Hans Eysenck’s Super 3 & the Big 5

Question 1

HANS EYSENCK (1916-1997)

Answer 1

• theory emphasises 3 2nd order factors (super-traits) derived from intercorrelations between source traits
• super-traits = genetically determined
• temperament focus (emotional/motivational/non-ability related cognitive aspects of beh)

Question 2

EYSENCK’S HIERARCHICAL MODEL OF PERSONALITY

Answer 2

• hierarchical structure = super-traits = broad traits that subsume large source/narrow trait number
• based on 3 super-traits; oft referred to by PEN acronym:
  1. EXTRAVERSION VS INTROVERSION
• high extroversion = low cortisol arousal levels
  2. NEUROTICISM VS EMOTIONAL STABILITY
• high neuroticism levels = excessive autonomic nervous system activity
  3. PSYCHOTICISM
• tendency to psychotic/sociopathic beh

Question 3

HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURE OF SUPER-TRAITS

Answer 3

super-trait -> trait -> habitual response -> specific responses

Question 4

HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURE OF EXTRAVERSION-INTROVERSION

Answer 4

LVL 1
- super-traits
- 2nd order factors
LVL 2
- source/narrow traits (ie. sociable/active)
LVL 3
- habitual acts (ie. regular party-going beh)
LVL 4
- specific acts (ie. dancing wildly at party)

Question 5

EXTRAVERSION-INTROVERSION DEFINITIONS

Answer 5

• includes Cattell’s factors of social boldness/privacy
  INTROVERT
• shy/quiet/enjoys solitude
  EXTROVERT
• outgoing/loud/sociable/enjoys social gatherings

Question 6

EYSENCK: EXTROVERSION VS INTROVERSION

Answer 6

• results from inhibition/excitation balance in brain
• ascending Reticular Activating System (ARAS) structure in brainstem controls overall cortical arousal aka. gate to arousal
  EXTRAVERSION
• high = low cortical arousal levels/ARAS activity ->
• seek contexts w/high stimulation
  INTROVERSION
• high = high cortical arousal levels/ARAS activity ->
• seek contexts w/low stimulation

Question 7

EYSENCK: NEUROTICISM VS EMOTIONAL STABILITY

Answer 7

• includes Cattell’s source factors of emotional stability/apprehensiveness
• people w/^ neuroticism scale = not necessarily neurotics BUT ^ susceptible to neurotic issues
• some people have ^ responsive sympathetic nervous system (limbic system); controls emotional responsiveness to emergency situations aka. prepares for flight VS fight
• hypersensitivity/excessive sympathetic nervous system activity -> ^ neuroticism lvls (^ in threatening environments)
• archetypal neurotic symptom = panic attack

Question 8

NEUROTICISM & PTSD

Answer 8

HOLEVA & TARRIER (2001)
- studies road traffic accident victims across 2 time periods (4w/6m post accident)
- neuroticism (psychoticism less) associated w/PTSD development
- ^ trait anxiety/conditionability lvls -> ^ PTSD development risk

Question 9

NEUROTICISM/NEGATIVE AFFECTIVITY & PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS

Answer 9

• various studies highlight link between neuroticism/negative affectivity and psycho disorders ie:
  ORMEL & WOHLFARTH (1991)
• neuroticism/psych distress in light changing situations link
  WATSON & CLARK (1984)
• association between negative affectivity/aversive emotional states experience
  CLARK, WATSON & MINEKA (1994)
• associations between temperament/personality/mood/anxiety disorders

Question 10

HIERACHICAL STRUCTURE OF NEUROTICISM

Answer 10

TENSE
MOODY
ANXIOUS
SHY
DEPRESSED
EMOTIONAL
IRRATIONAL
LOW SELF-ESTEEM
GUILT FEELINGS

Question 11

EYSENCK: NEUROTICISM X INTRO/EXTROVERSION

Answer 11

MELANCHOLIC
- high neuroticism
- introvert
CHOLERIC
- high neuroticism
- extraversion
PHLEGMATIC
- low neuroticism
- introversion
SANGUINE
- low neuroticism
- extraversion

Question 12

HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURE OF PSYCHOTICISM

Answer 12

AGGRESSIVE
COLD
ANTIOSOCIAL
UNEMPATHETIC
EGOCENTRIC
CREATIVE
IMPULSIVE
TOUGH-MINDED
IMPERSONAL

Question 13

EYSENCK: PSYCHOTICISM

Answer 13

• possible linked to dopaminergic system
• includes Cattell’s sensitivity/rule consciousness factors
• developed from research conducted in mental institutions/prisons
• tendency to psychotic/sociopathic beh; ^ scores -> recklessness/conventional disregard/inappropriate emotional expression/hostile tendency/manipulative or impulsive qualities

Question 14

EYSENCK’S PERSONALITY QUESTIONNAIRE (EPQ) & PREDICTING BEHAVIOUR: EXTROVERTS

Answer 14

EYSENCK (1976)
- ^ likely to have sex at younger ages w/more partners > introverts
ZIETSCH ET AL (2009)
- genetic twin data modelling -> risky sex beh STATSIG positively correlated w/impulsivity/extraversion/psychoticism/neuroticism due primarily to overlapping genetic influences

Question 15

EYSENCK’S PERSONALITY QUESTIONNAIRE (EPQ) & PREDICTING BEHAVIOUR: INTROVERTS

Answer 15

FURNEAUX (1976)
- superior academic achievement in western/non-western cultures
- individuals w/ high E/P/N = ^ likely to engage in criminal activity
CHAMORRO-PREMUZIC & FURNHAM (2003)
- academic performance predicted by high E OR low N/P
- conscientiousness (OCEAN) = strongest ^ academic performance predictor

Question 16

XIONG ET AL (2022)

Answer 16

• meta-analysis; 33 studies; 17k pps
• smartphone addiction positively associated w/P/N BUT not STATSIG w/extroversion
  MODERATING EFFECTS
• sex/study publication year = significant influences on relation between smartphone addiction/P
• publication year = significant influence on smartphone addiction/N relation

Question 17

THE BIG FIVE (OCEAN)

Answer 17

OPENNESS
COSCIENTIOUSNESS
EXTRAVERSION/INTROVERSION
AGREEABLENESS
NEUROTICISM

Question 18

OCEAN: OPENNESS

Answer 18

• to experience
  HIGH
• unconventional/independent thinker tendency
  LOW
• conventional/familiar > new

Question 19

OCEAN: CONSCIENTIOUSNESS

Answer 19

• measures control/self-discipline
  HIGH
• tendency to be controlled/organised
  LOW
• careless/easily distracted/undependable tendency

Question 20

OCEAN: EXTRAVERSION/INTROVERSION

Answer 20

• measures arousal
  HIGH
• sociable/energetic/assertive tendency
  LOW
• reserved/independent/even-paced tendency

Question 21

OCEAN: AGREEABLENESS

Answer 21

HIGH
- helpful/trusting/sympathetic/cooperative tendency
LOW
- antagonistic/skeptical tendency

Question 22

OCEAN: NEUROTICISM

Answer 22

• aka. negative emotionality
  HIGH
• ^ emotional distress/mood swings tendency
  LOW
• calm/well-adjusted tendency

Question 23

• SUPER-TRAITS & SUBORDINATE TRAITS

Answer 23

• 2/5 super-traits/factors (neuroticism/extraversion) = practically identical w/2 identified by Eysenck
• Big Five oft measured by NEO-PI (Costa & McCrae (1985)
• each trait measured by 6 subordinates:
  1. NEUROTICISM (ie. unemotional -> emotional)
  2. AGREEABLENESS (ie. ruthless -> kind-hearted)

Question 24

THE BIG FIVE & BEHAVIOUR

Answer 24

PAUNONEN (2003)
- Big Five personality factors emerged in school children studies; appear stable over time
- associated w/various behs:
1. extraversion = ^ exercising/drinking/honesty
2. conscientiousness = ^ grades/honesty
3. openness = ^ musical talent
4. agreeable = consistently less smoking

Question 25

THE BIG FIVE & JOB PERFORMANCE

Answer 25

BARRICK & MOUNT (1991)
- meta-analysis
- conscientiousness = consistent relations w/job performance criteria for all occupational groups
- extraversion predicted success in management/sales (requiring social interaction)
- openness/extraversion predicted training proficiency
- agreeable/neuroticism predicted performance in groups

Question 26

THE BIG FIVE & JOB SATISFACTION

Answer 26

JUDGE ET AL (2002)
- meta-analysis
- job satisfaction correlated w/each trait individually
- only neuroticism/extraversion relations w/satisfaction generalised across all studies

Question 27

THE BIG FIVE: CRITICISMS

Answer 27

• not always same 5/not always 5 (ie. +/- 2)
• sex difs found in 3/5 aka. women score consistently ^ > mean in neuroticism/agreeableness/conscientiousness
• more to personality than just 5 ie. authoritarianism summary = ^ N/C & low O/A combo BUT misses construct essence; fails to account for deferential/agreeable authoritarian characters BUT cruel to lower ranks

Question 28

THE BIG FIVE: STRENGTHS

Answer 28

• reproduced cross-culturally
  COSTA & MCCRAE (1998)
• consistently present (w/some variation) irrespective of measures used/populations studied
• essential structure of personality

Question 29

THE BIG FIVE: ORTHOGONAL/SEPERATE/INDEPENDENT?

Answer 29

EYSENCK (1991)
- advocates of OCEAN mix super-factors (E/N) w/primary traits (A/C)
DRAYCOTT & KLINE (1995)
- analysed Costa & McCrae’s NEO-PI/EPQ-R
- support Eysenck’s claim; OCEAN mixes lower order w/^ order factors