Personality Flashcards
Eysenk’s 3 factor model.
Differed from Cattell as different forms of factor analysis used.
Measured via EPQ-R questionnaire.
Neuroticism, extroversion and psychotism seen as dimensions with everyone lying somewhere along the spectrum.
E&N overlap with OCEAN.
Can be seen as “Even bigger 3”- O can be seen as a cog construct and A and C are parts of the higher-order factor of P (Eysenk).
OCEAN / Big five
Costa and McCrae (1992)
Built on Eysenk.
Strengthened with considerable empirical research.
Measured with NEO personality inventory.
N and E Overlap with Eysenk.
Most widely used today.
Issues with personality scales
Although there is overlap, esp with E & N, they different scales will measure different things.
Ability to detect certain genes responsible for personality may depend on which scale is chose. Can often be arbitrary and down to personal experience and preference of researcher.
E.g. One study found no correlation between a particular gene and neuroticism on Eysenks scale but a sig Corrleation when using NEO (Munafo, 2009).
Self-reports can be unreliable. Pps over-exaggerate more socially acceptable aspects of their personality while down-playing less desirable ones.
Some disagreement as to whether traits are stable over time. Suggests something other than bio reasons for personality. In my opinion there is a gene by env interaction which could account for changes over time.
Variability in personality types
Family, twin and adoption studies suggest a large proportion of variation is genetic.
Studies cannot show us which genes are responsible, just how heritable each trait is.
Normative processes
Personality theories should account for normative processes (those we all go though and are adaptive) as well as extreme psychopathologies.
Genetic influence
Almost all of major P dimensions have a substantial heritability (between 30-70%).
Genetic influences are moderated by environment.
E.g. Caspi et al (2002) - the influence of the MAO-A enzyme explains why not all children that are maltreated go on to maltreat others. The children that were both maltreated and had the MAO-A enzyme were more likely to be anti-social adults.
Previous research to identify particular genes has been inconclusive. Likely that there are a large number of genes acting together (Munafo and Flint, 2013). H
Biological explanations of personality
E.g. Eysenk, Grey.
Tend to ask “how” rather than why.
Evolutionary personality psychology
Tend to ask “why” rather than “how”
Concerned with origin rather than content of human behaviour.
P Could be either:
An adaptation
Accidental bi-product of adaptation
Noise in the system
Combination (Tooby & Cosmides, 1990).
Likely that they developed to allow diff individuals to inhabit diff niches in the environment => increased survival (of the ind and presumably the group).
Personality Disorders
Many can be organised in terms of the FFS / P.
Mental Health
N risk factor for depression and anxiety.
Low E + N => increased risk of depression (Costa & McCrae, 1993).
Unclear whether P traits are causal sources, co-occuring or result of psychopathologies.
Environmental influences on personality x 3
1) Family
2) Culture
3) Prenatal
Grey (1981)
Bio theory. Relates to Eynsek’s 3 F model.
BAS (Behavioural activation system) = Approach traits - E, impulsivity, novelty seeking, positive affect. THE ENGINE OF BEHAVIOUR.
BIS (Behavioural Inhibtion system) = Avoidance traits - N, anxiety. THE BRAKES OF BEHAVIOUR.
FFS (Flight / fight system) = P, aggression, hostility.
Applications: could help to explain and understand anxiety and impulsivity.
Criticism: Little evidence for proposed mechanisms (Amelang & Ullwer, 1991). Animal studies to explore diff brain areas influence onleawrning may not extrapolate to humans. B
Temperament based approaches
Study of diff temps in children.
Diffs attributed to constitutional based IDs in reactivity & self-regulation. These can be influenced by heredity, maturity and experience (Rothbart & Ahadi, 1994).
Reactivity and regulatory processes similar to approach/ avoidance in adults.
Tend to be consistent over time: hpyeractive / ADHD children => impulsive behaviour, alcoholism, violence as adults (Klinteberg et al, 1994).
Definition of trait
NOT behaviour.
Suggest likelihood of behaviour in response to a particular situation (Revelle, 1995).
Traits are bi-polar / dimensions / spectrums.
Summary
A Person is not just a collection of traits, they are interact with their env dynamically and have unique memories and perceptive experience => a unique cog, affective and behavioural signature (Revelle, 1995). D
