Theories of Personality:

EYSENCK

M.K. PSIKOLOGI KEPRIBADIAN

FAKULTAS PSIKOLOGI
UNIVERSITAS AIRLANGGA
 BASICS

The most fundamental personality characteristics

are largely inherited and all behavior is learned.

Personality is “the sum-total of the actual or
potential behavior-patterns of the organism, as
determined by heredity and environment;

it originates and develops through the functional
interaction of the four main sectors into which
these behavior-patterns are organized:

the cognitive sector (intelligence), the conative
sector (character), the affective sector
(temperament), and the somatic sector
(constitution).”
 PERSONALITY AS TRAITS

Personality consists of acts and dispositions

organized in a hierarchical fashion in terms of their
level of generality.
HIERARCHY

Super-
Factors

Traits

Habits

Specific Behaviors
 Eysenck's Three Personality Factors:

Extraversion (- Introversion).

Neuroticism.

Psychoticism.
 Eysenck's Three Personality Factors:

Extraversion - Introversion:

Introversion: tendermindedness; introspectiveness;
seriousness; performance interfered with by
excitement; easily aroused but restrained, inhibited;
preference for solitary vocations; sensitivity to pain.

Extraversion: toughmindedness; impulsiveness;
tendency to be outgoing; desire for novelty;
performance enhanced by excitement; preference for
vocations involving contact with other people;
tolerance for pain.
 A. Extraversion (E) [vs. Introversion]

High Extraversion:

Outgoing, Social, Lively, Friendly.

Low Extraversion [Introversion]:

Shy, Passive, Withdrawn.

Relationship to Brain Arousal:

Extravert: Low Cortical Arousal -- Understimulated.

Introvert: High Cortical Arousal -- Overstimulated.
 Eysenck's Three Personality Factors:

Neuroticism:

Below-average emotional control, will-power, and
capacity to exert self; slowness in thought and
action; suggestibility; lack of persistence;
tendency to repress unpleasant facts; lack of
sociability; below-average sensory acuity but
high level of activation.
 B. Neuroticism (N) [vs. Stability]

High Neuroticism:

Anxious.

Tense.

Worried.

Depressed.

Moody.

Low Neuroticism (Stability):

Sense of Well Being.

Freedom from Upset.

Emotionally Stable.

Easygoing.
 High N: Related to Maladjustment

Type of maladjustment related to other traits:

High N, High E --> Possibly Antisocial.

High N, Low E --> Anxiety Disorder, Phobias.

Disorders are not "Automatic”:
 traits yield 'tendencies."
 specific environmental triggers required.
 Eysenck's Three Personality Factors:

Psychoticism:
Poor concentration, poor memory;
insensitivity; lack of caring for others; cruelty;
disregard for danger and convention;
occasionally originality and/or creativity; liking
for unusual things; considered peculiar by
others.
 C. Psychoticism (P) vs. Tender Mindedness

High Psychoticism:

Egocentric, Impulsive, Non-conforming.

Suspicious, Sometimes antisocial.

Low Psychoticism (Tender Minded)

Warm, (Fuzzy?), Caring, Cooperative.

Conforming to social norms.

Men vs. Women: Who is Higher on P???

Males tend to show higher psychoticism than females:

Eysenck: Link to Testosterone levels?
 Personality as Traits

Differences in cortical excitation levels

are associated with extraversion
(versus introversion).

Extraverts:

Cortical
excitation levels are low in extraverts.

Such people tend to seek stimulation.

Introverts:

Excitation
levels are high in introverts.

Such people tend to avoid additional stimulation.
 Personality as Traits

Neuroticism is related to autonomic

nervous system reactivity.

People whose autonomic nervous system is highly
reactive is likely to develop a neurotic disorder.

The tendency to respond very emotionally to stimuli
is seen as a predisposing condition to the
development of a psychological disorder.
 Personality as Traits

Disorders of the first kind.

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.

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.
 Personality as Traits

Heredity has a strong role in neuroticism,

extraversion, and psychoticism.

Nonetheless, all neurotic behavior is
learned!

According to Eysenck, the core
phenomenon in neurosis is a
conditioned fear reaction.

Since behaviors are learned, they can be
unlearned, using behavior therapies.