Eysenck’s explanation theory

Question 1

what was Eysenck’s theory based on

Answer 1

Introversion/extra version (E)
Neuroticism/stability (N)
Psychoticism (P)

Question 2

what is extraversion

Answer 2

biological need for an individual to have high/low levels of environmental stimulation

Question 3

what’re examples of extraversion

Answer 3

social, impulsive

Question 4

what is neuroticism

Answer 4

stability of personality and related to how stable a person’s nervous system is

Question 5

what is an example of neuroticism

Answer 5

Anxious, moody

Question 6

what’re examples of psychoticism

Answer 6

aggression, unsympathetic

Question 7

explain Eysenck’s theory of personality types

Answer 7

innate, based on our inherited nervous system

Question 8

explain Eysenck’s theory of extraverts

Answer 8

under-active nervous systems, seeking engagement

Question 9

explain Eysenck’s theory of neurotic individuals

Answer 9

nervous/over-anxious, their general instability makes their behaviour hard to predict

Question 10

explain Eysenck’s theory of psychotic individuals

Answer 10

higher testosterone - cold, unemotional and prone to aggression

Question 11

Eysenck’s theory predicts that:

Answer 11

high PEN scores have a high risk of offending, difficult to control ‘immature impulses’

Question 12

explain the role of socialisation

Answer 12

criminality is developmentally immature - selfish like a child. socialisation is when children are taught to delay immediate gratification and be more social.
High E and N scores have difficult to condition nervous systems, as they’re under active and seek thrill. more likely to be anti-social

Question 13

what was the name of Eysenck’s personality test

Answer 13

Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI)

Question 14

how did Eysenck get his data

Answer 14

assessed 2070 male prisoners compared to 2422 male controls, measured PEN.
prisoners of all ages had higher scores than the control group

Question 15

what is a support for Eysenck’s personality theory

Answer 15

His study. 2070 male prisoners compared to 2422 male controls; groups of ages 16-69.
all scored higher PEN with all ages than the control.
supports his theory with clear result evidence

Question 16

what’re 2 negative evals for Eysenck’s theory

Answer 16

meta-analysis
offending persistence into adolescence

Question 17

what is a neg eval meta-analysis for Eysenck

Answer 17

Farrington et al. reported that offenders scored high P but NOT E and N. also little consistent difference in EEG measures (cortical arousal) between introverts/extraverts, doubting the basis of the theory.
doubts a large part of the theory, lowering validity and makes remaining evidence too broad

Question 18

what is a neg eval about offending persistence into adolescence for Eysenck’s theory

Answer 18

Moffitt distinguished between offending in adolescence only and that which continues into adulthood (life course/persistent). she considered persistence to be a reciprocal process between personality traits and environmental reactions.
Eysenck too simplistic, the cause lies with how personalities react to the environment.