Personality & Its Disorders Lecture 3 2024 PDF

18/07/2024 Readings (non-assessable) PERSONALITY & ITS Buss, D. M. (2001). Human nature & culture: DISORDERS PSYU/PSYX3336 An evolutionary psychological perspective....

18/07/2024 Readings (non-assessable) PERSONALITY & ITS Buss, D. M. (2001). Human nature & culture: DISORDERS PSYU/PSYX3336 An evolutionary psychological perspective. Lecture 3: Traits & Evolutionary Journal of Personality, 69, 955-978 Psychology McCrae, R. R. (2004). Human nature & culture: A trait perspective. Journal of Research in Personality, 38, 3-14 A/Prof Simon Boag email: [email protected] 1 2 Outline Learning objectives Universal approaches to personality Describe what is meant by ‘universal’ 1. Trait psychology & the FFM personality theories Traits & cross-cultural evidence 2. Evolutionary psychology & culture Describe & critically evaluate how trait Evvolutionary psychology & traits accounts address cross-cultural differences 3. Traits & evolution Describe & critically evaluate how evolutionary psychology accounts for cross- cultural differences 3 4 Universal theories of personality 1. Trait theories Individual differences but universal human Traits: dispositions or tendencies tendencies & human nature Nomothetic approach Trait psychology: traits apply to every Dominant approach in personality research cultural group across the world, even if there Nature over nurture (but interaction) might be some variation at the individual level Evolutionary psychology: universally evolved Lexical hypothesis preferences & mechanisms How do we account for cross/within-cultural variation? eg. Gender roles & aggression 5 6 1  18/07/2024 Within-individual personality Trait accounts “Personality is the dynamic organization within Five Factor Model & Five Factor Theory OCEAN model the individual of those psychophysical systems Traits: “… enduring tendencies to think, feel, & that determine his characteristic behavior & thoughts” (Allport, 1961) behave in consistent ways…” Traits “relatively untouched by life experience” Strong empirical basis & predictive validity What might Markus et al say here? 7 DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY FFM: some findings Judge et al. (2002): meta-analysis (163 samples) ↓N ↑E associated with job satisfaction Malouff et al. (2005): meta-analysis (33 samples) ↑N ↓C, A, E associated with clinical disorders Poropat (2009): meta-analysis (N = 70,926) C predictor of uni performance, independent of ‘intelligence’ Judge, et al. (2002). Five-factor model of personality & job satisfaction: a meta- analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 87, 530-541 Malouff, et al. (2005). The relationship between the five-factor model of personality & symptoms of clinical disorders. Journal of Psychopathology & Behavioral Assessment, 27, 101-114 Poropat, A. E. (2009). A meta-analysis of the five-factor model of personality & 9 academic performance. Psychological Bulletin, 135, 322-338 10 Traits & culture? Traits are biologically fixed human universals “… traits are strictly endogenous, changing only in response to intrinsic maturation or other biological inputs” (Allik & McCrae, 2002) On culture: “The central dogma of FFT postulates that there is no “transfer” from culture & life experience to basic personality traits” (Allik & McCrae, 2002) 11 12 2  18/07/2024 Are FFM traits universal? Traits & culture Method: Translate NEO into other languages Factor analysis & cross-cultural research Collect data from around the world Tests of FFM in 50+ societies across 6 Factor analysis to identify traits continents; general replication of 5 factor Do the same groupings emerge? structure (McCrae & Terracciano, 2005) Not replicated in Bolivian indigenous sample (n = 632)(Gurven et al, 2013) Tsimane Big Two: pro-sociality & industriousness Gurven, et al. (2013). How universal is the Big Five? Jnl of Personality & Social Psychology, 104, 354-370 13 14 Geography of personality Traits & cultural dimensions Traits are likely to shape culture (McCrae, 2004; Allik Hofstede & McCrae (2004): 114 samples, 36 et al., 2017) cultures eg. a society of introverts will be v. different from a society of extroverts Personality profiles of culture? East/west differences? Collectivism/individualism? Is there a geography of personality? Hofstede, G., & McCrae, R. R. (2004). Personality & culture revisited: Linking traits & dimensions of culture. Cross-cultural Research, 38, 52-88 15 16 Geographical differences Cluster analysis (Allik & McCrae, (Allik & McCrae, 2004) 2004) Hierarchical cluster 5 continents; N = 27,965 Ss analysis Undergrad Ss Cultures with the Traits & latitude most similar Latitude & E: r =.59 personality profiles Latitude & C: r = (-).41 (FFM) are linked closest Geographical “… people who live farther from the equator proximity & tend to be more outgoing but less dutiful” (p. 18) personality profile similarity 17 18 3  18/07/2024 Multidimensional scaling (MDS) MDS assigns coordinates that represent the relative distances in a reduced space (usually two-dimensional) Findings: Clustering into distinctive groups of countries or cultures Euro-American cultures distinct from Asian- African ones on FFM “European cultures tend to score high on Extraversion & Openness while African & Asian cultures gravitate toward the opposite pole, NOTE: North in the figure is associated with N (neuroticism) & East Introversion & Closeness” (Allik et al. 2017) 19 with E (extraversion) 20 How large are cultural differences in personality? (Allik, et al., 2017) N = 71,870 Ss 76 samples 62 different countries 37 different languages Difficult to establish ‘true’ country ranking Personality differences across countries exist but are very small Differences b/w individuals within country > Allik, et al. (2017). Mean Profiles of the NEO Personality Inventory. Journal of Cross- differences b/w countries Cultural Psychology, 48, 402-420 21 22 Cross-cultural differences Outstanding questions “… whether the patterns seen here represent “Cross-country & cross-cultural differences in real differences in personality or merely personality are very small compared with differences in self-reports. Cultures may differ in within-sample differences. Differences in response styles or self-presentational strategies, personality b/w aggregate personality scores of conceivably giving rise to the differences seen countries/cultures are about 8 times smaller here” (Allik & McCrae, 2004) than differences b/w any two individuals Solution: using observers from outside the randomly selected from the same sample” (Allik et al., 2017) culture Self-reports & observer ratings show similar profiles (Allik & McCrae, 2004) 23 24 4  18/07/2024 Outstanding questions Genetic differences? If geographical differences in personality, then Traits & genetics? what causes them? “… in an age when the human genome has been “Personality similarities among people in close mapped, it has become necessary to consider geographical proximity—if they exist— might have several causes. Shared culture, shared seriously the possibility that some national genes, & shared physical environment are all differences in personality traits may have a reasonable candidates. Unfortunately, these genetic basis” (Allik & McCrae, 2004) three classes of influence are usually confounded. People of a given culture also tend Genetic plot predicted to match geography to constitute a single gene pool & to share many findings (Allik et al., 2017) features linked to the physical environment…” (McCrae, 2004) 25 26 Traits & genes? 2. Evolutionary approaches “… one of the most replicable findings reported Tooby & Cosmides (1990): searching for a in the social sciences [is that] about one-half universal human nature of the total variance in personality trait scores is directly attributable to genetic differences Biology & evolutionary processes b/w individuals & the other one-half to environmental influences” (Jang et al, 2001) “There are no substantive reasons to suspect that the kind of evolutionary forces that Meta-analysis (134 studies): 40% personality shaped our innate psychological mechanisms diffs are genetic; 60% environment (Vukasović & are fundamentally different from those that Bratko, 2015) shaped our innate physiology” Balestri et al (2014): systematic review of 369 (Tooby & Cosmides, 1990) studies: no consensus on role of genes 27 28 EP: Core assumptions Human nature: no blank slate Darwin’s theory of natural selection “… our evolved psychological mechanisms are Adaptations numerous, complex, specialized, & functional” Survival/reproductive success (Buss, 2001) Psychological adaptations eg. preferences, biases Evolved psychological mechanisms Distal vs proximal explanations Automatic, nonconscious Interactionist framework ‘Preparedness’ (Seligman): fear of heights, Environment of Evolutionary Adaptedness snakes, dark, strangers Perceptual biases: spotting differences rather than similarities 29 30 5  18/07/2024 Preferences related to reproductive “Women faced the problem of securing a success reliable or replenishable supply of resources to carry them through pregnancy & lactation, Selective pressures & sex differences especially when food resources were scarce “… humans are predicted to have evolved (eg. during droughts or harsh winters). All motives, strivings & goal-directed proclivities people are descendants of a long & unbroken that historically led to reproductive success” (Buss, 2001) line of women who successfully solved this adaptive challenge – for example, by preferring mates who showed the ability to accrue resources & the willingness to provide them for particular women” (Buss, 1995) DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY 31 DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY 32 Developments in EP EP & culture: Problems 1st generation EP: trying to establish legitimacy Bussey & Bandura (1999): EP cannot account Universal trait preferences in mates (Buss, 1989) for cultural diversity in gender roles Gender roles appear more nurture than Survey from 37 countries (Buss, 1989) Females prefer wealthy men & males prefer nature Cultural differences in beauty young, buxom women “Human sexual arousal is driven more by the Males prefer ‘looks’ in ST & LT mind through cultural construction of Females prefer status & resources in LT attractiveness than by physical universals” (Bussey & Bandura, 1999) 33 DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY 34 EP & culture: Problems EP & culture: Problems Rapid shift in western gender roles Bussey & Bandura (1999): present-day lifestyle “…. gender differences have been diminishing patterns & reproduction practices related to over the past decade, which is much too cultural & technological shifts short a time to be genetically determined” (Bussey & Bandura, 1999) Buss (2001): let’s see if this lasts eg contraception “The substantial modification in reproduction practices & attendant lifestyle changes were ushered in by technological innovations in contraception, not by the slow biological selection” (Bussey & Bandura, 1999) DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY 35 36 6  18/07/2024 EP & cultural differences EP & cultural differences Buss (2001): EP must account for cultural Cultural differences & beauty? diversity & sex differences EP: we have evolved psychological How does EP address universal human nature & cultural variation? mechanisms underlying attractiveness judgments to increase gene propagation Transmitted culture: cultural differences transmitted across individuals/groups (eg Importance of indicators of ideas & beliefs) reproductive fitness Evoked culture: cultural differences evoked Facial symmetry & good genes by different environments (eg pathogens) 37 (Jones et al, 2001) 38 EP & cultural differences Evolutionary psychology & culture “In cultures with a great prevalence of pathogens, physical appearance becomes an especially important mate selection criterion” (Buss, 2001) Gangestad & Buss (1993): pathogen prevalence & cultural emphasis on physical attractiveness: r =.71 Gangestad et al (2006): parasite prevalence predicts preference for physical attractiveness better than ‘Gender equality’: 39 40 3. Traits & evolution “… descriptions of cultural differences almost invariably gloss over important individual differences within each culture as well as the often substantial overlap between cultures” (Buss, 2001) How might traits have evolved? Natural selection Nettle (2006): Costs & benefits associated 41 with differing environments 42 7  18/07/2024 Pathogens & personality Pathogens, evolutionary pressures & traits “… when infectious diseases are more prevalent, people may adopt a more cautious & conservative style when interacting with their social & physical environment” (Schaller & Murray, 2008) ↓ O, E Nettle, D (2006). The evolution of personality ↑ sexual restric ons variation in humans & other animals. American Psychologist, 61, 622-631 43 44 Pathogens & personality Pathogens & personality Schaller & Murray (2008) Compare: NEO FFM, Big 5 inventories “… in places with historically high levels of 17,837 Ss in 56 different regions infectious diseases, individuals have less Female SOI & DiP (disease prev): r = -.62, p < extraverted personalities”.001 “… in places with historically high levels of Male SOI & DiP: r = -.27, p <.066 infectious diseases, extraversion is less Extraversion & DiP: r = -.26 to -.67 (-.50) culturally valued” Openness & DiP: r = -.24 to -.59 (-.40) What is implicated in the difference? 45 46 Same old story…. Questions? 47 48 8