Individual Differences

Question 1

What are the three main personality theories?

Answer 1

Freud
Eysenck
Big Five (OCEAN)

Question 2

Describe Freud’s model of personality.

Answer 2

3 components of personality: 
Id: instinctual drive= drive for pleasure  
Ego: reality + decision making 
Superego: values + morality  
Ego is kept in check by Id + Superego

Question 3

Describe Eysenck’s model of personality.

Answer 3

Hypothesised personality consists of 2 independent traits:
NEUROTICISM: tendency to experience negative emotions
EXTRAVERSION: degree to which a person is outgoing + seeks stimulation

Question 4

Describe the Big Five model of personality.

Answer 4

Openness; appreciation for art, adventure, unusual ideas, imagination
Conscientiousness: self-discipline, planned rather than spontaneous
Extraversion: energy, positive emotions, seek stimulation + company
Agreeableness: compassionate + cooperate
Neuroticism: experience negative emotions

Question 5

Define locus of control.

Answer 5

An expectancy concerning the degree of personal control we have in our life (this can be internal or external)

Question 6

What are the limitations of IQ?

Answer 6

There are many types of intelligence that may not be tested by the employed test
IQ averages all the domains of intelligence + doesn’t consider them individually

Question 7

What are the two different types of “general” intelligence?

Answer 7

Crystallised: ability to apply previously acquired knowledge to current problems
Fluid: ability to deal with novel problem-solving situations where personal experience doesn’t provide a solution

Question 8

How do these types of intelligence change with age?

Answer 8

Crystallised: increases with age
Fluid: declines

Question 9

Describe the relative contributions of genetic and environmental factors to IQ.

Answer 9

Genetic: ½-2/3 of variation in IQ
Environmental: 1/3-½ of variation in IQ

Question 10

Describe Baron Cohen’s empathising/ systematising model.

Answer 10

Empathising: ability to infer thoughts + feelings of others + have an appropriate reaction
Systematising: ability to analyse how systems work + behave, with a final goal of predicting + controlling system behaviour or building a new system

Question 11

What are the differences between males and females with regards to the Baron Cohen model?

Answer 11

Females: more empathising, less systemising
Males: more systemising, less empathising

Question 12

What type of brain are people with Autism/Aspergus thought to have?

Answer 12

An extreme S type brain

Question 13

What are the 5 brain types identified by Baron Cohen?

Answer 13

E-type: Empathising stronger than systemising (‘female brain’)
S-type: Systemising stronger than empathising (‘male brain’)
B-type: balanced (equal in both traits)
Extreme E-type: Empathising very strong, but systemising is weak
Extreme S-type: Systemising very strong, but empathising is weak (‘autistic brain’)

Question 14

What are the two main components of Spearman’s theory of intelligence?

Answer 14

General Ability (g): required for performance of mental tests of all kinds; ‘mental energy’ that underlies specific factors
Special Abilities (s): required for performance on just 1 kind of mental test.

Question 15

What pneumonic may be used to remember the big 5 personality traits?

Answer 15

OCEAN

Question 16

What is intelligence?

Answer 16

Ability to acquire knowledge to think + reason effectively + to deal adaptively with the environment