LASA 2: Exploring Personality Theories

Part I: Apply the personality theories to your personal life experience by answering the following questions.  (Each paragraph below should be 200 – 400 words.)

1.      The Five Factor Model of Personality: Explain where you fall on each of the FIVE dimensions or traits in this theory.   Discuss whether you feel you were “born with” this trait or if you feel this trait developed through experiences in your environment (such as family experiences or other learning experiences). Based on your experience, explain whether personality traits are primarily biological (innate) or environmental (learned) (Nature vs. Nurture).  (1 paragraph)

2.      Albert Bandura’s Social Learning Theory: Describe how social learning theory played an influence in your own personality development.  Identify whose behavior you modeled and provide specific details to describe the ways in which their behavior influenced you.  (1 paragraph)

3.      Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: Identify which stage of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs you are currently experiencing.  Explain which level you hope to experience in the future. (1 paragaph)

4.      Freudian Theory of Personality Structure: Regarding your own personality functioning, provide an example of how your own Id, Ego and Superego might all work together to help you meet your needs and have a successful life.   Many contemporary psychologists disagree with Freud, and do not believe that the unconscious mind plays an important role in every day behavior.  Based on your readings in psychology, as well as your own experiences, do you believe that the unconscious mind is important in everyday life?  Why or why not?”  (2 paragraphs)

References   (Please list your references for this assignment using APA Style Guidelines)

Part II: Psychological Autobiography

In this course, you have applied several theories and concepts from psychology to your own life.  In this part, you will re-write the Autobiography submitted in Module 1 using the material you explored throughout the course.

1. In your Psychological Autobiography, describe your life in a way that incorporates 12—15 terms and concepts you learned in this class.  You do not need to analyze your struggles in this assignment, or disclose sensitive material.   The purpose of the assignment is to simply apply the concepts we explored throughout the course to your own life history in an everyday manner. 

1. In your Psychological Autobiography, you may use any terms, research, concepts or theories covered in class,  however,  you must use terms and ideas from at least five (5) of the following theorists or perspectives:

• Piaget
• Erikson
• Kohlberg
• Eysenck
• Bandura
• Maslow
• Freud

There is room for creativity in this assignment! What is most important is that you show the instructor how much you have learned in this course by applying several theories, terms or concepts to your life story.  At a minimum, you should use information from your readings in this portion of the paper. This portion of the LASA assignment should be 2 – 3 pages in length.  Here are some suggestions for developing your Psychological Autobiography:

• Write your life history according to one or more of the developmentalstage theories. 
• Apply key concepts to your early development. 
• Explain how the concepts apply to your current life situation. 

Please Write Your Psychological Autobiography in the space below, according the directions above.  Remember to write 2 – 3 pages for this portion of the assignment.