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Personality and Individual Differences

Module description

This module focuses on current and historical understanding of personality and individual differences. We will review the main theories of personality and use contemporary empirical evidence to explore the complex relationship between personality and behaviour. We will consider the challenges of measuring personality and intelligence. In-depth examples of the complexity of individual differences will be provided, and some of the taught content will focus on personality disorders and problems assessing and classifying such disorders. The module will also enable you to examine some of the broader societal issues relating to individual differences in personality.

This module is a compulsory module for Online MSc Psychology Conversion programme students and it has no pre-requisites.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The module will introduce you to theories, research and practice in relation to the psychology of personality and individual differences. In the pursuit of this we aim to:

• Develop in you a broad and critical understanding of the ways in which personality and individual differences influence various aspects of human behaviour
• Introduce you to a range of instruments and tools used in this psychological study, including for example, questionnaires, interviews and psychometric tests
• Develop your awareness of the issues, controversies, challenges and potential problems in measuring personality and individual differences

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Demonstrate a broad knowledge of theories of personality and individual differences and a basic understanding of how these might be applied to some key topics
• 2. Describe how instruments and tools like questionnaires and psychometric tests may be used in personality research
• 3. Illustrate how our understanding of personality and individual differences depends on the methods used to measure these concepts and the theories employed to frame them
• 4. Illustrate a good basic knowledge and understanding of a range of societal and behavioural issues relating to individual differences in personality

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 5. Illustrate detailed factual and conceptual knowledge of theoretical positions and see relationships and differences between them
• 6. Identify and critically evaluate the main areas of controversy in these areas of research
• 7. Solve complex problems creatively, critically and systematically

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 8. Develop clear and logical arguments in your writing or visual representation of these topics
• 9. Manage and source information and material for use in written assessments
• 10. Read, review and critically evaluate relevant research evidence and literature

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary over time, it is envisaged that the syllabus will consider a range of issues that relate to the current and historical study of personality and individual differences, drawing on theory, assessment of personality and empirical research. The syllabus will likely include:

• A general introduction to personality and individual differences
• Psychoanalytic theory
• Personality trait theory
• Personality type theory
• The person-situation debate
• Biological and evolutionary approaches
• Personality and intelligence tests; reliability and validity of such measures
• Behaviourist, social learning and cognitive approaches
• Humanistic approaches
• Intelligence
• Personality disorders
• Individual differences and psychosis

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Three assessments are required for this module. Where you have been referred/deferred in the assessments you will be required to resubmit them. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 50%; deferred marks are not capped.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Indicative basic reading list:

• Burger, J. M. (2019). Personality (10th Ed). Cengage Learning.
• Caspi, A., Roberts, B. W., & Shiner, R. L. (2005). Personality development: Stability and change. Annu. Rev. Psychol., 56, 453-484.
• Deary, I. J. (2020). Intelligence: A very short introduction. Oxford University Press.
• Funder, D. C. (2001). Personality.Annual Review of Psychology, 52, 197-221.
• Funder, D. C. (2019). The Personality Puzzle (8^th Ed). W.W. Norton and Company.
• Luborsky, L., & Barrett, M. S. (2006). The History and Empirical Status of key psychoanalytic concepts. Annual Review Clinical Psychology, 2, 1–19.
• Maltby, J., Day, L., & Macaskill, A. (2022). Personality, individual differences and intelligence (5^th Ed). Pearson Education.

Key words search

Personality, individual differences, disposition, IQ, measurement, intelligence, personality disorders, psychoanalysis