2-1 Discussion: Analyzing Your Favorite Characters Using Personality Theory
In this discussion, we will apply personality theory to fictional characters. Movies, shows, plays, books, and role-playing games can offer us a rich opportunity to be transported to other places and meet interesting people. Throughout the course, we will be reflecting on how personality theory applies to us and how we can use our course topics to be the most effective versions of our authentic selves in social or professional contexts. In this assignment, we will look externally and use the textbook reading to analyze our favorite fictional characters to recognize patterns and perhaps get better insights into their behavior.
For your initial post, select a fictional character from any form of media and provide a short description of the character you select. Include an image, clip, or gif of your character to share with your peers.
Next, in at least 6 to 10 sentences, describe how at least two components of personality theory relate to your character and provide examples to illustrate points. To help you get started, you can use the questions below or any other components of personality theory presented by the text:
- What role does the unconscious play in your character?
- What is the importance of sexuality in your character’s life?
- Are any instinctual drives repressed?
- Are any neuroses present in your character’s behavior?
- What is the significance of early childhood experience to your character?
- Do you see any archetypes displayed by your character?
- Can you relate ego psychology to your character?
- Can you observe any defense mechanisms?
- Is your character experiencing an age-related developmental challenge?
- Does authoritarian personality relate to your character in a meaningful way?
Finally, describe whether your character demonstrates any emotional intelligence skills to exhibit an awareness of the behavior you have identified.
Remember to respond to two peers while being respectful of and sensitive to their viewpoints. Consider advancing the discussion in the following ways:
- Post an article, video, or additional research to reinforce a peer’s idea or challenge them to see their point from a different perspective.
- Engage in conversation with your peers around the analysis of their fictional character. Consider asking a question or sharing your own personal experience.
- Reply with another interpretation of your peer’s character or another application of theory that describes their behavior.
PSY Programmatic Themes
Psychology is more than just one course you are taking in college. Psychology is everywhere! It’s a tool
that can help you live a better life, make a bigger impact on the world, and build stronger relationships.
As you complete coursework throughout your degree program, you’ll discover and rediscover five key
themes. Each one illustrates a way to apply psychology in your life both personally and professionally. By
the end of your program, you’ll have the tools to understand yourself more fully, improve your personal
and professional connections, and effect positive change in the world.
Self-care: When you hear the term self-care, you may think of things like bubble baths and dark
chocolate. But self-care is about more than just pampering yourself. Engaging in self-care means
taking time for personal reflection and developing skills to improve your well-being. You can also
take care of yourself by increasing your resilience and self-regulation.
Social justice: Everyone deserves the same rights and access to opportunities. When you apply
psychology ethically and empathetically, you’re supporting social justice. As you work through
this program, you’ll see that psychology can do more than just improve your own life—it can
help you enhance the lives of others and promote social justice for society as a whole.
Emotional intelligence (EI): Emotional intelligence is defined as the practice of self-control and
the ability to accurately perceive the emotions of self and others, appropriately adapt emotions
and actions in daily interactions, and consistently understand and express interest in the well-
being of self and others. In short, it’s how you understand and respond to emotions in yourself
and the people around you. Emotional intelligence is not just an abstract concept. It’s a set of
skills, including self-awareness, self-regulation, ethical judgment, empathy, social awareness,
and conflict resolution.
Career connections: Even if you don’t become a psychologist, studying psychology can help
advance your career. Psychology helps explain why people behave in certain ways and how you
can work with them more effectively. Whether you major in psychology or use this course as a
stepping-stone to other opportunities, the study of psychology can improve your daily life and
job prospects.
Ethics: Modern psychology is guided by ethical principles. While formal ethics are set by
governing bodies such as the American Psychological Association, you also have your own set of
values and morals that influence your personal ethics. Throughout your coursework, you will
apply ethics by citing your sources.
