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Chapter 2Theories of Personality:

Jan. 28, 2014

Sept.

Theories of Personality

• What is personality?

• Most theories of personality believe some traits are basic to humans: how do we figure out what these are?

• Factor analysis

Personality factors that “load on” factor named extraversion: McCrae and Costa (2008) Five Factor Model

Factor 1: Extraversion

sociable

assertive

friendliness

Factor 2: neuroticismFactor 3: openness to experienceFactor 4: agreeablenessFactor 5: conscientiousness

• What is personality?• Agreeableness • Narcissism

Chapt. 2 Theories of personality

• personality = individual’s unique constellation of consistent behavioral traits

• personality trait = durable disposition to behave in a particular way across a variety of situations– Common personality traits include:• honest• moody• impulsive• friendly

Five –factor model of personality:McCrae and Costa (2007, in text)

neuroticism

extraversion

openness to experience

agreeableness

conscientiousness

Psychological tests of personality

Psychological tests=standardized measure of a sample of someone’s behavior1. Standardized measures – uniform

procedures2. Reliability – same results upon repeated

administration?3. Validity 4. Test norms – score relative to others

Psychological tests=standardized so that scores compared

meaningfully

•

Five factor model – measure of agreeableness

- agreeableness – self-report inventory- multiple measures available- 10-item International Personality Item PoolMeasure of Agreeableness (http://ipip.ori.org/)

TAKE SELF-ADMINISTERED TEST OF AGREEABLENESS

Agreeableness1. very inaccurate 2. moderately inaccurate 3.

neither accurate or inaccurate 4. moderately accurate 5. very accurate

I am or I: 1.Interested in other people 1 2 3 4 5 2. Sympathize with others feelings 1 2 3 4 53.Have a soft heart 1 2 3 4 5 4. Feel others’emotions 1 2 3 4 5 5. Make people feel at ease 1 2 3 4 5 6. Take time out for others 1 2 3 4 5 7. Not really interested in others 1 2 3 4 5 reverse scored8. Insult people 1 2 3 4 5 reverse scored9. Am not interested in other people’s 1 2 3 4 5 reverse scored10. Feel little concern for others 1 2 3 4 5 reverse scored

Mean = 40.631 S.D. = 5.91 (Nye, Honors Thesis, Univ. of Notre Dame, 162 undergrads)

Ave = 40.63 +/- 5.91 (1 SD)or 34.72 to 46.54

High score=above 46Low score=below 35

Who is agreeable?

• Warm• Friendly• Altruistic• Compliant with needs of others• More likely to emotionally regulate when feel

strong negative emotions= (Hass et al, 2007) more activity in the right lateral prefrontal cortex (decision making and moderating correct social behavior)

Disagreeable= angry, aggressive, interpersonal arguments

Narcissistic Personality Inventory

How to interpret scoreMean = 17S.D. = 7 (how much variability in score)High scores: those ½ standard S.D. above meanLow scores: those ½ standard deviation below

meanHigh: 20.5 - 40Medium: 13.5 - 20.5Low: 0 - 13.5

Mean score = 17

• The Narcissistic Personality Inventory measures "normal" narcissism or "everyday" levels of narcissism or “self-love”

• LOW SCORERS => lower self-esteem, be more modest, cautious, and reserved, and don't like to be the center of attention.

• HIGH SCORERS => higher self-esteem, be more arrogant, extraverted, and impulsive, and like to be leaders.

Reference: Raskin, R., & Terry, H. (1988). “A principal-components analysis of the Narcissistic Personality Inventory and further evidence of its construct validity”, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 890-902.

PERSONALITY

Introversion and Extroversion

Learning Outcomes

After this lecture you should be able to:• Understand & explain the meaning of personality • Understand Carl Jung’s contribution of

‘introversion & extroversion’• Be familiar with Hans Eysenck’s contribution to

the “biological basis of introversion and extroversion”

• Broadly describe & explain the relation between brain activity and personality

Important Definitions

• Personality>Refers to an individual’s unique constellation of consistent behavioral traits

• Personality trait>A durable disposition to behave in a particular way in a variety of situations

Personality Intuitively Considered

• Some are strongly aware of personality or consistent behavioral

characteristics/propensities -Ourselves -Playwrights -Novelists -Advertisers -Marketers (especially Google)

Personality Empirically Considered

• Here we entertain: Sigmund Freud Hans Esyenk Carl Jung Wilhelm Reich Alfred Adler

Ivan Pavlov Carl Rogers B.F. Skinner Abraham Maslow Albert Bandura Sigmund Freud

Information Processing Model

Carl Jung (1875-1961)

• Jungian Analytical Psychology (Typology)

Introversion-Extroversion Intuition-Sensing Feeling-Thinking Perceiving-Judging ARCHETYPES ACROSS CULTURES:

8 Jungian Archetypes

• The Father (Leader): Authority figure; stern; powerful.• The Mother (Caretaker): Nurturing; comforting.• The Child (Communicator): Longing for innocence; rebirth;

salvation.• The Wise Old Man/Woman (Elder): Guidance; knowledge;

wisdom.• The Hero (Warrior): Champion; defender; rescuer.• The Maiden (Aphrodite): Innocence; desire; purity.• The Trickster (Bully): Joker; deceiver; liar; trouble-maker.• The Cooperator (Arbitrator)

The Biological Basis of Personality

• Personality types result from differences in central nervous system (CNS) functioning

Implications:• Genetic basis of personality• Relatively stable & unchanging• However: environment interacts with

biological predispositions

Reticular Activating System

• The gatekeeper of consciousness, spark of the mind, the reticular formation connects with the major nerves in the spinal column and the brain. It sorts the 100 million impulses that assault the brain each second, deflecting the trivial, letting the vital through to alert the mind. The mind cannot function without this catalytic bundle of cells. Damage to them results in coma or loss of consciousness.

Biological Basis of Extroversion/Introversion: Hans Eysenk (1967)

ARAS system: • Ascending Reticular Activation System• Cortical excitation & inhibitionHigh ARAS arousal:• Predisposes to introversionLow ARAS arousal:• Predisposes to extroversionEvidence: Introverts have higher sedation threshold

than extroverts (cf. ADHD)

Central Nervous System

Some Introversion/Extroversion Empirical Findings

• Introverts less tolerant of painful electric shocks (Bartol & Costello, 1976)

• Corr et al (1995): After high dose of caffeine: Introverts poorer performance (over-stimulated?); Extroverts better performance (stimulated?)

• Frontal lobes of introverts more active than extroverts (PET scan) (Johnson et al, 1999)

Extroverts:Normal & Neurotic

SanguineNormal Extrovert• Low ARAS arousal• Low visceral brain activityCholericNeurotic Extrovert• Low ARAS arousal• High visceral brain activity

Introverts: Normal & Neurotic

PhlegmaticNormal Introvert• High ARAS arousal• Low visceral brain activityMelancholicNeurotic Introvert• High ARAS arousal• High visceral brain activity

Biological & Environmental Interaction

“Biological causes act in such a way as to predispose an individual in certain ways to

stimulation; this stimulation may or may not occur, depending on circumstances which are

entirely under environmental control”(Eysenck, 1967, pp. 221-222)

• Effect of different teaching environments

Summary

• Eysenck’s approach identifies personality dimensions (ext/int; neu/nor)

• A person’s placing on these dimensions determines their personality temperament

• Eysenck proposes a biological basis for personality

• Extroversion & introversion are said to be related to ARAS functioning

• Neuroticism & normality are said to be related to visceral brain activity