Five-factor theory

Question 1

What are the five factors?

Answer 1

-openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism (OCEAN)

Question 2

Describe the diagram for this theory.

Answer 2

-rectangle boxes are central to the theory, oval are peripheral

Question 3

What are the three central components of the five factor theory? (3)

Answer 3

-basic tendencies
-characteristic adaptations
-self-concept

Question 4

What are basic tendencies? What defines basic tendencies (2)

Answer 4

-5 traits, intelligence, talents, sexual orientation, psychological machinery (ex: native linguistic ability, like almost built in machinery for language)
-they are fixed and can’t be changed

Question 5

What are characteristics adaptations? What defines these? (2)

Answer 5

-skills, attitudes, knowledge, behavioural style, self-concept
-they can be adapted or changed

Question 6

How do basic tendencies relate to character adaptations?

Answer 6

-there is an arrow from basic tendencies to characteristics adaptations

Question 7

Inside characteristic adaptations there is a smaller box. What is this smaller box?

Answer 7

-self-concept

Question 8

What is self-concept

Answer 8

-a person’s knowledge and beliefs about themselves as well as their self-esteem

Question 9

How does characteristic adaptations relate to self-concept?

Answer 9

-when you learn a new skill it will change your self-concept, so there is an arrow from characteristic adaptations to self-concept

Question 10

How does basic tendencies relate to self-concept?

Answer 10

-arrow from basic tendencies to self-concept because they influence how we view ourselves

Question 11

What are the peripheral components? (3)

Answer 11

-biological bases
-objective biography
-external influences

Question 12

What are biological bases? How do they related to basic tendencies? (2)

Answer 12

-genes, hormones, brain structure
-there is an arrow from biological bases to basic tendencies (thats why basic tendencies are fixed)

Question 13

What is objective biography? Discuss how this is related to other concepts. (2)

Answer 13

-The facts and events of a person’s life
-characteristic adaptations –> objective biography as these influence our history. objective biography –> self-concept as our history and memory of ourselves influences our self-concept

Question 14

What are external influences?

Answer 14

-opportunities, demands and constraints

Question 15

How are external influences and objective biography related?

Answer 15

-our history and background are based on the limitations and constraints in our life so there are two arrows going back and forth between these two

Question 16

How do external influences interact with characteristic adaptations?

Answer 16

-there is an arrow from external influences to characteristic adaptations as the skills and knowledge we have is a function of our external environment

Question 17

Describe the arrow that goes back to itself.

Answer 17

-characteristic adaptations has an arrow into itself because the more we learn, the more we can learn. For example, you get better at skiing and then you can do blue runs and eventually black runs

Question 18

What would all the arrows be labelled as?

Answer 18

-dynamic processes

Question 19

What do they mean by dynamic processes?

Answer 19

-they know they should define better what these arrows are doing but say experts should figure out what exactly is happening during each of these arrows, out of our scope

Question 20

What are the four basic tendencies postulates? (4)

Answer 20

-individuality
-origin
-development
-structure

Question 21

What is individuality? Example? (2)

Answer 21

-all adults can be characterized by their different standing on a series of personality traits that influence patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
Example: one person’s high conscientiousness makes them tackle projects with careful planning and detail, while another’s high extraversion leads them to seek out others’ help and brainstorm collaboratively.

Question 22

What is origin?

Answer 22

-traits come from biological bases not from the environment

Question 23

What is development?

Answer 23

-Traits develop through childhood and reach mature form in adulthood; thereafter they are stable in cognitively intact individuals

Question 24

What is structure?

Answer 24

-Traits are organized hierarchically from narrow and specific to broad and general dispositions

Question 25

What is the structure of personality according to the Five factor theory?

Answer 25

-5 personality traits (basic tendencies)

Question 26

What is the developmental aspect of five factor theories? (2)

Answer 26

-biological origin
-though there is some change over lifespan due to biography and external influences

Question 27

What is the pathology in five factor theories?

Answer 27

-rigid characteristic tendencies

Question 28

Evaluate the five factor personality theory. (6)

Answer 28

Generate research: very high
Allow falsifiability: high
Organize data: high
Guide practical action: low
Maintain internal consistency: high
Maintain parsimony: very high