week 1 Flashcards
different approaches to personality
biological behavioural social humanistic psychoanalytic trait theory
what did Hans Eysenck discover
identified 2 primary personality traits - extraversion-introversion and neuroticism (emotional instability)
who critiqued eysenck
Jeffrey Alan Gray
what is the reinforcement sensitivity theory
human brain has two different behavioural systems:
behavioural approach system (BAS) and behavioural inhibition system (BIS)
what is BAS (approach motivation)
seek out impulsive, rewarding behaviour and engage in emotionally intense situations
what is BIS (withdrawal motivation)
avoid emotionally intense situations and more prone to anxiety
frontal lobe in terms of changes in personality
- planning behaviour
- emotional control
- behavioural inhibition
measuring personality
sensitivity to stimulation
- introverts and extraverts differ in how they respond to stimuli
introverts are quickly aroused when exposed to stimuli
electroencephalography (EEG) - measures electrical activity of brains surface which is useful in identifying personality; no social desirability and non-invasive
strengths and limitations of biological approach
strengths:
- provides genetic account as source of individual variability
- empirically supported neural indicators of personality
limitations
- assumption that biology is primary driver of personality
- assessing personality via biology not the easiest route
examples of broad personality constructs
extraversion
neuroticism
etc
examples of specific personality constructs
alcohol use
smoking
etc
examples of cross sectional studies
data recorded once
examples of longitudinal studies
data recorded multiple times
track changes in personality over time
examples of experimental studies
manipulation
establish cause and effect
examples of meta-analysis
summarises multiple studies
