Why You Are Who You Are: Investigations into Human Personality

Overview

Course No. 1648

Award-winning Professor Mark R. Leary explores how our personalities affect our lives through the fascinating science of human behavior. Understanding the roots of personality is essential for grasping the motivations and influences that shape behavior, impacting how we navigate the opportunities and challenges of daily life.

In this compelling 24-lecture course, you’ll examine how individual differences in personality arise, where they come from, and how they influence our experiences. Professor Leary integrates insights from psychology, neuroscience, and genetics, focusing on five key personality traits: extraversion, neuroticism, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness.

This exploration opens your eyes to the myriad ways our traits, motives, emotions, beliefs, and values are shaped by heredity, environment, and personal experiences. You’ll also tackle questions like why it’s hard to change behavior, how our values develop, and if personality evolves over time.

Course Structure

1. What Is Personality? (33 min)

• Explore the foundational concepts of personality and examine case studies.

1. Key Traits: Extraversion and Neuroticism (33 min)

• Delve into two primary traits influencing behavior: extraversion and neuroticism.

1. Are You Agreeable? Conscientious? Open? (32 min)

• Investigate the remaining three traits that shape human personality.

1. Basic Motives Underlying Behavior (31 min)

• Discover the motives that drive daily actions and decisions.

1. Intrapersonal Motives (32 min)

• Examine internal motives, including psychological consistency and self-esteem.

1. Positive and Negative Emotionality (32 min)

• Analyze how different emotions contribute to your overall personality.

1. Differences in Emotional Experience (32 min)

• Understand the variations in emotional responses among individuals.

1. Values and Moral Character (33 min)

• Explore the moral aspects of personality through values and character strengths.

1. Traits That Shape How You Think (32 min)

• Focus on cognitive aspects of personality, particularly styles of thinking.

1. Beliefs about the World and Other People (32 min)

• Investigate the beliefs that shape your perceptions and interactions.

1. Beliefs about Yourself (32 min)

• Analyze self-related beliefs, including identity and self-compassion.

1. Personality and Social Relationships (33 min)

• Explore how personality influences social bonds and attachment styles.

1. Consistency and Stability of Personality (33 min)

• Review the interplay between stability and change in personality.

1. Evolution and Human Nature (32 min)

• Understand the evolutionary factors that shape personality traits.

1. Personality and the Brain (33 min)

• Dive into the neuroscience of personality and its biological foundations.

1. Genetic Influences on Personality (33 min)

• Learn about the genetic basis of personality traits and heritability studies.

1. Learning to Be Who You Are (33 min)

• Examine the learning processes that contribute to personality development.

1. How Culture Influences Personality (33 min)

• Understand cultural impacts on personality and variations across societies.

1. Nonconscious Aspects of Personality (33 min)

• Explore the unconscious influences on behavior and decision-making.

1. Personality and Self-Control (32 min)

• Investigate differences in self-regulation and their effect on personality.

1. When Personalities Become Toxic (31 min)

• Learn about personality disorders and their characteristics.

1. Avoidance, Paranoia, and Other Disorders (32 min)

• Explore anxiety-related personality disorders and their implications.

1. The Enigma of Being Yourself (29 min)

• Question the concept of authenticity in relation to personality.

1. The Well-Adjusted Personality (37 min)

• Conclude with insights on personality traits associated with healthy adjustment.