12 | 1 Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Biological Traits: Hans Eysenck

12 | 2 Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Hans Eysenck Born in Germany in 1916 Attended University of London receiving his Ph.D. in 1940 Worked as a research psychologist examining the reliability of psychiatric diagnosis Awarded chair of psychology at University of London in 1955 Awarded Distinguished Scientist Award of APA in 1988

12 | 3 Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Historical Predecessors Predecessors of Eysenck’s theory include –Hippocrates –Kant –Wundt –Jung –Kretschmer –Sheldon

12 | 4 Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Sheldon's Relationships Among components of Physique and Temperament

12 | 5 Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Constructing a Model of Personality Insisted on strict, scientific model of personality that focused on two distinct aspects –Factor-analytic studies providing description of personality –Causal analyses based on experimental tests of deductions to identify biological causes Revised theories when predictions were not supported by experimental evidence

12 | 6 Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Steps that Eysenck Took in Constructing and Revising a Model of Personality

12 | 7 Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Identification of Superfactors The hierarchical model of personality –Specific responses of behaviors that we can actually observe –Habitual response clusters of specific behaviors that characteristically reoccur when in similar circumstances

12 | 8 Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Eysenck's Hierarchical Model of Personality Development From H.J. Eysenck, The Biological Basis of Personality, 1967, Courtesy of Charles C. Thomas, Publisher, Springfield, Illinois.

12 | 9 Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Superfactors Introversion versus Extraversion Degree to which a person is outgoing and participative in relating to other people Emotionality versus Stability Individual’s adjustment to the environment and the stability of his or her behavior over time Psychoticism Characterized by the loss or distortion of reality and inability to distinguish between reality and fantasy Intelligence Related to evoked potential patterns

12 | 10 Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Thinking Critically The Lemon Test –Tie a length of thread to the center of a double-tipped cotton swab. Swallow three times and put one end of swab onto your tongue. Hold it in your mouth for 30 seconds. –Remove the swab and put four drops of lemon juice on your tongue. Swallow immediately and place the other end of the swab on the same spot. Hold it there for 30 seconds then remove and let the swab hang. Extravert = swab will remain horizontal Introvert = swab will hang down noticeably

12 | 11 Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. The Intercorrelation of Traits

12 | 12 Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Psychoticism Eysenck and Eysenck, 1985

12 | 13 Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Comparisons with Cattell and The Big Five Cattell’s theory primarily concerned with traits whereas Eysenck preferred to emphasize supertraits Eysenck agreed with the Big Five that most important traits are supertraits that can be subdivided into more specific ones

12 | 14 Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. The Measurement of Traits Eysenck critical of self-report nature of personality inventories Used criterion analysis to improve inventory questionnaires –Identified two groups of people – those with each end of continuum of personality variable –Gave each group inventory and examined differences in responses –Determined probabilities and developed questionnaire to distinguish between two groups

12 | 15 Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Sample Questionnaire Items for Personality Research Questions are taken from Personality and Individual Differences, 6, Eysenck, S.B.G., Eysenck, H.J., & Barrett, P. A revised version of the psychoticism scale, Copyright 1985, with permission from Elsevier Science.

12 | 16 Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Looking for Causal Agents of Behavior Hypothetical causal explanations –Early suggestion – variations in central nervous system levels of inhibition and excitation –Revised suggestion – specific biological functions responsible for excitation and inhibition Arousal thresholds in the ascending reticular activating system related to introversion-extraversion Differences in visceral brain activation related to emotional stability-neuroticism Hormonal differences related to differences in psychoticism

12 | 17 Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. The Biological Basis of Behavior and Neurosis Eysenck connected personality and neurosis to biological basis and the interplay between the genotype and the environment –PET scans and MRI data reveal distinctly different patterns of brain activity in normal, manic depressed, and schizophrenic individuals –Human brains and personality are undergoing major transformation due to wide-spread use of technologies

12 | 18 Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Applications of Eysenck’s Theory Education –Discovery learning –Reception learning Study of Creativity –Originality –Creative achievement Personality, Biology, and Genetics –Strong genetic determinants in personality, intelligence, social and sexual behavior, criminality, mental disorders, etc.

12 | 19 Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Figure 12.8: From Genetic Determinants to Behavior

12 | 20 Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Psychotherapy Stated that no evidence for efficacy of psychotherapy, and studies supporting psychotherapy were flawed Behavior therapy began as way of applying research relating to learning and conditioning to clinical problems Eysenck’s emphasis on biological basis of personality consistent with biological therapies

12 | 21 Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Thinking Critically Measuring the efficacy of psychotherapy –Who should determine the effectiveness of therapy? client, therapist, insurance company, other? –When should the measure be made? during therapy, immediately after, six-month follow up, years later? –How should therapy efficacy be measured? objective questionnaire, subjective client appraisal, interview, measurable behavior changes? –What are your thoughts on this issue and how would you defend your position?

12 | 22 Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Philosophy, Science, and Art: Eysenck’s Theory Believed that his greatest contribution to personality theory was to connect ideas about personality to causal theories of behavior Theory emphasized a scientific approach Contemporary research confirms his conviction that the brain and its processes are central to the understanding of behavior and personality

12 | 23 Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Personal Experiences What type of learner are you? –Discovery learning versus reception learning –Categorize yourself according to Eysenck’s dimensions in Figure 12.2 How did you categorize yourself? Does your self-appraisal fit into the research on discovery vs. reception learning? That is, if you are an extravert, do you learn better with discovery method? And if you are an introvert, do you learn better with reception method? How would you want your kids to be taught?