W11.b

Question 1

Personality influence Relationships - marriage

Answer 1

Personality traits predict various relationship outcomes:

A and C –> higher marital satisfaction
Both actor and partner effects (what is good for one seems to be good for the another)

A and C –> lower rates of infidelity

N –> decreased marital stability
Both actor and partner effects

Question 2

Personality influence Relationships - divorce

Answer 2

Meta-analysis:
N, lower C & A predicts divorce up to 45 years later…

Explained in terms of indirect effects, via relationship dynamics
Two potential pathways
- Enduring Dynamics: personality consistently impacts on relationship dynamics in ways that may ultimately lead to its dissolution
- Emergent Distress : personality trait influence how they response to factors that cause changes in dynamic. E.g.,
Low A & C via negative communication patterns
High N via negative emotion

Question 3

Personality influence Relationship - assortive mating

Answer 3

Correlations between partners’ personality traits generally positive
rs up to .35 for Big Five domains
Generally highest for openness/intellect

Question 4

Personality influence Criminal and antisocial behaviour

Answer 4

Low C and Low A - Antisocial, aggression, crime

However, C positively predicted ‘white collar’ criminal behaviour in a German sample

Question 5

Explanations for personality influence Criminal and antisocial behaviour
(Direct and Indirect effect)

Answer 5

Direct effects
e.g., aggressive behaviour is simply a state expression of low A

Indirect effects

• Agreeableness via moral disengagement: beliefs that fighting can be justified, and teasing is not harmful
• Conscientiousness via poor impulse control

Question 6

Liberal/Progressive ideology

Conservative/Traditional ideology

Answer 6

Liberal/Progressive ideology:
Emphasis on equality; protection of human rights

Conservative/Traditional ideology:
Emphasis on personal responsibility; protection of individual freedoms; order and tradition

Question 7

Multiple dimensional approaches Conservatism:
Right Wing Authoritarianism (RWA)
Social Conservatism
Economic Conservatism

Answer 7

Right Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) - endorsement of
Respect for traditions and social norms (traditionalism)

Deference to authorities and institutions - Belief in the need for coercive social control (authoritarianism)
AKA ‘Social Conservatism’

Social Dominance Orientation (SDO) - endorsement of hierarchies and social/group inequality
AKA ‘Economic Conservatism’

Question 8

Agreeableness on political

Answer 8

Value Social harmony/cooperation
Egalitarian

Less SDO

Question 9

Conscientiousness on political

Answer 9

More Self-regulation

Value Order/structure

Somewhat socially conservative (RWA)

Question 10

Openness/Intellect on political

Answer 10

Receptivity to new ideas; Tolerance of change

More progressive; Less socially conservative (RWA)

Question 11

‘Predictive validity’ vs. ‘Predictive power’

Answer 11

Predictive Validity: Does a measure predict what it should? Have theoretical implications for testing predictions from personality theory.

Predictive power: Does this association tell us something particular useful? Have practical implications in terms of predicting important outcomes, and intervening to change important outcomes.