Personality: Dispositions

What is a disposition in personality psychology?

A latent tendency to exhibit a coherent class of behaviors.

How are people categorized by disposition?

Types: Exclusive categories (nominal or ordinal variables), eg Introverts/Extroverts.

traits: Continuous dimensions (interval variables). eg lvls of extraversion

What is the difference between types and traits?

• Types: Qualitative differences, exclusive categories (e.g., Introvert/Extrovert).

• Traits: Quantitative differences, continuous dimensions (e.g., Levels of Extraversion).

How are traits and types distributed?

Traits are normally distributed; types are bimodally distributed.

Can you convert a trait to a type or vice versa?

You can convert a trait to a type, but not a type to a trait.

What are some popular typologies in personality psychology?

Enneagram, Jung/Myers-Briggs/Kiersky (e.g., MBTI).

What is Eysenck’s 2-Factor Model?

• Introversion-Extraversion: Sociable, dominant, active, sensation-seeking.

• Emotionality-Stability (Neuroticism): Anxious, depressed, moody, easily upset.

What is Eysenck’s 3-Factor Model?

Introversion-Extraversion, Emotionality-Stability (Neuroticism), and Psychoticism - impulsive, cold, egocentric, aggressive.

What is the theoretical basis of Eysenck’s model?

Extroverts need more stimulation; neurotics have unstable autonomic systems; psychotics have more testosterone and less MAO

How are Eysenck’s traits derived?

Using Factor Analysis, a statistical procedure to uncover latent factors underlying a set of items

What is the lexical hypothesis in Cattell’s 16-Factor Model?

Important traits are encoded in language; more important traits are used more frequently it is used.

What are the Big Five personality traits?

1. Neuroticism: Experiencing unpleasant emotions easily (e.g., anger, anxiety).

2. Extraversion: Energy, positive emotions, surgency, seeking stimulation.

3. Openness: Appreciation for art, emotion, adventure, imagination.

4. Agreeableness: Compassionate, cooperative behavior.

5. Conscientiousness: Self-discipline, dutifulness, achievement-oriented.

What are the core mechanisms and benefits/costs of the Big Five traits?

• Extraversion: Response to reward (mid-brain dopamine). Benefits: Increased reward pursuit. Costs: Physical dangers.

• Neuroticism: Response to threat (amygdala, serotonin). Benefits: Vigilance. Costs: Anxiety, depression.

• Conscientiousness: Response inhibition (prefrontal cortex). Benefits: Planning. Costs: Rigidity.

• Agreeableness: Regard for others (theory of mind). Benefits: Harmonious relationships. Costs: Lost status.

• Openness: Breadth of mental associations. Benefits: Artistic sensibility. Costs: Unusual beliefs.

What is the OCEAN model?

An acronym for the Big Five traits:

• Openness

• Conscientiousness

• Extraversion

• Agreeableness

• Neuroticism

Are the Big Five traits the fundamental building blocks of personality?

Maybe not, but they are useful organizational tools in research.

stimulated research and reflect underlying order in personality

What is the 6-factor solution in personality models?

It adds Honesty to the Big Five traits.

What is the hierarchical structure of Eysenck’s traits?

• Extraversion subsumes dominance, sociability, and activity.

• Neuroticism and Psychoticism are similarly hierarchical.

What is the Wiggins Circumplex Model?

It organizes traits in a circular structure based on interpersonal behavior.

What is the heritability of Eysenck’s traits?

E, N, and P are partly coded for by genes and are heritable.

What is the purpose of Factor Analysis in personality psychology?

To reduce specific traits to general traits and identify which traits matter.