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Worksheets4 - Hans Eysenck
Total questions: 28
Worksheet time: 16mins
Highlights of Eysenck's Personality Theory:
•Eysenck's theory is based on physiology and genetics.
•Eysenck focused on normal and pathological populations.
•He felt that many traits are biologically based and were shaped by evolutionary forces (e.g., extraversion, neuroticism).
•He used factor analysis to identify traits.
EYSENCK’S CRITERIA FOR IDENTIFYING FACTORS
The factor should be replicable, Eysenck’s, E, N, and P factors were investigated and found by other scientists as well.
Psychometric evidence:
Heritability:
Theoretically sound:
Social relevance:
EYSENCK’S CRITERIA FOR IDENTIFYING FACTORS
Must have a biological element attached to it. It shouldn’t include learned traits.
Psychometric evidence:
Heritability:
Theoretically sound:
Social relevance:
EYSENCK’S CRITERIA FOR IDENTIFYING FACTORS
The deductive method was used by Eysenck to conclude.
Psychometric evidence:
Heritability:
Theoretically sound:
Social relevance:
EYSENCK’S CRITERIA FOR IDENTIFYING FACTORS
The factor must have a relationship with social variables.
Psychometric evidence:
Heritability:
Theoretically sound:
Social relevance:
HIERARCHY OF BEHAVIOR ORGANIZATION:
Four-level hierarchy of behavior organization.
specific acts/cognitions. (Persons behavior or thoughts that may or may not be characteristic of person)
Lowest level
Second level
Third level
Fourth level
HIERARCHY OF BEHAVIOR ORGANIZATION:
Four-level hierarchy of behavior organization.
habitual acts/cognitions. (responses that recur under similar conditions. They are consistent.
Lowest level
Second level
Third level
Fourth level
HIERARCHY OF BEHAVIOR ORGANIZATION:
Four-level hierarchy of behavior organization.
Traits (several related habits) are important semi-permanent personality dispositions. (Cattell's traits)
Lowest level
Second level
Third level
Fourth level
HIERARCHY OF BEHAVIOR ORGANIZATION:
Four-level hierarchy of behavior organization.
Types( super factors) are made up of several interrelated traits.
Lowest level
Second level
Third level
Fourth level
Three Dimensions of Personality:
•Following are the super-factors identified by Eysenck during the course of his research which he considered to be the fundamental dimensions of personality.
–E- Extraversion vs. Introversion
–N- Neuroticism vs. Emotional Stability
–P- Psychoticism vs. Impulse Control
–H- Happy vs. Sad
Superfactors:
The degree to which a person is outgoing and participative in relating to other people
Extraversion vs. Introversion
Emotionality versus Stability (Neuroticism)
Psychoticism vs. Impulse Control
Happy vs. Sad
Superfactors:
Individual’s adjustment to the environment and the stability of or her behavior over time
Extraversion vs. Introversion
Emotionality versus Stability (Neuroticism)
Psychoticism vs. Impulse Control
Happy vs. Sad
Superfactors:
Characterized by the loss or distortion of reality and inability to distinguish between reality and fantasy
Extraversion vs. Introversion
Emotionality versus Stability (Neuroticism)
Psychoticism vs. Impulse Control
Happy vs. Sad
__________________ of psychiatric illness, which suggests that some people are vulnerable to illness because they have either a genetic or an acquired weakness that predisposes them to an illness.
The diathesis-stress model
Arousal theory
ARAS (ascending reticular activating system)
__________________ helps identify the physiological systems underlying the extraversion/introversion and neuroticism/stability paradigm.
The diathesis-stress model
Arousal theory
ARAS (ascending reticular activating system)
___________________ is a network of fibers traveling upward from the lower brain stem to the thalamus and cortex.
•Stimulation of the _______________- results in increases in alertness and arousal of the cortex.
The diathesis-stress model
Arousal theory
ARAS (ascending reticular activating system)
Assessment of personality:
Developed 4 personality inventories to measure super factors.
Maudsley Personality Inventory (MPI) = Assessed E and N
Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) = Measures E and N with an L scale
Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) = Assesses E, P, and N
Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised.
Eysenck relied on a variety of physiological measures to assess arousals such as:
heart rate
electroencephalogram (EEG)
electrodermal response
pupillary response
SMILE
•Type of maladjustment related to other traits:
–High N, High E -->
Possibly Antisocial.
Anxiety Disorder, Phobias.
•Type of maladjustment related to other traits:
–High N, Low E -->
Possibly Antisocial.
Anxiety Disorder, Phobias.
–People who are both highly emotionally reactive (neurotic on the normality-neurotic dimension) and highly cortically excitable (introverted on the introversion-extraversion dimension).
–For example, phobias, compulsions, obsessions.
Eysenck: Disorders of the first kind.
Eysenck: Disorders of the second kind.
–People who are highly emotionally reactive but who have low levels of cortical excitation (extraverted on the introversion-extraversion dimension).
–For example, the psychopath.
Eysenck: Disorders of the first kind.
Eysenck: Disorders of the second kind.
The Lemon Test:
the swab will remain horizontal
Extravert
Introvert
The Lemon Test:
the swab will hang down noticeably
Extravert
Introvert
Critical Evaluation:
ProblemS of the Optimal Arousal Theory
•Inconsistent findings in empirical studies (e.g., some studies find that extraverts benefit more from caffeine (which increases arousal) than introverts (see textbook), other studies did not find this effect.
• Extraversion is a complex, broad trait. The theory may be more accurate for some specific aspects of extraversion (excitement seeking) than for others (friendliness).
No evidence that moderate levels of arousal are optimal.
•Pleasure increases with energetic arousal (awake-tired).
•Pleasure decreases with tense arousal (tense-calm).
•Pleasure increases with sexual arousal.
EXTRAVERSION
•Oriented toward the outside world, prefer the company of other people.
•Tend to be sociable, impulsive, adventurous, assertive, and dominant.
•People who score high in extraversion on the Eysenck Personality Inventory have been found to experience more pleasant emotions and to be happier.
•Extraverts have a lower base level of cortical arousal than introverts.
•They need, and actively seek, excitement and stimulation to arouse themselves.
INTROVERSION
•Introverts shy away from excitement and stimulation because their cortical arousal levels are already high.
•Introverts react more strongly than extroverts to sensory stimulation.
Neuroticism
•Neurotics are characterized as anxious, depressed, tense, irrational, and moody.
•Neuroticism is largely inherited, a product of genetics rather than learning or experience.
•People high in neuroticism seem to have greater activity in the brain areas that control the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system.
•Body’s alarm system, which responds to stressful or dangerous events by increasing breathing rate, heart rate, blood flow to the muscles, and release of adrenaline.
•Neurotics, the sympathetic nervous system overreacts even to mild stressors, resulting in chronic hypersensitivity.
•People are genetically predisposed either toward neuroticism or toward emotional stability.
