PERSONALITY (EXAM #3)

What is Personality Judgement?

Attempts to accurately perceive other people’s traits

• What we all do

• Using your intuition, friends, family, etc

• Based on stereotypes

What is Personality Assessment?

• “Professional” personality research

• What personality psychologists do

• Using validated measurement systems

Personality Judgement VS Assessment

“Amateur” personality research VS “Professional” personality research

What is the general correlation between self and other judgments?

r = .20 - .40

People who know you well (friends, family, partners) are more accurate because:

they have a higher quantity and quality of information

Judgments by "close friends/family"

observed you across multiple environments (work, home, social) rather than just one setting

What is the general correlation between close others (friends/family)?

r = .49

What are weak siuations?

 hanging out at home where your true personality is more likely to emerge

What are strong situations?

like a job interview, you are not able to read someone where they are masking their true selves

What are the challenges to accuracy?

• Self-presentation biases

• Deception

• Basing trait inference off of state observation (observable actions or emotions)

What are self-presentation biases?

Motivated, often unconscious, strategies used to control how others perceive us

What is deception?

Actively hiding a trait or lying about their behavior

What is the idea of basing trait inference off of state observation?

Interpreting an individual’s immediate, observable actions or emotions to infer enduring personality traits

States VS. Traits

• A temporary, situational behavior (ex: being "Stressed at Work" or "Happy at a Party")

• Fluctuates

VS.

• A consistent, enduring pattern (ex: being "Consistently Outgoing")

• Stable over time

Accuracy is determined by:

• The Judge

• The Target

• The Trait

• The Information (Data)

Who are Good Judges?

• People who assume positive traits

• Agreeable, consistent, and content

• Not anxious, power-oriented, or hostile

Who is a Good Target?

Some people are easier to judge than others

• What you see is what you get

• Transparent in thoughts and feelings

• Low in self-monitoring

• Extraverted, agreeable, conscientious, and emotionally stable

What are Good Traits?

Some traits are easier to judge people on than others

• More visible

• Self-other knowledge asymmetry (SOKA model)

• Ex: Extraversion vs. Rumination

What is Good Information?

More information (data) is better than less

• Better when across multiple domains

• Quality: Better is better

How long does it take to make an accurate judgment about a person?

As short as TWO seconds

What is Self-other knowledge asymmetry? (SOKA model)

• Less visible = higher self-accuracy (anxious)

  • Ex: You are the most accurate judge of your own anxiety or self-esteem. While you might appear confident to a "Friend," only you know if your internal state is actually one of worry or doubt.

• More visible = higher other-accuracy (talkative)

  • Ex: Friends are often more accurate judges of your intelligence, wit, or rudeness

What are Thin Slices?

• Very quick inferences about the state, characteristics or details of an individual or situation with minimal amounts of information

  • Very brief observations of faces/behavior

  • These judgments are often nonconscious, automatic, and intuitive.

• Judgments based on thin-slicing can be as accurate, or even more so, than judgments based on much more information.

  • Can be as accurate as ones made after months of interaction

• Body language is a stronger indicator of personality than verbal communication

Thin Slices: Familiar VS. Unfamiliar Interactions

• Involves the subject interacting with someone they know (a friend or partner). This slice reveals how a person acts when they are comfortable and their "baseline" personality is on display.

VS.

• Involves interacting with a stranger. These slices are often better for seeing social skills, anxiety, or "first impression" traits. Because the situation is new, the subject's behavior is more reactive, revealing how they navigate social uncertainty.

How are people able to make such accurate personality judgments from thin slices?

Fusiform Face Area (FFA)

What is the Fusiform Face Area (FFA)?

A dedicated "module" in the human brain specifically evolved to process faces.

• A neural function that is hard-wired to prioritize and rapidly decode social information from faces.

• It recognizes identity, emotional expression, and social cues.

• face processing is automatic and lightning-fast

  • The FFA allows us to bypass slow, analytical thinking and move straight to a social "gut feeling"

FFA: Faces vs. Objects vs. Houses

• When the subject sees a Face (F), the FFA activity spikes massively.

• When they see an Object (O) or a House (H), the activity drops significantly.

  • Our brains treat social information (faces) as fundamentally different from physical information (objects).

  • We are "hard-wired" to prioritize social data.

Personality judgments predict real-world outcomes. True or False

TRUE

Creating the stereotypic faces of the Big Five:

If I imagine a 'Highly Agreeable' person, what does their face actually look like to me?

• High Extraversion: Note the subtle differences. These faces often appear "brighter," have slightly wider smiles (or more "upturned" mouths), and more open eyes.

• Low Extraversion: These often appear more "flat" or neutral in expression.

We all share a remarkably similar "visual stereotype" for what these traits look like. When many people do this study, they tend to produce very similar-looking "High Extraversion" faces.

Creating the stereotypic faces of the Big Five: 2D → 3D image

Allows them to mathematically "crank up" or "dial down" specific facial features to see exactly which muscle movements or bone structures signal a specific Big Five trait.

•  They used computer software to digitally "average" the faces of the top 10% and bottom 10%. (Took 2D photograph → 3D Face Recognition → Variations of the 2D photograph overlaid on top) 

• Helps pinpoint exactly what it is about a face that makes us judge someone as "Conscientious" or "Agreeable" in a thin slice.

What are Expectancy Effects?

Self-fulfilling prophecies

• Our expectations of others can lead them to behave in ways that confirm those expectations

  • Ex: Bloomers Study (Teachers' expectations influence student performance)

    • Teachers were warmer

    • Gave better feedback

    • Taught harder material

    • Gave more opportunities

Thin slice personality judgements are powerful enough to predict the winners of major political elections with startling accuracy. True or False?

TRUE

Personality disorders can be self-diagnosed. True or False?

FALSE

What is a personality disorder?

Extreme levels of traits

• Very high and low amounts

• symptoms become traits

What are maldaptive traits?

Traits that can start to cause problems for you or others around you

• Extreme Levels of Traits Can Be Maladaptive

• Long term symptoms

What is the research question for the Rogers Biesanz reading?

Does the "Good Judge" of personality actually exist, and under what conditions can we see their skill?

How did they answer the research question in the Rogers Biesanz reading?

They used Round-Robin groups (where everyone rates everyone else) and watched videos of people interacting.

• they looked for an interaction between the Judge and the Target

What did they conclude in the Rogers Biesanz reading?

Yes, the Good Judge exists, but they need a "Good Target" to shine.

• A "Good Judge" is only significantly more accurate when they are judging a "Good Target" (someone who is open and expressive)

What is an example of adaptive withdrawl?

Someone who thrives in their own company, but engages with others

What is an example of maldaptive withdrawl?

Someone who is socially isolated and detached from others with no positive social contact

Personality disorders are stable over time. True or False

TRUE

When do personality disorders normally begin?

Adolescence / Emerging Adulthood

What is the DSM?

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual

• Cookbook approach to diagnosing psychological disorders

  • Lists ingredients (e.g., symptoms)

  • If you have enough of them, you get a diagnosis

The AMPD is a part of the DSM-5. True or False?

TRUE

What is the AMPD?

Alternative Model for Personality Disorders

• 6 disorders

• NO clusters

Why do we have the DSM?

Standardization and Insurance

What are the major groups for personality disorders in the DSM-IV?

Cluster A: odd or eccentric patterns of thinking

Cluster B: impulsive and erratic patterns of behavior

Cluster C: anxious and avoidant emotional styles

What are the 10 major personality disorders in the DSM-IV?

Cluster A:

• Paranoid PD

• Schizoid PD

• Schizotypal PD

Cluster B:

• Antisocial PD

• Borderline PD

• Histrionic PD

• Narcissistic PD

Cluster C:

• Avoidant PD

• Dependant PD

• Obsessive Compulsive PD

What does the AMPD look at?

• Life impairment due to traits

• Levels of maldaptive traits

Schizotypal Personality Disorder (SPD)

Odd thoughts, strange ideas, unconventiional behavior, superstitious beliefs, difficulty in close relationships

• Similar to schizophrenia when the PD is at extremes

• Stable throughout life

What is the prevelance of Schizotypal PDs?

0.6–4.6%

• More common in males

Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)

Often incorrectly called psychopathy or sociopathy 

• Unlawful behavior

• Deceitfulness

• Impulsivity/failure to plan ahead

• Irritability or aggressiveness

• Repeated physical fights/assaults

• Reckless disregard for safety

• Lack of remorse/Indifferent to hurting and mistreating others

What is the prevelance of Antisocial PDs?

3% in males, 1% in females

• More prevelant in ages 18-49

  • Specifically 25-34 (3.9%)

ASPD + _______ _______ + low ________ + low ___________ = Psychopathy specifiers 

• Attention Seeking

• Withdrawal

• Anxiousness

AMPD includes ‘Psychopathy specifier’. True or False

TRUE

Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)

• Excessive self-love

• Strong self-importance, entitlement, & superiority

• Need to be admired

• Lack of empathy

• Fragile self-esteem (the narcissistic paradox)

• Envy of others

What is the prevelance of Narcissistic PDs?

6.2%

• Majority are men

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

• Instability of relationships, emotions, and self-image

• Identity disturbance

• Fears of abandonment

• Prone to self-harm

• Feel anything v. feel something else

• Impulsive

• Splitting: Seeing people as all good or all bad

What is the prevelance of Boderline PDs?

1.6%-5.9%

• Mostly in women and adolescents/younger adults

How can you treat BPD?

dialectical behavioral therapy

• Teaches skills for emotional self-control

Avoidant Personality Disorder (APD)

• Fear of failure, rejection

• Sensitive to criticism

• Activities are restricted (to avoid embarrassment)

• Need reassurance

What is the prevelance of Avoidant PDs?

2.4%

• Split 50/50 between females and males

• Likely starts in childhood

Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)

• Preoccupied with order, rules, details

• Perfectionistic

• Workaholic

• Rigid, Stubborn, Inflexible

• ‘Pack rat’

  • Someone who loves to collect things and hates to get rid of them

NOTTTT the same as OCD

What is the prevelance of OCPD?

2.1% -7.9%

• men get diagnosed double compared to women

How can you diagnose PDs?

• Clinical Impressions

  • Unstructured and structured interviews

• Self-reports

  • MMPI: Self report questionnaire, usually answered in a book format or online

What are the types of Clinical Impressions?

• Unstructured interviews: 

  • A natural, free-flowing conversation where the clinician looks for "tells" (body language, tone, logic) that aren't on a checklist.

• Structured Interviews:

  • Using a standardized set of questions (like the AMPD) to ensure they cover every possible symptom.

What are the strengths and weaknesses with clinical impressions?

• Strengths: The clinician can see "blind spots" that the patient might not notice

• Faults: a clinician is a human who can misinterpret a patient's behavior based on their own biases or limited experience.

  •  A clinician only sees you in a quiet office for 50 minutes. You might be on your "best behavior," it’s a snapshot, not a full movie of your life.

Personality disorders can be Ego-Syntonic. True or False?

TRUE

What does mean to have an Ego-Syntonic PD?

• Maladaptive traits seen as normal, even valued

• Think that others have a problem

  • Can make treatment challenging

Labeling

• Misleading

  • No one fits exact criteria

• Can limit understanding

• Not an explanation

• Can be useful and are necessary

What are the main issues with the concept of personality disorders?

• Categorical

• Overlap among disorders (mode = 4)

• Confusing labels & explanations

• Schizoid, schizotypal, schizophrenic

• OCD vs. OCPD

• Biases & cultural differences

• What’s normal vs abnormal?

What tool is used to diagnose personality disorders?

the DSM-V

How many personality disorders are in the AMPD?

6 PDs

What are the challenges with the DSM-V?

• Ego-Syntonic

• Labels can be stigmatizing, misleading, confusing

• Categorical, but categories overlap

• Biased

What is the research question for the Widiger et al reading?

Can personality disorders be understood as extreme, maladaptive versions of general personality traits rather than distinct mental illnesses?

How did the Widiger et al reading answer the research question?

They reviewed decades of data showing that every major personality disorder matches up with the Five-Factor Model (FFM), which is the standard way scientists describe "normal" traits

What was the conclusion in the Widiger et al reading?

Treating personality disorders as "extreme traits" is better because it allows for more personalized treatment, reduces the shame of a "disorder" label, and helps doctors see a patient's natural strengths alongside their struggles.

What is HiTOP?

New model of the major dimensions of psychopathology

What is Psychopathology?

Mental Illness

• Includes personality disorders

What problems does HiTOP fix within the DSM?

Categorical → Dimensional

Clinical Impressions -→ Empirically derived model of the major dimensions of psychopathology

HiTOP is NOT Hierarchical. True or False

FALSE

List the four main levels of HiTOP (Low to High on Triangle)

1. Symptoms

2. Syndromes

3. Sub Factors (within spectra)

4. Spectra

How is HiTOP Hierarchical?

Organizes psychopathology hierarchically via factor analysis by four levels

Symptoms VS. Traits

Temporary, short term states VS. Long-term, persistent thoughts, feelings, and behaviors

Symptoms/Traits

• Symptoms (if they occur long enough they can become maladaptive traits) 

  • Deviant/violent behavior 

  • Substance abuse 

  • Law breaking 

Ex: “crying”, “sleeplessness”, “worthlessness”

Syndromes

Groupings of symptoms/traits

• Ex: Substance use/substance problems, physical aggression, destruction of property, fraud, and theft

Spectra

Groupings of Syndromes

• Mapping co-occurring disorders

• Either Internalizing OR Externalizing

Sub-Factors

Some spectra present in different forms

• Internalizing manifesting as “Distress” vs. “Fear”

• Ex: Substance Abuse and Anti Social behavior

The BAD Five is a part of AMPD of the DSM-V, NOT HiTOP. True or False

TRUE

What is the BAD Five?

• Correlate with the BIG FIVE 

• Pathological representation 

• Value Judgement 

  • “You shouldn’t have too much or too little of something!”

    • We don't do that in personality psych 

What are the BAD Five Traits?

• Detachment

• Disinhibition

• Antagonism

• Negative Affectivity

• Psychoticism

Detachment

• Very Low Extraversion

• Lack of pleasure 

• Depression 

• Suppressed emotions 

• Avoiding intimacy 

• Withdrawal 

• Suspicion

Disinhibition

• Very low consciousness

• Distracted 

• Impulsive 

• Risk-taking 

• Perfectionism 

• Irresponsible 

Antagonism

• Very low agreeableness

• Grandiose 

• Callous 

• Deceitful 

• Manipulative 

• Attention-seeking 

Negative Affect

• Very high neuroticism

• Anxious 

• Hostile 

• Submissive 

• Perseveration 

• Separation anxiety 

• Emotional stability 

Psychoticism

• Very high openness to experiences

• Eccentric behavior 

• Strange beliefs 

• Perceptual dysregulation

The BIG Five is the foundation for what?

HiTOP & AMPD

What is the research question for the Hopwood reading?

If personality disorders are defined only by traits that also appear in other mental health issues, does the specific category of "Personality Disorder" actually exist as a distinct concept?

How did they answer the research question for the Hopwood reading?

Because traits are not unique to personality disorders, we must instead define these conditions by a patient's level of "personality functioning" (sense of self) or their specific interpersonal challenges during treatment. 

What was the conclusion for the Hopwood reading?

To remain clinically useful, personality disorders should be viewed as "interpersonal disorders" that alert doctors to relationship difficulties and treatment obstacles rather than just a list of extreme traits.