If-Then Personality

The Paradox of personality #

By definition, personality should be stable and coherent; however, we don’t really observe this in reality. (For example, tipping behavior cannot be predicted from agreeableness/generosity, and may change depending on the restaurant.)

There are two main solutions to this paradox:

1. Average out over all observations of a behavior. This is the trait approach, and removes much of the nuance of situational behaviors.
2. Take variability seriously, and figure out a way to account for it.

These two solutions correspond to

If-Then Patterns #

Personality is not defined by stability over time or context, but rather in if-then patterns:

If (you are in a specific situation, context, etc), then (your response will be the same regardless of when this situation occurs).

Both internal and external causes influence how we express our personality. These expressions are predictable and unique from person to person.

Trait theory and If-Then are not independent: both perspectives are valid, and describe different aspects of personality.

Trait theory has some advantages:

• Objectivity
• Ease of use and measurement (BFI)
• Predictive power in outcomes

However, trait theory is a poor predictor of behavior, which If-Then is good at predicting.

If-then in language #

Children tend to use uncertainty modifiers (sometimes, occasionally…) to describe behaviors of other children. (“Sometimes he gets angry”)

• This suggests that children are aware that there is some sort of inconsistency in personality, but don’t yet have the capability to describe it.

Adults tend to use certainty modifiers coupled with conditional modifiers to more specifically describe consistent behaviors in particular situations. (“He always gets angry when someone disagrees with him”)

Nominal vs Psychological Situations #

Nominal situation: situations as settings (X behavior at Y location or Z context) Psychological situation: subjective meaning of a setting (tipping at fancy restaurants vs fast food)

Cognitive-Affective Personality Systems Theory #

Mischel & Shoda 1995

Personality is a unique combination of an individual and the situations they are in (P x S) Interaction.

Cognitive-affective units (CAUs) #

CAUs are mediators that explain if-then profiles.

1. Encodings, Construals, & Perceptions: Categories (constructs) for the self, people, events, and situations (external and internal).
2. Expectancies & Beliefs: About the social world, about outcomes for behavior in particular situations, about one’s self-efficacy.
3. Affect: Feelings, emotions, and affective responses (including physiological reactions).
4. Goals & Values: Desirable outcomes and affective states, aversive outcomes and affective states; goals, values, and life projects.
5. Self-regulatory competencies: Potential behaviors that one can do, and plans and strategies for organizing action and for affecting outcomes and one’s own behavior and internal states

Individuals differ in the CAUs they have accessible, and how they organize them internally.

Within-person variation #

Generally, the extent to which the typical individual differs from their own personality measurements is greater than their difference from