Biological Approach to Personality

Question 1

what are the basic assumptions of the bio perspective

Answer 1

personality traits;

reflect physiological differences
are genetic
are evolutionary

Question 2

what were the pre-scientific approaches to the bio perspective?

Answer 2

phrenology
Galen’s four humors

Question 3

what is phrenology

Answer 3

regions of the head are associated with certain functions

Question 4

what is Galen’s four humours

Answer 4

thought personality was a reflection of the four humors that make up our bodies

Question 5

what does yellow bile represent

Answer 5

choleric
bad temper, irritability

Question 6

what does black bile represent

Answer 6

melancholic
gloomy, pessimistic

Question 7

what does phlegm represent

Answer 7

phlegmatic
sluggish, non-excitable

Question 8

what does blood represent

Answer 8

sanguine
cheerful, passionate

Question 9

what is the modern biological approach to personality

Answer 9

genetic approach to personality

Question 10

what is the genetic approach to personality

Answer 10

genes are the building blocks of personality
they are inherited through evolutionary processes
they shape physiological responses which shapes personality/behaviour

Question 11

what is behavioural genetics

Answer 11

the study of how genes shape behaviour

Question 12

what are the assumptions of behavioural genetics

Answer 12

no traits are caused entirely by nature or nurture
genotypes are genetic potentialities
phenotypes are manifest characteristics
genetic determination
gene-environment interaction

Question 13

what is genetic determination

Answer 13

if we have a gene, then we’ll have the phenotype, no matter what environment we’re in

Question 14

what is gene-environment interaction

Answer 14

if gene in a particular environment, then a particular phenotype will appear

Question 15

what is heritability

Answer 15

the extent to which, in a group of people, individual differences in a trait are due to differences in genes

Question 16

what are the conditions for heritability

Answer 16

can only apply to 1 group’s individual differences
does not mean how much of a trait within a single person is due to genetics

Question 17

what is behavioural genetics used for?

Answer 17

to identify genetic differences between individuals within a group
allows us to see the extent traits are due to genetics and to environment

Question 18

what is a misconception in heritability

Answer 18

that group differences can be explained by genetic differences

Question 19

what is an example of when group differences are not explained by genetic differences? why?

Answer 19

african-american’s lower IQ scores than caucasian-americans
the environments of the groups are different (SES) and therefore can’t compare genetics between them
no difference in IQ in infancy

Question 20

how is behavioural genetics usually studied

Answer 20

twin studies

Question 21

how do twin studies work

Answer 21

understand importance between genetic and environmental influences using monozygotic and dizygotic twins raised together or apart

Question 22

in twin studies, how is heritability measured?

Answer 22

concordance of the trait between the sets twins
MZ correlation - DZ correlation

Question 23

what is an issues with twin studies

Answer 23

equal environments assumptions

Question 24

what is the equal environments assumption in twin studies

Answer 24

assumption that the amount of shared environment in DZ and MZ twins is the same

Question 25

what are some issues with adoption studies

Answer 25

representativeness selective placement

Question 26

what is the representation issue in adoption studies refering to?

Answer 26

adoptees may not represent the general population because of small sample sizes and conditions that lead them to be put off for adoption

Question 27

what is the selective placement issue in adoption studies refering to?

Answer 27

couples who are chosen to adopt a child may not be representative of the general population because of things such as SES

Question 28

what is the general limitation of behavioural genetics?

Answer 28

assumption that genes and environment are independent

Question 29

what are the ways that we can have a genotype-environment correlation?

Answer 29

passively actively reactively

Question 30

what is passive gene-envr correlation

Answer 30

selection of environment because of genetic predisposition

Question 31

what is active gene-envr correlation

Answer 31

manipulation of the environment because of genetic disposition

Question 32

what is reactive gene-envr correlation

Answer 32

reactions from other are influenced because of genetic predisposition

Question 33

what important influences on personality have twin studies revealed

Answer 33

genetic influences shared environment non-shared environment

Question 34

what is the 'shared environment' that influences personality

Answer 34

environmental effects share with family members

Question 35

what is the 'non-shared environment' that influences personality

Answer 35

environmental effects that are unique to an individual and not shared with family

Question 36

what influence on personality has the smallest effect?

Answer 36

shared environment

Question 37

true or false; personality traits can be entirely environmental or entirely genetic

Answer 37

false; most personaluty traits have a genetic component

Question 38

what was the new zealand twin study

Answer 38

measured self-esteem in 5-7 year olds mothers with same-sex twins interviewed about their child, negative emotion expressed about the child measured

Question 39

what were the findings of the new-zealand twin study

Answer 39

the unique relationship between the mother and each child predicted that childs self-esteem these are non-shared environmental effects

Question 40

what aspects of a person does shared family environment influence

Answer 40

attitudes religious beliefs political orientations health behaviours (e.g. smoking)

Question 41

what traits have the highest heritability

Answer 41

neuroticism imagination aggression

Question 42

how are ways genetic reseach on personality is being performed

Answer 42

molecular genetics neurotransmitter and hormone research neuro-anatomy

Question 43

how can we physiologically measure genes to personality

Answer 43

temperament at infancy strong correlation between adult personality and infant temperament means the trait is more biological

Question 44

what is Eysenck's theory of extraversion

Answer 44

extraverts experience under-arousal and introverts experience over-arousal

Question 45

evidence of Eysenck's theory

Answer 45

introverts prefer and perform better in quiet environments extraverts play music louder than introverts introverts are more often morning people extraverts use stimulant drugs introverts use sedative drugs

Question 46

what is Gray's theory

Answer 46

we ahve different sensitivities to rewards and punishments

Question 47

what are the two systems in Gray's theory

Answer 47

BAS BIS

Question 48

what is BAS

Answer 48

behavioural activation system sensitivity to reward strong BAS = impulsive, novelty seekers, low gratification delay linked to positive emotionality

Question 49

what is BIS

Answer 49

behavioural inhibition system sensitivity to punishment strong BIS = fearful, insecure, hyper cautious linked to negative emotionality

Question 50

what is the effect on NT when BAS is activated?

Answer 50

release of dopamine

Question 51

what is the effect on NT when BIS is activated?

Answer 51

lower levels of serotonin

Question 52

what strength of BAS and BIS systems do psychopaths tend to have?

Answer 52

high BAS low BIS

Question 53

how does dopamine affect mice

Answer 53

high = active low = lethargic motivated to keep pressing lever for hours that releases dopamine in mice

Question 54

what is dopamine

Answer 54

genetic basis for sensation seeking

Question 55

how is sensation seeking affected by the type of receptor gene you have?

Answer 55

long D4DR = high sensation seeking short D4DR = low sensation seeking

Question 56

what is the dopamine receptor gene

Answer 56

D4DR

Question 57

why does long D4DR cause more sensation seeking

Answer 57

receptor has lower affinity to dopamine and therefore need higher dopamine releases for it to bind

Question 58

characteristics of serotonin

Answer 58

low amounts lead to depression and anxiety MDMA and SSRIs increase serotonin levels

Question 59

characteristics of testosterone

Answer 59

higher levels related to more aggression in men testosterone linked to crime in low income men and not high income

Question 60

right PFC

Answer 60

withdrawal (BIS)

Question 61

left PFC

Answer 61

approach (BAS)

Question 62

orbitofrontal cortex

Answer 62

anticipation or reward/punishment BIS and BAS

Question 63

medial PFC

Answer 63

self-referential judgements

Question 64

amygdala

Answer 64

fear emotion recognition