personality basic

personality basic

1. Buss & Plomin - temperament

   • twins study - monozygotic & dizgotic
     • looked at 3 dimensions of personality
       • emotionality - how strong the emotional response was
         • activity - how energetic the child was
           • sociability - how much the child wanted to be with others
             • closer correlation with MZ than DZ = temperament has a genetic basis
   • study supports the view temperament is innate
     • MZ twins are identical similar on all 3 levels, DZ are only genetically similare to each other as siblings
       • MZ twins treated the same - correlation could therefore be because of the enviroment/way they are treated rather than the genes.
         • cannot be generalised to whole population as not everyone is a twin

2. Eysenck - Trait theories

   • believed different personality styles - believed this happened because of the type of nervous system a person had. neurotics = react quickly to stress
     • for each personality type there are associated traits - punctuality
       • personality types = Extroversion/Introversion/Neuroticism/Emotional stability - 3rd dimension = Psychoticism
         • extroversion = looks to outside world for entertainment and people - sociable
           • under aroused
         • introversion - content with own thoughts and ideas - quiet & reserved
           • over aroused
         • neuroticism - highly emotional, quick intense reaction to fear - anxious
       • A personality theory should describe STRUCTURE and DYNAMICS of how the behaviour is produced., Explain why they are always early.
   • Study - only described a limited number of personality types
     • Used questionnaire to test personality. Answers people gave could have been based on mood at the time
       • Believed personality was genetic - does not consider personality can change due to experience.
         • most people lie in the middle of the two scales and EVERYONE can be placed on the line
   • EYSENCK = 4 INVENTORIES FOR SUPERFACTORS
     • 1 MAUDSLEY PERSONALITY INVENTORY
     • EYSENCK PERSONALITY QUESTIONNAIRE = EPQ
       • REVISED TO EPQ - R
       • used to meausre Intro/Extro/Neuroticism ADDED 3RD DIMENSION PSYCHOTICISM
         • Most people score low on psychoticism - those with high scores are hostile, aggressive, insensitive and cruel
           • 3 dimensions not linked = separate score for each
         • MALES SCORE MORE HIGHLY FOR PSY DUE TO TESTOSTERONE
     • EYSENCK PERSONALITY INVENTORY = EPI
       • measures introversion & extro, neuroticism & stability
         • series of yes & no qus - ans can identify individuals personality
           • 2 dimensions are NOT related so individual can be identified as a stable extrovert, neurotic introvert ect

3. BIOLOGICAL

   • BIRTH - TEENAGE
   • BIOLOGICAL APPROACH TO STUDYING PERSONALITY LOOKS FOR BIO REASONS/ CAUSES
     • MOODS / HORMONES/ TEMPERAMENT

4. PERSONALITY DETERMINED BY BIOLOGY + TYPE DETERMINES BEHAVIOUR

   • 3/4 OF PERSONALITY DIMENSIONS ACCOUNTED BY HEREDITY
   • EXIST CROSS CULTURE

5. Personality - Shows how people are different - RELATIVELY STABLE - CONSISTENT OVER TIME - DEVELOPS OVER LIFETIME

   • Studied via :
     • MOSTLY Nomothetic - Scientific / Quantitative
       • Based on Laws of Behaviour and can be generalised to everyone
         • STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES - QUESTIONNAIRES
           • Used to compare people with one another
     • Idiographic - Qualitative / Uniqueness
       • Case Studies, interviews - reflect uniqueness

6. Different theories = Type. Trait. Factors, Bio.

   • TYPE
     • TRAIT
       • BIO
       • FACTOR = SIMPLIFIED VERSION

7. Personally - Helps us make sense of ourselves and others, Professionally - lets us assess people by groups - schemas or stereotyping- tell if suited to a job

8. FACTOR ANALYSIS

   • Aim to SUMMARISE things between variables into a smaller pattern - more generalised.
     • They describe the IMPORTANT DIMENSION OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES
       • Basically A smaller number of FACTORS decribes ALL PEOPLE.. and gives greater FLEXABILITY
         • FACTORS :INTRO/EXTRO/NEUROTIC
           • STATISTICAL TECHNIQUE - showing personality dimensions.
           • Simplified version of Trait Theory eg lots of traits for trait theory, fewer factors for Factor Analysis.

9. CATTELL - 16 PERSONALITY FACTORS

   • CATTELL = FACTOR ANALYSIS to IDENTIFY 16 SOURCE TRAITS = which DEVELOPED 16PF
     • RELIABLE & VALID
       • CAN BE USED WITH EVERYDAY PEOPLE AND CLINICALLY
     • TRAITS DEVIDE INTO - COMMON TRAITS + UNIQUE TRAITS
       • This method created 35 PRIMARY/FIRST ORDER TRAITS
     • Wanted to systematically describe personality
   • INDUCTIVE METHOD

10. SOURCE TRAITS

11. COSTA & McCRAE 1992 = BIG 5 = OCEAN - MORE GENERAL MEANING MORE LEVELS OF UNIQUNESS

    • O = OPENNESS
      • C = CONTIENCIOUSNESS
        • E = EXTROVERSION
          • A = AGREEABLENESS
            • N = NEUROTICISM
    • RELIABLE & VALID

12. GOLDBERG

    • PROPOSED ANOTHER BIG 5 - SEEKS TO DESCRIBE PERSONALITY
      • SIMILAR TO COSTA & McCRAE EXCWPT HAS INTERLLECT AS A FACTOR INSTEAD OF OPENNESS
    • FACTOR 1 = EXTRAVERSION
      • FACTOR 2 = AGREEABLENESS
        • FACTOR 3 = CONSCIENCIOUSNESS
          • FACTOR 4 = EMOTIONAL STABILITY
            • FACTOR 5 = INTERLECT