Question 1

Question 1

What are the philosophical roots of The Trait Perspective

Answer 1

Contributions of early Greek philosophers
- Hippocrates - proposed a relationship between personality and humours (body fluids)

Question 2

What is the contemporary research for The Trait Perspective

Answer 2

Sheldon (circa 1940) developed a theory that there are three basic body types, or somatotypes (based on the three tissue layers: endoderm, mesoderm, and ectoderm)

Question 3

What are the themes of the Trait Approach

Answer 3

“Every man is in certain respects (a) like all other men, (b) like some other men, (c) like no other man” (kluckholn & Murray 1961)

Question 4

What is typologies/How are they measured?

Answer 4

Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
- Based on ideas of Carl Jung
- Popular with companies wanting to assess employees
- Groups people into one of 16 types, based on 4 categories

Question 5

What are the main techniques to the Trait Approach

Answer 5

Theoretical
Empirical

Question 6

What are the main ideas of the Theoretical Approach to the Trait Approach?

Answer 6

Introversion - Extraversion
Emotionality - Stability
^ both on a scale from one end to the other including personality traits

Question 7

Extraverted + Unstable = ?

Answer 7

Choleric

Question 8

Unstable + Introverted = ?

Answer 8

Melancholic

Question 9

Introverted + Stable = ?

Answer 9

Phlegmatic

Question 10

Extraverted + Stable = ?

Answer 10

Sanguine

Question 11

Depressed = ?

Answer 11

Melancholic

Question 12

Cheerful / Optimistic

Answer 12

Sanguine

Question 13

Unemtional / Apathetic

Answer 13

Phlegmatic

Question 14

Irritable / Short tempered

Answer 14

Choleric

Question 15

What is factor analysis?

Answer 15

Statistical technique for decomposing large numbers of intercorrelations into basic underlying dimensions

Question 16

What is a limitation of factor analysis?

Answer 16

GIGO - Garbage In Garbage Out

Question 17

What are the steps in a Factor Analysis

Answer 17

• Collect measurements on many variables - subjective (e.g., self reports, observations)
• Collect data from many people
• Compute correlations between all pairs of variables
• Extract factors
• Label factors based on factor loadings - subjective

Question 18

What is the Empirical Approach to the Trait Perspective?

Answer 18

• Emerged from increasing sophistication of statistical methods, and corresponding growth in skepticism regarding intuition and reasoning
• 18,000 words in english language to describe personality
• Meanings Overlap

Question 19

What are the problems with the Empirical Approach?

Answer 19

• Failed to replicate
• Some factors correlated

Question 20

What are the consensus of the Empirical Approach?

Answer 20

• Advancements in computing power - allowed for more objective analyses
• Funding - access to larger
• Growing body of evidence suggests there are five basic superordinate traits

Question 21

Who demonstrated the empirical approach?

Answer 21

Raymond Cattell

Question 22

What did Raymond Cattel do?

Answer 22

Demonstrate the empirical approach by using statistical analysis to derive key personality traits
Lexical Hypothesis - Language has evolved to describe the basic qualities of human nature

Question 23

What is the big 5 based on?

Answer 23

Lexical Hypothesis

Question 24

What is the lexical hypothesis

Answer 24

Language has evolved to describe the basic qualities of human nature

Question 25

What is the big 5?

Answer 25

Opennes
Conscientousness
Extraversion
Agreeableness
Neuroticism

Question 26

Who created the big 5?

Answer 26

Costa & McCrae (1978,1985)

Question 27

What is the reflected life domain of extraversion?

Answer 27

Power

Question 28

What are the implications of extraversion?

Answer 28

• More popular (Jensen-Campbell et al, 2002)
• More happy, long lived, healthy, and grateful (Veronica Benet Martinez)
• More success in relationships

Question 29

What is the relevant life domain of agreeableness?

Answer 29

Social interaction and love

Question 30

What are the implications of Agreeableness?

Answer 30

• People agree on who is agreeable (Graziano & Eisenberg, 1997)
• Makes children less vulnerable to bullying (Jensen-Campbell et al., 2002)
• More involved in religious activies, good sense of humour, more peer acceptance and dating satifaction (Ozer & Benet-Martinez, 2006)

Question 31

What is the relevant life domain of conscientiousness?

Answer 31

Work

Question 32

What are the implications of conscientiousness?

Answer 32

• Less likely to experience to conflict (Ge & Conger, 1999), engage in substance abuse (Walton & Roberts, 2004). criminal acts (Wiebe, 2004)
• Most consistent predictor of job performance (Schmidt & Hunter, 1998)
• Described as competent , organised, dutiful, achievement striving, and self disciplined (Costa & McCrae, 1992)

Question 33

What is the relevant life domain of Neuroticism?

Answer 33

Affect

Question 34

What are the implications for Neuroticism

Answer 34

• Stronger negative reactions to stressful events (Bolger & Zuckerman, 1995), sensitive to social threat (Denissen & Penke, 2008)
• Less happy, more anxious and physically sick (McRae & Costa, 1991)
• Cope poorly with stress, more problems in family relationships, dissatisfied with job, and more criminal behaviour (Ozer & Benet-Martinex, 2006)

Question 35

What is the relevant life domain of Openness to experience

Answer 35

Intellect

Question 36

What are the implications of Openness to experience?

Answer 36

• More likely to believe in UFOs and extra-terrestrial life (Epstein & Meier, 1989)
• Also more substance abuse and more likely to feel “inspired”
• More likely to be politically liberal, play a musical instrument, and use drugs (Ozer & Benet Martinez, 2006)