3: Narrow Personality Traits

Question 1

what is the alpha factor of personality?

Answer 1

stability

Question 2

which of the big 5 does the alpha factor encompass?

Answer 2

agreeableness, neuroticism & conscientiousness

Question 3

what is the beta factor of personality?

Answer 3

plasticity

Question 4

which of the big 5 does the beta factor encompass?

Answer 4

extraversion & openess

Question 5

what does stability/alpha really mean in terms of the big 2?

Answer 5

extent to which someone is able to regulate their thoughts, feelings & behaviours in line with social norms

Question 6

what does plasticity/beta really mean in terms of the big 2?

Answer 6

people can deal with changes in their environment well

Question 7

who came up with the big 2 model?

Answer 7

Digman

Question 8

what is the big 1 personality trait?

Answer 8

High in the big 1 = high in everything apart from neuroticism
People are equipped to handle life

Question 9

who came up with the big 1 model?

Answer 9

musek

Question 10

what is the bandwidth-fidelity dilemma?

Answer 10

Likely trade-off between breadth and accuracy of prediction between each hierarchy

Question 11

what is the +ve & -ve of broader, higher level descriptors?

Answer 11

+ Predict more behaviour
- lower accuracy

Question 12

what is the +ve & -ve of narrower, lower level descriptors?

Answer 12

• Predict fewer behaviours
  + But with more accuracy

Question 12

what evidence is there for personality facet > trait accuracy?

Answer 12

For both traits, the individual facets were better at predicting final grade than the big 5 traits

Question 12

what characteristics authoritarianism/ conservtivism? (6)

Answer 12

Preference for unambiguous, familiar routines.
Strong views on crime and punishment.
Respect for institutions.
Uncritical acceptance of authority in society.
Reluctance to introspect.
Belief that pleasure is wrong.

Question 13

is authoritarianism genetic?

Answer 13

Evidence for heritability of conservatism from twins reared apart - at least partially genetically determined

Question 14

how do people high in conservatism perform on a go/no-go task?

Answer 14

Participants who are more conservative are worse at picking up on signals for a necessary change in behaviour

Question 15

who came up with authoritarianism?

Answer 15

adorno

Question 16

what characterises schizotypy (4)?

Answer 16

Unusual Experiences
Cognitive Disorganisation
Introvertive Anhedonia
Impulsive Nonconformity

Question 17

which hypothesis does schizotypy look at illness with?

Answer 17

there is no discontinuity between ‘normality’ and illness, people with higher levels of this are more likely to suffer from mental illness

Question 18

which measure is used to look at schizotypy?

Answer 18

Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings (O-LIFE)

Question 19

define: unusual experiences (OLIFE)

Answer 19

Related to perceptual distortions, hallucinations, and magical thinking.

Question 20

define: cognitive distortions (OLIFE)

Answer 20

Related to cognitive difficulties, sense of purposelessness, anxiety etc.

Question 21

define: introvertive anhedonia (OLIFE)

Answer 21

Related to lack of enjoyment from social sources, and dislike of intimacy.

Question 22

define: impulsive nonconformity (OLIFE)

Answer 22

Related to impulsive and disinhibited behaviour

Question 23

define: negative priming

Answer 23

Stroop test - stimuli is placed there to make the next stimuli harder

Question 24

how does negative priming affect those high in schizotypy?

Answer 24

Reduced negative priming in high schizotypy scorers.

Question 25

what characterises Machiavellianism (5)?

Answer 25

Better to be feared than loved. - trust no one.

Make decisions for the benefit of the group, with the absence of morality - the ends justify the means.

Be cunning and strong.

Make friends with powerful people.

Importance of how you appear to be.

Question 26

what does the Mach-4 measure

Answer 26

Machiavellian tactics, views & morality

Question 27

how does machiavellianism impact lying behaviour?

Answer 27

Those high in machiavellianism show much lower changes to eye contact when lying

Question 28

what is the dark triad?

Answer 28

Three overlapping, yet distinct, ‘dark’ personality traits relating to social malevolence, coldness, aggressiveness, self-promotion and duplicity.

Question 29

what characterises narcissism?

Answer 29

Feelings of grandiosity, superiority, dominance, self-focus and entitlement.
Subclinical measure of Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

Question 30

what characterises psychopathy?

Answer 30

Nonclinical features of psychopaths.
Impulsivity and thrill-seeking.
Superficial charm, manipulative.
Low empathy, remorse and guilt.

Question 31

what characterises those high in the dark triad (4)?

Answer 31

Preference for short-term relationships
‘Night-time’ chronotype - stay up later
Cruelty to animals
Attractiveness to others