Chapter 4: Trait Flashcards
What are the two aspects of the trait approach?
- Most research within the trait approach relies on correlational designs (not causation, used for prediction)
- Focus: differences
- Strength: assess & attempt to understand how people differ
- Weaknesses: neglect common to all people & how individual is unique
(people are like all men, some men, no men - trait focuses on second level)
What about people being inconsistent?
- situation also affects behavior
- people have different levels of consistency
What are the three issues person-situation debate?
- Do behaviors transcend or depend on situation
- Intuitions about people fundamentally flawed or basically correct
- Why do psychologists continue to argue about personality consistency?
What is the first situationist argument?
Predictability
- there is a low upper limit on how well you can predict behavior based on personality
- Correlation 0.3 or 0.4
Response: Unfair, selective literature, we can to better, .4 is not small
What is the second situationist argument?
Situationism
- total variance - personality variance
Response: both personality and situations are important to determining behavior
- regardless of situation, people are still consistent
What is the third situationist argument?
- perceptions are erroneous
Responses: effects of personality are large enough to be perceived accurately
What about personality and life?
- Personality important beyond theory
- Affects & predicts important life outcomes
- How a person acts will add up
What about consistency in behavior?
It is a hallmark of mental health
What about persons and situations?
- personality traits better for describing how people act in general
Relationships, jobs, and business - behavior varies some person to person
- Conscientiousness predicts citizenship performance
- CEOs act the same at job and home concerning money
What about interactionism?
- Effect of personality variable may depend on situation (and vice versa)
- certain types people find themselves in different types of situations
- People change the situations they are in: Evocative
Active: seek out place because of personality
Reactive: response to environment
Evocative: change environment
What is the situationism’s view of human nature?
- people are free to do whatever they want
- everybody is equal, and differences are a function of the situation
- nothing every really our fault
What is personality’s view?
- behavior is determined by personality
- people can develop consistent identities and styles that allow them to be themselves across situations
What is the resolution of the person-situation debate?
- people maintain personalities and adapt to situations
- people are psychologically different, and these differences matter.
What are the individual, interpersonal, and institutional outcomes of extraversion?
Individual: Happiness, gratitude, longevity, psychological health
Interpersonal: Peer acceptance success in dating and relationships, attractiveness, status
Institutional: Occupational satisfaction, community involvement, leadership
What are the individual, interpersonal, and institutional outcomes of agreeableness?
Individual: religious involvement, forgiveness, humor, heart health, longevity, psychological health
Interpersonal: peer acceptance, dating satisfaction
Institutional: Social interests, job attainment, avoidance of criminal behavior
