Eysenck’s Personality Test

Question 1

He claimed that personality could be represented along 3 dimensions:

Answer 1

• Introversion - extroversion
• Neuroticism - stable
• Psychoticism - sociability

Question 2

Biological basis which is mainly innate, how much of variance is genetic?

Answer 2

67% due to genetic factors

Question 3

Extraversion

Answer 3

A person who is under aroused requires stimulation more often. Extraverts seek external stimulation to increase their brain arousal.

Question 4

Neuroticism

Answer 4

Determined by the level of stability in the sympathetic nervous system- how much a person responds in situations of threat (fight/flight). A neurotic person is someone who is unstable and gets upset quickly.

Question 5

Psychoticism

Answer 5

• more prone to being hostile, aggressive and uncaring
• has been linked to high levels of testosterone - they are cold, unemotional and prone to aggression (more men).

Question 6

Neurotics

Answer 6

Are unstable and therefore prone to overreact to situations of threat.

Question 7

Extraverts

Answer 7

Seek more arousal and thus engage in dangerous behaviour.

Question 8

Psychotics

Answer 8

Are aggressive and lack empathy

Question 9

Offending behaviour is (ID)

Answer 9

developmentally immature and links to need of immediate gratification (Id), unable to wait and impatient.

Question 10

High E and High N score

Answer 10

( extraversion and neuroticism )
- in early years during the process of socialisation, children are taught to become more able to delay gratification.
- High E and N score people cannot be easily conditioned into this.
- meaning these children are less likely to learn anxiety responses to antisocial impulses and so act antisocially.

Question 11

AO3 STRENGTH: Eysenck prisoners compare

Answer 11

+ Eysenck compared 2,000 male prisoners’ scores using the EPI with round 2,500 male controls. Prisoners had higher E, P and N scores. This supports the view that offenders’ rates are higher that average across all three scores. HOWEVER there is a beta bias as females aren’t used in the sample but findings are generalised to them, despite gender differences that could exist, they are ignored.

Question 12

AO3 WEAKNESSES

Answer 12

• This theory is based on personality being consistent, however personality is dependent on the situation and also the feelings and honesty of the individual because the EPQ is a Self report, when people answer they respond to the demands of the questionnaire – select traits that apply to them, in a yes or no format.This suggests the tool may not be valid, in measuring personality traits and therefore not being able to explain offending behaviour.
• meta-analysis revealed that offenders scored high on P but not E and N.This implies that some of the central assumptions of the criminal personality are incorrect (Eysenck said the criminal personality was high E & N). Also correlation in one study does not necessarily imply causation.