Personality 2 Flashcards
What is a trait?
A personality characteristic that is consistent, stable, and that varies from person to person.
What does the acronym OCEAN stand for in the Big Five Traits?
Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism.
Is it ideal to be very high or low in the Big Five traits?
No, it is not good to be very high or low in any of these traits.
Are the Big Five traits genetically influenced?
Yes — all have a strong genetic component. Openness is the most heritable, agreeableness the least.
Which Big Five trait is the most heritable?
Openness.
Which Big Five trait is the least heritable?
Agreeableness.
What does Openness measure?
Creativity and openness to new experiences.
High: Embraces novelty and creativity.
Low: Prefers tradition and routine.
What does Conscientiousness measure?
Thoughtfulness, diligence, and organization.
High: Goal-oriented, organized, self-controlled.
Low: Spontaneous, unstructured, lives in the moment.
What does Extraversion measure?
Sociability and excitement-seeking.
High: Outgoing, talkative, energized by people.
Low: Reserved, prefers solitude.
What does Agreeableness measure?
Compassion and cooperation.
High: Kind, trusting, polite, helpful.
Low: Competitive, secretive, suspicious.
What does Neuroticism measure?
Emotional stability and resilience.
High: Anxious, insecure, self-conscious.
Low: Calm, confident, emotionally stable.
What does the biological approach consider when explaining personality?
Neuroanatomy, genetics, and evolutionary theory.
What is the amygdala involved in?
Feelings of anxiety and fear, and pessimism.
What is associated with more left frontal lobe activity?
Emotional stability and optimism.
What is associated with more right frontal lobe activity?
Higher neuroticism and emotional instability.
Which traits are associated with plasticity (cognitive flexibility)?
Extraversion and Openness.
Which neurotransmitter increases extraversion and openness?
Dopamine.
Which traits are related to stability?
Conscientiousness, agreeableness, and neuroticism.
What neurotransmitter is linked to stability?
Serotonin — higher levels = more conscientiousness and agreeableness, and less neuroticism
What is heritability of personality?
The degree to which genetic differences correlate with variation in traits.
Do personality traits have adaptive significance?
yes
What is the inkblot test?
Participants describe what they see in ambiguous blotches of ink, revealing conscious or unconscious thoughts.
What are the limitations of the inkblot test?
Low reliability and validity; expensive and hard to administer.
What is a self-report personality test?
involves answering questions about yourself;
