Hans Eysenck

Biological Typology

Hans Eynsenck’s theory

Berlin, Germany on March 4, 1916

Hans Eysenck was born on —

Hans Eynsenck

• His parents were actors who divorced when he was 2 years old

• he was an actor as a child and wanted to pursue an acting career but his grandmother did not allow him

• he received his Ph.D in psychology from the University of London

WWI

During —- he served as a psychologist at an emergency hospital where he did research on the reliability of psychiatric diagnosis

Hippocrates

he said Humors were reflections of the cosmic elements

Galen

he added the emotional qualities

Immanuel Kant

—- ‘s 4 temperamental types

1. melancholic

2. sanguine

3. phlegmatic

4. choleric

4 temperamental types

melancholic

weak feelings

sanguine

strong feelings

phlegmatic

weak activity

choleric

strong activity

Wilhelm Wundt

Introduced a dimensional rather than categorical descriptive systems.

Carl Jung

• the concept of introverts and extraverts by —

• also included description of the contrast between neuroticism and normality

introverts

Susceptible to psychasthenia

psychasthenia

• nervousness, free-floating anxiety

• now labelled as phobia, OCD

extraverts

susceptible to hysterical disorders

phenotype/phenotypic

• expressed aspect of personality

• introvert and extravert descriptions are example of this

biosocial model

eysenck’s model

psychoticism

a dimension that subsumes the continuum from normal behavior through criminal and psychopathic behavior to schizophrenic and other psychoses

polygenic

reflects the presence/absence of number of small effect genes

small effect genes

genes that function in an addictive manner

large effect genes

result into a textbook schizophrenia

extraversion

Originally described as a combination of traits of sociability and impulsivity

phenotypic component

Extraversion, introversion, and neuroticism all reflect — of personality

genotypic component

is responsible for phenotypic components, and hinges on physiological differences

eysenck’s first model

introverts:

• More excitatory neural processes

• Responsible for acquisition of conditioned responses (learning)

• Low inhibitory: excitatory neural processes

• Reactive inhibition is slow and weak

• Responsible for longer drive

• Predisposed to dysthymic disorders

eysenck’s second model

Extraverts:

• More inhibitory neural processes

• High inhibitory: excitatory neural processes

• Reactive inhibition is quick and strong

• Predisposed to hysterical-psychopathic disorders

ascending reticular activating system

Difference between introvert and extravert are based on the arousal level of the nervous system, particularly the

type/super traits

exerts the highest influence

trait level

composed of habitual responses

trait level

composed of habitual responses

habitual response

frequently repeated behavior

specific response level

behaviors from which the individual forms habit

character

a person’s more or less stable and enduring system of cognitive behavior (will)

temperament

more or less stable and enduring system of affective behavior (emotion)

physique

more or less enduring system of bodily configuration and neuroendocrine endowment