Hans Eysenck’s Super 3 & the Big 5 Flashcards
HANS EYSENCK (1916-1997)
- 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)
EYSENCK’S HIERARCHICAL MODEL OF PERSONALITY
- 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
HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURE OF SUPER-TRAITS
super-trait -> trait -> habitual response -> specific responses
HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURE OF EXTRAVERSION-INTROVERSION
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)
EXTRAVERSION-INTROVERSION DEFINITIONS
- includes Cattell’s factors of social boldness/privacy
INTROVERT - shy/quiet/enjoys solitude
EXTROVERT - outgoing/loud/sociable/enjoys social gatherings
EYSENCK: EXTROVERSION VS INTROVERSION
- 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
EYSENCK: NEUROTICISM VS EMOTIONAL STABILITY
- 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
NEUROTICISM & PTSD
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
NEUROTICISM/NEGATIVE AFFECTIVITY & PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS
- 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
HIERACHICAL STRUCTURE OF NEUROTICISM
TENSE
MOODY
ANXIOUS
SHY
DEPRESSED
EMOTIONAL
IRRATIONAL
LOW SELF-ESTEEM
GUILT FEELINGS
EYSENCK: NEUROTICISM X INTRO/EXTROVERSION
MELANCHOLIC
- high neuroticism
- introvert
CHOLERIC
- high neuroticism
- extraversion
PHLEGMATIC
- low neuroticism
- introversion
SANGUINE
- low neuroticism
- extraversion
HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURE OF PSYCHOTICISM
AGGRESSIVE
COLD
ANTIOSOCIAL
UNEMPATHETIC
EGOCENTRIC
CREATIVE
IMPULSIVE
TOUGH-MINDED
IMPERSONAL
EYSENCK: PSYCHOTICISM
- 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
EYSENCK’S PERSONALITY QUESTIONNAIRE (EPQ) & PREDICTING BEHAVIOUR: EXTROVERTS
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
EYSENCK’S PERSONALITY QUESTIONNAIRE (EPQ) & PREDICTING BEHAVIOUR: INTROVERTS
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
XIONG ET AL (2022)
- 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
THE BIG FIVE (OCEAN)
OPENNESS
COSCIENTIOUSNESS
EXTRAVERSION/INTROVERSION
AGREEABLENESS
NEUROTICISM
OCEAN: OPENNESS
- to experience
HIGH - unconventional/independent thinker tendency
LOW - conventional/familiar > new
OCEAN: CONSCIENTIOUSNESS
- measures control/self-discipline
HIGH - tendency to be controlled/organised
LOW - careless/easily distracted/undependable tendency
OCEAN: EXTRAVERSION/INTROVERSION
- measures arousal
HIGH - sociable/energetic/assertive tendency
LOW - reserved/independent/even-paced tendency
OCEAN: AGREEABLENESS
HIGH
- helpful/trusting/sympathetic/cooperative tendency
LOW
- antagonistic/skeptical tendency
OCEAN: NEUROTICISM
- aka. negative emotionality
HIGH - ^ emotional distress/mood swings tendency
LOW - calm/well-adjusted tendency
- SUPER-TRAITS & SUBORDINATE TRAITS
- 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)
THE BIG FIVE & BEHAVIOUR
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
THE BIG FIVE & JOB PERFORMANCE
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
THE BIG FIVE & JOB SATISFACTION
JUDGE ET AL (2002)
- meta-analysis
- job satisfaction correlated w/each trait individually
- only neuroticism/extraversion relations w/satisfaction generalised across all studies
THE BIG FIVE: CRITICISMS
- 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
THE BIG FIVE: STRENGTHS
- reproduced cross-culturally
COSTA & MCCRAE (1998) - consistently present (w/some variation) irrespective of measures used/populations studied
- essential structure of personality
THE BIG FIVE: ORTHOGONAL/SEPERATE/INDEPENDENT?
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
