Psychology Chapter on Personality

A parenting style characterized by a lack of supervision and the use of harsh punishment.

The likelihood of a particular behaviour, often expressed as a percentage or ratio.

A scientific model proposing that observing parental behaviour, combined with a desire to bond with the parent, can influence a child's development of antisocial and aggressive traits.

A personality trait characterized by high levels of self-discipline, responsibility, and goal-oriented behaviour.

The Big Five model, a widely recognized framework for understanding personality, encompassing five core traits: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism.

The tendency for a personality trait to be observed across different cultures, suggesting its universality.

The idea that certain personality traits, like conscientiousness, may not be present in all animal species.

A concept suggesting that personality traits, while influenced by genetics, can also be shaped by environmental factors and life experiences.

Personality traits are formed through a complex interplay of biological and environmental influences.

The study of how our genes influence our behavioral tendencies.

The extent to which genetic differences account for variations in personality traits within a population. It's expressed as a percentage, e.g., 50% heritability means 50% of the variation is due to genetics.

Twin and adoption studies are used to study the influence of genetics and environment on personality. By comparing identical twins raised together or apart, researchers can estimate the relative contributions of genes and environment.

Evolutionary perspectives suggest that personality traits that were beneficial to survival and reproduction in ancestral human populations became more common over time.

A measure of the test's consistency, reflecting the degree to which different parts of the test are measuring the same construct.

A statistical measure of internal consistency, usually used to assess the reliability of scales and questionnaires.

It measures how correlated a participant's answers are to a set of questionnaire items, indicating the test's internal consistency.

Scientific theories are rejected when they lack supporting evidence from observations and experiments.

Freud's theories have lost credibility in academia, with most institutions rejecting them as a reliable source.

While Freud's ideas might seem appealing, there's limited scientific evidence to support them.

Freud's claims about boys' desires for their mothers and hatred for their fathers lack scientific basis.

Freud's concept of 'penis envy' in women is considered outdated and inaccurate by modern psychology.

There is no scientific evidence to support Freud's concepts of the id, ego, and superego, which represent different aspects of the personality.

Freud's theory that human development progresses through distinct stages (oral, anal, phallic, genital) lacks scientific backing.

Freud's theories, including his methodologies, techniques, and conclusions, have been widely questioned and even considered harmful.

Individuals have unique patterns of behavior across situations, which contribute to their distinct personalities.

The belief in one's ability to succeed in a task.

The belief that one can overcome a challenge, even if they haven't succeeded before.

Personality is shaped primarily by learned experiences (nurture), combining learning principles, cognitive processes, and social relationships.

The idea that individuals learn and adapt their behavior based on past experiences and ongoing feedback.

Personality is a complex system of interrelated processes that guide and influence individual behavior in various situations.

Individuals react differently to situations due to unique cognitive and emotional processes, leading to diverse behaviors.

The concept that our actions and interactions in each situation are controlled by a complex web of cognitive and affective processes.

Humans have evolved to excel at imitating and teaching behaviors, making it a highly efficient transmission process.

The strength of the relationship between parents and children's traits, indicating how much influence parents have on their children's behavior.

A theory explaining social learning based on the inherent reward of belonging and identifying with others. This theory assumes that social connections are intrinsically motivating, making tangible rewards secondary.

The idea that social learning is driven by the desire to connect with others and fit in, rather than solely relying on external rewards.

A behavior-learning theory where the observer gains a tangible reward by performing an action learned from a model, reinforcing the behavior.

The tendency to conform to group behaviors and standards, often driven by the desire to be accepted and belong.

The power of conformity can be so strong that it influences our actions even when we question those actions.

The study of different aspects of human societies, including social behaviors, beliefs, and cultural practices.

A statistical measure reflecting the proportion of variation in a trait that is attributable to genetic differences among individuals within a population.

Strong selection pressures, whether it's from nature, competition for mates, or human intervention, tend to reduce the genetic diversity of traits within a population.

A measure of heritability does not indicate the degree to which genes control a trait; rather, it indicates what proportion of observed variation is due to genetic differences.

Even traits with high heritability can be influenced by environmental factors, showing that nature and nurture interact.

Heritability values are derived from correlations, which can vary between studies due to factors like sampling methods and population characteristics.

In the study mentioned, 37% of the variation in aggression among male juvenile bony fishes was attributed to genetic differences.

Heritability values can vary based on factors like sex, making it crucial to consider relevant variables.

In the study of 42 passerine birds, 22% of the variation in exploratory behavior was attributed to genetic differences.