Week 5 - The Dispositional Approach

Question 1

Aims of the dispositional approach

Answer 1

To identify major components of personality that influence behaviour (main traits) and measure how people differ

Question 2

Define Traits

Answer 2

Descriptive statements about personality - core aspects
Stable , several , different in strength

Question 3

Define type

Answer 3

Discrete category , you can put someone in a box , one type , on a continuum

Question 4

Overview of type theories

Answer 4

Make quick summaries about one
Can create prejudice from stereotypes
Most people are a mix of types [Hufferman]

Question 5

Define and name Allport’s 3 types of individual traits

Answer 5

Heirarchy , ideography approach
1 = Cardinal Traits : dominant , powerful , not everyone gas these , influence all of behaviour
2= CENTRAL TRAITS : core behavioural , influential , 5-10 each
3= SECONDARY TRAIT: all other traits , only show in certain situations

Question 6

How many traits did Allport and Odbert look at and how did they divide these into two groups?

Answer 6

18,000 - 4500 - 160 mains traits
Divided into common (shared by culture) and individual traits

Question 7

Explain the idea of factorial analysis [Cattel and Eyseneck]

Answer 7

• Based on corrolation
• Allow to determine / investigate which items answered by those of certain traits
• Independent

Question 8

Two different methods of factorial analysis , and which ones were used by Eyseneck and Cattel

Answer 8

Orthogonal Method : Eyseneck - small num of powerful factors , independent of each other
Oblique Method : Cattel - large num of less powerful factors , correlate to an extent

Question 9

Name and overview of test used to predict behaviour by Cattell

Answer 9

16PF test
- 35 surface traits , 16 source traits
- Questionnare, Life data , and T-Data (objective testing)

Question 10

Eyseneck’s 3 principle traits

Answer 10

Introversion / Extraversion
Stable / Unstable (neurocentrism)
Psychoticism (self control)

Question 11

Results when normal distribution is measured (Eyseneck)

Answer 11

• Psychoticsm , higher score = more antisocial
• Lower social

Question 12

Results when skewed distribution is measured? [Eyseneck]

Answer 12

• Most score low (prisoners = high)
• All types measured by EPQ (E,N,P,L)
• Hierarchal measure