10 - Introduction to Personality Psychology Flashcards
What characterising rank-order stability?
Traits that are reliable over time, i.e. test-retest correlation.
e.g. People who are in the higher bracket on trait X at time-point 1 are likely to be in the higher bracket on trait X at time point 2.
What did Roberts & DelVecchio’s (2000) meta-analysis of rank-order stability findings note about test-retest correlations?
- test-retest is high.
- increase with age
- decrease as intervals increase
- trait general (no trait more stable than others).
Describe the 3 influences the stability of rank-order traits. (genetic, environmental channelling, environmental selection)
- Genetic: twin studies found rank-order stability influenced by genetics, where instability (change) was influenced by the environment.
- Environmental channelling; route, settling down, e.g. married couples study found rank-order stability was higher for couples with more similar personalities.
- Environmental selection: seek environments that match, support, and maintain our traits. e.g. reference group effect - judging yourself relative to others… vocational choice, migration, mating.
What is mean level personality stability and how does it fair overtime? Which traits tends to go where?
The idea that mean level of personality traits change over time - O, E, & N drop & A and C rise - i.e. nicer, more responsible, more set in their ways, less outgoing, and more stable.
What did Roverts et al. (2006) find about mean level personality change over time? (social vitality & dominance / A & C, Openness, & Emotional Stability).
Social vitality goes down / Social dominance goes up.
A & C increase
Openness plateaus & then decreases
Emotional Stability shows decelerating rises.
What characterises the idea of Psychosocial Maturity?
Negative affect drops & positive affect rises through adulthood.
What are the genetic & environmental influences on mean level personality change? What is the evidence for each?
Genetic: evolved maturation process & developmental tasks change traits - E & O more useful around reproductive age, C more helpful for parents.
Evidence for monozygotic twins shows mean-level change is stronger correlated, but not so for dizygotic twins.
Environmental: life transitions, stages, role shifts & historical events. The environment demands change.
What cross-cultural evidence did McCrae et al (1999) show for mean-level personality change? What is the main criticism of the study (Italy, Germany, Portugal, Croatia, South Korea).
Suggest universal maturation - E, A, O, C particularly.
N was inconsistent.
However, are the environments really that different?
Describe Roberts (1997) major life transitions (work) influence on mean-level personality change.
20 year follow up of Women from 1950s - 1980s (societal shift for working women).
Greater participation in the workforce associated with
increases in ‘agency’ (part of E) = entering the workforce may explained mean-level personality change.
Describe Jean Twenge’s ‘generation me’ studies & the Trzesniewski & Donnellan (2010) counter study.
Twenge suggests younger gen has inflated self-esteem, ego & expectations of the future.
But used aggregated scores.
The counter study found little support for the hypothesis
Haslam et al. (2007) lay peoples beliefs about personality change over time?
- Ppl believe mean level change overtime is the way the research suggests; nicer., more stable.
How did Quidback et al. (2013) show the end of history illusion? (the tendency to believe
that we are ‘complete’ when we are always ‘works in
progress’)
- Pts completed FFM.
- 1st Group: Complete same measure for you 10 years ago (reporter).
- @nd Group: Complete for yourself in 10 years time (predictor).
- Computed average predicted change and reported change for total personality.
- Found that: ppl reported a lot more change than predicting.
What did Roberts et al. (2003) study find about the effect of transitioning to work on on individual personality change?
- Personality predicted positive work experiences (occupational attainment and financial security)
- But, positive work experiences also predicted changes
in personality (increased E, decreased N)
How does travel ‘broaden the mind’ according to Zimmerman & Nyer (2013) study?
Study abroad students were studied compared to those who stayed at home. Found that;
- Short term trips: higher E and C
- Long term: higher E and O
Effects of travel:
- Increases in O and A
- Decreases in N
Further observations:
For O & N, personality change was mediated by increases in ‘r/ship gains’ i.e. wider social circle…
What characteristics of individual personality change via clinical interventions did the Roberts et al. (2017) meta-analysis find?
- Lasting changes, especially for decreased N & increased E.
- The type of therapy dd not matter.
- It is a non-linear impact; no change to 1-months, then change up to 8-months & then no change after that.
- Greater effects for some presenting problems than others, i.e. anxiety (stronger) vs substance abuse (less so).