Week 8: Personality

Question 1

Where does personality come from?

Answer 1

Evolution, genes, prenatal experience, early temperamental features (building blocks)

Development

• in families, cultures, places & random events
• processes of evocation, selection
• maturation, increasing cognitive complexity

Question 2

What are the big 5, how were these traits reached?

Answer 2

Ocean (consensus that this is an accurate measure of variation in personality)

• Openness to experience
• Conscientiousness
• Extraversion
• Agreeableness
• Neuroticism

Question 3

What are some facets of extraversion? (think traits this person would have)

Answer 3

Friendliness - make friends easily 
Gregariousness - love large parties 
Assertiveness - wait for others to lead the way
Activity level - always on the go 
Excitement seeking 
Cheerfulness

Question 4

How does extroversion express itself in genes? Social selection (3)? Disposition (think studies)?

Answer 4

Genes

• Some evidence related to dopamine
• Physiology: somehow extraverts have more of this/a more sensitive version of this (noticing rewards)

Social (3)

• Selection: pick situations that create rewards
• Manipulation: change environment to create more chance for reward
• Evocation: probe the environment to make it more conducive with reward

Disposition

• when asked to finish a story, they will finish it positively
• homophones: more likely to hear the positive word (cognitive bias)

Question 5

What is the jingle jangle fallacy?

Answer 5

Related to trait expression
Jingle
- using similar words to describe something that is quite different (ex: optimism - good things will happen in the future OR/and optimistic explanatory style)
Jangle
- using different words to describe concepts that mean essentially the same thing (ex: connectedness with nature OR/and nature relatedness)

Question 6

How are individual differences unique from traits?

Answer 6

Usually more specific or clearly defined
Usually assumes causes and consequences
(May overlap with parts of traits)

Examples

• Needs or motives
• Goals interests
• Self-concept, values, attachment style

Question 7

How was the strengths list developed?

Answer 7

Discussion among psychologists
Consulted philosopher’ lists
Consulted literature and pop culture
Consulted institutions (ex: boy scouts)
Looked across cultures
Hoping for universal agreement (except situational themes)
Criteria are “family resemblance” debatable

Question 8

What are the six primary virtues and strengths?

HINT: Wiley Can Heat Jam To Temperature

Answer 8

Wisdom 
Courage 
Humanity 
Justice 
Temperance 
Transcendence

Question 9

What are the first five criteria for strengths?

Answer 9

1. Contributes to fulfillment
2. Strengths valued themselves
3. Using it does not diminish others
4. No obvious positive opposite
5. Trait-like

Question 10

What are the last five criteria for strengths?

Answer 10

6. Distinctive from other strengths
7. Has paragons (cardinal traits)
8. Has prodigies (multiple intelligences)
9. Selective absences (some distinct cause or function)
10. Cultivated by institutions and rituals

Question 11

What are some culturally consistent results in terms of strengths (high and low)? What are some age differences?

Answer 11

Cross-culture
High: kindness,
fairness, authenticity, gratitude
Low: self-regulation, modesty, prudence

Age diff
Young: hope, teamwork, zest
Old: authenticity, leadership, appreciation, openness