Hockenbury Discovering Psychology 5th txtbk

The Trait Perspective on Personality441with neuroticism are anxiety, tension, depression, and guilt. At the opposite end,emotional stability is associated with the surface traits of being calm, relaxed, andeven-tempered.Eysenck believed that by combining these two dimensions people can be classifiedinto four basic types: introverted–neurotic, introverted–stable, extraverted– neurotic,and extraverted–stable. Each basic type is associated with a different combination ofsurface traits, as shown in Figure 10.3.In later research, Eysenck identified a third personality dimension, called psychoticism(Eysenck, 1990; Eysenck & Eysenck, 1975). A person high on this trait isantisocial, cold, hostile, and unconcerned about others. A person who is low on psychoticismis warm and caring toward others. In the chapter Prologue, Julian mightbe described as above average on psychoticism, while Kenneth was extremely lowon this trait.Eysenck (1990) believed that individual differences in personality are due tobiological differences among people. For example, Eysenck proposed that an introvert’snervous system is more easily aroused than is an extravert’s nervous system.Assuming that people tend to seek out an optimal level of arousal (see Chapter 8),extraverts would seek stimulation from their environment more than introvertswould. And, because introverts would be more uncomfortable than extraverts in ahighly stimulating environment, introverts would be much less likely to seek outstimulation.Do introverts and extraverts actually prefer different environments? In a cleverstudy, John Campbell and Charles Hawley (1982) found that extraverted studentstended to study in a relatively noisy, open area of a college library, where therewere ample opportunities for socializing with other students. Introverted studentspreferred to study in a quiet section of the library, where individual carrels and smalltables were separated by tall bookshelves. As Eysenck’s theory predicts, the introvertspreferred study areas that minimized stimulation, while the extraverts preferredstudying in an area that provided stimulation.Brain-imaging studies provide a different line of evidence to support Eysenck’sidea that personality traits reflect biological differences (Canli, 2004, 2006; Canli &others, 2002, 2004; Gusnard, 2005). The Focus on Neuroscience on page 44 describesa pioneering investigation of the association of particular personality traitswith distinct patterns of brain activity.Raymond Cattell (1905–1998) Cattell was astrong advocate of the trait approach topersonality. His research led to thedevelopment of the Sixteen PersonalityFactor Questionnaire, one of the mostwidely used psychological tests for assessingpersonality.SoberIntroverted–NeuroticPessimisticReservedUnsociableQuietIntrovertedPassiveCarefulThoughtfulPeacefulMoodyAnxiousRigidControlledIntroverted–StableReliableEven-temperedCalmEmotionallyUnstable(Neurotic)LeadershipEmotionallyStableExtraverted–NeuroticTouchyRestlessAggressiveExcitableChangeableImpulsiveOptimisticActiveExtravertedSociableOutgoingTalkativeResponsiveEasygoingLivelyCarefreeExtraverted–StableFigure 10.3 Eysenck’s Theory of PersonalityTypes Hans Eysenck’s representation of the fourbasic personality types. Each type represents acombination of two basic personality dimensions:extraversion–introversion and neuroticism–emotional stability. Note the different surfacetraits in each quadrant that are associated witheach basic personality type.Source: Adapted from Eysenck (1982).