Lecture 16 - Brain and Personality

Question 1

(lecture):

What is personality?

Answer 1

(lecture):

See slide 2 (behind the photo)

Question 2

(lecture):

Describe Eysenck’s Trait Theory.

Answer 2

(lecture):

Neurotic
Stable
Introvert
Extrovert

See slide 4-6

Question 3

(lecture):

Read slide 3

Answer 3

(lecture):

Question 4

(lecture):

Describe the relation of arousal and the 4 personality traits.

Answer 4

(lecture):

See slide 7-9

Question 5

(lecture):

Read slide 10

Answer 5

(lecture):

Question 6

(lecture):

Read slide 13

Answer 6

(lecture):

Question 7

(lecture):

Describe Grays Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory.

Answer 7

(lecture):

See slide 14-17

Question 8

(lecture):

Describe the Tridimensional Psychobiological Model: 7 dimensions

Answer 8

(lecture):

See slide 19

Question 9

(lecture):

Read slide 20-23

Answer 9

(lecture):

Question 10

(lecture):

Describe the Big 5 Theory of Personality

Answer 10

(lecture):

See slide 24

Question 11

(reading):

Chapter 8 Maltby Day & Macaskill

Answer 11

(reading):

Question 12

(lecture):

MRI scans have demonstrated a correlation between individual differences on the ‘big five’ personality traits and the

a. rate of neuronal firing in brain areas
b. volume of individual brain areas
c. turnover of glucocorticoid metabolism
d. individual Electron density

Answer 12

(lecture) :

b. volume of individual brain areas

Question 13

(lecture):

Hans Eysenck used factor analysis to identify how many primary dimensions of personality?

a. Five
b. Four
c. Three
d. Two

Answer 13

(lecture) :

b. Four

Question 14

(lecture):

CONCLUSIONS (SUMMARY)

Eysenck – ARAS
Gray – BAS & BIS
Cloiningers – dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline pathways
Have elements in common

Eysenck was the first attempt to link biology and personality and in many respects was ahead of its time
Extraversion is a stable and common dimension in personality theories

One of the main criticism of these approaches is that their biological systems may be over simplistic (Accounts for around 50% of the variance)

Provide foundation for understanding how individual differences in personality emerge. But environment is a factor in shaping personality.

Resting state fMRI studies starting to reveal why individuals differ on personality dimensions.

Answer 14

(lecture):

Question 15

(lecture):

According to Cloninger’s Tridimensional theory of personality, which neurotransmitter system is involved in novelty seeking?

a. Dopamine
b. Serotonin
c. Glutamate
d. Noradrenaline

Answer 15

(lecture) :

a. Dopamine