Mini Quiz
• 1. The factor analytic technique is
designed to
• a. identify individuals who are attempting
to lie or sabotage a test.
• b. identify groups of test items that cooccur.
• c. identify items that are difficult to answer
• d. analyze and score responses to
projective tests.
Mini Quiz
• 2. Steve is extremely deferential to his boss. He
complies immediately with all orders and never
questions the decisions his boss makes. In his role as
plant supervisor, Steve enjoys giving orders to the
people he supervises and he gets very angry if they
questions those orders. Steve is probably
•
•
•
•
a. Open to experiences
b. a low self-monitor.
c. an authoritarian personality.
d. an omega-zeta personality
Mini Quiz
• 3. A number between –1 and +1 that
indexes the association between any two
variables is called
•
•
•
•
a.
b.
c.
d.
a significance level.
the probability value.
the variation index.
a correlation coefficient.
Mini Quiz
• 4. If test scores go down as anxiety goes
up, then
• a. test scores and anxiety are positively
correlated.
• b. test scores and anxiety are negatively
correlated.
• c. test scores and anxiety are unrelated.
• d. None of the above
Mini Quiz
• This is mini quiz #
•
•
•
•
A) 1
B) 3
C) 2
D) both b and c
Using Traits to Understand
Behavior
• Different approaches:
•
•
•
•
The Single-Trait Approach
The Many-Trait Approach
The Essential-Trait Approach
The Simultaneous-Trait Approach
Questionnaire
Say
• “I am going out now, I won’t be back all
day. If anyone comes by, just tell them I’m
not here”
• Happy
• Sad
• Mad
Self-Monitoring
• How much do “monitor” your social setting
and alter your behaviors accordingly
• High SM
– Monitor every situation
– Look for cues how to act, alter behavior
• Low SM
– Consistent behavior regardless of situation
Self-Monitoring
• Findings:
• Actors tend to be high self-monitors
– Mental patients tend to be low
•
•
•
•
High SM interview better for jobs
High SM more likely to lie to go on dates
Jokes with a laugh track
Masturbate more often (r = .50; only for women)
The Many-Trait Approach
• Examine many traits simultaneously to
determine what type of person tends to
perform certain behaviors
The Many-Trait Approach
• Commonly use the California Q-Sort
– Forces you to compare traits to each other
• Rank order
• Healthy
• Wealthy
• Wise
Findings of the Many-Trait
Approach
• 64 undergraduates completed the SM
scale
• Friends and family q-sorted the subjects
Self-Monitoring
• High SM
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Skilled in social techniques
Talkative
Self-dramatizing
Initiates humor
Verbally fluent
Expressive in face
Has social poise and presence
Self-Monitoring
• Low Self Monitors
•
•
•
•
•
•
Distrustful
Perfectionist
Touchy and irritable
Anxious
Introspective
Independent
Findings of the Many-Trait
Approach
• Drug use and adolescent health
– Shedler & Block, 1990
• 101 subjects
• Age 11 – parents completed a q-sort
• Age 18 – Drug usage measured
– Abstainers, experimenters, frequent users
1. Prefers nonverbal methods of communication.
Abst.
4.6
Exp.
4.5
Freq.
5.1*
3. Is warm and responsive.
5.3**
6.2
5.2**
7
7.2
6.5**
8. Tends to keep thoughts, feelings, or products to
self.
5.6*
4.7
5.3
13. Characteristically pushes and tries to stretch
limits.
3.0*
3.6
4.2
6
6.1
5.3**
21. Tries to be the center of attention.
3.1**
3.8
3.9
23. Is fearful and anxious.
4.5***
3.3
4
25. Uses and responds to reason.
7.3**
6.6
6.5
26. Is physically active.
5.2**
5.9
5.7
6. Is helpful and cooperative.
14. Is eager to please.
Abst.
3.3
Exp.
3
Freq.
3.7**
4.9**
5.9
5.2
6.1
6.5
5.9*
34. Is restless and fidgety.
3.7***
4.6
5.1
35. Is inhibited and constricted.
5.1**
3.9
4.4
37. Likes to compete; tests and compares self with
others.
4.1**
4.5
4.6
39. Becomes rigidly repetitive or immobilized under
stress.
4.2*
3.5
4.2*
5.4***
6.4
5.7*
5.9
5.6
5.1*
5.1**
5.8
5.1*
27. Is visibly deviant from peers in physical
appearance.
28. Is vital, energetic, lively.
30. Tends to arouse liking and acceptance in adults.
40. Is curious, eager to learn, open to new
experiences.
41. Is persistent in activities; does not give up easily.
42. Is an interesting, arresting child.
Abst.
5.0*
Exp.
4.2
Freq.
5.2**
6.1
5.9
5.1**
5.1***
4
4.5
3.5
3.4
4.2**
59. Is neat and orderly in dress and behavior.
6.5***
5.5
5.2
60. Becomes anxious in unpredictable environment.
4.9**
4
4.8*
62. Is obedient and compliant.
6.5*
5.8
5.6
63. Has a rapid personal tempo; reacts and moves
quickly.
4.2**
5
4.6
64. Is calm and relaxed, easy-going.
5.0*
5.6
5.2
45. Tends to withdraw and disengage when under
stress.
47. Has high standards of performance for self.
52. Is physically cautious.
54. Has rapid shifts in mood; is emotionally labile.
The Many-Trait Approach
• Note: What this study is not saying
– To interpret the meaning of these traits need
to also interpret the context of the study
• How many adjectives can you use to
describe a person?
• Try it!
The Essential-Trait Approach
• Odbert and Allport found over 4,500 adjectives
that describe personality traits
– 17,953 adjectives overall (but some were not traits)
• Are all of these really independent of each
other?
• Essential Approach tries to find how many and
which traits are essential
The Big Five:
History
• Allport and Odbert (1936)
– 17,953 trait terms
• Cattell (1943)
– Factor analysis finds 35
clusters
• Fiske (1949)
– Factor analysis results in 5
factors
• Tupes & Christal (1961)
– Replicate Fiske
• Norman (1963) replicates
Tupes & Christal, and
writes a review about
these “big five” traits
–
–
–
–
–
Surgency (extraversion)
Agreeableness
Conscientiousness
Emotional stability
Culture
Essential Trait
• Big-Five Inventory
E
1, 11, 16, 26, 36
R 6, 21, 31
A
7, 17, 22, 32, 42
R 2,12, 27, 37
C
3, 13, 28, 33, 38
R 8, 18, 23, 43
N
4, 14, 19, 29, 39
R 9, 24, 34
O
5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40, 44
R 35, 41
R
1=5
2=4
3=3
4=2
5=1
Agreeableness
Trust
Straightforwardness
Altruism
Compliance
Modesty
Tender-mindedness
Obi-Wan Kenobi -- This loyal,
kind, and honorable young
Jedi is a good man.
Emperor Palpatine -- An evil,
power hungry tyrant, he is
manipulative, evil, and
ruthless.
Extraversion
Warmth
Gregariousness
Assertiveness
Activity
Excitement seeking
Positive emotions
Lando Calrissian -- An
energetic, sociable man.
He is adventure seeking,
talkative, and socially
skilled.
Wampas -- reclusive
creatures of the ice
planet Hoth. They are
rarely seen & generally
shy, leading a solitary
existence
Conscientiousness
Competence
Order
Dutifulness
Achievement striving
Self-discipline
Deliberation
Admiral Ackbar -- This rebel
Admiral is renowned for his
great powers of
organization, responsibility,
and administrative abilities.
He is individual who can be
relied upon.
Han Solo -- This disheveled
and scruffy smuggler leads a
reckless and haphazard life,
with little respect for rules
and procedures.
Neuroticism
Anxiety
Angry hostility
Depression
Self-consciousness
Impulsiveness
Vulnerability
Princess Leia -- A confident & calm
individual who does not crack under
pressure (e.g.,. when being threatened
by Lord Vader). She is brave and
relaxed, even when in great danger
(e.g., when disguising herself as a
bounty hunter to gain access to Jabba
the Hutt’s palace).
Tusken warriors -- These inhabitants of
Tatooine are unpredictable,
temperamental, and excitable, and
known to be especially moody.
Openness to Experience
Fantasy
Aesthetics
Feelings
Actions
Ideas
Values
Yoda -- This wise, philosophical,
and thoughtful Jedi master
challenges the establishment,
encouraging his pupils to unlearn
what they have learned and see
the world in novel, creative
ways.
C-3PO -- This droid versed in
political protocol of thousands of
cultures is governed by rules and
prefers not to meddle with the
ways and traditions of his hosts.
The Big Five
• Also known as the Five-Factor Model
•
•
•
•
•
Extraversion
Agreeableness
Conscientiousness
Neuroticism
Openness to Experience
• OCEAN
Example
• Preadolscent girls and risk behavior
– Markey, Markey, and Tinsley 2003
• Subjects were 160 girls
– 5th grade mothers completed BFI and girls
pubertal development was assessed
– 6th grade girls reported engagement in risky
behaviors
• e.g., smoking, drinking, deep kissing, etc.
Results
Puberty
.29
Extraversion
.10
Agreeableness
-.38
Conscientiousness
-.42
Neuroticism
.03
Openness
-.04
Results
0.7
Early Puberty
Risk = .44 (Open) + .54
0.6
Risk Behavior
0.5
Average Puberty
Risk = -.01 (Open) + .41
0.4
0.3
0.2
Late Puberty
Risk = -.25 (Open) + .28
0.1
0
Low
1
Average
2
Openness to Experience
High
3
Results
• Demonstrates predictive power of the Big-5
• Demonstrate show traits can interact with
other elements (e.g., pubertal development)
to create different behaviors