1. University
Course
of
Syllabus
Phoenix
PSY 405
Please print a copy of this syllabus for handy reference.
Whenever there is a question about what assignments are due, please remember
this syllabus is considered the ruling document.
GENERAL COURSE INFORMATION
COURSE NUMBER: PSY 405
COURSE TITLE:Theories of Personality
COURSE START DATE:11/27/2012
COURSE END DATE:01/14/2013
REQUIRED READING: Students are required to read all materials available at the
Course Materials site for this course on http://ecampus.phoenix.edu.
Facilitator Information
Barry Brooks PhD
barrybrooksphd@gmail.com (University of Phoenix)
barrybrooksphd@gmail.com (Personal)
509.279.3328(PST)
Facilitator Availability
I am available from 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Central Time on most days, but I attempt to reserve
Sunday for my family. During the week, I am online most of the time during 9 a.m.-9
p.m. On Saturdays, I tend to be online in the morning only. If these times are not
convenient for you, please let me know. I will be happy to accommodate your schedule,
if possible. I provide you with these times to make it easier to communicate with me,
and not to limit our contact. I want you to know that, should you need to contact me
outside these time frames, you should not hesitate to do so. My contact phone number
is listed in my signature on each post in the course room (509) 279-3328.
For emergencies, when you are not able to gain access to messages on the Online
Learning System (OLS), please send a message to my personal email address.

2. General Course Description
This course surveys the field of personality from a scientific perspective, examining the
general approaches to understanding personality. The key theorists and concepts
associated with each perspective are highlighted, along with the strengths and
limitations of the different approaches.
Course Objectives
See Course Objectives in the Course Materials for this course.
The Online Weekly Schedule
Electronic weeks begin on Tuesday and ends on Monday at Midnight (Mountain Time
Zone).
Day 1 – Tuesday
Day 2 – Wednesday
Day 3 – Thursday
Day 4 – Friday
Day 5 – Saturday
Day 6 – Sunday
Day 7 – Monday
Where to Go to Class: Your Course Forums
Main Forum: This is the main forum for the class and is where discussion is conducted.
It has read-and-write access for everyone.
Chat-Room Forum: This is a read-and-write access forum. It is designed as a place to
discuss issues not related to the course content. This is the forum to which we will send
our bios.
Course-Materials Forum: This is a read-only forum, which means you can read
messages here but cannot send any. This is where I will post the course syllabus and
materials.
Learning-Team-A, B, C, D and E: These five Learning Team forums will be used as
workrooms for the learning teams. You will be assigned to one of these learning teams.
Individual Forum: You will see one forum with your name on it. This is a private forum,
shared only by you and me, the facilitator. Your classmates will not have access to this
forum.

3. Point Values for Course Assignments
ASSIGNMENTS Points
Individual (70%)
Participation (Answering DQ’s, WKLY Summary, 20
Responding to Classmates DQ Responses. All five
weeks = 4 points each week @ 2 points for participation
classroom discussions &2 points for DQ responses)
WK 1 Introductions to Personality Paper 15
WK 2 Personality Overview Paper 15
WK 4Personality Analysis 20
Learning Team (30%)
Psychodynamic Personality Theories MatrixWK 2 7
Humanistic and Existential Personality Theories Matrix 7
WK 3
Dispositional Personality Theories Matrix WK 4 8
Learning Personality Theories Matrix WK 5 8
Total 100
GRADING
Feedback
Each week, I will provide grades or scores and comments on assignments within 6 days
of when they were due. I will send feedback to your Individual Forum. After I send
feedback each week, I will post a notification in the Main Forum. All graded papers
need to be written and cited in APA format as summarized in APA Sixth Edition. Each
paper is to include the following: Title Page, Intro, Text/Body, Headings (Level I’s &
III’s), Citations, Conclusion, and Reference Page (3-5 References=including
Course text Material). The Matrix Assignmentsmust have a Title Page &
Reference Page (incorporate 3-5 citation sources in the Matrix). Combine each
weekly Matrix into one document. Remember that you’re writing research papers

4. not opinion papers. So, make sure to connect your papers with the course
readings.
Grading Formula
Points Grade
95+ A
90-94 A-
87-89 B+
84-86 B
80-83 B-
77-79 C+
74-76 C
70-73 C-
67-69 D+
64-66 D
60-63 D-
<59 F
Partial points will be rounded to the nearest full point; for example, 83.4=83 leads to a
grade of B-; and 83.5=84 leads to a grade of B.

5. ASSIGNMENTS
Week 1 Assignments
Weekly Summaries
Weekly summaries will be required in this course and counted as class participation.
Discussion Questions
Only posts in the Main classroom forum will count towards your class participation
score.
All Week: Participation (2 points) DQ’s (2 points): Remember to participate in the class
discussions 4 out of 7 days during the week.
Course Materials
Feist, J., &Feist, G. J. (2009).Theories of personality (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw
Hill.
All electronic materials are available on the student website.
Week One: Introduction to Personality
Details Due Points
Objectives 1.1 Define personality.
1.2 Examine theoretical approaches in studying personality.
1.3 Analyze factors that may influence an individual’s personality
development.
Readings Read Ch. 1 of Theories of Personality.
Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings.
Participation Participate in class discussion. Monday 2
Day 7
Discussion Respond to weekly discussion questions. Monday 2
Questions Day 7
Learning Team Resource: Learning Team Toolkit
Instructions Complete the Learning Team Charter
Individual Prepare a 1,050- to 1,400-word paper in which you examine Monday 15
Introduction to personality theory. Address the following concepts: Day 7

6. Personality Paper
Define personality.
Examine theoretical approaches in studying personality.
Analyze factors that may influence an individual’s personality
Development. Include an APA formatted Title Page, citations,
Reference Page with 3-5 sources utilized in citations within the
Paper. Do not over rely on citing one source.
Week Two: Psychodynamic Personality Theories
Details Due Points
Objectives 2.1 Describe the assumptions, reliability, validity, and applications of
psychodynamic personality theories.
2.2 Analyze the strengths and limitations of psychodynamic
personality theories.
2.3 Analyze individual personality characteristics, using
psychodynamic personality theories.
2.4 Explain interpersonal relations, using psychodynamic
personality theories.
Readings Read Ch. 2–6 & 8 of Theories of Personality.
Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings.
Participation Participate in class discussion. Monday 2
Day 7
Discussion Respond to weekly discussion questions. Monday 2
Questions Day 7
Individual Prepare a 1050- to 1,400-word paper that is based on the theories 15
Personality of personality covered in the readings. Choose two and analyze the
Overview strengths and limitations of the theories. Compare and contrast them
in relationship to:
Basic or underlying assumptions
Deterministic versus free will
Awareness of self (e.g., conscious versus unconscious motives for
behavior). Include an APA formatted Title Page, citations,
Reference Page with 3-5 sources utilized in citations within the
Paper. Do not over rely on citing one source.
Learning Team Complete the Psychodynamic Personality Theories Matrix, using Monday 7
Psychodynamic the text, the University Library, the Internet, and other resources. Day 7
Personality Theories
Matrix Prepare a 700- to 1,050-word analysis of the strengths and
limitations of the theories listed in explaining individuals’ behavior.
Address the following:
Describe how psychodynamic theories affect individual
personalities.Explain how psychodynamic theories influence
interpersonal relationships.

7. Attach your matrix to your analysis when you submit it to your
faculty. Include an APA formatted Title Page, citations, Reference
Page with 3-5 sources utilized in citations within the Matrix.
Week Three: Humanistic and Existential Personality Theories
Details Due Points
Objectives 3.1 Describe the assumptions, reliability, validity, and applications of
humanistic and existential personality theories.
3.2 Analyze the strengths and limitations of humanistic and
existential personality theories.
3.3 Analyze individual personality characteristics, using humanistic
and existential personality theories.
3.4 Explain interpersonal relations, using humanistic and existential
personality theories.
Readings Read Ch. 10–12 of Theories of Personality.
Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings.
Participation Participate in class discussion. Monday 2
Day 7
Discussion Respond to weekly discussion questions. Monday 2
Questions Day 7
Learning Team Complete the Humanistic and Existential Personality Theories Monday 7
Humanistic and Matrix, using the text, the University Library, the Internet, and other Day 7
Existential resources.
Personality Theories
Matrix Prepare a 700- to 1,050-word analysis of the strengths and
limitations of the theories listed in explaining individuals’ behavior.
Address the following:
Analyzehow humanistic and existential theories affect individual
personalities.
Explain how humanistic and existential theories influence
interpersonal relationships.
Attach your matrix (include previous week’s Matrix with
improvements) to your analysis when you submit it to your facilitator.
Include an APA formatted Title Page, citations, Reference Page with
3-5 sources utilized in citations within the Matrix.

8. Week Four: Dispositional Personality Theories
Details Due Points
Objectives 4.1 Describe the assumptions, reliability, validity, and applications of
dispositional personality theories.
4.2 Analyze the strengths and limitations of dispositional personality
theories.
4.3 Analyze individual personality characteristics, using dispositional
personality theories.
4.4 Explain interpersonal relations, using dispositional personality
theories.
Readings Read Ch. 13 & 14 of Theories of Personality.
Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings.
Participation Participate in class discussion. Monday 2
Day 7
Discussion Respond to weekly discussion questions. Monday 2
Questions Day 7
Individual Select two of the following theoretical approaches: psychodynamic, Monday 20
Personality Analysis humanistic and existential, dispositional, or learning. Make sure the Day 7
two selected are not the same as from Week Two.
Obtain faculty approval.
Prepare a 1,400- to 1,750-word paper in which you compare and
contrast the theories selected. Address the following items:
Describe the role of personality in affecting situational
behavior.
Examine the personality characteristics attributed to each of
the theories in your approach.
Explain the interpersonal relational aspects associated with
the theories selected.
Format your paper consistent with APA guidelines. Three-
Five References
Include an APA formatted Title Page, citations,
Reference Page with 3-5 sources utilized in citations within the
Paper. Do not over rely on citing one source.
Learning Team Complete the Dispositional Personality Theories Matrix, using the Monday 8
Dispositional text, the University Library, the Internet, and other resources. Day 7
Personality Theories
Matrix Prepare a 700- to 1,050-word analysis of the strengths and
limitations of the theories listed in explaining individuals’ behavior.
Address the following:
Describe how dispositional theories affect individual personalities.
Explain how dispositional theories influence interpersonal
relationships.

9. Attach your matrix (include previous weeks) to your analysis when
you submit it to your facilitator. Include an APA formatted Title
Page, citations, Reference Page with 3-5 sources utilized in citations
within the Matrix.
Week Five: Learning Personality Theories
Details Due Points
Objectives 5.1 Describe the assumptions, reliability, validity, and applications of
learning personality theories.
5.2 Analyze the strengths and limitations of learning personality
theories.
5.3 Analyze individual personality characteristics, using learning
personality theories.
5.4 Explain interpersonal relations, using psychodynamic learning
personality theories.
Readings Read Ch. 15–17 of Theories of Personality.
Read this week’s Electronic Reserve Readings.
Participation Participate in class discussion. Monday 2
Day 7
Discussion Respond to weekly discussion questions. Monday 2
Questions Day 7
Learning Team Complete the Learning Personality Theories Matrix, using the text, Monday 8
Learning Personality the University Library, the Internet, and other resources. Day 7
Theories Matrix
Prepare a 700- to 1,050-word analysis of the strengths and
limitations of the theories listed in explaining individuals’ behavior.
Address the following:
Describe how learning theories affect individual personalities.
Explain how learning theories influence interpersonal relationships.
Attach your matrix (including all previous week’s) to your analysis
when you submit it to your facilitator Include an APA formatted Title
Page, citations, Reference Page with 3-5 sources utilized in citations
within the Matrix. Please include each week’s matrix in the final
copy turned into the instructor.