HPS121 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Trait Theory, Observational Learning, Rorschach Test
HPS121 Week 6
Eysenck believed that extreme introverts are over-aroused; their brains are too electrically
active, so they try to minimise stimulation and reduce arousal to get down to their optimal
arousal level, or comfort zone.
In contrast, brains of extreme extraverts are chronically under-aroused; the need powerful
or frequent stimulation to achieve an optimal level of cortical arousal and excitation.
Stability-instability represents the suddenness with which shifts in arousal occur. Unstable
people have hair- trigger nervous systems that show large and sudden shifts in arousal,
whereas stable people show smaller and more gradual shifts.
Temperament – refers to individual differences in emotional and behavioural styles that
appear so early in life that they are assumed to have a biological basis. Temperamental
factors are viewed as biological building blocks that influence the subsequent development
of personality. This is further supported by twin studies.
The brain region thought to be involved in inhibited (introvert) and uninhibited (extravert)
personality tendencies/temperament is the Amygdala.
The Social-Cognitive Perspective –
Social-cognitive theories – theories which combine the behavioural and cognitive
perspectives into an approach to personality that stresses the interaction of a thinking
human with a social environment that provides learning experiences.
Reciprocal determinism – the social-cognitive principle that the person, the person’s
behaviour and the environment influence one another is a pattern of two-way casual
links, i.e. a person’s thoughts, behaviour and environment influence each other and
make it better or worse. E.g. a mean person may do mean acts which evokes negative
responses from others and that evokes him further to continue to be mean.
According to Julian Rotter, the likelihood that we will engage in a particular behaviour in
a given situation is influenced by two factors; expectancy and reinforcement value.
Expectancy – our perception of how likely it is that certain consequences will occur if we
engage in a particular behaviour within a specific situation.
Reinforcement value – how much we desire or dread the outcome that we expect the
behaviour to produce. E.g. a student who strongly values academic success and also
expects studying will result in high grades is likely to study.
Internal-external locus of control – an expectancy concerning the degree of personal
control we have in our lives.
People with an internal locus of control believe that life outcomes are largely under
personal control anddepend on their own behaviour. Internal are more resistant to
social influence.
People with an external locus of control believe that their fate has less to do with their
own efforts and controlled by external factors such as luck and chance. Externals tend to
give in to high status people they see as powerful.
Locus of control is called a ‘generalised expectancy’ because it applies across many life
domains as a general worldview.
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Eysenck believed that extreme introverts are over-aroused; their brains are too electrically active, so they try to minimise stimulation and reduce arousal to get down to their optimal arousal level, or comfort zone. In contrast, brains of extreme extraverts are chronically under-aroused; the need powerful or frequent stimulation to achieve an optimal level of cortical arousal and excitation. Stability-instability represents the suddenness with which shifts in arousal occur. Unstable people have hair- trigger nervous systems that show large and sudden shifts in arousal, whereas stable people show smaller and more gradual shifts. Temperament refers to individual differences in emotional and behavioural styles that appear so early in life that they are assumed to have a biological basis. Temperamental factors are viewed as biological building blocks that influence the subsequent development of personality. The brain region thought to be involved in inhibited (introvert) and uninhibited (extravert) personality tendencies/temperament is the amygdala.
