Trait Approaches

Question 1

What did Albert Ellis (rational emotive therapy) establish?

Answer 1

A focused form of social cognitive theory where specific beliefs are hypothesised to drive mood/behaviour

Question 2

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)

Answer 2

Demandingness

Question 3

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)

Answer 3

Awfulising

Question 4

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)

Answer 4

Low-frustration tolerance

Question 5

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)

Answer 5

Depreciation

Question 6

What are trait theories?

Answer 6

• 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

Question 7

What did Raymond Cattell 1905-1998 determine personality is?

Answer 7

Personality is that which permits a prediction of what a person will do in a given situation

Question 8

What is factor analysis?

Raymond Cattell 1905-1998

Answer 8

• 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)

Question 9

What is a factor in factor analysis?

Answer 9

a cluster of related behaviour measures

Question 10

What is factor loading in factor analysis?

Answer 10

extent to which each measure is related to each factor

Question 11

What is the ideal factor analysis result?

Answer 11

Ideally factors should be minimally correlated

E.g may have constructs of anxiety, depression, stress etc

Question 12

What is the equation used to predict what people do?

Answer 12

B = w1T1 + w2T2 + w3T3 + . . .

B= behaviour
T = traits
w = weighting

Question 13

What does 16FP by Cattell measure?

Answer 13

16 source traits (fundamental underlying traits)

Question 14

What is Cattell’s view of human nature?

Answer 14

• Mostly determinist (relies on stable laws.. Spontaneity low)
• Nature = nurture (talks about innate and learned traits)
• Neither optimistic nor pessimistic

Question 15

What is an Exploratory factor analysis EFA?

Answer 15

• 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

Question 16

What is a Confirmatory factor analysis CFA?

Answer 16

• 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

Question 17

What were the dimensions of Hans Eysenck 1916-1997 model of personality inventory?

Answer 17

• Extraversion versus intraversion (E)
• Neuroticism versus emotional stability (N)
• Psychoticism versus impulse control (P)

Question 18

What are the characteristics of Extraversion?

Answer 18

• Liveliness, dominance, excitement and sociability
• Oriented toward outside world
• Prefer company
• Highly sociable, impulsive, assertive, dominant and adventurous

Question 19

What are the characteristics of Neuroticism?

Answer 19

• 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

Question 20

What are the characteristics of Psychoticism?

Answer 20

• Impulsive, manipulative and hostile
• Aggressive, antisocial, tough-minded, cold egocentric
• Can be cruel, hostile, insensitive
• Large genetic component

Question 21

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?

Answer 21

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

Question 22

What results do you want with a Chi-Square test?

Answer 22

want small numbers, generally less than 3

Question 23

What results do you want with a Fit of the model test?

Answer 23

don’t want a significant different >.05

Question 24

What does a comparative fit index (CFI) measure?

Answer 24

the discrepancy between the data and hypothesised model, while adjusting for sample size

Question 25

What is an acceptable comparative fit index (CFI)?

Answer 25

> .90

Question 26

What does a standardised root mean square residual (SRMR) measure?

Answer 26

Fit of observed correlation matrix and the predicted correlation – positive biased when sample sizes are small

Question 27

What is an acceptable standardised root mean square residual (SRMR)?

Answer 27

As small as possible, generally less than 0.09

Question 28

What does a root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) measure?

Answer 28

A sophisticated fit index tests how far a hypothesised model is from a perfectly fitting model

Question 29

What is an acceptable root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA)?

Answer 29

Smaller RMSEA, the better (ideally less than 0.08 for ‘good fit’)

Question 30

What did the ‘Development and preliminary validation of a brief questionnaire of psychopathic personality traits’ (Etzler & Rohrmann, 2017) paper develop?

Answer 30

the Questionnaire of Psychopathic Personality Traits

Question 31

What are the theoretically-driven constructs in the Etzler & Rohrmann, 2017 study?

Answer 31

Lack of empathy, fearlessness, narcissistic egocentrism, impulsivity, social manipulation, power, fearlessness

Question 32

What was the CFA results of the Etzler & Rohrmann, 2017 study?

Answer 32

RMSEA < 0.06, SRMR < 0.08, CFI > 0.95

Question 33

What is an assumption of Interactionism?

Answer 33

• Differences in personality and situations interact to cause behaviour
• suggests an “Analysis of Variance” view of behaviour

Question 34

What are some limitations of trait theories?

Answer 34

• 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…