Individual differences in biology Flashcards
What is Grays reinforcement theory?
There are differences in the state reactions to appetitive (rewarding) and aversive (dangerous) stimuli. These differences are based on neurological responses. Individuals tendencies to go into these states is consistent over time.
Grays reinforcement sensitivity theory: what did being a realist mean to Gray?
A) 1st identifying the fundamental properties of brain-behavioural systems that might involved in the important sources of variation observed in human behaviour.
B) Then relating variations in these systems to known measures of personality.
The assumption is A causes B.
What did Gray (1982) originally theorise?
Gray was trying to explain how individuals might be conditioned differently. Individual differences in responses to unconditioned & conditioned stimuli.
What did Gray and McNaughton (2000) refocus on for the reinforcement sensitivity theory?
Removes the focus on conditioning to consider responses based on qualities of stimulus.
What is the behavioural approach system?
appetite stimuli of all kinds
What is Fight/flight/freeze system?
aversive stimuli of all kinds
What is the behavioural inhibition system?
unclear stimuli/goal conflict
How is fear categorised?
What can oversensitivity to fear lead to?
A momentary reactivity.
Phobic and panic disorder.
What is anxiety?
What does this lead to?
Unresolved conflict about whether to approach/avoid things.
Leads to rumination and anxiety disorders e.g., depression.
What drugs are not affective for:
a) panic disorder
b) depression
c) phobic reactions
a) Buspirone
b) benzodiazepines
c) SSRIs and MAOIs
What systems did Gray focus the reinforcement sensitivity theory on?
Neuroendocrine systems of learning and sensitivity to reinforcement.
What do measures of reinforcement sensitivity theory predict?
A wide variety of outcomes.
BUT a lot of everyday findings from RST are based on lexically driven self reports.
According to Lewis et al., 2018, what can cortical thickness is the prefrontal cortex & fusiform gyrus be correlated with?
More correlations with conscientiousness.
What is a genotype?
The genetic code of a living thing
What is a phenotype?
Observable summary factors (genes+environment).
What physical change that everybody goes through affects the trajectory of personality development?
Puberty.
Personality is consistent behaviour over time or consistent experience of states over time. Give examples of animals who have consistently approach-orientated states can be found in?
- chimpanzees dogs -cats birds Rhinos Octopi Lemon sharks old field jumping spiders mustard leaf beatles firebugs giant sea anemones
very different neurologies but all share highly similar monoamine reactivity.
How are dogs similar to humans personality wise?
- self-control
- interets
The unsolvable task - in regards to sensitivity (dogs): give a brief overview.
- What was coded
- What did the dog expect?
- Impulsive approach (destructive).
- persistent approach (dedicated-on-taskness)
- Inhibitory problem solving (observing)
- Frustration (lack of resolution)
- Social soliciting (asking for help) - The dog expect the reward, but they are not actually able to receive the reward
