Chapter 9 Flashcards
Eysenck employed factor analysis to identify _____.
supertraits
what are Eysenck’s supertraits?
All traits can be subsumed within three basic personality dimensions:
Extraversion–introversion
Neuroticism
Psychoticism
Eysenck divided the elements of personality into units that can be arranged _____
hierarchically
what is Eysenck’s structure of personality from top-bottom?
- supertrait (ie extraversion)
- trait level (ie sociability, impulsivity)
- habit response level
- specific response level
initial factor analytic research yielded what two basic dimensions of personality?
extraversion-introversion and neuroticism
personality dimensions are ____ of one another
independent
place the following (extravert, introvert, neuroticism):
___ are outgoing, impulsive, uninhibited, and sociable
___ are quiet, introspective, reserved, and distant except to intimate friends
People high on ___ are unstable or highly emotional, easily upset, and angered
Individuals low on ___ are less prone to emotional swings
Extraverts are outgoing, impulsive, uninhibited, and sociable
Introverts are quiet, introspective, reserved, and distant except to intimate friends
People high on neuroticism are unstable or highly emotional, easily upset, and angered
Individuals low on neuroticism are less prone to emotional swings
what was the third supertrait found by Eysenck?
psychoticism
people on the high end of psychotics are ___, ____, and ____
egocentric, aggressive, impersonal
what were Eysenck’s arguments for a biological basis of personality (3)?
Consistency of extraversion–introversion over time
Cross-cultural researches indicate the three dimensions of personality
Genetics play a vital role in determining a person’s placement on the personality dimensions
what are the physiological difference of personality?
Introverts and extraverts differ in how their brains respond to emotional stimuli
Introverts are quickly aroused when exposed to external stimulation
what is sensitivity to reinforcement? (3)
The Behavioral Approach System and the Behavioral Inhibition System
Reinforcement sensitivity theory:
human brain has a behavioral approach system (BAS) and a behavioral inhibition system (BIS)
Individuals differ in the strength of these systems, and differences are stable over time
People with a ___ BAS seek out and achieve pleasurable goals
Individuals high on ___ get pleasure out of rewards and anticipating those rewards
People with a high ___ are apprehensive and quick to retreat from problematic situations (experience more anxiety)
People with a high BAS seek out and achieve pleasurable goals
Individuals high on BAS get pleasure out of rewards and anticipating those rewards
People with a high BIS are apprehensive and quick to retreat from problematic situations (experience more anxiety)
General behavioral dispositions that can be expressed in different ways depending on an individual’s ____
experiences
Development into stable personality traits depends on complex interplay of ______
genetic predispositions and environment
what are the 3 dimensions in temperament?
- Emotionality - Intensity of emotional reactions
- Activity - Person’s general level of energy
- Sociability - General tendency to affiliate and interact with others
Children high on emotionality frequently express ___. As adults, they are easily ___ and have quick temper
Highly active children move around a lot and prefer games that require ___ and ___. As grown-ups, they are always on the go and prefer ____ activities
Sociable children ___ out other children to play. As adults, they have a lot of friends and enjoy ___ gatherings
Children high on emotionality frequently express anger. As adults, they are easily upset and have quick temper
Highly active children move around a lot and prefer games that require running and jumping. As grown-ups, they are always on the go and prefer high-energy activities
Sociable children seek out other children to play. As adults, they have a lot of friends and enjoy social gatherings.
gender differences in temperament:
Girls exhibit a ___ level of effortful control than boys
Boys are identified with an increased level of ____ than girls
Girls exhibit a higher level of effortful control than boys
Boys are identified with an increased level of surgency than girls
Adult personalities are determined by both inherited ____ and the ___. Temperament influences the environment which in turn influences the way temperament develops into ___ personality traits.
temperament; environment; stable
what are 4 characteristics of inhibited children?
Controlled and gentle ones
Attached to their parents
Slow to explore new environments
Anxiety to novelty
what are two characteristics of uninhibited children?
Excited and rough ones
Quick to explore new environments
how do inhibited and uninhibited styles represent inherited biological temperaments?
Inhibited children run the risk of developing social anxiety disorder
Uninhibited children are likely to exhibit disruptive behaviour disorders
Some children appear to inherit a tendency to respond to unfamiliar situations with increased ____. When entering a new situation with new people, many of these children display what we typically call “____” behavior
arousal; shy
what inherited tendencies allowed our species to survive? (2)
to become nervous and upset in certain situations
how is natural selection related to psychological mechanisms and personality?
Inherited characteristics of a species that help them meet, survive and reproduce
Responsible for psychological mechanisms
how does anxiety and social exclusion relate to evolutionary personality psychology? (3)
Anxiety - Unpleasant emotional state, a normally functioning person would avoid
Primary cause of anxiety - Social exclusion
Primitive people avoided behaviors that lead to social exclusion in order to survive and reproduce
