Psychological Explanations - eysencks personality trait

Question 1

4 psychological explanations

Answer 1

Eysenck personality theory
Cognitive theory
Differential association
Psychodynamic

Question 2

Eysenck developed…

Answer 2

A theory of personality based on the idea that character traits tend to cluster along 3 dimensions

Question 3

What are the 3 cluster dimensions

Answer 3

Extraversion/ introversion
Psychoticism/ stability
Neuroticism/ stability

Question 4

Extrovert def

Answer 4

Sociable and outgoing

Question 5

Introvert features

Answer 5

Thoughtful, peaceful and passive

Question 6

Why was psychoticism and stability added later

Answer 6

Added dimensions following work with schizophrenia

Question 7

Psychoticism features

Answer 7

Aggressive and impulsive

Question 8

Neuroticism features

Answer 8

Restless, aggressive and moody

Question 9

Stability feature

Answer 9

Calm, even-tempered

Question 10

Extraversion, neruroticism and psychoticism all have a biological basis which are…

Answer 10

Innate

Question 11

Extraversion is biological bc

Answer 11

Determined by arousal in nervous system

Question 12

Neuroticism is biological bc

Answer 12

Determined by level of stability in the sympathetic nervous system, how much a person responds in a fight or flight response

Question 13

Psychoticism biological because

Answer 13

Related to higher levels of testosterone

Question 14

How do extroverts link to criminal behaviour

Answer 14

Seek more arousal so are more likely to engage in dangerous activities

Question 15

Neurotics link to criminal behaviour

Answer 15

Are unstable and therefore prone to over react in some situations

Question 16

Psychoticism link to criminal behaviour

Answer 16

Individuals are aggressive and lack empathy, easily linked to crime

Question 17

3 evaluation points of Eysencks personality theory

Answer 17

Weakness - opposing research
Weakness - supportive research isn’t generalisable
Strength - takes into account nature and nurture

Question 18

Elaboration of weakness - opposing research

Answer 18

• opposing research by Barton and Holanchock who found all groups were less extroverted than a non-criminal group
• eysencks theory suggests criminals should have higher not lower extraversion
• reliability questioned lacking consistency across criminal populations

Question 19

Elaboration weakness - supportive research

Answer 19

• supportive research doesn’t look at criminals who aren’t caught
• researchers can only compare convicted criminals to Bernal population
• decreases validity making theory less generalisable to non-institutionalised criminals

Question 20

Elaboration strength - takes into account nature/ nurture

Answer 20

• biological predispositions and personality traits combined with conditioning creates our personality
• this approach more valid than biological or environmental theory alone