Psychobiological & lexical approaches to personality:
Enter the matrix
Psychobiological & lexical approaches to personality:
Enter the matrix
Dr Niko TiliopoulosRoom 448, Brennan McCallum building
Email: [email protected]
Assumptions of the Traits Assumptions of the Traits approach Iapproach I
Personality Personality existsexists!!
Personality is a probabilistic and dynamic systemPersonality is a probabilistic and dynamic system
Personality has both quantity and quality propertiesPersonality has both quantity and quality properties
Systematically describes differences between (and within) Systematically describes differences between (and within) individualsindividuals
Emphasises the need of a Emphasises the need of a useful useful scientific taxonomyscientific taxonomy
Personality is the dynamic & organised set of Personality is the dynamic & organised set of characteristics possessed by a person that characteristics possessed by a person that uniquely influences her or his cognitions, uniquely influences her or his cognitions,
motivations, attitudes, behaviour, and psychology motivations, attitudes, behaviour, and psychology as a wholeas a whole
Assumptions of the Traits approach IIAssumptions of the Traits approach II
Personality develops through the interplay between:Personality develops through the interplay between:
– CognitionCognition (memory, perception, thought, language, intelligence) (memory, perception, thought, language, intelligence)
– TemperamentTemperament (characteristic reaction patterns, present from an early age)(characteristic reaction patterns, present from an early age)
– Constitution or physiologyConstitution or physiology (neurology, endocrinology, genetics, etc.) (neurology, endocrinology, genetics, etc.)
– EnvironmentEnvironment (both human and physical) (both human and physical)
The Personality pie The Personality pie (an evidence-based (an evidence-based
representation)representation)
Non-shared Non-shared environmentenvironment
Shared Shared environmentenvironment
50%50%
10%10%
40%40%
BiologyBiology
geneticsgenetics
• Unique experiences
• Diseases
• Accidents
• Diet
• Lifestyle
• Aspirations/Motives
• Religiosity/Spirituality
• Choices
• Chance!
• Unique experiences
• Diseases
• Accidents
• Diet
• Lifestyle
• Aspirations/Motives
• Religiosity/Spirituality
• Choices
• Chance!
• Family
• Socialisation
• Schooling
• Culture
• Religion
• Evolution
• Family
• Socialisation
• Schooling
• Culture
• Religion
• Evolution
• Neurotransmitters
• Brain systems
• Hormones
• Nervous system
• Age
• Sex
• Genes
• Evolution
• Neurotransmitters
• Brain systems
• Hormones
• Nervous system
• Age
• Sex
• Genes
• Evolution
Assumptions of the Traits approach IIIAssumptions of the Traits approach III
The building blocks of personality are called The building blocks of personality are called TraitsTraits
Traits are Traits are ““general dispositions that people possess that general dispositions that people possess that uniquely influence their psychologyuniquely influence their psychology””
– E.g. outgoing, impulsive, anxious, sociable, hostile, optimistic, altruisticE.g. outgoing, impulsive, anxious, sociable, hostile, optimistic, altruistic
Every human possesses Every human possesses ALLALL traits, but not at the same intensity (or centrality) traits, but not at the same intensity (or centrality)
Their development is assumed to end in early adulthoodTheir development is assumed to end in early adulthood
They are They are relatively stablerelatively stable over time and situation over time and situation– TraitsTraits vs. vs. StatesStates
Personality is Personality is dimensionallydimensionally and and hierarchicallyhierarchically arranged arranged
The hierarchical arrangement of personalityThe hierarchical arrangement of personality
Specific (situational) responsesSpecific (situational) responses
Habitual responses (habits)Habitual responses (habits)
Temperament (biologically-based)Temperament (biologically-based)
Traits(e.g. pessimistic, aggressive, reliable)
Traits(e.g. pessimistic, aggressive, reliable)
Personality dimensions(e.g. neurotic, psychotic, conscientious)
Personality dimensions(e.g. neurotic, psychotic, conscientious) More stable
Simpler
Complex
Less stable
Fewer dimensions
(higher level of dimensionality)
More dimensions
(lower level of dimensionality)
1. Stability
2. Complexity
3. Dimensionality
1. Stability
2. Complexity
3. Dimensionality
ExtravertExtravert
ImpulsiveImpulsive ActiveActive LivelyLively
TemperamentTemperamentTemperamentTemperament TemperamentTemperament
HabitHabitHabitHabit
SituationSituationSituationSituation ← Tendency to socialise or act on impulse
← Group-activities, leader, extreme sports, careless, promiscuous
← Differential cortical & dopaminergic activation
How does the Traits approach How does the Traits approach discoverdiscover personality?personality?
(Common) assumptions:(Common) assumptions:
– The personality The personality spacespace is made up of is made up of dimensionsdimensions
– These dimensions tend to be These dimensions tend to be independentindependent from each other from each other
– These dimensions are These dimensions are finitefinite
– We can discover these dimensions by We can discover these dimensions by decomposing the personality matrixdecomposing the personality matrix!!
StatisticsStatistics– Factor analysisFactor analysis
Two main traits typologiesTwo main traits typologiesThe The Lexical taxonomyLexical taxonomy (the (the Big-5Big-5))
(seeks to identify trait-descriptors in natural language)(seeks to identify trait-descriptors in natural language)
– Neuroticism:Neuroticism: E Emotional stabilitymotional stability
– Extraversion:Extraversion: Having a social impact Having a social impact
– Agreeableness:Agreeableness: M Maintaining positive relations with othersaintaining positive relations with others
– Conscientiousness:Conscientiousness: Responsibility and will to achieve Responsibility and will to achieve
– Openness:Openness: Artistic tendencies, intellect, being open to new ideas or change Artistic tendencies, intellect, being open to new ideas or change
The The Psychobiological taxonomyPsychobiological taxonomy (the (the Big-3Big-3))(seeks to identify the biological/genetic markers of traits)(seeks to identify the biological/genetic markers of traits)
– NeuroticismNeuroticism (related temperament: (related temperament: emotionalityemotionality))A predisposition to mood and anxiety disordersA predisposition to mood and anxiety disorders
– ExtraversionExtraversion (sociability and impulsivity) (sociability and impulsivity)A predisposition to accidents and injuriesA predisposition to accidents and injuriesIt mediates the psychopathological effects of the other two dimensionsIt mediates the psychopathological effects of the other two dimensions
– PsychoticismPsychoticism ((tough- vs. tender-mindednesstough- vs. tender-mindedness))A predisposition to psychotic disordersA predisposition to psychotic disorders
ContributionsContributionsScientific theories that are evidence-basedScientific theories that are evidence-based
Clear-cut predictionsClear-cut predictions
TestableTestable
Cross-cultural validityCross-cultural validity
Occupational/educational psychologyOccupational/educational psychology
Psychopathology (the foundation of Psychopathology (the foundation of Clinical PsychologyClinical Psychology))
Evolutionary (personality) psychologyEvolutionary (personality) psychology & & Animal psychologyAnimal psychology
Forensic psychology & criminal profilingForensic psychology & criminal profiling
CriticismCriticismHow many traits or dimensions?How many traits or dimensions?
Heavily dependent on statisticsHeavily dependent on statistics
Heavily dependent on self-reportsHeavily dependent on self-reports
When assessment is based on medical When assessment is based on medical methods it is impracticalmethods it is impractical
Actually, do traits exist at all?Actually, do traits exist at all?
Some famous individuals that exemplify trait Some famous individuals that exemplify trait characteristicscharacteristics
Trait descriptionTrait description Famous individualFamous individual
HighHigh LowLow HighHigh LowLowAssertive, Assertive, dominantdominant
Humble, Humble, cooperativecooperative
Genghin KhanGenghin Khan JesusJesus
Conscientious, Conscientious, persistentpersistent
Expedient, Expedient, undisciplinedundisciplined
Mother TeresaMother Teresa CasanovaCasanova
Tense, drivenTense, driven Relaxed, tranquilRelaxed, tranquil MacbethMacbeth BuddhaBuddha
Tough-minded, Tough-minded, self-reliantself-reliant
Tender-minded, Tender-minded, sensitivesensitive
James BondJames Bond Robert BurnsRobert Burns
Self-sufficient, Self-sufficient, resourcefulresourceful
Group-dependent, Group-dependent, affiliativeaffiliative
CopernicusCopernicus Marilyn MonroeMarilyn Monroe
Controlled, Controlled, compulsivecompulsive
Undisciplined, laxUndisciplined, lax Margaret ThatcherMargaret Thatcher Mick JaggerMick Jagger
Venturesome, Venturesome, socially boldsocially bold
Shy, retiringShy, retiring ColumbusColumbus Sylvia PlathSylvia Plath
Main traits theoristsMain traits theorists
Gordon AllportGordon Allport (1897 - 1967) (1897 - 1967)Raymond CattellRaymond Cattell (1905 - 1998) (1905 - 1998)Hans EysenckHans Eysenck (1916 - 1997) (1916 - 1997)Jeffrey Alan GrayJeffrey Alan Gray (1934 - 2004) (1934 - 2004)Marvin ZuckermanMarvin Zuckerman (1928 - ) (1928 - )Kim BartholomewKim Bartholomew (?) (?)Claude Robert CloningerClaude Robert Cloninger (1944 - ) (1944 - )Theodore MillonTheodore Millon (1928 - ) (1928 - )Cindy HazanCindy Hazan (?) (?)David BussDavid Buss (1953 - ) (1953 - )Samuel GoslingSamuel Gosling (?) (?)