Lec 4 Flashcards
(16 cards)
Why do we need trait theories?
Rogers: quantitative method
Reliability and validity in measurement => important for scientific inquiries
Tenets of trait theories
- Accurate measurements should precede formal theorizing
- You can’t study something you can’t measure
- Measurement should adequately reflect its latent construct
- Quantifiable to measure PT
- Personality traits determine behavior and responses
Note: PT is a ‘construct’ because we construct traits and infer them by observing one’s behavior. Not directly observable
3 purposes of latent personality traits
Description - common language to describe traits to different extent, include similarities and differences
Prediction - this is not CAUSATION, occurs across time
Explanation - do traits explain behavior?
3 pioneers in developing trait theory
A__port
C__tell
E__enck
Allport (‘67)
Cattell (‘98)
Eysenck )’97)
Cattell’s fundamental ideas
Traits are basic units of personality
Based in the nervous system
Defined by frequency, intensity, and range of situations
Allport’s approach
- Cardinal traits
- Central traits
- Secondary dispositions
- a pervasive disposition, basically means u can trace its influence, “named” after people e.g. Narcissism
- more commonly shared dispositions, less unique (e.g. respectful)
- traits are less consistent, more of states and performances (e.g. public speaking)
Allport’s Idiograph approach
- time consuming because it was an in-depth analysis of a single person
- focus on unique trait structure of a particular person
- but was received poorly because science is meant to find out universal laws => dominance of the nomothetic approach (apply to general population!)
Cattell’s factor analysis approach
- learned it from Spearman
- surface traits: behavioral tendencies that are observable, e.g. self-report data, questionnaires, life-record data, lab tasks
- Source traits: latent psychological structures that cause intercorrelation between the surface traits
Are questionnaires objective though?
No, according to Cattell, the responses can be faked. More objective tests include ones like measuring speed of Gestalt completion test for level of inhibition.
He also suggested using names like universal index 17 to avoid daily life words that may be biased.
And, external validity through various sources of data. Meaning, same factor structure should emerge regardless if it’s an interview, self-report questionnaire, test scores, etc…
What was an issue with Cattell’s 16 personality factors?
There were too many. Couldn’t recall all of them. And difficulties with making it objective.
But a pioneer in applying factor analysis into personality analysis
Eysenck’s major theories and factor analysis
- questioned effectiveness of psychotherapy (Freud’s psychoanalysis)
- concern of circular reasoning
- emphasized biological foundations in personality traits
Factory analysis:
- looking for superfactors => reducing the 16 by Cattell
- 2 orthogonal factors: independent traits, e.g. introversion-extroversion (does not affect one another if scoring high on a trait)
=> well-received as had simpler language than Cattell, and ground-breaking claims from his journal
Objective tests in Eysenck’s work
- non-suggestibility body-sway test (can u resist suggestion to sway forward?)
- fluency (e.g. number of round things mentioned during 30-second periods)
- persistence test
- personal tempo
Eysenck’s biological theory: the lemon drop test
Factor analysis of objective test responses produced a similar 2-factor solution (dimension, a spectrum range)
Biological link for the E (extraversion) score
- Introverts drool more in the lemon test
=> easily aroused by stimuli
=> extroverts are not, therefore crave more stimuli
Eysenck’s biological theory for the Neuroticism score
- limbic system and nervous system as the biological basis
- neurotic people’s NS respond more slowly to the presence and absence of stress than non-neurotic people
Behavioral evidence for extraversion
Behavioral => study spaces
A study done in by Campbell:
- study locations in the library
- extroverts chose places that provided external stimulation
- took more study breaks
- preference for higher level of noise
Clinical implications
Personality predicts health outcomes - psychopathology
Psychopathology related to the P (psychoticism - aggression, lack of empathy, impulsivity), E, N scores
Diagnosed neurotic patients: High N, low E
Antisocial persons: High N, high E, high P
