Personality Psychology Flashcards
Personality
enduring, relatively broad psychological differences between people, excluding cognitive abilities
Personality traits
a trait is consistent pattern of behavior, thinking or feeling
The Big Five personality traits
Openness to experience
Conscientiousness
Extraversion
Agreeableness
Neuroticism
Extraversion
High: sociable, energetic, enthusiastic, assertive
Low: shy, reserved, quiet
e.g- I laugh easily
preference for simulant drugs, quicker reaction times, positive emotionality
Agreeableness
High: warm, modest, kind, helpful
Low: cold, unfriendly
e.g- I am a considerate person
trusting, cooperation in experimental games, altruistic behavior
Conscientiousness
High: efficient, organized, thorough, self-controlled
Low: careless, irresponsible
e.g- I almost always complete projects
longevity, work performance, low rates of substance abuse
Neuroticism
High: tense, irritable, moody, nervous
Low: stable, calm, contended
e.g- I often feel inferior
low self-esteem, vulnerability to depression, negative emotionality
Openness to experience
High: imaginative, intelligent, original, sophisticated
Low: simple, shallow, conventional, narrow
e.g-I have an active imagination
artistic interests, more educational, less prejudice
controversies in trait psychology
- are individual differences consistent
- is the structure of traits universal
- traits or types
- are traits sufficient for describing personality
Genetics of personality
researched through family studies, twin studies and adoption studies
Brain functioning (Eysenck’s theory)
extraversion and low cortical arousal
neuroticism and limbic system reactivity
Brain functioning (Gray’s Theory)
impulsivity and behavioral activation system: sensitivity to reward and pleasure/ tendency to approach rewards
anxiety and behavioral inhibition system: sensitivity to punishment and pain/ associated with a tendency to avoid punishments
Hormonal factors
Among men, lower 2D:4D ratio correlates with:
* Physical aggression
* More stereotypically ‘masculine’ career interests (realistic &
enterprising)
* Less stereotypically feminine gender role
In women, lower 2D:4D ratio correlates with:
* More indirect aggression (spreading rumours, malicious humour,
excluding people)
* More stereotypically ‘masculine’ interests (enterprising, less social)
Cognitive theories of personality
Perceiving (personal constructs)
◦ Explaining (attributional style)
◦ Thinking (emotional intelligence)
◦ Representing (the self)
Personal constructs
proposes that humans are primarily driven to understand, predict and control their environment