Psychology: Trait Approaches to Personality

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary focus of Gordon Allport in the study of personality traits?

Allport focused on the idiographic approach, emphasizing unique individual traits.

How are traits defined in personality psychology?

Traits are defined as stable dispositions or tendencies to act consistently across time and situations.

What is the Lexical Hypothesis in the context of trait identification?

The Lexical Hypothesis suggests that traits can be identified through language.

Name the three factors proposed by Eysenck in his model of personality.

The three factors are Extraversion-Introversion, Neuroticism-Normality, and Psychoticism. Signup and view all the answers

What role does factor analysis play in trait approaches to personality?

Factor analysis is used to identify and group related personality traits into broader dimensions. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the concept of the Five Factor Model in personality psychology.

The Five Factor Model outlines five core traits that describe human personality: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Signup and view all the answers

How does the DSM-5 relate to personality traits?

The DSM-5 incorporates a dimensional trait model that categorizes personality disorders based on maladaptive traits. Signup and view all the answers

What interaction does the trait approach emphasize regarding personality development?

The trait approach emphasizes the interaction between nature (biological predispositions) and nurture (environmental influences). Signup and view all the answers

What are the Five Factors in the Five Factor Model?

The Five Factors are Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the NEO-PI-R assessment?

The NEO-PI-R assessment identifies personality traits through a self-report questionnaire. Signup and view all the answers

How does the Five Factor Theory view the influence of culture on personality traits?

FFT posits that personality traits are not affected by culture but shaped solely by biology. Signup and view all the answers

At what age do significant changes in the Five Factors typically occur?

Significant changes in the Five Factors typically occur around age 30. Signup and view all the answers

What was the finding of Gurven et al. (2013) regarding the Five Factor Model among the Tsimane people?

The Five Factor Model was not replicated among the Tsimane people, who exhibited two main personality dimensions. Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between personality traits and personality disorders according to DSM-5?

Personality disorders are viewed as extreme or maladaptive variations of personality traits. Signup and view all the answers

How are traits characterized in the Five Factor Model?

Traits are characterized as enduring tendencies to think, feel, and behave in consistent ways. Signup and view all the answers

What role does heritability play in the Five Factor Model?

The Five Factor Model suggests that traits are highly heritable and relatively untouched by life experiences. Signup and view all the answers

What are the four key characteristics of a personality disorder according to the DSM?

Enduring patterns of behavior, culturally deviant, pervasive and inflexible, and lead to distress or social impairment. Signup and view all the answers

Name the three clusters of personality disorders identified in the DSM-5.

Cluster A (odd/eccentric), Cluster B (dramatic/emotional/erratic), and Cluster C (anxious/fearful). Signup and view all the answers

What is a notable limitation of the categorical model of personality disorders?

Extensive co-occurrence of personality disorders leading to poor inter-rater reliability. Signup and view all the answers

Describe the Alternative Model of Personality Disorders (AMPD) in brief.

The AMPD is a dimensional approach that evaluates personality disorders based on impairments in personality functioning and pathological personality traits. Signup and view all the answers

What are the five broad domains of pathological personality traits in the AMPD?

Negative affectivity, detachment, psychoticism, antagonism, and disinhibition. Signup and view all the answers

How does the AMPD potentially improve treatment options according to Widiger?

It allows for personalized treatment goals based on specific traits such as emotional stability or cognitive goals. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary criticism of the DSM-5's categorical model for diagnosing Borderline Personality Disorder?

There is extreme heterogeneity with up to 256 different ways to diagnose it. Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'PD NOS' refer to in the context of personality disorders?

'PD NOS' stands for 'Personality Disorder Not Otherwise Specified' and is the most common diagnosis. Signup and view all the answers

In the AMPD, how do personality disorders relate to normal personality traits?

Personality disorders represent maladaptive variants of personality traits that merge into normality. Signup and view all the answers

What is the importance of the Five Factor Model (FFM) in understanding personality disorders?

The FFM provides a validated framework for evaluating personality traits that relate to personality disorders. Signup and view all the answers

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Study Notes

Trait approaches to personality

Traits are stable patterns of behavior, thought, and emotion, primarily influenced by genetics. The lexical hypothesis states that personality traits can be identified through language analysis, which aids in developing reliable personality assessments. The Five Factor Model (FFM) identifies five core traits: Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism, assessed by the NEO-PI-R. The Five Factor Theory suggests these traits are biologically rooted and relatively unaffected by life experiences, though culture can influence their expression.

The DSM-5, or Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, categorizes personality disorders into three distinct clusters based on their shared characteristics and behavioral patterns. Cluster A includes unconventional and eccentric disorders, such as Paranoid, Schizoid, and Schizotypal personality disorders. Cluster B encompasses dramatic, emotional, or erratic disorders, represented by Antisocial, Borderline, Histrionic, and Narcissistic personality disorders. Lastly, Cluster C consists of anxious and fearful disorders, including Avoidant, Dependent, and Obsessive-Compulsive personality disorders. However, this classification system has been met with criticism regarding its reliability and validity, raising concerns among clinicians and researchers regarding its applicability in diverse populations.

Alternative model of PD

The Alternative Model of Personality Disorders (AMPD) utilizes a dimensional approach to conceptualize personality disorders
The AMPD proposes that personality disorders represent maladaptive variants of personality traits that merge imperceptibly into normality
PDs involve two key components:
- Impaired personality functioning
- Pathological personality traits
The AMPD framework organizes pathological personality traits into five broad domains:
- Negative affectivity (Neuroticism)
- Detachment (Extraversion)
- Psychoticism (Openness)
- Antagonism (Agreeableness)
- Disinhibition (Conscientiousness)
The AMPD has implications for treatment by offering a framework for identifying specific domains to target in therapy

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