Lecture 2 - Personality Traits (Chapter 2) Flashcards

1
Q

What is the nomothetic paradigm?

A

Assumes that individual differences can be described, explained and predicted in terms of pre-defined attributes.

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2
Q

What is the idiographic paradigm?

A

Assumes that individuals are unique and that two separate people cannot be described using the same concepts or terms.

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3
Q

Psychodynamic theories are based on which paradigm?

A

Idiographic paradigm - psychodynamic theories emphasise the unique nature of individuals’ life experiences.

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4
Q

What is the dispositional approach to personality?

A

Views personality in terms of consistent and unchanging dispositions to act, think and feel regardless of context.

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5
Q

What is the situational approach to personality?

A

Views personality in terms of unrelated states or behaviours determined by situational factors.

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6
Q

Dispositional approaches are naturally what paradigm, and why?

A

Dispositional approaches are naturally nomothetic because they describe people in the same terms.

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7
Q

When making distinctions based on traits, is it a nominal or ordinal difference? Why?

A

Ordinal because it assumes that each person has those traits, but in different quantities/extents.

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8
Q

When making distinctions based on types (of personalities), is it a nominal or ordinal difference? Why?

A

Nominal because it suggests a categorical difference.

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9
Q

Define ‘personality traits’.

A

Dynamic organisation inside the person, of psychophysical systems that create a person’s characteristic patterns of behaviour, thoughts and feelings.

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10
Q

Who derived the very first theory of personality and what was it called?

A

Hippocrates-Galen personality or temperament theory.

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11
Q

What was the main assumption of the Greek classification of personality types?

A

That biological differences formed the basis, and were the cause of, psychological differences.

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12
Q

How did the four different types of temperament in the Greek classification describe biological differences?

A

In terms of the level of specific fluids in the body.

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13
Q

What characteristics might someone have if they have a sanguine temperament?

A

Enthusiastic
Optimistic
Cheerful
Satisfied with life

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14
Q

What was the sanguine temperament believed to be mediated by?

A

The strength of blood supply.

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15
Q

What characteristics might someone have if they have a choleric temperament?

A

Aggressive
Volatile
Temperamental

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16
Q

What was the choleric temperament believed to be mediated by?

A

The level of ‘yellow bile’, a chemical released by the gall bladder during digestion.

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17
Q

What characteristics might someone have if they have a phlegmatic temperament?

A

Calm
Relaxed
Slow-paced

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18
Q

What was the phlegmatic temperament believed to be mediated by?

A

The level of mucus.

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19
Q

What characteristics might someone have if they have a melancholic temperament?

A

Sad/depressed
Reflective
Pessimistic

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20
Q

What was the melancholic temperament believed to be caused by?

A

Malfunctioning of an organ called black bile.

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21
Q

What were the four temperaments assumed to exist by Greek theorists?

A
  • Sanguine
  • Choleric
  • Plegmatic
  • Melancholic
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22
Q

Eysenck conceptualised extraversion as what combination of Greek temperaments?

A

Sanguine and Choleric temperaments

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23
Q

Eysenck conceptualised introversion as what combination of Greek temperaments?

A

Phlegmatic and Melancholic temperaments

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24
Q

Eysenck conceptualised neuroticism as what combination of Greek temperaments?

A

Melancholic and Choleric temperaments

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25
Q

Eysenck conceptualised emotional stability as what combination of Greek temperaments?

A

Sanguine and Phlegmatic

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26
Q

What was Sheldon’s personality theory called and what did it suggest?

A

Somatotype theory - suggested that psychological dispositions and patterns of behaviour are associated with physical features.

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27
Q

What are the 3 personality types proposed by Sheldon’s personality theory?

A

Endomorphic, mesomorphic and ectomorphic.

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28
Q

According to Sheldon’s somatotype theory, what traits do endomorphic people have?

A

Sociable
Peaceful
Tolerant
Generally overweight

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29
Q

According to Sheldon’s somatotype theory, what traits do mesomorphic people have?

A

Assertive
Proactive
Vigorous
Muscular

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30
Q

According to Sheldon’s somatotype theory, what traits do ectomorphic people have?

A

Insecure
Sensitive
Quiet
Weak muscles

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31
Q

What did Carl Jung’s theory explain?

A

To explain the personal process of individuation by which the historical events of upbringing interact with universal psychological determinants.

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32
Q

What does the MBTI stand for?

A

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

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33
Q

What is the MBTI?

A

A questionnaire that assesses introversion-extraversion, intuition sensing, thinking-feeling and judgement-perception as the four major functions of temperament.

34
Q

What are the characteristics of people with Type A personalities?

A

Proactive
Driven
Achievement-oriented
Very impatient

35
Q

What are the characteristics of people with Type B personalities?

A

Relaxed
Calm
Easygoing

36
Q

What do Block’s (1971) personality types assess?

A

The extent that individuals are well-adjusted (flexible and adaptable in interpersonal interactions).

37
Q

What are the further categories within maladaptive personality types, according to Block (1971)?

A

Over-controlling and under-controlling.

Over-controlling - uptight and difficult to deal with

Under-controlling - impulsive, risk-taking and aggressive and pay little attention to social norms.

38
Q

What did Raymond Cattell (1957) argue about the motivation or cause of behaviour?

A

Biological instincts such as hunger, sex drive and aggression should be considered as part of an individual’s personality, because they motivate/cause behaviour.

39
Q

What did Helson and Moane (1987) find about the change in personality of women?

A

Women tend to get more confident, dominant and independent in late adulthood.

40
Q

What is Eysenck’s Gigantic Three?

A

His theory suggesting that there are three main personality traits that all individuals can be classified on.

41
Q

What are the three personality traits in the Gigantic Three?

A

Extroversion, neuroticism and psychoticism.

42
Q

What does MMQ stand for?

A

Maudsley Medical Questionnaire

43
Q

What does EPI stand for?

A

Eysenck’s Personality Inventory

44
Q

What does EPQ-R stand for?

A

Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire

45
Q

What does EPP stand for?

A

Eysenck Personality Profiler

46
Q

What does it mean if dimensions on a theory are orthogonal?

A

Means they are independent of each other.

47
Q

What is neuroticism?

A

An individual’s level of emotionality and tendency to worry, be moody, touchy and anxious.

48
Q

What characteristics would you have if you were highly extroverted?

A

Energetic, sociable, lively, active, assertive, confident and dominant.

49
Q

What characteristics would you have if you were highly psychotic?

A

Unempathetic, creative, sensation-seeking, aggressive and cold.

50
Q

What is characteristic of sociopaths?

A

They show little/no respect for social norms.

51
Q

How are personality traits distributed in the population?

A

Normally distributed

52
Q

Eysenck (1967), Eysenck and Eysenck (1985) suggested what accounts for psychological and physiological differences between individuals?

A

Reticulo-cortical and reticulo-limbic systems.

53
Q

Where is the reticulo-cortical system located?

A

Brain-stem reticular formation

54
Q

Where is the reticulo-limbic system located?

A

Visceral area

55
Q

What is the function of the reticulo-cortical system?

A

Controlling the cortical arousal produced by each incoming stimulus.

56
Q

What is the function reticulo-limbic system?

A

Regulates responses to emotional stimuli.

57
Q

What is the reticulo-limbic system composed of?

A

Amygdala, hippocampus, septum, cingular and hypothalamus.

58
Q

How did Eysenck explain individual differences in Neuroticism?

A

Arousability of the limbic system, which generates activity which is perceived as arousal.

59
Q

What did Eysenck suggest might be the biological cause of individual differences in psychoticism?

A

Dopamine - necessary for the experience and regulation of emotionality.

60
Q

What is Gray’s Personality Theory also known as?

A

BAS - Behavioural activation system

BIS - Behavioural Inhibition system

61
Q

How did Eysenck and Gray’s theories differ?

A

Gray investigated more fine-grain descriptions of neuropsychological processes underlying individual differences in personality.

62
Q

What does BAS stand for?

A

Behavioural activation system

63
Q

What does BIS stand for?

A

Behavioural inhibition system

64
Q

What does the BAS do?

A

Motivates behaviour towards a reward by making the individual aware of the reward and triggering behaviour.

65
Q

What does the BIS do?

A

Encourages an individual to stop a particular behaviour by increasing their awareness of potential negative outcomes.

66
Q

What was Cattell’s theory on personality?

A

16 personality factors and the lexical hypothesis.

67
Q

What was Cattell’s lexical hypothesis?

A

Every aspect of personality can be described using existing words.

68
Q

What did Cattell argue about intelligence?

A

It should be conceptualised as part of personality and assessed using self report measures

69
Q

Describe how the Cattell’s personality factors were further analysed/reduced.

A

16 factors were reduced dwon to 3 - QI, QII and QVIII. These 3 overlapped with/were similar to Extraversion, Neuroticism and Psychoticism respectively.

70
Q

What is the 5 Factor Model of personality?

A

A trait theory of personality positing that there are 5 major and universal factors of personality:

  • Extraversion
  • Neuroticism
  • Openness to experience
  • Agreeableness
  • Conscientiousness
71
Q

What is the Big 5 based on?

A
  • The lexical hypothesis.

- Statistical research.

72
Q

The Big 5 offers which type of classification of individual differences?

A

Descriptive, rather than causal

73
Q

What are the two abbreviations of the Big 5?

A

NEOAC and OCEAN

74
Q

What are the primary facets of neuroticism in accordance with the Big 5?

A
Anxiety
Angry Hostility
Depression
Self-consciousness
Impulsiveness
Vulnerability
75
Q

What are the primary facets of extraversion in accordance with the Big 5?

A

Warmth, gregariousness, assertiveness, activity, excitement-seeking and positive emotions.

76
Q

What are the primary facets of openness to experience in accordance with the Big 5?

A

Fantasy, aesthetics, feelings, actions, unconventional ideas and values.

77
Q

What is openness to experience (as part of the Big 5) also referred to as?

A

Creativity, Intellect and culture.

78
Q

What is agreeableness (as part of the Big 5) also known as?

A

Sociability

79
Q

What are the primary facets of Agreeableness in accordance with the Big 5?

A

Trust, straightforwardness, compliance, altruism, modesty and tender-mindedness.

80
Q

Individuals high in agreeableness have a tendency to what?

A

Prosocial behaviour.

81
Q

What are the primary facets of conscientiousness in accordance with the Big 5?

A

Competence, order, dutifulness, achievement-striving, self-discipline and deliberation

82
Q

Why was Cattell’s approach to personality abandoned?

A

The traits that he proposed were not reliably replicated, etc on the basis of psychometrics.