Psych 100.1H Focus QuestionsChapter 15 (pp. 549-570) – Class 3111/6/20131. 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 ii. results- identified 16 basic dimensions 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 dimensionsb. 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 quizc) experience more divorce andd) more susceptible to mental disorders 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 a) more likely to enroll in liberal art programs b) change careers mid adulthood c) perform better in job training programsd) play a musical instrument e) exhibit less prejudiceiv. people who score high on agreeableness been found to a) lend more money b) fewer behavior problems in childhood c) less alcoholism d) good marriage v. people who score high on conscientiousness have been found to a) more sexually faithful b) receive higher rating in job performance c) smoke less, healthier dietsb. Personality changei. Generable Stability of Personality1. People fill out questionnaires over time. Personality stays relatively the same (.5-.7 1 being closest to same)ii. Patterns of Change in age1. Some changes are because of increased maturity. 2. Major life change3. Is personality heritable? Is it influenced by the environment? Describe how single genes might influence personality.a. Heritabilityi. Twin studies1. Identical twins more similar about .5 for each trait. 2. Criticized because parents treat identical twins more similarly? a) Separated at birth twinsb. Influence of Environmenti. 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 adoptivec. Single genes influences on personalityi. Affect neurotransmission1. Variations in serotonin or ll ls ss gene for neuroticismd.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. Explanationsi. proximate explanation- mechanisms that operate in lifetime of individual to produce the phenomenon in question ii. ultimate explanations- focus on function, evolutionary survival valueb. Advantages of Being Differenti. sexual reproduction- adaptation that ensures diversity of offspringii. personality is a biological aspectiii. Diversification of investment1. 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 selectioniv. Bold Cautious dimension in fish1. Experiment*- categorized pumpkinseed sunfish as bold/cautious on basis of their tendency to approach or to avoid wire trapsa) those caught- were bold and those who avoided the trap- cautious b) 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 d) 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 strategies1. 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 speciesc) low neuroticism and high openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness seem to be more desirable than their oppositesd) in dangerous conditions , more high neuroticism to save lives. more organisms survive with different life strategiesc.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 environmenti. First emotional attachments occur in familyb. Sibling contrasti. Within family emphasis on differences between siblingsc. Split Parent Identificationi. Tendency for each to identify with different parent. 1. SC and SPI are devices where parents and children strive to reducerivalry which can be disruptive to functioning. a) Differentiation promote survival of two siblings and other family
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