Module 8 1A

Question 1

Biological Approaches: Key Themes

Influence of human and animal biology on personality theories
Biological perspectives shape contemporary ideas, but face challenges

Answer 1

Key Points:

Genetics as a major influence on behavior
Evolution’s role in shaping personality
Complex gene-environment interactions
Behavioral similarities across species
Stability of personality traits (evolved characteristics)
Debates on genetic determinism in behavior

Question 2

Personality Traits and Temperament

Biological approaches focus on stable personality characteristics (“traits” or “temperament”)

Answer 2

Key Points:

Temperament: Stable individual differences in behavior, often related to emotional reactivity
Infants show differences in reactivity to environmental stimuli (e.g., some are calm, others are active)
Longitudinal studies show some stability in temperament over time
Temperamental differences may develop into distinct personality traits as children grow

Question 3

Hans Eysenck’s Biological View of Personality Traits

Eysenck’s model links personality traits to brain function

Question 4

Key Traits:

Introversion-Extraversion:
Extraverts: Lower cortical arousal, seek stimulation
Introverts: Higher cortical arousal, avoid overstimulating environments
Neuroticism (Emotionality) – Stability:
Neurotic people: More emotionally reactive due to a reactive limbic system
Psychoticism – Superego Function:
High scorers: Egocentric, impulsive, aggressive, anti-social
Limited research on biological correlates for this tr

Question 5

Biological Evidence:

Heritability of psychopathologies (e.g., schizophrenia)
Future research may link psychoticism to neurotransmitters (dopamine) and sex hormones (testosterone)

Question 6

Eysenck’s Criteria for Personality Factors

Psychometric evidence alone is not enough to understand personality structure

Question 7

Key Criteria:

Psychometric Evidence: Reliable and replicable factors, confirmed by multiple investigators

Heritability: Evidence of heritability that fits established genetic theory

Theoretical Consistency: Data should be logically consistent with theory through a deductive method

Social Relevance: Mathematically derived factors should relate to socially relevant variables (e.g., drug addiction, criminality, sports performance)

Question 8

Heritability: Degree to which genetic factors, rather than environmental factors, contribute to individual differences

Question 9

Types of Twins:

Monozygotic (Identical) Twins:
Develop from a single fertilized ovum
Same sex and identical genetic make-up
Dizygotic (Fraternal) Twins:
Develop from two separate sperm and ova
Share some genetic make-up, like regular siblings

Answer 9

Studying Adopted Twins:

If a trait is inherited, blood relatives (biological family) should show similarities
Adopted children resembling their biological family suggests genetic influences

Question 10

How Similar Are Twins?

Jim Lewis and Jim Springer: Identical twins separated at birth
In 1979, at age 39, they reunited and discovered striking similarities in their lives and behaviors
Both named “James”
Both married twice, each had a son named James Allan
Thomas Bouchard studied their personalities and attitudes, noting many similarities

Video on their story

Question 11

Critical Perspectives:

Is the view of genetics too simple?
Are MZ twins genetically identical?
Epigenome influenced by the environment.
Environmental Influence:

Are MZ twins treated more similarly than DZ twins?
Equal environments assumption may be flawed.
Do similar people have similar environments?

Answer 11

Regarding the Jim and Jim case, it oversimplifies genetics vs. environment.

Question 12

Eysenck’s Hierarchy of Behaviour Organization:

Cattell’s 35 factors = “traits”
Eysenck’s 3 super-factors = “types”
Higher-level concepts are built from factor analyses.

Question 13

Four-Level Hierarchy:

Specific acts/cognitions: Individual behaviors/thoughts, not always characteristic.
Habitual acts/cognitions: Recurring behaviors under similar circumstances.
Traits: Semi-permanent personality dispositions.
Types (super-factors): Combinations of related traits (e.g., P, E, N).

Question 14

Biological Basis for Personality:

Eysenck: Personality factors (P, E, N) have both antecedents and consequences.
Personality factors are part of a 5-step progression from DNA to social behavior.

Answer 14

Personality progression:
Distal antecedent
Proximal antecedent
PEN (P, E, N factors)
Proximal consequences
Distal consequences

Question 15

Personality and Behavior:

Extraverts seek novelty (Eysenck & Eysenck, 1985).
Extraverted children: better with active learning; introverts: better with passive learning (Eysenck, 1997).
Creative children high in psychoticism may resist criticism (Eysenck, 1995).

Question 16

Personality and Disease:

Type I (hopeless): linked to cancer; Type II (angry): linked to heart disease (Eysenck & Grossarth-Maticek, 1988-89).
Smoking with stress and personality factors increases risk of cancer and heart disease (Eysenck, 1996).

Question 17

Critiques of Eysenck:

IQ & Heritability: Eysenck believed IQ was mostly genetically determined, but recent research (e.g., Colman, 2016) challenges this view.
Personality & Disease: Pelosi (2019) criticized Eysenck’s research on personality and fatal diseases for scientific and ethical issues, linking it to tobacco litigation.