psych explanation: Eysenck's theory

Question 1

AO1: Personality theory:

Answer 1

• used the EPQ to measure this. Suggests our biological in origin
• extraverts: seeks excitement, stimulation, risk taking. Don’t learn from their mistakes as hard to condition them. Have an under active nervous system

-neurotics: respond quick in fight or flight situations, nervous, jumpy over anxious. High levels of reactivity in sympathetic nervous system

-psychotic: unemotional & aggressive, higher levels of testosterone

Question 2

AO1: the role of socialisation

Answer 2

personality is linked to offending behaviour via socialisation processes. He saw offending behaviour as developmentally immature. Believed people with high E and N had nervous systems that made them difficult to condition. Resulting in being less likely to learn anxiety responses to antisocial impulses, consequently more likely to act antisocial

Question 3

AO3: strength- research support for EPQ

however, all male sample

Answer 3

P: research support
E: researchers compared male prisoners scores on the EPQ with male controls (non prisoners) scores.
E: prisoners scored higher than control
L: agrees with predictions of the theory when it comes to eysencks theory
HOWEVER, was done on all male sample so can’t generalise to target population. Low pop validity

Question 4

AO3: strength- research support for biological basis from twin studies

Answer 4

P: research support for biological basis from twin studies
E/E: found a +52 correlation for identical twins on neuroticism, and +24 for non-identical twins. For extraversion, results were +51 and +12
L: supports biological basis when it comes to Eysenck’s theory
HOWEVER, the theory claimed there was a higher genetic component than 40% (+50 correlation means there is a 40% variance that is due to genes). This figure may be also slightly inflated as MZ twins tend to be treated more similarly. Shows Eysenck’s theory may be wrong

Question 5

AO3: limitation- methodological issues as self report

Answer 5

P: methodology issues as the EPQ was self report
E/E: there may be social desirability bias leading to low validity and unreliable data.
L: therefore evidence into eysencks theory should be treated with caution

Question 6

AO3: limitation- culturally bias

Answer 6

P: theory is culturally bias
E: another researcher studied Hispanic and African-American offenders.
E: found that they were less extravert that the non-offender control group
L: suggests Eysenck’s theory can’t be generalised to all of the target population