Ch 4: Trait perspective

Question 1

2 Points made by this Perspective:

Answer 1

1) Continuity: ppl are consistent in their actions, thoughts and feelings across different times and situations
2) Individual differences: personality consists of a pattern of trait qualities
- the make up of these qualities is different from one person to another
- emphasis on personality structure

Question 2

Types

Answer 2

categorical, distinct & discontinuous

-differences among ppl are seen as qualitative

Question 3

Traits

Answer 3

continuous dimensions of personality on which people vary

-linear

Question 4

Hippocrates & Galen’s Ideas of 4 categories of people

Answer 4

1) choleric(irritable, yellow bile,
2) melancholic (depressed, black bile)
3) sanguine (optimistic, blood),
4) phlegmatic (calm, phlegm),
- each type was a reflection of excess bodily fluids

Question 5

Introvert

Answer 5

tends to prefer solitary activities

-when facing stress, they tend to withdraw themselvs

Question 6

Extravert

Answer 6

tends to prefer time spent with others

-when facing stress, they tend to look for people

Question 7

Trait theories/ dimensional approach

Answer 7

people occupy different points on continuously varying dimensions

• individual differences reflect differences in amount of a trait
• represents quantitative differences in people

Question 8

Nomothetic views of traits

Answer 8

• the belief that traits exist in the same way in every person
• allows comparison among people
• traits are universal
• individuality reflected in unique combinations of traits

Question 9

Idiographic view of traits

Answer 9

• emphasizes each person’s uniqueness
• focuses on how one person’s experience varies across situations
• traits are individualized/cannot be compared
• a given trait may only exist for one person in the world

Question 10

Nomothetic definition

Answer 10

uniqueness arises from unique combinations of levels on many trait dimensions
-the dimensions themselves are the same for everyone

Question 11

Factor Analysis

Answer 11

-a statistical procedure used to find basic dimensions underlying a set of measures

Question 12

Factor

Answer 12

a dimension that underlies a set of interrelated measures, such as items on a self-report inventory

Question 13

Factor loading

Answer 13

a correlation between a single measure and the factor to which it is being related

Question 14

Interactionism

Answer 14

the idea that situations and personality interact to determine behaviour

• Weak situations: permit easy expression of personality (college campus)
• Strong situations: force behaviour into channels (army boot camp)
• prevents expression of personality

Question 15

Interpersonal circle

Answer 15

personality patterns deriving from varying levels of dominance and love

Question 16

Lexical criterion

Answer 16

an index of importance of a trait based on the number of words that refer to it

Question 17

Second-order factor

Answer 17

a factor that emerges from a factor analysis performed on a set of previously found factors

Question 18

Situationism

Answer 18

the idea that situations are the primary determinants of behaviour

Question 19

Behavioral signature

Answer 19

the pattern of situation-behavior links the person has established over experiences in some specific domain
-the impact of trait is context-dependent

Question 20

Diathesis-stress model

Answer 20

theory holding that a vulnerability plus stress creates problems in behavior

Question 21

Dynamic approach to interactionism

Answer 21

• people choose the situations they enter
• not a random process
• they are influencing the behaviours they engage in
• ppl evoke diff responses from others which makes every situation unique
• raises idea of reciprocal determinism (context & personality influence eachother)

Question 22

Interactionism: Analysis of Variance Approach

Answer 22

-some people being affected one way and other people in the opposite way

Question 23

Linkage Viewpoint (Mischel & Shoda, 1995)

Answer 23

-traits not freestanding tendencies but patterns of linkages b/w situation and action
ex: given situation X, action Y will be likely
key point: a given action shouldn’t be expected to occur all the time bc the situation that elicits it, isn’t always going to be present