personality ex 1

traits

characterists that describe people

define how we are alike and different

average tendency, stable over time

in DNA

heirarcical pattern

mechanisms

the process of personality

activated in specific conditions

inputs from the environment

outputs are ABC’s5r4t

Decision Rules

if-then option statements

if in a large crowd, then an introvert will avoid

if in a large crowd, then an extrovert will approach

perceptions

how we see the world

personality interacts with

selections

situations we choose to enter

choosing psych major

Evocations

reactions we produce in others

being funny = laugher

being mean = hate

manipulation

intentional influence

adaptations

personality / traits are functional and have purpose (accomplish goals, coping)

physical enviroment

direct threats to survival

food shortage, disease, strangers

social enviroment

norms, values, expectations

compete for jobs and partners

intrapsychic

within the mind

self-esteemPr

Primary questions

how many traits are there

how are traits organized

what are origins and functions of traits

what are the correlctions and consequences of trails (used to explain and predict behavior

levels of observations

lower levels tied to biological influences

higher levels tied to social influences

Universals (Human Nature)

how we are like all others

typical of species

ex: language skills allow us to learn

Particulars (Indvidual and Group Differences)

how we are like some others

average group differnces

average women, average 20 year olds, average tech students etc

Individual Uniqueness

how we are like no others

personal and unique qualities

makes grand unifiying theory incredibly difficult

Nomotheitc Approach

statistical comparions of individuals / groups

to identify universals and particulars

idiographic approach

single person used to identify uniqueness

individuals subjective experiences

case study

limited external validity

Dispositional domain of knowledge

fundamental ways we all differ

cuts across all other domains

traits

biological domain of knowledge

behavioral genetics of personality

psychophysiology of personality

intrapsychic domains of knowledge

mental mechanisms of personality

operate outside conscious awareness

instictual system, denfense mechanism, motives

Cognitive experimental domain

subjective experience of a person

relies on introspection

social and cultural domain

affects and is affected by norms and contexts

cultural diffs btw groups

sex and gender diffs

adjustment

how we adapt, cope, and adjust to events

linked w important health outcomes and problems in coping (smoking, drinking, personality disorders)

Evaluating a theory

comprehensiveness (explain many findings)

heuristic value (generate new ideas / leads to new ideas)

testability (scientifc method)

falsifiability (can it be proven wrong)

parsimony (contrain few assumptions, simple)

compatibility and integration among domains ( does it violate well-establiished principals from other domains)

interal causal properties (formulation of traits)

more scientific

traits are internal and enter every situation you are in

traits are causal (explains your ABC’s)

can lie dormant (need to be activated in situations)

rule out other possible causes (went to a party bc you got dragged there, not bc your extraverted)

Purely discriptive summaries (formations)

do not prejudge causes of behaviors

must identify important individual differences

a

act frequency formulation

counting behaviors, place into categories

identify how much of a trait someone has by counting their behaviors

limitations: does not specify context of behavior, applicable to overt actions, may not capture complex traits

lexical approach

all important IDs encoded in all languages (words are invented to describe ppl)

identify important traits: synonym frequency, cross-cultural universality

limitations: words have multiple meanings based on the context (hot vs hot), not all traits use adjectives (nouns: idiot, dumbass)

Statistical Approach

questions about ABCs then concerted into ratings of trait categories

identify major dimensions (groups / clusters)

Factor Analysis

condense larger # of things into smaller # of categories (factors)

know what goes together and doesntfa

factor loading

how much variation is explained by a factor

measured w correlation coefficients then squaredt

theoretical approach

theory determines which traits are importantf

five primary taxonomies

Eyesncks heiracrchial model

cattells 16 personality factor system

wiggins circumplex

five-factor model (OCEAN)

HEXACO model

Cattells 16 factor system

developed through factor analysis

external validity: focused on how generalizable of traits to measure multiple of dimensions

dimensional (scored high and low in everything)

Limitations: some factors have failed replication, parsimony

Eysencks heirarchical model (PEN)

rooted in biology, traits highly heiritable with psychophysioloigcal basis

Psychoticism:, aggressive, egocentric, solitary, antisocial

Extraversion

Neuroticism: anxious, irritable, psychosomatic symptoms

Pen traits most heiritable so are at top of heirarchy (super trait)

followed by narrow traits (habitual responses)

then specific response (action)

properties in brain linked to personality traits (fMRIs brain mapping)

Limitations: many other traits so heiritability, too restrictive, too limiting (comprehensiveness)

Wiggins Circumplex

measurement scales for traits

mainly interpersonal traits

two resources: love and dominance

specific relationships btw each trait

Limitations: difficultly capturing nuances of social exchange (only 2 resources), exclusion non-interpersonal traits, cant predict real-world outcomes, comprehensiveness, testability

interpersonal behavior

any behavior that involves social exchange

adjacentcy

next to each other

positivily correlated w one another

bipolar

opposites

negatively correlated

orthogonality

perpendicular

unrelated

diagonal straight through circle

Five factor model

OCEAN

Tippy

Limitations: ignores self esteem, no masc/fem, no relgious/spirituality, no attractiveness/sexuality, comprehensiveness

Good grades

high C

Low N

Academic dishonesty

Low C

Low A

Obedience to authority

high C

high A

High Salary

Low N

HIgh C

High O

Alcohol Consuption

High E

low C

Forgiveness

High A

Low N

Gambling

High N

Low C

HEXACO

honesty/ Humility

Emotionality (neuroticism)

Extraversion (X)

Agreeableness

Conscientiousness

Openness to experience

Limitations:may not account for all traits, uses lexical approach (lack cultural nuance), currently fails heuritic value

S data (self-report)

info from person

surveys, questionaires, interview

relies on introspection

should be paired with other data

O-data (observer report)

info provided by someone else about participant

impressions, reputations

use multiple observers

Gottman’s marriage lab (predict if couple would divorce based on conflict resolution)

T data (test)

standardized tests

physiological measures

projective tests (launch own personality onto something else) (Roschach ink blot, TAT)

L data (life outcome)

info from events and outcomes of a persons life

public records (marriage and divorces)

use S and O data to predict L

Situationism

diff situations evoke different traitsS

Situation specificty

certain situations provoke behavior that is out of character (test anxiety)

Strong situations

situations in which most react the same way

grief following loss of loved one

some situations require interpretation

personalilty matters more when situation is weaker

Rank order stability

maintain your place in a rank within a group over time

lowest to highest

shorted 14 year olds will still be shortest of their age group when they are 20

Mean level stability

constant level of trait in population over time

average doesnt change

the average attachment style is stable for the population

mean level of change

change in level of train in population over time

ppl become more conservative as they get older

personality coherence

changes in maifestations over time

the way a kid acts dominate is different than an adult but its stil the same personalityS

Stability coeffiencents

assess test-retest reliability

validity coeffiencts

assess convergent validity

correlations btw different measures of the same trait at the same time

Block and Block longitudial study

Temperment

heritable differences emerge very early and linked with emotionability

used until age 5-6

factors (strongly correlate over time, move together):

activity level

smiling/laugher

fear of approaching novel stimuli

distress to limitations

ease of soothing

duration of orienting (attention)

the rank order stable early life

Block and Block Longitudinal study

100 3 year olds until 30 years old

tested at ages 4 - 5, then 7 - 11

individual diffs in activity level, T data and O data

actometer had pos validty coeffience with teacher rating (means you can now use either to test activity level)

moderate stability

size of correlations decrease as time intervals increase

Rank order stability in Adulthood

big 5 s data stability

average correlation across traits +0.65

tends to increase in linear fashion with age

very little change after 50

small but consistent change in 20

O E N decline

C A gradually increase

Change in Self-esteem

current self-description vs ideal self discription (less discrepancy = higher self-esteem)

no overal change with increase age

particulars:

womens decrease w age

mens increase

longitudional study 300 engaged couples

22 broke off engagement

50 got divorced

O data

3 predictors of divorce: husband neuroticism, husband impulsivity, wife neuroticism