Trait Approaches Flashcards
What did Albert Ellis (rational emotive therapy) establish?
A focused form of social cognitive theory where specific beliefs are hypothesised to drive mood/behaviour
What are these thoughts an example of:
“I have to be viewed favourably by people that matter to me”
“I must not be dismissed by my peers”
Albert Ellis (rational emotive therapy)
Demandingness
What are these thoughts an example of:
“Its awful if others do not approve of me”
“Its terrible if my team doesn’t respect me”
Albert Ellis (rational emotive therapy)
Awfulising
What are these thoughts an example of:
“I can’t tolerate failing”
“I can’t bear not getting better at what I do”
Albert Ellis (rational emotive therapy)
Low-frustration tolerance
What are these thoughts an example of:
”If others think I am no good at what I do, I am worthless”
“I am a loser if I do not succeed at things that matter to me”
Albert Ellis (rational emotive therapy)
Depreciation
What are trait theories?
- Person-centred versus situationism
- They tend not to do well at accounting for development
- A focus on the present
- Far less dynamic quality
- Not concerned with “why” or “how” personality changes..
- Primarily concerned with description, organisation and prediction
What did Raymond Cattell 1905-1998 determine personality is?
Personality is that which permits a prediction of what a person will do in a given situation
What is factor analysis?
Raymond Cattell 1905-1998
- A data grouping and data reduction technique
- Based on the logic of the correlation coefficient
- Measure all surface traits
- Develop a correlation matrix (summarises correlations between each measure and all other measures)
What is a factor in factor analysis?
a cluster of related behaviour measures
What is factor loading in factor analysis?
extent to which each measure is related to each factor
What is the ideal factor analysis result?
Ideally factors should be minimally correlated
E.g may have constructs of anxiety, depression, stress etc
What is the equation used to predict what people do?
B = w1T1 + w2T2 + w3T3 + . . .
B= behaviour T = traits w = weighting
What does 16FP by Cattell measure?
16 source traits (fundamental underlying traits)
What is Cattell’s view of human nature?
- Mostly determinist (relies on stable laws.. Spontaneity low)
- Nature = nurture (talks about innate and learned traits)
- Neither optimistic nor pessimistic
What is an Exploratory factor analysis EFA?
- Items correlated with multiple latent constructs
- An unrestricted FA
- All latent constructs are correlated with all items
- Focus is on establishing an underlying factor structure
- Used for scale development, on items that haven’t been tested much
What is a Confirmatory factor analysis CFA?
- Items limited to one particular latent construct
- Used to verify a factor structure
- Based on theoretical reasons and/or past empirical research
- Hypothesis a structure and test how the data fit with that structure
What were the dimensions of Hans Eysenck 1916-1997 model of personality inventory?
- Extraversion versus intraversion (E)
- Neuroticism versus emotional stability (N)
- Psychoticism versus impulse control (P)
What are the characteristics of Extraversion?
- Liveliness, dominance, excitement and sociability
- Oriented toward outside world
- Prefer company
- Highly sociable, impulsive, assertive, dominant and adventurous
What are the characteristics of Neuroticism?
- depression, moodiness and anxiety
- Anxious, depressed, tense, irrational, moody
- Largely inherited
- More activity in the sympathetic branch of the ANS (bodies alarm system)
- Hypersensitivity and emotionality
What are the characteristics of Psychoticism?
- Impulsive, manipulative and hostile
- Aggressive, antisocial, tough-minded, cold egocentric
- Can be cruel, hostile, insensitive
- Large genetic component
Costa & McCrae developed the NEO personality inventory which included and expanded upon Eysenck’s model, what are each of the dimensions and their associate traits?
Neuroticism: Anxiety, Hostility, Depression, Self-consciousness, Impulsiveness, Vulnerability
Extroversion: Warmth, Gregariousness, Assertiveness, Activity, Excitement-Seeking, Positive Emotions
Openness to Experience: Fantasy, Aesthetics, Feelings, Actions, Ideas, Values
Agreeableness: Trust, Straightforwardness, Altruism, Compliance, Modesty, Tender-mindedness
Conscientiousness: Awareness of actions and consequences: Competence, Order, Dutifulness, Achievement Striving, Self-Discipline, Deliberation
What results do you want with a Chi-Square test?
want small numbers, generally less than 3
What results do you want with a Fit of the model test?
don’t want a significant different >.05
What does a comparative fit index (CFI) measure?
the discrepancy between the data and hypothesised model, while adjusting for sample size
What is an acceptable comparative fit index (CFI)?
> .90
What does a standardised root mean square residual (SRMR) measure?
Fit of observed correlation matrix and the predicted correlation – positive biased when sample sizes are small
What is an acceptable standardised root mean square residual (SRMR)?
As small as possible, generally less than 0.09
What does a root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) measure?
A sophisticated fit index tests how far a hypothesised model is from a perfectly fitting model
What is an acceptable root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA)?
Smaller RMSEA, the better (ideally less than 0.08 for ‘good fit’)
What did the ‘Development and preliminary validation of a brief questionnaire of psychopathic personality traits’ (Etzler & Rohrmann, 2017) paper develop?
the Questionnaire of Psychopathic Personality Traits
What are the theoretically-driven constructs in the Etzler & Rohrmann, 2017 study?
Lack of empathy, fearlessness, narcissistic egocentrism, impulsivity, social manipulation, power, fearlessness
What was the CFA results of the Etzler & Rohrmann, 2017 study?
RMSEA < 0.06, SRMR < 0.08, CFI > 0.95
What is an assumption of Interactionism?
- Differences in personality and situations interact to cause behaviour
- suggests an “Analysis of Variance” view of behaviour
What are some limitations of trait theories?
- Danger of overinterpretation
- Usefulness is circumscribed (Widely used in personnel selection)
- Trait measures predict vulnerabilities but not great at when/where behaviour occurs (situation/trait controversy)
- Knowing the situation AND traits is better than only one…
