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Personality PSYC 305 > Biological Approach to Personality > Flashcards

Biological Approach to Personality Flashcards

1
Q

Biological Approach to Personality - Basic Assumptions?

A

Personality traits:
– Reflect physiological differences
– Are largely genetically determined
– Are rooted in our evolutionary history

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2
Q

Pre-Scientific Approach to biological personality?

A

Phrenology

Regions of the brain are associated with certain functions

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3
Q

Modern view of Phrenology?

A
  • It’s in the brain, not the head
  • It’s not that specific
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4
Q

Galen’s 4 humours?

A

Ancient Greek physician

Though personality was a reflections of the four humours (fluids) that (he thought) make up our bodies.

Yellow Bile - bad temper, irritability (Choleric)
Black Bile - gloomy, pessimistic (Melancholic)
Phlegm - sluggish, non-excitable (Phlegmatic)
Blood - cheerful, passionate (Sanguine)

In one of theses fluids was dominant, the personality associated with that fluid would be observed

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5
Q

The modern biological approach mainly looks at?

A

Genes

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6
Q

Genetic Approach to Personality?

A

Genes are the building blocks of personality
- Inherited through evolutionary processes
– Shape personality and behavior by shaping physiological responses
– Behavioral genetics = the study of how genes shape behavior

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7
Q

Assumptions of Behaviour Genetics? (really important to remember) Nature vs. Nurture

A

Nature vs. Nurture
- Behavior (i.e. personality) is shaped, in part, by genes we inherit
- Behavior is also shaped by
- NO traits are cased entirely by nature or nurture; it’s always both

Genotypes are genetic potentialities, e.g. genes for eye color, height

Phenotypes are manifest characteristics, e.g, actual eye color and height; influenced by mix of genes and environment

Genetic determination
- If gene, then phenotype, irrespective of environment

Gene-environment interaction
- If gene and a particular environment, then a particular phenotype

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8
Q

Genetic Heritability? (read the textbook section about this!)

A

Heritability is the extent to which individual differences in a trait, within a group of people, are due to differences in genes
- Heratability can only apply to groups -> based on individual differences
- Does NOT mean how much of a trait within a single person is due to genetics

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9
Q

Behavioural Genetics?

A
  • Used to identify genetic differences between individuals within a group
  • Allows researchers to determine the extent to which individual differences in a trait are due to genetics and to the environment
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10
Q

Misconceptions about Heritability

A

Group differences are (most typically) NOT explained by genetic differences.

– E.g., African-American vs. Caucasian IQ
scores
– Numerous studies have found that average
IQ for U.S. African-Americans is 10 to 15
points lower than for U.S. Caucasians
– This difference has been assumed, by some,
to be due to genetics

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11
Q

Group differences are caused by environmental differences between groups?

A

The difference in average racial IQs describes when environments are matched on socio-economic status
- Average IQ for U.S. African-Americans adopted into white middle-class households is 110
– 25 points higher than average African-Americans, 10 points higher than average Caucasians

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12
Q

Group Differences Are Due to Different Environments?

A

Race differences in IQ differ by age
– No difference in infancy
– 4 point difference at age 4
– From ages 4-24 years African Americans lose 6/10th of a point per year

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13
Q

What’s the environmental difference between African American children and Caucasian children?

A
  • African American children more likely to be raised by single parent
  • Single parent homes less cognitively complex
  • Attend schools with lower average IQ, so high achievers don’t need to achieve as high
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14
Q

Research on behaviour; genetics - Twin Studies?

A

Twin studies help us understand the importance of genetic and environmental influences on social development
- Identical (MZ) vs. Fraternal (DZ) twins
- Reared together vs. reared apart

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15
Q

Shared traits in identical twins - Why do Identical twins share traits?

A

Twin Study Research Diagram

  • Monozygotic Twins
    Environment: Same
    Genetics: Same
  • Dizygotic Twins
    Environment: Same
    Genetics: Different
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16
Q

Behavioural genetics methology?

A
  • Twin Studies: Compare concordance (similarity) of trait in MZ vs. DZ twins
  • Adoption Studies: compare concordance of trait between parents and biological vs. adopted kids
  • MZ Twins raised apart: Best design, simply look at the concordance of the trait, aka its heritability
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17
Q

Behavioural; Genetics Methodological Issues?

A

Twin studies
- Equal environments Assumptions; Is amount of shared environment really the same for DZ vs. MZ twins?

Adoption Studies
- Representativeness? (Higher SOC’s, more engaged parents)
- Selective placement (“I am jewish and I want my kid to go to a jewish family”)

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18
Q

Behavioural; Genetics Methodological More General Limitation? + 3 types of genetic dispositions

A
  • Assumption that genes and environment are independent
  • In fact, certain genotypes and environments may be associated with each other (genotype-environment correlation)

Passive, Active, Reactive

Genetic dispositions 3 types
1. Selection of certain environments (P)
2. Manipulation of the environment (A)
3. Reactions from others (R)

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19
Q

Behavioural genetic research? (3 important influences on personality)

A

Twin studies have revealed 3 important influences on personality

  1. Genetic influences: Genes individuals inherit from their parents
  2. Shared Environment: Environmental effects
    shared by family members (parenting style, family environment, schools, neighborhood, material resources)
  3. Non-shared Environment: Environmental effects unique to the individual – NOT shared by family members (illnesses, friends, teachers, being treated differently by your parents)
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20
Q

Uncovering Genetics and Environmental Effects with Behavioural Genetics Research?

A

Genetic effects
– What parents pass on to their children
– 100% shared in MZ twins, 50% in DZ twins

Environmental effects
– Shared: Family and environmental influences
that affect MZ/DZ twins similarly
– Non-shared: Family and environmental
influences that affect MZ/DZ twins differently

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21
Q

Heritability of personality traits?

A

All traits have a large genetic component

  • Genetics and non-shared environment important
  • Shared environment has little influence on personality
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22
Q

Conclusion from heritability of personality traits?

A
  • Most personality traits have some genetic component
  • Non-shared environmental experiences have a very strong impact on personality
  • Shared environmental experiences have little impact on personality

-> Do parents matter??

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23
Q

Where do non-shared environment effects come from? New Zealand Twin Study

A

Measured self-esteem: two teachers reported (age 5 & 7)

Measured parent-child relationship
– Mother’s expressed emotion (child at age 5)
– Mothers spoke about each twin for 5 minutes
– Negative emotion expressed towards child coded from tapes

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24
Q

Does the unique parenting (non-shared environmental effect) influence self-esteem?

A

Parent-Child Relationship = 0.15 effect on Childs self-esteem (age 5 & &)

Variance due to genetics = 0.65 effect on Childs self-esteem (age 5 & &)

Conclusion, genetics appear to have a more significant impact on the child’s self-esteem than the parent-child relationship

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25
Q

Do parents matter?

A
  • Yes
  • The unique relationship between the mother and each child predicts the unique self-esteem of each child -> Non-shared environmental effect
  • Kids’ personality is strongly influenced by their individual relationships and life experiences
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26
Q

Conclusions from behaviour genetic research?

A
  • All personality traits are at least partially heritable
  • The effect of being raised in the same family is smaller than the effect of genes
  • Much of the variance in personality is not due to genes or shared family experiences
  • Personality differences are strongly influenced
    by unshared or idiosyncratic (individual) experiences, or unique parent-child relationship
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27
Q

Shared family environment does influence other aspects of a person?

A

Attitudes
Religious beliefs
Political orientations
Health behaviours

Strong correlation between adopted siblings on smirking and drinking tendencies

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28
Q

Which traits are most heritable?

A

Twins Separated at Birth

Very Heritable
- Neuroticism
- Imagination
- Aggression

Moderately Heritable
- Traditionalism
- Sense of Alienation
- Social Potency

Somewhat Heritable
- Achievement Orientation
- Social closeness

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29
Q

How can we explain heritability of personality?

A

Genes -> Neurotransmitters, homemoes, physiological arousal -> Thoughts and Feelings -> Personality -> Divorce

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30
Q

Current genetic research on personality?

A

– Molecular genetics (genetic markers of traits)
– Neurotransmitters (dopamine) and hormones (testosterone)
– Neuro-anatomy

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31
Q

Broader Issue: Genetic Determinism vs. Free Will

A
  • Do we have any conscious control over our actions, thoughts, and personality?
  • Or are we all predetermined by our genetic make-up?

Example, the concordance rates of felony convictions for identical twins (42%) is much higher than fraternal twins (13%)

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32
Q

Physiological Approach - How do we get from genes to personality? (Infant temperament)

A

Biologically based traits present at birth, example:
Excitability
Sociability
Activity level

  • Infant temperament and adult personality
    Some adult traits are strongly related to temperament and others are not, aka some are mostly biological and others are mostly environmental
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33
Q

Which personality traits have the strongest biological basis?

A

Extraversion and neuroticism
Adult traits related to temperament –>
Sociability + activity level (extraversion) and
Excitability (neuroticism)

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34
Q

Eysenck’s Theory of Personality?

A

Extraversion and introversion represent different levels of physiological arousal

Extraverts: Below optimal level (underaroused)
– Seek out social interactions for stimulation

Introverts: Above optimal level (overaroused)
– Avoid excessive stimulation (e.g., social
interaction)
– But, this does not mean that introverts are shy

What is the difference?

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35
Q

Eysenck’s Theory: Evidence

A

Preference for quiet environment (e.g., library)
– Introverts prefer and perform better in quiet environments

Loud music
– Extraverts set volume higher than introverts

Bedtime
– Introverts may be morning people and
extraverts night people

Recreational drug use
– Extraverts tend to use stimulants (e.g., cocaine, caffeine)
– Introverts tend to use sedatives (e.g., heroin, cannabis)

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36
Q

Alternate Theory: Jeffrey Gray? (Reinforcement Sensitivity)

A

Reinforcement Sensitivity
– How sensitive are you to rewards and punishments?

Two systems
– Behavioral Activation System (BAS) -> Sensitivity to reward
– Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) -> Sensitivity to punishment

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37
Q

Explain BIS and BAS theory in more detail?

A

Behavioural Activation System (BAS) - ON SWITCH
- Individual differences in sensitivity to reward
- BAS activation -> release of dopamine
- People with a very strong BAS: highly impulsive, low gratification-delay, extreme novelty-seekers
- Linked to Positive Emotionality

Behavioural Inhibition System (BIS) - OFF SWITCH
- Individual differences in sensitivity to novely and punishment
- BIS activation -> lower levels of serotonin
- People with very strong BIS: very fearful, insecure, hyper-cautious
- Linked to Negative Emotionality

Psychopaths = high BAS & low BIS

38
Q

How can we integrate GRAY & EYSENCK theories?

A

Gray’s dimensions are a rotation of Eysenck’s dimensions (i.e., both sets of dimensions refer to the same phenomenon, they just cut the pie differently)

high BAS = Impulsivity = E+ N+

high BIS = Avoidance = E- N+

39
Q

Dopamine and Mice?

A

Mice will keep pushing a lever (for hours and hours) that releases dopamine

Genetically engineered mice
– High dopamine mice very active, explored their cage
– Low dopamine mice (dopamine circuits
don’t work) lethargic, don’t eat or drink much

40
Q

DOPAMINE?

A

Linked to Behavioral Activation System (BAS)
– Increased levels in humans after sex, cocaine, or a
good meal

Genetic Basis for Sensation Seeking
– Long version of dopamine receptor gene (D4DR) = high sensation seeking
- Possibly because long D4DR receptors are less efficient at binding with dopamine, so individuals seek novelty to increase dopamine release
– Short version of D4DR = Low sensation seeking
– Sensation Seeking is highly heritable (genetic
influence = 50%)

41
Q

TESTOSTERONE?

A

Linked to aggression (Eysenk’s Psychoticism)
– Men are higher in Testosterone; also more aggressive in all cultures

  • Higher testosterone at birth -> increased aggression in
    boys (but not girls)
  • Men convicted of violent crimes have higher
    testosterone levels than men convicted of non-violent
    crimes
    – Testosterone linked to crime for low but not high income men
42
Q

Neuro-anatomical Approach to Personality?

A

There are regions in the brain associated with particular aspects of personality, emotion, and behavior

43
Q

Patterns of brain activity associated with personality? - Right Prefrontal Cortex

A

– Withdrawal (BIS)

44
Q

Patterns of brain activity associated with personality? - Left Prefrontal Cortex

A

– Approach (BAS)

45
Q

Patterns of brain activity associated with personality? - Orbitofrontal Cortex

A

– Anticipation of reward & punishment (BIS and BAS)

46
Q

Patterns of brain activity associated with personality? - Medial Prefrontal Cortex

A

– Self-referential judgments (“the self”)

47
Q

Patterns of brain activity associated with personality? - Amygdala

A

– Fear, emotion recognition

48
Q

Eysenck’s Theory of extraversion and introversion?

A

Extraversion and introversion represent different levels of physiological arousal

Extraverts: Below optimal level (underaroused)
– Seek out social interactions for stimulation

Introverts: Above optimal level (overaroused)
– Avoid excessive stimulation (e.g., social interaction)
– But, this does not mean that introverts are shy

49
Q

Eysenck’s Theory: Evidence?

A

Preference for quiet environment (e.g., library)
– Introverts prefer and perform better in quiet
environments

Loud music
– Extraverts set volume higher than introverts

Bedtime
– Introverts may be morning people and extraverts night people

Recreational drug use
– Extraverts tend to use stimulants (e.g., cocaine, caffeine)
– Introverts tend to use sedatives (e.g., heroin, cannabis)

50
Q

Alternate Theory: Jeffrey Gray on Reinforcement Sensitivity?

A

Reinforcement Sensitivity
– How sensitive are you to rewards and
punishments.

Two systems
– Behavioral Activation System (BAS) -> Sensitivity to reward
– Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) -> Sensitivity to punishment

51
Q

BIS and BAS theory?

A

Behavioural Activation System (BAS) -> ON Switch
- Individual differences in sensitivity to reward
- BAS activation -> release of dopamine
- People with very strong BAS: highly impulsive, low gratification-delay, extreme novelty-seekers
- Linked to Positive Emotionality

Behavioural Inhabitation System (BIS) -> OFF Switch
- Individual differences in sensitivity to novelty and punishment
- BIS activation -> lower levels of serotonin
- People with very strong BIS: very fearful, insecure, hyper-cautious
- Linked to Negative Emotionality

Psychopaths = high BAS & BIS

52
Q

How can we integrate GRAY & EYSENCK theories?

A

Gray’s dimensions are a rotation of Eysenck’s dimensions (i.e., both sets of dimensions refer to the same phenomenon, they just cut the pie differently)

high BAS = Impulsivity = E+ N+

high BIS = Avoidance = E- N+

53
Q

Dopamine and Mice

A

Mice will keep pushing a lever (for hours and hours) that releases dopamine

Genetically engineered mice
– High dopamine mice very active, explored
their cage
– Low dopamine mice (dopamine circuits don’t work) lethargic, don’t eat or drink much

54
Q

DOPAMINE?

A

Linked to Behavioral Activation System (BAS)
– Increased levels in humans after sex, cocaine, or a good meal

Genetic Basis for Sensation Seeking
– Long version of dopamine receptor gene (D4DR) =
high sensation seeking

Possibly because long D4DR receptors are less efficient
at binding with dopamine, so individuals seek novelty to
increase dopamine release
– Short version of D4DR = Low sensation seeking
– Sensation Seeking is highly heritable (genetic
influence = 50%)

55
Q

SEROTONIN?

A

(Negatively) Related to Behavioral Inhibition
System (BIS)
- Low Serotonin related to depression and anxiety
- MDMA (the recreational drug) increases serotonin -> lowers inhibitions, increases feelings of warmth
- SSRIs (medical drugs) like Prozac, Lexapro, and others also increase serotonin -> reduces depression and anxiety

56
Q

TESTOSTERONE?

A

Linked to aggression (Eysenk’s Psychoticism)
– Men are higher in Testosterone; also more aggressive in all cultures

Higher testosterone at birth -> increased aggression in
boys (but not girls)

Men convicted of violent crimes have higher testosterone levels than men convicted of non-violent
crimes
– Testosterone linked to crime for low but not high income men

57
Q

Neuro-anatomical Approach to Personality?

A

There are regions in the brain
associated with particular aspects
of personality, emotion, and
behavior

58
Q

Patterns of brain activity associated with personality - Right Prefrontal Cortex?

A

Withdrawal (BIS)

59
Q

Patterns of brain activity associated with personality - Left Prefrontal Cortex?

A

Approach (BAS)

60
Q

Patterns of brain activity associated with personality - Orbitofrontal Cortex?

A

Anticipation of reward & punishment (BIS and BAS)

61
Q

Patterns of brain activity associated with personality - Medial Prefrontal Cortex?

A

Self-referential judgments (“the self”)

62
Q

Patterns of brain activity associated with personality - Amygdala?

A

Fear, emotion recognition

63
Q

How can we connect brain, physiology and genes?

A

Geners -> different neuro-anatomy, or different levels of activity in different brain regions

Brain activity in different regions -> neurotransmitters & hormones

Neurochemicals -> personality (e.g., BIS/BAS, Extraversion/Introversion

64
Q

Application of the Biological Approach: Sensation-Seeking?

A
  • High sensation seekers tend to scuba dive, sky drive, ride motorcycles, and have lots of sex patterns

“I sometimes like to do things that are a little
frightening”
“I like to have new and exciting experiences and
sensations even if they are frightening,
unconventional, or illegal”
“Almost everything enjoyable is illegal or immoral.”
“I get bored seeing the same old faces.”

65
Q

Neuroscience/Physiological approach to sensation seeking?

A

High sensation seekers have different brains than low sensation seekers
– Different anatomically
– Different neural activation patterns
– Different levels of neurotransmitters -> high levels of dopamine

66
Q

Genetic approach to sensation seeking?

A

The degree to which you are a high vs. low sensation seeker is partially due to your genetic make-up

-Sensation seeking is highly heritable
- Linked to specific genes (e.g., long version of D4DR)

67
Q

Big questions evolutionary personality psychology tries to answer?

A
  • How do heritable traits get passed on?
  • Why do humans have some of the traits
    we have?
  • Why are men and women different?
  • Why are there individual differences in social behavior and personality?
    – Weakest point of evolutionary perspective
68
Q

Evolutionary Perspective?

A

We are biologically programmed to engage in behaviours that facilitate survival and reproduction, e.g. eating, sex, cooperation

These behaviours maximise the likelihood that our genes will be passed on to the next generation

Natural selection is the process by which adaptive behaviours are selacres
- People with genes for adaptive behaviors live to pass these genes
on

The result is a human nature that reflects behaviours that have been adaptive thought evoukhbtoyu history

69
Q

Studying personality from a evolutionary perspective, think about how personality traits might be adaptive?

A

– Does a particular trait increase your likelihood of survival? (Natural Selection)
– Does a particular trait increase your likelihood of finding a mate and reproducing? (Sexual Selection)
– Does a trait influence the likelihood that your relatives will survive (Inclusive Fitness)

70
Q

What is Inclusive Fitness?

A

Explains behaviours that seem maladaptive

Altruism, self-sacrifice
- Prediction: more altruism toward kin than non-kin
- Evidence supports this, at least in self-report

Inclusive fitness has been used to explain “gay gene”, in situations of overpopulation or famine it is actually adaptive to have people not reproducing but having the survival of the children

71
Q

Evidence for the Evolutionary Perspective on Personality?

A

Humans across cultures and non-human primates show similar social behaviours
- Attachment (parent-child & pair bonding)
- Affiliation, need to belong
- Coalitions (working together)
- Status hierarchies (best way to coordinate groups working together)
- Competition for resources
- Emotion expressions
- Sexual jealousy
All of these behaviours promote survival and reproduction

72
Q

Evidence for Evolutionary perspective: Universal Emotions? (Ekman and colleges)

A

Cross-Cultural recognition of emotions
- Found that Fore tribe in Papua New Guinea recognized Western emotion expressions
- Anger, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise

73
Q

Why are emotion expressions adaptive?

A

Send messages that can save lives of sender and receiver (natural selection and inclusive fitness)
- Fear -> “Do not attack” Danger
- Happy -> “I am friendly”
- Sad -> “I need comfort”
- Disgust -> “This food will make you sick”
- Anger -> “I’m going to attack”
- Surprise -> “Pay attention to this”

74
Q

Are there other universal emotion expressions? -> Why would a pride expression be adaptive?

A

Occurs after success, so may communicate success to others
“I’m a success person who deserves high status”

Pride recognition forced Test & Open-ended Test -> 89% Pride Recognition

Has and neck tilted slightly back
- Look above others
- Approach oriented

Expanded posture
– High status
– Draws attention

Slight smile
– Social cohesion
– Individual remains within the group

75
Q

But is pride universal?

A

Need to study pride in isolated culture

Went to Burkina Faso, excluded from western sociaety
- 57% Pride Recognition
- The same accuracy as the other comparable emotions, (sad, sacred, happy, etc)

But recognition was lower than in educated Western samples, maybe because…
- Emotions are less important, when focusing on survival
- Complicated procedure
- Novel task
- Difficulty of translation
- Non-literate participants must remember response options

Previous reach on preliterate cultures show the same pattern of lower emotion recognition

76
Q

Do people actually show the pride expression after a success? Olympic Judo Study

A

If evolved to promote status
- Must communicate success and increased status to others
- Should occur after success

Olympic Judo Study
- Pride behaviours are displayed in response to success
- Same pattern in all cultures
- Same pattern for the wild athletes in Paralympics

77
Q

The Pride Expression, conclusions?

A
  • Cross-cultural behavioural response to success
  • Universally recognized
  • May be an evolved signal of success
    But, is the pride expression innate?
    – Could the expression be a learned display?
78
Q

Evolutionary Perspective, Sex differences?

A

Throughout evolutionary history, men and women faced different problems in reproduction

Men fertilize externally
- Need to make sure they invest in their children
Women fertilise internally
- Need to find a mate who will provide resources during the pregnancy and after

Result: gender-specific relationship strategies and desires

79
Q

Hypotheses is jealousy?

A

Jealousy is the adaptive solution, which motivates people to make sure they’re not being cheated on
– Motivates people to make sure they’re not
being cheated on

Gender differences in mating problem should lead to gender differences in source of jealousy
– External fertilizationà Sexual jealousy
– Internal fertilizationà Emotional jealousy

80
Q

Buss, Larsen, Western & Semmelroth (1992)?

A

Men are more distressed by sexual infidelity and women are more distressed by emotional infidelity

  • Gender difference replicates across several cultures
  • Men show higher physiological arousal (heart rate, sweat) during sexual infidelity imagery than emotional imagery
  • Women show higher physio arousal during emotional infidelity imagery
  • Men show better memory for sexual infidelity cues in a story; women show better memory for emotional infidelity
81
Q

What about gender differences in the way we think about sex?

A

If your partner has a deep emotional connection with someone else, do you think he/she will ALSO have sex with him/her?

If your partner has passionate sex with someone else, do you think he/she ALSO loves him/her?

82
Q

Study tested for gender difference in “double shot”?

A
  • Women more likely to think that for men, being in love means ALSO having sex
  • Men more likely to think that for women, having sex means ALSO being in love
  • Jealousy difference may due to a “double-shot” effect
  • But Buss found that the effect holds even when participants are told to assume NO SEX or NO LOVE
83
Q

How else might we explain the sex difference? Cognitive Load Study

A

Cognitive Load Study
- Found that women became more like men when both are under cognitive load
- Both genders found sexual infidelity problematic

But, would we expect an evolved brain mechanism that detects and regulates responses to infidelity to operate
automatically?
– Even if it did, could it work this way in an imagined scenario task?

84
Q

How else might we explain the sex difference? Emotion findings

A

Distinct emotion findings
- Sexual infidelity leads to anger
- Emotional infidelity leads to sadness

Still gender differences, but the difference is in the negativity of different emotions
– Men find anger more problematic, women
find sadness more problematic

85
Q

Further evidence for Buss et al. account of evolves sex differences?

A

Gender difference in how many sexual partners do you hope to have?
- 13 vs. 2.5 in next 30 years, worldwide
- 18 vs. 4 or 5 in lifetime, in the U.S

Would you have sex with an attractive stranger who approached you?
- 75% vs. 0%

What is he/she is a “friend of a friend”?
- 95% vs. 5%

86
Q

Importance of “Good financial prospect” when selecting a mate?

A

Women care more about finances than men do, where as men care more about physical attractiveness.

87
Q

Evidence for evolutionary perspective: The Big Five?

A
  • The Big Five are the most important categories of personality across cultures
  • From an evolutionary perspective, why might humans place importance on these 5 traits?
88
Q

Explain how each trait of the Big Five are innate psychological mechanisms and behavioural strategies that developed to help us solve problems of survival and reproduction?

A

Extraversion -> social rank, cooperation
Emotional Stability -> resilience to stress, adaptability
Agreeableness -> intimacy/mating, alturism
Conscientiousness -> work, trust, dependability
Openness -> learning, exploration, versatility

89
Q

But the whole point of the Big Five is variation; some people are high and some are low on each trait. So…

A

Being able to PERCEIVE the Big Five in in other people is what has adaptive value

90
Q

Evolution of Big Five?

A

High end of each trait cannot be completely adaptive
– If so, we wouldn’t see normal variation on traits in all human populations
– Heritability of that variation suggests that the variation is what is adaptive

Trade-off perspective (Nettle, 2006)
– All levels of each trait have costs and benefits

91
Q

Evolutionary approach and individual differences; why are some people introverted if extroversion is adaptive? (2 ideas)

A

Frequency-Dependent Selection
- Certain traits are adaptive ONLY if there are also people who have the opposite
- What is everyone was extroverted?
- What is no one was neurotic?

Environmental Triggers
- We all have the potential to become neurotic, but it is more adaptive in adverse conditions
- Evidence for environment + gene interaction in depression

Personality PSYC 305 (16 decks)

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