PSYC 4620 1st EditionExam #3 Study Guide Lectures: 18 - 25Lecture 18 (March 23)Rise of Behaviorism- Now: children have personalities like their parents- Early 20th centuryo Tabula rasa: children are a blank slate Parenting styles and environmental experiences develop personality Every child has an equal likelihood of having any personality type- Decline of behaviorism- Combination of experiences of biologyHans Eysenck’s Theory of Personality- Structure of personalityo Factor analysis used to find supertraitso Supertraits: personality types Extraversion-introversion Neuroticism Psychoticismo All personality traits can fall under these 3 supertrait continuumsFigure 9.1- Specific response levelo The specific behavioro Ex: Observe someone laughing and having fun with friends- Habitual response levelo Pattern emergeso Ex: Observe someone laughing and having fun with friends over many evenings- Trait levelo Multiple contextso Ex: General sociability: we see the person not only with friends, but meeting withcolleagues for lunch, going to school club meetings- Supertrait levelo Larger dimension of personalityo Ex: Falls under extroversion A bunch of traits come together to form a larger part of personalityThe Supertraits- Extraversion-Introversiono Spectrum someone in betweeno Eysenck says you’re either one or the othero Extrovert Outgoingo Introvert Reserved, quiet- Neuroticismo Tendency to respond emotionallyo Major emotional reaction to a minor frustration (similar to Big 5)o Less likely to fly off the handle, more stableo More emotionally reactive- Psychoticism (added later)o High: egocentric, lacking in concern for otherso Low: most people, having empathy, respect for rightsA Biological Basis for Personality- Eysenck: Individual differences are based in biologyo Consistency E/I stable over time Extroverts as children=extroverts as adults Personality traits are biologicalo Three dimensions of personality across cultures and methodso Genetics plays an important role on where you’re placed on the dimensionsAccording to Eysenck- 2/3 of where personality comes from is biology- Environment plays a role, but biology plays more of a role- Even though the environment plays a role, biology sets a limit on how much environment can change thingsEvidence for Biological Basis- Physiological differenceso Sensitivity to stimulationo Sensitivity to reinforcementSensitivity to Stimulation- Eysenck originally thought extroverts would have a lower level of cerebral cortex arousalo No evidence base- Difference in sensitivity to stimulationo Introverts more sensitive to environmental, emotional stimulation than extrovertso Introverts are more reactiveo So extroverts seek out more stimulationSensitivity to Reinforcement- Reinforcement Sensitivity Theoryo Each brain has a BAS and BIS BAS: Behavioral Approach System BIS: Behavioral Inhibition System- (These are hypothetical systems)o Individuals differ in these two systemso Difference in strength of two systems Individual differences stable over time (from childhood to adulthood)o High BAS Motivated to seek out and achieve pleasurable goals Experience more anger and frustration when they fail to reach those goalso High BIS More apprehensive, wary, retreat Higher inhibitiono These systems influence what we’re motivated to seek out- Systems related to E/I and neuroticismo BAS and E/I (higher BAS=Extrovert)o High BIS= neuroticism- Scores similar but correlation is no perfecto Related but not the sameTemperament- Temperament: general behavioral dispositiono General patterns of behavior and moodo Can develop into personality traitso Interplay between genetics and environmentTemperament and Personality- Disagreements on how to classify temperament, how many- Example of one modelo 3 dimensions of temperaments Emotionality: intensity Activity: energy Sociability: interactionWhere Does Temperament Come From?- Largely inherited- Gender differenceso Girls: effortful control temperament Tend to be able to focus attention and exercise control over impulse urgeso Boys: Surgency temperament High level of activity and sociabilityLecture 19(March 25) Where Does Temperament Come From- Yet another modelo Well-adjustedo Undercontrolledo Inhibited- Well-adjusted children= well-adjusted adultso Undercontrolled and inhibited children had difficulty as adults- Study argues temperament plays important role in personality developmentEnvironment and Temperament- Interaction- Can teach coping skills to children/people that influence expression of temperament- Circular influence: temperament can influence environment and environment can influence temperamentEvolutionary Personality PsychologyNatural Selection and Evolution Basics- Theory of evolutiono Features and survival- Natural selectiono Survival of the fittesto Members of species who evolve advantageously, adapt, will survive to pass on their genetic material- Take place over many generationsEvolutionary Personality Theory- Evolution is responsible for psychological stuff- Human functions allow us to deal with problems/needs, survive- Ex: fear of strangers, anger, need to belongApplicationReminder about Temperament- Children are born with different temperaments- Transition to school showcases the differencesThree Basic Patterns- Patterns emerge in elementary schoolo Easy child Adaptive Positive moodo Difficult child Difficulty adapting to new situations Generally negative moodo Slow-to-warm-up child Fearful Have trouble in new situations Have trouble adapting Withdraw when things are unfamiliar- Note: Test over inhibited/uninhibited, and these 3 basic patternsTemperament and Academics- Temperament affects school performanceo Easy: better grades, better teacher reactions- Not related to intelligence- Explanationso Compatibilityo Reponseso MisinterpretationTake-Away Message- Match temperament to teaching- Goodness-of-fit modelo How well a child does in school is partially a function of how well their learning environment matches their needsAssessment: Brain Electrical Activity and Cerebral AsymmetryMeasuring Brain Activity- Electroencephalogram(EEG)o Measure electrical activityo See where neurons are firingo Physiological response to emotions, etcCerebral Asymmetry- Cerebral Asymmetryo Difference in left and right anterior cerebral hemisphere activity- Emotion regulationo One side has more activity than the other- Individual
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