Psychology and nonpsychology majors alike can gain a better understanding of personality through the three-hour psychology elective Theories of Personality.
"This course covers multiple approaches and perspectives of personality," said Ross Scruggs, first-year instructor.
Scruggs said his goal for the class is to teach students about perspectives of personalities, whether students agree or disagree with the perspectives.
He said he hopes that through this process, students can conceptualize their personalities and those with which they interact.
Scruggs said he incorporates his background in industrial/organizational psychology into his teachings.
"I do believe I teach this course from more of a business perspective than another instructor or professor with a clinical orientation might teach the course," Scruggs said.
The class covers both classical and contemporary theories, including Freudian, cognitive, trait, interactionist and other perspectives on personality.
"We started out studying the basics, like Freud's psychosexual development, and everything has kind of grown from that," said Grace Stegall, senior in communication. "Different theories and studies that came out of it and how people have formed their own opinions about how personality develops throughout the lifetime."
Scruggs said the most important skill students take away from the course is the ability to evaluate differing viewpoints and appreciate their merits.
"This can be difficult to do, but is worth learning because it is a prerequisite for intellectual and personal growth," Scruggs said.
The class is currently studying how social situations can affect how people react.
"It's interesting because personality is something that affects everyone every day," Stegall said. "Everyone has different personality traits, and it's cool to learn how those traits make you interact with different people in different situations."
Scruggs and Stegall both agreed students of all backgrounds would find the course beneficial and interesting.
The class is offered MWF at noon.
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