Personality Psychology: The Trait and Dimensional Perspective

Flashcards based on lecture notes covering the trait and dimensional perspectives of personality psychology, including major models like the Big Five, Eysenck's P-E-N, HEXACO, and Cloninger's model.

Trait Approach

A major theoretical area in the study of personality suggesting individual personalities are composed of broad dispositions known as traits.

Consistency (Stability over time)

A property of a trait where personality characteristics manifest across different situations.

Cross-Situational Consistency

The principle that traits influence behavior across various situations.

Individual Differences

The concept that traits help distinguish one person from another, with variation occurring in degree rather than in kind.

Measurability

The property that traits can be assessed and quantified using standardized tools.

Continuity (Dimensional Nature)

The feature of personality traits indicating they exist on a continuum rather than as distinct personality types or categories.

Predictive Value

The property of traits that allows them to help predict future behavior.

Nomothetic Approach

Focuses on identifying general laws and universal traits that apply to all people, assuming personality traits are common dimensions shared by all, differing in degree.

Idiographic Approach

Focuses on individual uniqueness and assumes every person has a distinctive personality structure, utilizing qualitative methods like case studies.

Lexical Approach

The idea that important personality traits are encoded in natural language, where words developed over generations describe consistent patterns in behavior.

Factor Analysis

A statistical technique used to identify underlying dimensions, called factors, that explain patterns of correlations among many observed variables.

The Big Five / Five-Factor Model (FFM)

The most widely accepted system to emerge from factor analysis by Goldberg ($1990$), McCrae & John ($1992$), and McCrae & Costa ($1987$), consisting of Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism.

Extraversion Facets (NEO-PI-R)

Warmth, Gregariousness, Assertiveness, Activity, Excitement seeking, and Positive emotions.

Agreeableness Facets (NEO-PI-R)

Trust, Straightforwardness, Altruism, Compliance, Modesty, and Tender-Mindedness.

Conscientiousness Facets (NEO-PI-R)

Competence, Order, Dutifulness, Achievement Striving, Self-Discipline, and Deliberation.

Neuroticism Facets (NEO-PI-R)

Anxiety, Angry Hostility, Depression, Self-Consciousness, Impulsiveness, and Vulnerability.

Openness to Experience Facets (NEO-PI-R)

Fantasy, Aesthetics, Feelings, Actions, Ideas, and Values.

Eysenck's P-E-N Model

A model of personality consisting of three superfactors: Psychoticism, Extraversion, and Neuroticism.

Extraversion (Eysenck's Model)

Characterized by being sociable, outgoing, and readily connecting with others.

Neuroticism (Eysenck's Model)

Characterized by anxiety and an overactive sympathetic nervous system, leading to flight-or-fight reactions even with low stress.

Psychoticism

A dimension versus superego control identified in $1985$; high scorers tend to be independent thinkers, cold, nonconformists, impulsive, antisocial, and hostile.

Superego Control

The opposite of Psychoticism, characterized by high impulse control, altruism, empathy, cooperation, and conventionality.

Honesty-Humility (HEXACO Model)

Tendencies to be fair and genuine in dealing with others, even when there is an opportunity to exploit them without suffering consequences.

Emotionality (HEXACO Model)

Tendencies associated with 'kin altruism,' including empathetic concern and emotional attachment toward close others.

Novelty Seeking (NS)

A temperament dimension associated with dopamine activity, linked to impulsivity and exploratory behavior.

Harm Avoidance (HA)

A temperament dimension related to serotonin activity, associated with anxiety, inhibition, and cautiousness.

Reward Dependence (RD)

A temperament dimension tied to norepinephrine, linked to social attachment and positive reinforcement.

Persistence (P)

A temperament dimension reflecting perseverance and determination despite fatigue or frustration.

Self-Directedness (SD)

A character dimension associated with autonomy, responsibility, and goal orientation.

Cooperativeness (C)

A character dimension reflecting empathy, compassion, and social acceptance.

Self-Transcendence (ST)

A character dimension linked to spirituality, creativity, and a sense of unity with the universe.