Personality

Question 1

Definition of personality

Answer 1

Characteristics that make a person unique

Question 2

What is the difference between nature and nurture?

Answer 2

Nature - our genetic makeup
Nurture. the environment we are brought up in

Question 3

What are personality traits?

Answer 3

-generalisable
-can be used to predict behaviour in certain situations

Question 4

What are the characteristics of a Type A personality?

Answer 4

-highly competitive
-strong desire to succeed
-works fast
-likes to control
-prone to suffer stress

Question 5

What are the characteristics of a Type B personality?

Answer 5

-non competitive
-unambitious
-works more slowly
-does not enjoy control
-less prone to stress

Question 6

The approach to personality of type A and type B personalities is called the what?

Answer 6

narrow band approach

Question 7

Who are the 2 main researchers into TRAIT theory?

Answer 7

• Eysenck 1955
• Cattell 1965

Question 8

What is Eysenck’s theory into trait theory?

Answer 8

-Eysencks Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) consisted of several questions relating to the extrovert and neurotic dimensions
-The score of each of these dimensions will enable a researcher to place the subject onto a 2 dimensional continuum,
1. Introversion - Extroverison
2. Stable - Unstable

Question 9

What are stable personality traits?

Answer 9

-Unchangeable
-Remain constant
-Predictable

eg. a person who is calm, even tempered, controlled and reliable

Question 10

What are the traits of a unstable (neurotic) personality?

Answer 10

-Changeable
-Unpredictable

eg. aggressive outbursts, restless , moody

Question 11

What are the characteristics of an introvert?

Answer 11

-unsociable
-quiet
-reserved

Question 12

What are the characteristics of an extrovert?

Answer 12

-sociable
-outgoing
-active

Question 13

What is the RAS (Recticular Activating System)?

Answer 13

-affects the level of introversion/extroversion
-it acts to either inhibit or excite brain activity in order to maintain optimum levels of alertness

Question 14

How does the RAS work for extroverts?

Answer 14

-extroverts need increased levels of stimulation to maintain optimum levels of attention and brain functioning
-become bored easily
-seek to be in challenging situations
-higher levels of stimulation to balance out natural low levels of arousal

Question 15

According to trait theory, how does a person obtain their personality?

Answer 15

-inherited from our parents
-genetic, inate

Question 16

How does the RAS work for introverts?

Answer 16

-naturally high levels of arousal
-natural high levels of excitation, do not need external/additional stimulation

Question 17

What is Cattells theory?

Answer 17

-identified 16 groups of traits, which he claimed are present in all people in varying degrees of intensity
-labelled them in hierarchy order
-primary traits, which do not vary and are most likely to be displayed
-secondary traits, grouped of behaviour which are displayed at varying levels
-developed the CATTELL 16PF QUESTIONNAIRE to measure them along a scale

Question 18

What is an example of trait theory?

Answer 18

A boxers inherited the trait of aggression and this is shown both inside and outside the ring

Question 19

What are the strengths associated with trait theory?

Answer 19

-suggests behaviour is predictable
-some evidence that behaviour is inate

Question 20

What are the weaknesses associated with trait theory?

Answer 20

-personality is not stable, changes overtime
-not likely that just genes/inate factors determine our personality
-identical twins brought up in the different environments do not have the same personality
-doesn’t account for how personality changes in different environments

Question 21

What is social learning theory?

Answer 21

• B=F(E)
• Bandura believes that all behaviour is learned through interaction with the environment
• Therefore the response made by an individual cannot be predicted
  -Learninf takes place in two ways:
  1. Observing and imitating significant others. (MODELLING)
  2. New behaviours are acquired when they are endorsed through social reinforcement (power of reinforcement)

Question 22

What is an example of social learning theory?

Answer 22

-identical twins that have been separated have different personalities
-a young player imitating his captain by kicking out ball when a member of opposition is injured

Question 23

What are the strengths of social learning theory?

Answer 23

-bobs doll experiment supports the idea/ adds validity
-there is evidence to suggest some aspects of personality are learned by watching and copying others/role models

Question 24

What are weaknesses of social learning theory?

Answer 24

-too simplistic as it is not likely to just be environment that determines personality/ inherited traits not accounted for
-not everyone imitates role models
-twins and siblings brought up in the same way don’t always share the same personality

Question 25

According to social learning theory, how does a person obtain there personality

Answer 25

-from the environment

Question 26

What is interactionist theory?

Answer 26

- B= f(PE) - personally is innate/trait but also influence by the environment -we are born with certain personality traits but some are modified from interacting with the environment -combines both Trait Theory and Social Learning Theory

Question 27

According to interactionsit theory, how does a person obtain there personality

Answer 27

-genetic but also influenced by the environment, observing, imitating

Question 28

What is Hollanders model of personality?

Answer 28

-a model comprising of three rings could represent personality -inner psychological core, not affected by the environment, our fairly permanent qualities reside here. -middle layer reveals the way we typically respond to certain situations -outer layer reveals role-related behaviours, shows that our typical response may be affected by circumstance. Behaviour will be different at different times and in different situations and unlike our psychological core -around outside is the social environment, which affects our role-related behaviours

Question 29

What is an example of interactionist theory?

Answer 29

the trait of competitive anxiety is only triggered in a cup final game

Question 30

What are the strengths of interactionist theory?

Answer 30

-more realistic as takes into account inherited traits + environment -explains why an individual behaves differently in different situations -explains why different people behave differently in same environment

Question 31

What are the weaknesses of interactionist theory?

Answer 31

-theory still proposes innate traits must be present to be triggered by the environment

Question 32

What is the profile state of moods?

Answer 32

-Our personalities are often made of behaviours that are called moods -They are changeable and often depend on the environment -Many successful athletes have an iceberg profile

Question 33

What is trait theory?

Answer 33

-B=f(P) -Born with your personality, inherited from parents, innate -Personality is stable and constant -Personality is enduring, remains the same in all situations, does not change -Predictable and generalised -Eysenck’s theory: different personality traits of introvert/extrovert, stable/unstable