the U.S. is viewed. Additionally, she examines those disciplinary perspectives in terms of specific strengths and limitations. Second, she presents and describes a series of social psychological theories and pulls those theories into a coherent framework to demonstrate the value of the social psychological lens in studies of school violence and stimulate further discussion and research on this important topic.

scholarly journals Traits and Adaptations: A Theoretical Examination and New Empirical Evidence

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 265-284 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuel Henry ◽  
René Mõttus
Keyword(s):  
Social Desirability ◽  
Big Five ◽  
Rank Order ◽  
Social Environments ◽  
Rater Agreement ◽  
Evolutionary Time ◽  
Personality Psychology ◽  
Environment Model ◽  
Personality Theories ◽  
Empirical Implications

We investigated the distinction between traits (also labelled basic tendencies or dispositions) and (characteristic) adaptations, two related features of the personality system postulated to influence how personality manifests throughout the lifespan. Traits are alleged to be universal, causal, and enduring entities that exist across cultures and through evolutionary time, whereas learned adaptations are acquired through sustained interaction with cultural, physical, and social environments. Although this distinction is central to several personality theories, they provide few measurable criteria to distinguish between traits and adaptations. Moreover, little research has endeavoured to operationalize it, let alone test it empirically. Drawing on insights from four frameworks—the Five–Factor Theory, Cybernetic Big Five Theory, Disposition–Adaptation–Environment Model, and New Big Five—we attempted to investigate the distinction both theoretically and empirically. Using various experimental rating conditions, we first scored 240 questionnaire items in their degrees of definitionally reflecting traits and/or adaptations. Next, we correlated these definitional ratings with the items’ estimates of rank–order stability, consensual validity, and heritability—criteria often associated with personality traits. We found some evidence that items rated as more trait–like and less adaptation–like correspond to higher cross–rater agreement and stability but not heritability. These associations survived controlling for items’ retest reliability, social desirability, and variance. The theoretical and empirical implications of these findings are discussed. © 2020 European Association of Personality Psychology

The Development of Pragmatic Competence

1996 ◽  
Vol 55 ◽  
pp. 103-120
Author(s):  
Gabriele Kasper
Keyword(s):  
Second Language ◽  
Second Language Acquisition ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Second Language Learning ◽  
Pragmatic Competence ◽  
Interlanguage Pragmatics ◽  
Social Psychological ◽  
Pragmatic Development ◽  
Psychological Theories ◽  
Research Findings

Unlike other areas of second language study, which are primarily concerned with acquisitional patterns of interlanguage knowledge over time, most studies in inter-language pragmatics have focused on second language use rather than second language learning. The aim of this talk is to profile interlanguage pragmatics as an area of inquiry in second language acquisition research, by reviewing existing studies with a focus on learning, examining research findings in interlanguage pragmatics that shed light on some basic questions in SLA, exploring cognitive and social-psychological theories that might offer explanations of different aspeas of pragmatic development, and proposing a research agenda for the study of interlanguage pragmatics with a developmental perspective that will tie it more closely to other areas of SLA.

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