Mysteries Of Personality The Unveiling - 1586 Words

Mysteries of Personality: The Unveiling Ugonna Eziuku University of Houston Clear Lake- Pearland Campus Mysteries of Personality: The Unveiling Psychomythology is defined by Lilienfeld as psychological information that is false, inaccurate and includes a plethora of misunderstood stories and myths (2010). In 1955 George Kelly stated that members of society are constantly trying to explain and interpret each others innate goals and characteristics (Lilienfeld, 2010). The Oxford Dictionary Pro (2012) defines personality traits as specified personal attributes. Lex Borghans who studied personality traits as it pertains to psychology defines these traits not as temperament, morals or passion but as habitual responsiveness,†¦show more content†¦A good example of this, are myths. The Oxford Dictionary Pro characterized myths as false traditional stories that are perceived as truth (2012). In 2010, Lilienfield published a book outlining some of the myths that are prevalent in modern society. Some of the myths are, astrology predicts people’s personality traits more accurately than not, positive self declarations are good ways to construct self-worth and people’s handwriting reveal their innate personality characteristics (Lilienfeld, 2010, p. 175-179). Research based evidence using methods that are valid, reliable and duplicable provide documentation opposing mythological theories concerning the connection between personality traits, astrology, graphology and self-affirmation (Lilienfeld, 2010; Stanovich, 2013). In 2009, Napper et al. published a study that focused on testing the â€Å"self-affirmation manipulation† (p. 45). â€Å"Self-affirmation theory† defines issues or situations that present themselves in a way that causes someone to question and ultimately prove their sense of self worth (Napper et al., 2009, p. 45). In Napper et al.’s study, participants receive the â€Å"self-affirmation manipulation† at the beginning of the experiment, then the intimidating information and any subsequent reliant measures (2009, p. 46). In this study, the effects of concluding the â€Å"self-affirmation† and control