Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the primary limitation of lexical accounts of personality?
What is the primary limitation of lexical accounts of personality?
- They are based on outdated research
- They fail to explain personality traits (correct)
- They focus too much on behavior
- They are not applicable cross-culturally
Who is considered the 'Father' of modern biological approaches to personality?
Who is considered the 'Father' of modern biological approaches to personality?
- Hans Eysenck (correct)
- G.W. Allport
- Sigmund Freud
- H.S. Odbert
What is the main goal of psychobiological methodologies?
What is the main goal of psychobiological methodologies?
- To understand individual differences in behavior (correct)
- To develop treatments for mental disorders
- To identify personality traits
- To study the neural basis of personality
What type of terms describe behaviors such as walking and digesting?
What type of terms describe behaviors such as walking and digesting?
What is the title of the study by Allport and Odbert that is referenced in the content?
What is the title of the study by Allport and Odbert that is referenced in the content?
What is the main difference between lexical and psychobiological methodologies?
What is the main difference between lexical and psychobiological methodologies?
What type of testing is used to analyze genetic factors in psychobiological research?
What type of testing is used to analyze genetic factors in psychobiological research?
What is used to discover dimensions of personality in the trait approach?
What is used to discover dimensions of personality in the trait approach?
What is an assumption of the trait approach?
What is an assumption of the trait approach?
What type of analysis is used to categorize lexical evidence and biological data?
What type of analysis is used to categorize lexical evidence and biological data?
What is a characteristic of the dimensions in the trait approach?
What is a characteristic of the dimensions in the trait approach?
What is an example of a method used in biological models?
What is an example of a method used in biological models?
What is the primary focus of the Lexical taxonomy?
What is the primary focus of the Lexical taxonomy?
Which of the following is NOT one of the factors that contribute to personality development?
Which of the following is NOT one of the factors that contribute to personality development?
What is the name of the taxonomy that seeks to identify the biological/genetic markers of personality traits?
What is the name of the taxonomy that seeks to identify the biological/genetic markers of personality traits?
Which personality trait is associated with artistic tendencies, intellect, and acceptance of new ideas or change?
Which personality trait is associated with artistic tendencies, intellect, and acceptance of new ideas or change?
What is the term for characteristic, biologically-based reaction patterns that are present from an early age?
What is the term for characteristic, biologically-based reaction patterns that are present from an early age?
Which of the following is a dimension of personality associated with a predisposition to mood and anxiety disorders?
Which of the following is a dimension of personality associated with a predisposition to mood and anxiety disorders?
What is the personality trait that refers to the quality of a person's social/interpersonal impact?
What is the personality trait that refers to the quality of a person's social/interpersonal impact?
What is the term for the dimension of personality that mediates the psychopathological effects of the other two dimensions?
What is the term for the dimension of personality that mediates the psychopathological effects of the other two dimensions?
What is the name of the questionnaire used to examine extraversion and neuroticism?
What is the name of the questionnaire used to examine extraversion and neuroticism?
What was the sample size of the undergraduate psychology students analyzed in the study?
What was the sample size of the undergraduate psychology students analyzed in the study?
What is the title of the journal where the study was published?
What is the title of the journal where the study was published?
What is the concept examined in the study regarding extraversion and neuroticism?
What is the concept examined in the study regarding extraversion and neuroticism?
What is the specific condition under which extraversion and neuroticism are not independent?
What is the specific condition under which extraversion and neuroticism are not independent?
What is the name of the dimensionality examined in the study?
What is the name of the dimensionality examined in the study?
What is a characteristic of evidence-based scientific theories in the context of personality?
What is a characteristic of evidence-based scientific theories in the context of personality?
Which of the following is a limitation of current approaches to personality?
Which of the following is a limitation of current approaches to personality?
What is a direct application of personality theories?
What is a direct application of personality theories?
Which of the following is a formally accepted view of personality?
Which of the following is a formally accepted view of personality?
What is a characteristic of the biological approach to personality?
What is a characteristic of the biological approach to personality?
What is a challenge in understanding personality development?
What is a challenge in understanding personality development?
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Study Notes
Lexical Methodologies
- Terms used to distinguish people based on their behavior
- Terms that describe common behaviors (e.g., walking, digesting) are excluded
- Four categories of terms:
- Censorial and evaluative (e.g., insignificant, acceptable, worthy)
- Metaphorical (e.g., red-headed, lean)
Problem of Lexical Accounts
- Lexical accounts of personality describe traits, but don't explain them
- Questions to be answered:
- Why do we behave in and experience the world as we do?
- What is the source of individual differences in behavior and experience?
Psychobiological Methodologies
- Hans Eysenck: 'Father' of modern biological approaches to personality
- Assumptions:
- Personality develops through the interplay between:
- Cognition (memory, perception, thought, language, intelligence)
- Temperament (characteristic, biologically-based reaction patterns)
- Constitution or physiology (neurology, endocrinology, genetics, etc.)
- Environment (both human and physical)
- Personality is dimensionally and hierarchically arranged
- Personality develops through the interplay between:
Two Main Trait Taxonomies
- Lexical taxonomy (e.g., Big-5):
- Seeks to identify personality trait-descriptors in natural language
- Five dimensions:
- Neuroticism: emotional stability
- Extraversion: social/interpersonal impact
- Agreeableness: quality of social/interpersonal impact
- Conscientiousness: responsibility, dutifulness, and will to achieve
- Openness: artistic tendencies, intellect, and acceptance of new ideas or change
- Psychobiological taxonomy (Eysenck's Big-3):
- Seeks to identify biological/genetic markers of personality traits
- Three dimensions:
- Neuroticism (related temperament: emotionality): predisposition to mood and anxiety disorders
- Extraversion (related temperament: activity): predisposition to accidents, injuries, and substance abuse
- Psychoticism (tough- vs. avoidance)
Assumptions of the Trait Approach
- Common assumptions:
- The personality space is made up of dimensions
- These dimensions are finite
- We can discover these dimensions by categorizing lexical evidence and biological data
- These dimensions are linear and independent from each other
Dimensionality: Linearity and Independence
- Dimensionality: linearity is assumed, but in reality, dimensions are likely oblique and non-linear
- Independence: examined whether extraversion (E) and neuroticism (N) are independent except amongst high N scorers
Contributions of the Trait Approach
- Scientific theories that are evidence-based
- Clear-cut and reliable predictions
- Testable and probabilistic
- Cross-cultural (also gender/age) validity
- Direct applications to occupational/educational psychology, psychopathology, and evolutionary psychology
- Contributions to criminal profiling and adaptive interrogation techniques
Limitations of the Trait Approach
- Can't manage complex, dynamic interactions between elements of personality
- Statistical methods of analysis assume linearity and independence
- Lexical approach can't identify what personality traits are
- Biological approach is generally unreliable
- How to account for changes in personality traits through adulthood?
- Theoretically weak
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