Beh_225_Final

Final Project: Interview Profile Erica Trzepacz BEH/225 9/4/11 Hillary Locke Axia Personality Interview I have conducted an interview with my boyfriend whom is twenty seven years old. He is a year and a half older than I am. He has given me permission to conduct the interview, as well as permission to use the information he has given me to use for my psychology course. I have interviewed him and will be using the same questions I have asked him and answer them myself. In this essay I will compare and contrast my boyfriend’s answers to the questions I have asked him to my own answers. So we are similar by being close in age and growing up in the same city. Although we do have our differences such as him being a male and I am a female. We have also gone through different situations which might make our view points, personality, or attitudes on various subjects differ. I have asked him numerous questions on his attitude, personality, his influences in life, and other various questions. First, I asked him if he would prefer studying in a quiet area or would he rather have distraction noises in the background, such as music or a T.V. going on in the background' He said that he would rather have a distraction going on in the background such as music or having a television on. He says this is because it would be just too quiet for him if nothing were going. Therefore, he would be able to better concentrate with some sort of distraction going on in the background. I then asked him why he thinks that he studies better in this type of environment. He stated that he feels more relaxed when he has some sort of noise going on in the background and it gives him the sense of not being pressured. He says that when it is silent he feels more of a pressure to have to concentrate verses with a distraction going on in the background. The noise in the background in a way makes it easier for him to complete his studies rather than in silence. Next, I asked him if he ever took a Myers Briggs test before and if so what was the outcome of the test' He had not taken one before and therefore we could not compare and contrast our tests, since I have taken one before. Then, I proceeded to ask him who or what has had the most influence on how his personality is today' Who, why, or how' He was a bit unsure as to one specific thing or person and stated that many things have had an influence on his personality today. For example, he stated that this would be too hard of a thing to narrow down. That he would have to say family, t.v., friends, various situations that he has been through, ect. They have each affected his personality by being young and impressionable. These were the things that he was surrounded by and therefore in a sense made him who he is today. Then, I asked him if he could think of any specific experiences that have caused his personality to change throughout his lifetime' He went on to say that he thinks that being around cruel people and just people who did not have much sense of emotion has affected his personality. This has made him grow to have a sense of humor in different ways. He has grown to not be as cruel and always tries to make light of situations in order to live a happier life rather than live not being so happy in life. In a way this has changed his personality in to trying to be a happier person and smile all of the time, as well as being kinder to others. Next, I asked him if he thinks that he is self-monitoring himself as far as his attitude goes' How so or how not so much' He stated yes and that he gives attitude when needed. He said that he gives attitude when he needs to and he controls his attitude when he needs to, as well as if he wants to. Then, I asked him what he would say the strongest influence would be as far as his attitude or what has had the strongest influence on his attitude' He did not give a specific answer. He just kept saying I do not know different people that were in his life. Finally, I asked him if he thinks that someone’s race, gender, or ethnicity plays a role in forming their attitudes and/or their personality’s. If so how' He stated that it depends on where they grew up and what they had to deal with. Different people have gone through different things and situations therefore this can definitely change their outlook on things. Next, I had taken the same questions that I asked him and answered them myself. The first question was do you remember things better by seeing the behavior occur or by reading how the behavior occurs' Elaborate. I definitely remember things much better by seeing them than reading them. This for me is because I can visually see it happening with my eyes, whereas, if I am reading it I may not retain all of the information as good. I will have forgotten some of the details because it will take longer to read something verses watching it happen such as watching a movie verses reading the book. I will retain more information by watching the movie rather than reading the book. The second question was if you prefer studying in a quiet area or would you rather have distraction noises in the background, such as music or a T.V. going' I feel that having a distraction in the background usually works best for me. I do not really like silence ever whether studying or not, so this helps me to relax. Next question was why do you think that you study better in this type of environment' I just do not really care for being in silence and if I want to take a five minute break from my studies and watch t.v. or listen to some music it helps me to focus better it seems. The next question was if I have ever taken a Myers Briggs test before' And if so what was the outcome of the test' I did take this test before and the outcome was that my personality type is ESFJ. It stated that I was a "Seller". Most sociable of all types. Nurturer of harmony. Outstanding host or hostesses. 12.3% of total population. This was quite interesting to me. I do think that this may be close to my personality type. Then, what would you say has had the most influence on how your personality is today' Why or how' Personally, I think that my parent’s divorce has had the most influence on my personality today. I think that situation and everything that I went through because of it has changed me in many ways. Can you think of any specific experiences that have caused your personality to change' This was the next question and yes, I think the divorce and many other experiences I had gone through in high school changed my personality. The next question was if I thought that I am self-monitoring myself as far as my attitude goes' How so or how not so much' Yes, I do self-monitor myself. I have noticed a big difference from now as opposed to when I was a teenager. Also, I try to look at the silver lining of things when times are rough. The next question was what would you say the strongest influence would be as far as your attitude or what has had the strongest influence on your attitude' I am not sure who or what has had the strongest impact on my attitude. There are too many things that have. Finally, Do you think that someone’s race, gender, or ethnicity plays a role in forming their attitudes and personalities' If so how' I do think that sometimes when people are a different race or gender may make them more prone to certain situations verses others at times. I also think that it has to do with what situations they have encountered as an individual. I think that our answers have varied at times due to the different environments that we grew up in. Even though we grew up in the same city we have been raised in different households, which mean we have gone through different situations. I think we also have different answers due to him being a male and I am female. We have encountered different situations and view points due to that as well. I think that because we have grown up in the same city and we are about the same age that we can relate in other areas. Such as, our opinions on whether we think that someone’s race, gender, or ethnicity plays a role in forming their attitudes and personalities. We had similar answers for that and as far as how we remember things by watching them verses reading them. I think that he has gone through a lot of rough situations as he was growing up, which have all had a huge impact on his personality and how he lives his life. As far as him self-monitoring himself, I do not think that he does as much as he thinks he does. I have seen him in his moments of road rage and such. Although in other situations not involving anger he I would say self-monitors himself. I think that he is more intrinsically motivated than extrinsically motivated. He is pretty self motivated. I do not think that he really needs someone to motivate him because he seems to have enough motivation himself. All in all I think that us growing up in different household environments with different types of people around us has made some of our answers vary from one another. References: 1. Information About Personality Types. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.personalitypage.com/html/info.html 2.Intrinsic Motivation. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://michaellamarr.com/intrinsicmotivation.html 3. Morris, C. G., & Maisto, A. A. (2002). Psychology: An introduction (12th ed.). Upper Saddle River,   NJ: Prentice Hall.