mod 2 taxonomies Flashcards
main taxonomies?
Cattell’s Taxonomy: The 16 Personality Factor System
Eysenck’s Hierarchical Model of Personality
Circumplex Taxonomies of Personality
Five-Factor Model
HEXACO
How did Cattell select the traits included in his model of personality?
Cattell suggested that there were 16 traits and used a factor analysis to do so.
Cattell found all of the descriptive adjectives available in the dictionary (around 18,000). He then used a factor analysis to identify the basic units of personality.
Try to generate some advantages and disadvantages of Cattell’s taxonomy
pros: Cattell can be credited for developing a strong empirical strategy for identifying the basic
dimensions of personality, as well as for stimulating and shaping the entire trait approach to
personality.
Cons: some personality researchers have failed to replicate the 16 separate factors, and many argue
that a smaller number of factors capture the most important ways in which individuals differ.
describe eysencks model
Eysenck developed a hierarchical model of personality, which has direct proposed connections to biology. it included 3 traits
What traits are included in Eysenck’s model of personality?
Define each of the traits included in Eysenck’s model of personality (hint: PEN)
: Extraversion (i.e., how outgoing/energetic versus shy/withdrawn you are), Neuroticism (i.e., how emotionally unstable versus emotionally stable you are), and Psychoticism (e.g., how aggressive/rule-breaking versus submissive/docile you are).
What characteristics would you likely see in someone who is high, and someone who is low, in each trait in Eysenck’s model?
he typical high scorer on neuroticism (N) tends to be a worrier.
§ The low-N scorer, on the other hand, is emotionally stable, even-tempered, calm, slower to react to stressful events
○ The high-P scorer is typically a solitary individual, often described by others as a “loner.” Because they lack
empathy, high-P scorers may be cruel or inhumane.
§ 2001). Those who are low in P tend to be more deeply religious,
- How did Eysenck select the traits included in his model of personality?
○ Eysenck developed a model of personality based on traits that he believed were highly heritable and had a likely psychophysiological foundation.
What are the hierarchical levels in Eysenck’s model of personality?
the levels in Eysenck’s hierarchical model, with each super-trait at the top and narrower
traits at the second level. Subsumed by each narrow trait, however, is a third level—that of habitual acts. For
example, one habitual act subsumed by “sociable” might be talking on the phone; another might be taking
frequent breaks to socialize with other students. Narrow traits subsume a variety of habitual acts.
At the very lowest level in the hierarchy are specific acts (e.g., I talked with my friend during class and I took a
coffee break to chat at 10:30 a.m.). If enough specific acts are repeated frequently, they become habitual acts at the third level.
What were the proposed biological underpinnings of each trait selected for Eysenck’s model of personality? Provide an example of the hierarchical level for each of the traits in Eysenck’s model of personality.
its understanding: heritability and identifiable physiological substrate. For Eysenck a key criterion for
a “basic” dimension of personality is that it has reasonably high heritability
The second biological criterion is that basic personality traits should have an identifiable
physiological substrate—that is, that one can identify properties in the brain and central nervous
system that are presumed to be part of the causal chain that produces personality traits. The behavioural genetic evidence confirms
that all three super-traits in Eysenck’s taxonomy—P, E, and N—do have moderate heritabilities, although this
is also true of many personality traits
The second biological criterion is that basic personality traits should have an identifiable physiological
substrate—that is, that one can identify properties in the brain and central nervous system that are pre- sumed to be part of the causal chain that produces personality traits. In Eysenck’s formulation, extraver- sion is supposed to be linked with central nervous system arousal or reactivity. Eysenck predicted that introverts would be more easily aroused (and more autonomically reactive) than extraverts (see Chapter 7). In contrast, he proposed that neuroticism was linked with the degree of lability (changeability) of the autonomic nervous system, which explains the higher stress reactivity seen in high-N individuals. Finally, high-P scorers were predicted to be high in testosterone levels and low in levels of MAO, a neurotransmit- ter inhibitor.
What are some advantages and disadvantages of Eysenck’s taxonomy?
Pros: It is hierarchical, starting with broad traits, which subsume narrower traits, which in turn
subsume specific actions. The broad traits within the system have been shown to be moderately eritable. And Eysenck has attempted to link these traits with physiological functioning—adding an
important level of analysis not included in most personality taxonomies.
Cons: One is that many other personality traits also show moderate heritability, not just
extraversion, neuroticism, and psychoticism. A second limitation is that Eysenck may have missed
some important traits in his taxonomy—a point argued by other personality psychologists
describe the circumplex taxonomies of personality
The interpersonal circumplex (or circle) organizes all interpersonal traits (traits that require social interaction) across two dimensions: dominance (control, power, agency) and warmth (affiliation, friendliness, communion).
What traits are included in circumplex taxonomies of personality?
interpersonal traits - status, love, agency, communion
dominance, warmth
ex high in dom + warmth - gregarious
How were the traits selected in the Circumplex Taxonomy of personality
Explain what being low and high on each trait in the circumplex means.
explain the concepts of bipolarity, orthogonality, and adjacency.
the variables
that are adjacent, or next, to each other within the model are positively correlated.
○ bipolarity. Traits that are bipolar are located at opposite sides of the circle
and are negatively correlated with each other.
○ orthogonality, which specifies that traits that are perpendicular to each
other on the model (at 90° of separation, or at right angles to each other) are entirely unrelated to each other.
In other words, there is a zero correlation between such traits.
