SUBJECT

Comprehensive Exam in Personality Psychology

PSYB17 - 119

comprehensive exam

Bachelor

Faculty of Education and Psychology

Psychology BA

2

Semester 5, 6

Autumn/Spring semester

The comprehensive exam requires an integrative, as well as analytical knowledge on the topics of the courses of Personality Psychology I. and II. This exam covers the questions concerning the structure, the growth and development, and the dynamics of personality, i. e. the dispositional (trait and motive) and interactional approaches to personality description, the biological, sociallearning, psychoanalytical, phenomenological, and cognitive approaches to individual differences and functioning of personality. The issues concerning the healthy and pathological functioning of personality are also included. The list of topics is accessible from the first semester including personality psychology.
 

Learning outcomes and competencies
Knowledge:

•  the descriptive models, and biological and social-learning explanations of individual differences (traits and the basic dimensions of personality)
•  the major psychoanalytic theories of personality
•  the personality related aspects of social learning theories
•  the basics of humanistic psychology
•  the cognitive and self-regulation models of personality

Attitude:

•  the integrative understanding of the material covered by the two semesters of personality psychology
•  an integrative and problem-centered attitude towards different approaches and models of personality
•  a constructive understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of different personality models

Abilities:

•  approaching personality-related problems from multiple points of view
•  explaining and understanding personality related issues from different perspectives

Content of the course
 

Topics of the course

•  Personality I unit: The dispositional (trait and motive) and interactional approaches to personality description. The biological, social-learning, and cognitive explanations of individual differences
•  Personality II unit: The structure, dynamics and development of personality. The psychoanalytical, phenomenological, and cognitive approaches to the functioning of personality. The healthy and pathological functioning of personality.

Learning activities, learning methods

•  Preparations to computer based multiple choices test, as well as oral presentations of two topics from a thematic list announced previously.

Evaluation of outcomes
Learning requirements, mode of evaluation, and criteria of evaluation:

Requirements

•  Passing a computer based multiple choices test on the material from the Personality I. and II. lectures and practical courses
•  Oral presentation, as well as discussion, of two topics from a thematic list announced previously

Mode of evaluation

•  At least 61% score on the computer based multiple choices test
•  The oral exam is graded from 1 to 5.

Criteria of evaluation:

•  the quantity and quality of the student’s knowledge
•  the clear and detailed understanding of the content of the topic
•  the coherence of the elaboration of the topic
•  the exactness and quality of the answers given by the students to the questions arised

Reading list
Compulsory readings

The compulsory readings are the same as the ones for Personality I and II courses.
 

Recommended readings
The recommended readings are the same as the ones for Personality I and II, and all the personality related courses.