Psych 100 1H Focus Questions Chapter 15 pp 549 570 Class 31 11 6 2013 1 What is the trait theory of personality What is factor analysis and how did Cattell use it to develop this theory What is the five factor model of personality and how are the Big Five traits assessed Trait theory of personality specify a manageable set of distinct personality dimensions that can be used to summarize the fundamental psychological differences among individuals Factor analysis method of analyzing patterns of correlations in order to extract mathematically defined factors which underlie and help make sense of those patterns a Catell argued that just an infinite number of different molecules can be formed from a finite number of atoms an infinite number of different personalities can be formed from a finite number of traits i Experiment took 170 adjectives that are logically different from one another used factor analysis results identified 16 basic dimensions ii iii used 16 PF Questionnaire for each statement the respondent must select one of three possible answers yes occasionally or no Five factor model person s personality is most efficiently described in terms of his her score on each of 5 trait dimensions b Questionnaires containing many questions like 240 statements on a five point scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree c 2 Do these personality measures align with people s actual behavior Provide evidence in your response Does personality change over time a All findings of correlations of personality traits and behaviors show that peoples answers reflect the ways they do behave in the RL i people who score high on neuroticism compared to those who score lower have been found to a pay more attention to and have better memory of unpleasant information b more distress when given a pop quiz c d more susceptible to mental disorders experience more divorce and ii people who score high on extraversion been found to a attend more parties b seen as leaders c live work with more people d less disturbed by sudden loud sounds intense stimuli iii people who score high on openness to experience been found to iv people who score high on agreeableness been found to a more likely to enroll in liberal art programs b change careers mid adulthood c perform better in job training programs d play a musical instrument e exhibit less prejudice a lend more money b fewer behavior problems in childhood c less alcoholism d good marriage a more sexually faithful b c smoke less healthier diets receive higher rating in job performance v people who score high on conscientiousness have been found to b Personality change i Generable Stability of Personality 1 People fill out questionnaires over time Personality stays relatively the same 5 7 1 being closest to same ii Patterns of Change in age 1 Some changes are because of increased maturity 2 Major life change 3 Is personality heritable Is it influenced by the environment Describe how single genes might influence personality Heritability a i Twin studies 1 2 Criticized because parents treat identical twins more similarly Identical twins more similar about 5 for each trait b Influence of Environment a Separated at birth twins i MZA and MZT were relatively the same on personality traits 1 Blamed on environmental when it may have been genetic ii Adopted children 1 Far more similar to bio siblings than adoptive c Single genes influences on personality i Affect neurotransmission 1 Variations in serotonin or ll ls ss gene for neuroticism d 4 How can personality be seen as an adaptation to life conditions Discuss diversification of investment in offspring studies of the bold cautious dimension in fish and problem solving strategies in your response a Explanations i proximate explanation mechanisms that operate in lifetime of individual to produce the phenomenon in question ii ultimate explanations focus on function evolutionary survival value b Advantages of Being Different i sexual reproduction adaptation that ensures diversity of offspring ii personality is a biological aspect iii Diversification of investment 1 analogy between producing offspring and investing money Ex investors put money into one company risk going broke if company collapses 2 Smart ones diversify diversifying investment reduces dramatic loss while maintaining potential gains a conditions of survival reproduction vary in unpredictable ways random diversity is favored in natural selection iv Bold Cautious dimension in fish 1 Experiment categorized pumpkinseed sunfish as bold cautious on basis of their tendency to approach or to avoid wire traps a b d those caught were bold and those who avoided the trap cautious bold fish adapted more readily to tank and swam more off on their own rather than staying close to other fish and were more likely to approach a human observer and their diet was better ate more organisms c cautious reduces risk of death through predation accident but confines one to a narrow portion of available environment bold allows one to explore new areas locate food that cautious individuals would not find individual fish can become either bold or cautious depending on what type is more abundant in their environment Ex cautious fish became bolder when they were in a group with other cautious fish vice versa v Problem solving strategies 1 Ex extraversion introversion a extraverts 1 have many sex partners 2 get divorced 3 become hospitalized because of accidents b comparable to bold cautious dimension in other species c d low neuroticism and high openness agreeableness and conscientiousness seem to be more desirable than their opposites in dangerous conditions more high neuroticism to save lives more organisms survive with different life strategies c 5 How does personality allow us to adapt to the family environment Include a discussion of sibling contrast split parent identification and birth order in your response a Adapt to family environment i First emotional attachments occur in family b Sibling contrast i Within family emphasis on differences between siblings c Split Parent Identification i Tendency for each to identify with different parent d Birth Order 1 SC and SPI are devices where parents and children strive to reduce rivalry which can be disruptive to functioning a Differentiation promote survival of two siblings and other family members by reducing rivalry and also diversifying parental investment b Help family in diversified way i older siblings are more content and
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