Personality Part 1

Personality Part 1

1. Nomothetic

   • looking for patterns
     • similarities
     • differences
   • comparing large numbers

2. idiographic

   • understand unique structure of an individuals personality

3. traits vs states

   • trait of anxiety
     • the disposition to respond with anxiety to situations that are perceived as threatening (Spielberger and Gorsuch, 1966)
   • state of anxiety
     • a condition of the organism characterized by subjective feelings of apprehension and heightened autonomic nervous system
   • Multi-trait fundamentals
     • normally distributed
     • factor analysis
       • factors = clusters
       • name the clusters
   • Cattell's Trait Theory
     • A bottom-up theory
     • Allport and Odbert (1936)
       • boiled down dictionary terms then factor analyzed ratings of terms
     • 16 PF (personality factors) = 16 source traits
       • Reserved vs warm
       • Concrete reasoning vs abstract-reasoning
       • Reactive vs emotionally stable
       • deferential vs dominant
       • serious vs lively
       • expedient vs rule-conscientious
       • shy vs socially-bold
       • utilitarian vs sensitive
       • trusting vs vigilant
       • practical vs imaginative
       • forthright vs private
       • self-assured vs apprehensive
       • traditional vs open to change
       • group-orientated vs self reliant
       • tolerates disorder vs perfectionist
       • relaxed vs tense
     • revised 4 times, most recent 5th version (1993) 16PF5
       • its factors supported by 60+ studies e.g. houfer and eber (2002) aluga and black (2004)
         • Still in use e.g. Booth and Irwing (2011)

4. Eysenck's Trait Theory

   • A "top down" theory
   • started with a theory
     • Hippocrates and Galen
       • Melancholic (introverted, unstable)
         • Moody, anxious, rigid, unsociable, quiet, sober, pessimistic, reserved
       • Choleric (extroverted, unstable)
         • Touchy, restless, aggressive, excitable, changeable, impulsive, optimistic, active
       • phlegmatic (introverted, stable)
         • Passive, careful, thoughtful, peaceful, controlled, reliable, even tempered, calm
       • Sanguine (extroverted, stable)
         • responsive, easygoing, lively, carefree, leadership, talkative, outgoing, sociable
     • Jung (1933)
       • Extroversion
       • Introversion
   • Eysenck's type dimensions
     • Extroversion-intorversion
       • emotional stability-neuroticism