Personality - Trait or State?

Question 1

Personality

Answer 1

Personality refers to the relatively stable patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that characterize an individual.

Question 2

Trait Theory

Answer 2

Trait theory assumes that personality cosists of traits.
traits are enduring, stable characteristics that influence behavior consistently across time and situations. It argues that we always express the same behavior (or at least possess the same fixed traits) regardless of where we find ourselves, or who we are surrounded by.

Question 3

Trait consistency

Answer 3

Traits are generally stable over time, though some traits may change with age or life experiences.

Question 4

Rank-order stability

Answer 4

The idea that an individual’s relative position on a trait compared to others remains consistent over time, even if their absolute level of the trait changes.

Question 5

Measuring Traits

Answer 5

Traits are typically measured through self-report questionnaires designed to assess enduring characteristics.
e.g., MBTI, BIG 5, HEXACO-PI-R

Question 6

States

Answer 6

States are temporary conditions or emotional reactions that can fluctuate based on circumstances and across time.

state-based personality is a temporary expression of personality,

Question 7

Trait vs. State Continuum

Answer 7

The Trait-State Continuum recognizes that both traits and states contribute to behavior but in different ways. The interaction between traits and states can explain why a person may behave differently in different situations, even though their personality traits remain stable over time. For example, a normally extroverted individual may behave introverted in a highly stressful or unfamiliar social situation (state influences behavior), but their extraversion will generally remain a stable trait in most contexts.

Question 8

Interactionism

Answer 8

Interactionist theories propose that personality traits and situational factors work together to determine behavior.

Trait: A stable characteristic like extraversion or neuroticism.
State: A temporary emotional state like feeling anxious or joyful.
Behavior: The manifestation of behavior is shaped by both the enduring trait and the situational context.

For example, an extraverted person may act more sociable and engage with others at a party (trait), but their mood (state) might influence how much they enjoy interacting with others in that specific moment.

Question 9

Five-Factor Model (Big Five) (McCrae & Costa, 2008)

Answer 9

Big Five Personality Traits (OCEAN):
* Openness to Experience
* Conscientiousness
* Extraversion
* Agreeableness
* Neuroticism

Question 10

Openness to Experience

Answer 10

The degree to which an individual is imaginative, curious, and open to new experiences.

Question 11

Conscientiousness

Answer 11

The degree of self-discipline, organization, and dependability.

Question 12

Extraversion

Answer 12

The tendency to seek stimulation in the company of others, characterized by sociability, energy, and talkativeness.

Question 13

Agreeableness

Answer 13

The tendency to be compassionate, cooperative, and trusting.

Question 14

Neuroticism

Answer 14

The tendency to experience negative emotions such as anxiety, anger, or sadness.

Question 15

Eysenck’s Three-Factor Model (Eysenck, 1967)

Answer 15

Eysenck’s model was grounded in biological theories, proposing that the traits had a genetic basis and were linked to the functioning of the brain. Includes:
* Extraversion
* Neuroticism
* Psychoticism

Question 16

Extraversion (Eysenck)

Answer 16

The extent to which a person is outgoing and sociable versus withdrawn and solitary.

Question 17

Neuroticism (Eysenck)

Answer 17

The degree to which a person is emotionally stable or prone to negative emotions like anxiety, depression, or irritability.

Question 18

Psychoticism

Answer 18

A dimension related to impulsivity, aggressiveness, and a lack of empathy (added later to the model).

Question 19

Predicting Behavior with Traits

Answer 19

Traits predict consistent patterns of behavior across different situations.

Example: A person with high extraversion is likely to behave sociably in various social contexts (e.g., at work, parties, or gatherings)

Question 20

Predicting Behavior with States

Answer 20

States may better predict short-term behavior in specific situations.

Example: A normally calm person may exhibit aggressive behavior in response to a temporary emotional state like anger or frustration during a conflict.

Question 21

What is the Dispositional Domain?

Answer 21

Focuses on traits that are relatively stable over time and influence behavior across situations (e.g., Big Five, trait theory).

Question 22

What is the Biological Domain?

Answer 22

Examines how genetics, neuroscience, and evolution shape personality (e.g., twin studies, brain structures, neurotransmitters).

Question 23

What is the Intrapsychic Domain?

Answer 23

Based on Freudian and psychodynamic theories, exploring unconscious motives, defense mechanisms, and early childhood experiences.

Question 24

What is the Cognitive-Experiential Domain?

Answer 24

Investigates thought processes, emotions, and self-concept, including cognitive styles, biases, and subjective experience.

Question 25

What is the Social and Cultural Domain?

Answer 25

Explores how social interactions, culture, and relationships influence personality (e.g., collectivism vs. individualism, social identity theory).

Question 26

What is the Adjustment Domain?

Answer 26

Examines how personality helps individuals cope with stress, adapt, and maintain well-being (e.g., resilience, personality disorders).

Question 27

Levels of Personality Analysis

Answer 27

1. Human Nature 2. Individual and Group Differences 3. Individual Uniqueness

Question 28

Human Nature

Answer 28

Examines universal personality traits and mechanisms that are common to all humans (e.g., need for social connection, emotions like fear and happiness). | like all others

Question 29

Individual & Group Differences

Answer 29

Focuses on how people differ from one another, either at the individual level (e.g., extroverts vs. introverts) or across groups (e.g., gender, cultural differences). | like some others

Question 30

Individual Uniqueness

Answer 30

No two individuals have the exact same personality, not even in the case of twins. | like no others

Question 31

What does HEXACO stand for?

Answer 31

* Honesty-Humility * Emotionality * eXtraversion * Agreeableness * Conscientiousness * Openness to Experience.

Question 32

What is Honesty-Humility (H)?

Answer 32

The tendency to be sincere, fair, modest, and avoid manipulation (vs. arrogance, greed, deceitfulness).

Question 33

What is Emotionality (E)?

Answer 33

The tendency to experience strong emotions, attachment, and anxiety (vs. emotional detachment, fearlessness).

Question 34

What is eXtraversion (X)?

Answer 34

The tendency to be social, energetic, and confident (vs. introversion, shyness, and passivity).

Question 35

What is Agreeableness (A) in HEXACO?

Answer 35

The tendency to be forgiving, tolerant, and cooperative (vs. anger, critical nature, stubbornness).

Question 36

What is Conscientiousness (C)?

Answer 36

The tendency to be organized, disciplined, and diligent (vs. laziness, carelessness, impulsivity).

Question 37

What is Openness to Experience (O)?

Answer 37

The tendency to be creative, curious, and open to new ideas (vs. conventional, rigid thinking).

Question 38

How does Honesty-Humility differ from Agreeableness?

Answer 38

Honesty-Humility focuses on sincerity and avoiding exploitation, while Agreeableness focuses on tolerance and cooperation.

Question 39

Gordon Allport's Trait Theory

Answer 39

Gordon Allport’s Trait Theory categorizes personality traits into three levels: Cardinal Traits – Dominant traits that define a person’s entire personality (e.g., Mother Teresa’s altruism). Central Traits – General characteristics that shape most behaviors (e.g., honesty, kindness). Secondary Traits – Traits that appear in specific situations (e.g., impatience when stressed).

Question 39

Marshamallow Test

Answer 39

The Marshmallow Test was a psychological experiment conducted by Walter Mischel in the 1960s to study delayed gratification. Children were given a choice: eat one marshmallow immediately or wait and receive two marshmallows later. The study found that children who could delay gratification tended to have better life outcomes, including higher academic achievement and better self-control. **Criticism:** * Later studies found that children from wealthier backgrounds were more likely to delay gratification, suggesting that self-control might be influenced by financial stability rather than just personal willpower. * Follow-up research has shown weaker correlations between delayed gratification and long-term success than the original study suggested.

Question 40

Mean-level stability

Answer 40

* changes in average level of personality trait within a population over time; focuses on whether a trait increases or decreases an average within group of individuals * e.g., people on average become more emotionally stable as they age, with levels of neuroticism decreasing and conscientiousness increasing throughout adulthood * often increase in agreeableness, conscientiousness and emotional stability, decrease in openness * changes occur gradually and vary from person to person

Question 41

Personality Coherence

Answer 41

* how manifestation of traits changes over time while maintaining a consistent underlying trait * although how person expressed their traits may evolve, core traits remain consistent * e.g., young child may express high levels of aggression through temper tantrums, later in adulthood through assertiveness or competitiveness; hence, trait still evident, but expressed differently as person matures * expression might shift in more context-specific ways as individual ages and experiences different life stages