Biological, Genetic, and Environmental Influences on Personality

Flashcards reviewing key vocabulary and concepts from the lecture on biological, genetic, and environmental influences on personality.

Humours

Personality patterns or temperament are dependent on various fluids in one’s body.

Phlegmatic

Calm temperament.

Sanguine

Very cheerful temperament.

Melancholic

Depressive temperament.

Choleric

Angry temperament.

Neurotransmitters

Biochemical substances involved in the communication among neurons, and their levels might influence one’s personality.

Dopamine

Facilitates the transmission of signals of reward and is associated with Novelty Seeking (excitability, impulsiveness, extravagance, disorderliness).

Serotonin

Inhibits the transmission of signals of punishment and is associated with Harm Avoidance (worry/ pessimism, fear, shyness, fatigability).

Norepinephrine

Inhibits the transmission of signals of responding to stimuli that in the past have been associated with reward and is associated with Reward Dependence (sentimentality, warm communication, dependence).

Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory (RST)

Brain regions work together as systems that underlie personality.

Behavioral Activation System (BAS)

Brain regions responsible for receiving signals from the nervous system which indicate that rewards are being experienced, encouraging pursuit of rewards.

Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS)

Brain regions responsible for receiving signals from the nervous system which indicate that punishments are being experienced, encouraging avoidance of punishments.

Fight-or-Flight System (FFS)

Brain regions responsible for motivating extreme reactions: fighting or fleeing in response to extremely threatening situations.

Extraversion

Preference for high (versus low) level of stimulation, which is determined by the arousability of their brains

Ascending Reticular Activating System (ARAS)

Regulates the amount of stimulation that is admitted to the brain from the nervous system.

Hormones

Biological chemicals produced in glands of one part of the body, then transmitted to other body parts, affecting neuron activity and may therefore influence personality.

Testosterone

Hormone responsible for many physical characteristics of males, development of male reproductive organs, and development of secondary sex characteristics.

Cortisol

Hormone released by the adrenal cortex, triggered by stress to prepare the body for action, increases blood pressure and blood sugar, and suppresses the immune system.

Oxytocin

Hormone produced in the hypothalamus and released by the pituitary gland, playing a role in emotional bonding.

Nature versus Nurture

To what extent is personality variation caused by heredity or by the environment?

Identical or monozygotic (MZ) twins

Twins with 100% of their genes in common.

Fraternal or dizygotic (DZ) twins

Twins with 50% of their genes in common

Contrast effect

Siblings completing the same questionnaire may want to emphasize the differences between them instead of comparing themselves with people in general

Assimilation effect

Siblings completing the same questionnaire and considering themselves as very similar or observers perceiving the siblings as very similar may have a tendency to emphasize the similarity