Ch.7, Trait Theory Framework

Question 1

Trait Terms:

Answer 1

words that describe peoples typical styles of experience and action
Trait Terms: must be consistent and distinctive to be accurate (consistency describes the regularity of behavior, distinctiveness is the way that trait differs from others

Question 2

Why do trait theories contrast with other theories?

Answer 2

CONTRASTS WITH OTHER VIEWS OF THEORIES: HAS CORE THEORETICAL VARIABLES THAT ARE CONSISTENT OVER TIME
Devote less attention to experimental methods; uses primarily correlational ones

Question 3

What are trait constructs used for?

Answer 3

Trait constructs are used to describe (summarize person’s behavior), predict important life outcomes, and explain

Question 4

What do all trait theorists agree on?

Answer 4

All trait theorists agree that the generalized tendencies to act in one vs. another manner is fundamental to the building blocks of personality
We evolved certain patterns of behavior through evolutionary time; evolved as a part of survival: what constitutes fundamental patterns of behavior throughout the whole human race

Direct correspondence between a person’s performance of trait-related actions and possession of the corresponding trait (CONTRASTS WITH OTHER THEORIES LIKE FREUD WHO WOULDVE SAID A LOW ANXIETY INDIVIDUAL IS ACTUALLY A HIGH ANXIETY INDIVIDUAL “UNDER THE SURFACE”

Question 5

Eysneck’s Hierarchy:

Answer 5

traits at the bottom represent a very specific response level, then a habitual response level, then a trait level as it becomes more consistent over time

Question 6

Allport, Trait Theories

Answer 6

Emphasized the healthy and organized aspects of human behavior, which contrasted with psychodynamic theory’s emphasis on conflict

Question 7

Allport, Differences between states, activity, traits

Answer 7

States: temporary
Activity: does not last long
Traits: last and are consistent over time

Question 8

Allport, Cardinal Disposition/ Trait:

Answer 8

expresses a disposition that is so pervasive and outstanding in a person’s life that virtually every behavior can be traced to it (MOST PEOPE DO NOT HAVE A CARDINAL DISPOSITION)

Question 9

Allport, Central Dispositions/Traits:

Answer 9

express dispositions that cover a more limited range of situations than is true for cardinal traits (most people have central dispositions)

Question 10

Allport, Secondary Traits:

Answer 10

least conspicous/generalized/consistent
A trait does NOT need to be expressed in every situation to be a trait

Question 11

Allport, Functional Autonomy:

Answer 11

the adult grows out of the early motives, in adult life motives become independnet from earlier tension reducing drives; maturity causes this motivation to become more autonomous rather than just governed by needs of the body

Question 12

Factor Analysis

Answer 12

Psychological traits co-occur: factor analysis creates a statistical tool for summarizing the ways in which a large number summarizes the degree to which two variables go together

Question 12

Eysenck, P-E-N Factor theory

Answer 12

Psychoticism: what Eysneck labelled as antisocial behaviors involving lack of empathy, aggression, etc. (now we know that people with higher levels of psychoticism may have higher levels of dopamine)
Extraversion
Neutrocisism ^^^ THREE CORE TRAITS

Question 13

Eysenck superfactors

Answer 13

Superfactors: factors with a high and low end, with most people falling in the middle
Introversion and neuroticism were the first superfactors he identified ^^^^

Question 14

Eysneck’s Data methodology

Answer 14

Conducted Secondary Factor Analysis: statistical analysis of an initial set of factors that are correlated with one another

Question 15

Eysneck, Lemon Drop test and biological bases of personality

Answer 15

Lemon Drop Test: said that introverts and extroverts would produce a different amount of saliva when lemon was dropped on their tongue; FIRST SUGGESTION OF A BIOLOGICAL BASES TO TRAITS **
Suggested that individual variations in the traits he identified reflected individual differences in the neurophsyiological functioning of the brain’s cortex

Question 16

What was Esyneck’s hypothesis regarding neural activity and neuroticism?

Answer 16

Hypothesized that the key neural systems are the limbic system (emotional arousal), autonomic nervous system (part of the nervous system that influences bodily arousal)

Question 17

Did all port theorize that traits were universal?

Answer 17

NO; eyesneck did

Question 18

Four Humors

Answer 18

melancholic (unstable), choleric (easily provoked and angry unstable extravertion), phlegmatic, sanguine (blood