Biological Personality Flashcards
Early Theories - Kretshmer
Physique and Personality
Pyknic - fat, manic-depressive
Atheletic - muscular
Aesthetic - thin, schizophrenia
Early Theories - Sheldon
Physique and Personality
Endomorph - fat, cheerful, sociable, relaxed
Mesomorph - muscular, dominant, assertive, adventurous
Ectomorph - thin, sensitive, shy, intellectual
Early Theories - Greek
Fluid Blood - sanguine, cheerful, air Yellow bile - choleric, anger, fire Black bile - melancholic, depressive, earth Phlegm - phlegmatic, calm, water
Early Theories - Pavloc
Relate Greek theories to dog temperaments
Weak - anxious, melancholic
Strong, unbalanced - irritable, choleric
Strong, balanced mobile - lively, sanguine
Stong, balanced stable - calm, phlegmatic
Modern Theories - Gray
Personality traits are linked to different neural systems
Behavioural Activation System, Behavioural Inhibiton System, Fight-or-Flight System
Modern Theories - Gray, Behavioural Activation System
Linked to Novelty-Seeking (Cloninger)
Go-system that works to indicate reward, encouraging pursuit and pleasure
A strong BAS results in inclination to pursue reward, high novelty-seeking
Modern Theories - Gray, Behavioural Inhibition System
Linked to Harm-Avoidance (Cloninger)
Stop-system that works to indicate punishment, encouraging avoidance and fright
A strong BIS results in anxiety regarding punishment, high harm-avoidance
Modern Theories - Gray, Fight-or-Flight System
Potentially linked to Reward-Dependence (Cloninger)
Works to motivate extreme reactions to threat, either fight or flight
A strong FFS results in enhanced preparation to face threat and increased aggressive response to threatening stimuli
Modern Theories - Cloninger
Personality traits are hormone dependent
Serotonin and Harm-Avoidance, Dopamine and Novelty-Seeking, Norepinephrine and Reward-Dependence
Modern Theories - Cloninger, Serotonin and Harm-Avoidance
Serotonin inhibits the feeling of pain and punishment, shown through the effect on serotonin of anti-depressants which reduce worry as a result of punishment
Low serotonin results in high harm-avoidance, due to increased worry, fear and anxiety regarding possible punishment
Link to Behavioural Inhibition System (Gray)
Modern Theories - Cloninger, Dopamine and Novelty-Seeking
Dopamine enhances the feeling of pleasure and reward, shown through the effects of cocaine which increase dopamine resulting in extreme pleasure and Parkinson’s disease which decreases dopamine resulting in anhedonia
Low dopamine results in lack of pleasure from events and so a lack of interest in novelty-seeking
High dopamine results in extreme pleasure from events so impulsive acts of novelty-seeking
Link to Behavioural Activation System (Gray)
Modern Theories - Cloninger, Norepinephrine and Reward-Dependence
Norepinephrine inhibits responses to conditioned stimuli meaning rewards and punishments are not associated with their respective consequences
Low norepinephrine increases conditioning, resulting in high reward-dependence where individuals depend on rewards to receive pleasure; inactive norepinephrine systems result in strong sentimental attachments to objects
High norepinephrine inhibits conditioning, resulting in low reward-dependence where individuals do not depend on reward for pleasure
Possible link to Fight-or-Flight System (Gray)
Modern Theories - Eysenck, Biological Personality
Personality continuums depend on brain activity
Extraversion and Arousability, Neuroticism and Stress Response, Psychoticism and Testosterone
Modern Theories - Eysenck, Extraversion and Arousability
Extraversion depends on the arousability of the Ascending Reticular Activity System (ARAS) which filters stimuli
A sensitive ARAS decreases arousal in the brain by filtering out too much stimulation, to an insufficient level where individuals feel it necessary to seek further stimulation, resulting in preference for sociable and stimulating environments and extraversion
An insensitive ARAS increases arousal in the brain by not filterting out much stimulation, to a sufficient level where individuals do not feel it necessary to seek further stimulation, resulting in preference for quiet, unstimulating environments and introversion
Modern Theories - Eysenck, Neuroticism and Stress Response
Neuroticism depends on the stress response and sensitivity of the limbic system which manages stress
A limbic system which does not react to stress and manages it well prevents stimulation, anxiety and worry, resulting in emotional stability
A limbic system which reacts to stress severely and does not manage it well results in stimulation, anxiety and worry, resulting in emotional instability / neuroticism
