Personality theory test 1

Gordon Allport

systemizes personality into 5 main approaches

behavioral approach

how environmental reinforcers and punishers change behavior through learning

trait approach

broad, stable, measurable dispositions called traits that cause people to act consistently across different situations

biological approach

explains human behavior and mental processes as the direct result of physical and genetic processes within the body

psychoanalytic approach

explains human behavior, personality, and mental disorders by exploring the unconscious mind and early childhood experiences

phenomenalological approach

studies conscious first person experiences and how individuals interpret their own life

social learning

how traits are learned through environmental interactions

interactionism

interaction between traits and situations. important for assessing personality

4 ways people interact with their environment

• perceptions- how we interpret info around us

• selection- choosing our contexts (friends, hobbies)

• evocation- the reactions we produce in others unintentionally

• manipulation- ways we intentionally influence others

universals

every human being is alike (human nature)

particulars

individual and group differences. like some others

nomothetic research

general laws that apply to large groups (universals)

idiographic research

unique traits of a single individual (uniqueness)

grand theories

address the human nature level. focuses on universal characteristics of our species

S-data (self report data)

reporting on ones own traits

O-data (observer data)

information about someones personality gathered from observers

T-data (test data)

info gathered from tests from measuring behaviors

L-data (life outcome data)

real life factual evidence and outcomes that indicate someones personality

reliability

a test or tool that persistently produces the same results

test-retest

measures the consistency of a test's results when the same people take the exact same test on two separate occasions

interrater

the degree of agreement or consistency between two or more independent observers or raters evaluating the same behavior or test

validity

a test that actually measures what it claims to

construct validity

the degree to which a measurement accurately represents unobservable concept

trait theory

an approach to studying human personality that defines personality as a collection of broad characteristics (traits) that influence an individual's behavior across diff situations

act frequency approach

defines personality traits as categories of acts. personality is a summary of how often we perform certain acts

3 main approaches to identifying traits

• lexical

• statistical

• theoretical

lexical approach

all important traits have become encoded within the natural language

statistical approach

researchers group traits into categories by identifying traits that correlate

theoretical approach

define broad concepts of traits as they fit into a working theory of personality

taxonomy

classification systems of traits (Eyesencks hierarchical model, the Big Five, and the Hexaco model)

eyesencks hierarchical model

rooted in biology, identifies 3 super traits, then subtraits

PEN

• psychoticism: narrower traits-aggression, egocentrism, creativity, impulsivity

• extraversion: sociability, liveliness, venturesome, dominant

• neuroticism: chronic tendency to experience negative emotions like anxiety and sadness

The Big Five (OCEAN)

• openness (curious, creative)

• conscientiousness (careful, responsible)

• extraversion (outgoing, venturesome)

• agreeableness (friendly, easy-going)

• neuroticism (tense, withdrawn, anxious)

The Hexaco Model

• Honesty-humility

• emotionality

• extraversion

• agreeableness

• conscientiousness

• openness

The dark triad

the cluster of narcissism, machiavellianism, and psychopathy included in the 6th factor

stability overtime

when it comes to personality, some things change and some things stay the same

rank order stability

maintaining your same “ranking” on a trait within a group overtime

mean-level stability

when the average level of trait within a group remains the same overtime

heterotypic continuity

changes in manifestation of a trait overtime. childhood tantrums might become bullying and then relationship troubles

longitudinal designs

the person situation debate

controversy questioning whether internal personality traits or external environmental circumstances are more powerful in shaping human behavior

cohort effect

the change in personality traits across different generations caused by shared historical, cultural, and social experiences

twenges research

shows that changing sociocultural environments and shifting women’s roles result in generational personality traits

mind-body problem

to what degree are experiences of the human mind a product of physical, biological processes

reductionist approach

human psychology is completely reducible to the processes of the body and brain

humanist approach

there is more to being a human than just what the brain states (soul, essence)

Phineas Gage case study

• rail worker who had an iron rod destroy a portion of his left frontal lobe and blinded his left eye

• most intellectual functions remained intact, but his personality changed

• lacked the ability to prioritize tasks

• became socially inappropriate

Elliot case study

• tumor above nasal cavities

• the surgery removed a part of the cerebral cortex

• no longer felt strong positive or negative emotion

• unable to make decisions

theoretical bridge

left frontal lobes function

positivity, good feelings, emotional stability

right frontal lobe

unpleasant emotions/neuroticism

what personality traits is frontal lobe associated with?

neuroticism

amygdala

• interprets environmental rewards and threats

• activation correlates with increased heart rate and blood pressure

what area of the brain is involved with extraversion?

medial orbitofrontal cortex

ARAS Eysenck

when presented with stimulation, introverts show higher activity in the ascending reticular activating system than extraverts (no difference at rest)

grays reinforcement sensitivity theory

model of human personality based on:

• behavioral activation system- incentives, rewards, likely linked to dopamine. associated with impulsivity.

• behavioral inhibition system- punishment, uncertainty, frustration, avoidance. associated with anxiety and neuroticism

dopamine

• pleasure seeking behaviors

• reward “feel good chemical”

• too little causes sensation seeking behaviors

• too much is associated with extraversion

serotonin

involved in depression and anxiety

testosterone

aggression, lack of inhibition, and risk taking

oxytocin

affiliation and social bonding (higher in extraverts)

cortisol

higher in shy children, correlates with stress neurotransmitters