Interpersonal theories Flashcards
Compare the interpersonal theories of personality (Sullivan, Leary, Wiggins Interpersonal Circumplex, Attachment theory- Ainsworth, Bartholomew, Brennan).
Sullivan: personality exists only in the presence of other people and our self-image is constructed based on how others appraise us. Anxiety is fundamental to the development of our personality - we avoid experiences that may lead to anxiety, and our emotions are influenced by others but we also influence others. There are three elements to personality: Good me, bad me, and not me. The good represents elements of our personality that we accept, the bad is the aspects that are punished by accepted, and not me refers to elements that are unacceptable.
Leary thought that traits could be placed meaningfully in a circle with the horizontal axis hostile-friendly and vertical axis dominant-submissive. An individual was considered healthiest if their traits were overlapping in the middle as none were stronger than others.
After statistics were developed for circular arrangements of traits, Wiggins created an interpersonal circumplex that placed traits in the circle. It was tested on mentally ill and normal people, found that healthy individuals had a more symmetrical shape as no traits were stronger. If they are placed in the middle of the polar traits, then this is neutral. The distance between traits was equal. The further away the trait was from the periphery, the more stress it creates for the individual.
Ainsworth and Bowlby created Attachment Theory which states that emotional and physical connections to a primary caregiver are needed for healthy psychological development. These bonds help regulate anxiety and the experiences shape an individual’s self-concept. Attachment styles refer to the quality of the bond.
Bartholomew’s model of attachment styles are based on the model of the self (dependence), and other (avoidance of intimacy). Low avoidance and low dependence = secure, high avoidance and high dependence = fearful-avoidant, low avoidance and high dependence = anxious-preoccupied, high avoidance and low dependence = dismissive-avoidant.
Brennan, Shaver & Tobey extended Bartholomew’s model. The horizontal axis was low-high anxiety and the vertical axis was low-high avoidance. The same styles were placed within each quadrant.
Compare the models linking personality and health (Constitutional Risk Factor Model, Illness Behaviour Model, Stress Moderation-Mediation Model, Stress Generation Model).
The Constitutional Risk Factor Model states that personality is an additional factor leading to illness. Neuroticism is a trait associated with health problems. People who are high on N engage in certain unhealthy behaviours and cognitive styles which can lead to mental illness. An individual may be predisposed to develop an illness, however their personality may act as a protective factor against it.
The Illness Behaviour Model states that the type of health behaviours or lack of mediates the link between personality and illness. An individual’s personality affects the frequency to which they perform behaviours that lead to health or illness. For instance, more impulsive people are more likely to smoke, not exercise, have poor diets which are attributed to illness. People who are more conscientious are more likely to engage in healthy behaviours and not take risks.
The Stress Moderation-Mediation Model states that an individual’s personality determines how they appraise stress (interpret, respond to it). More neurotic people view stress negatively, are overwhelmed easily and feel less control over their emotions. Therefore, stress is likely to make them become ill.
The Stress Generation Model states that certain individuals have thoughts and behaviours which create more stress for them. Depressed people are vulnerable to stress as they interpret neutral behaviours as having negative meanings e.g. friend not messaging them online within a few hours, they may attribute this to something they have done, because their self-esteem is low. This internal attribution leads to a self-perpetuating cycle of depressive thinking. They tend to focus on negative events.
What is the difference between temperament and character according to Cloninger’s Tridimensional Model? What are the factors under both?
Temperament refers to biological responses to emotional stimuli that are present throughout life. As such, they are not influenced by culture or life experiences. The factors are Reward Dependence, Novelty Seeking, Harm Avoidance, and Persistence.
Character refers to the way individuals understand themselves and their emotions, habits, goals formed in response to the world. This is developed after temperament. The factors are Self-directedness, Cooperativeness and Self-transcendence. People with personality disorders lack self-directedness (responsibility, self-esteem) and cooperativeness (compassion, morality).
What are the 3 main cognitive and behavioural differences between personality disorders and normal traits? (Millon)
Rigid and inflexible, unable to adapt to changes
Self-defeating behaviours
Instability of self under stress
Compare Claridge’s quasi-dimensional approach to schizotypy with the fully dimensional Eysenckian model.
The quasi-dimensional model of schizotypy is based on the dimension of severity of disease. It postulates that schizotypal personality disorder is a mild form of schizophrenia, such that people who have developed the PD have underlying symptoms of the disease. The symptoms (odd, eccentric ways of thinking, behaving, dressing etc.) of schizotypal PD are precursors to grandiose beliefs, paranoid delusions, hearing voices. As the symptoms become more explicit and severe, the closer an individual gets to psychosis and schizophrenia.
In the fully dimensional model, schizotypy is at one end of a spectrum of schizophrenic disorders. The schizotypal symptoms are present in the population and in normal people, however people who have more severe symptoms move closer towards the extreme side of the spectrum and may eventually have a diagnosis of schizophrenia. Other factors such as biology, cognitive styles and traits influence their progression from dissociative to psychotic states.
What is the Hybrid model of personality disorder classification and how does it inform assessment?
The hybrid model states that personality disorders develop when there is no sense of self and an incapacity for interpersonal functioning. These factors are not adaptive to the individual’s developmental age or cultural expectations. They are relatively stable and persistent.
Sense of self is assessed through identity - ability to regulate emotional expression, emotional stability - and self-direction - goals. Interpersonal functioning is assessed on capacity for empathy and intimacy.
