Personality and Attitudes

1
Personality and Attitudes
2.1
2
Defining personality
2.2

• Personality is concerned with understanding how
  individuals behave in patterned ways across time
  and situations.

3
Nomothetic vs idiographic assumptions about
personality
2.3

• Nomothetic
• Personality is
• predictable and
• measurable
• Personality is
• largely inherited and
• resistant to change

• Idiographic
• Personality cannot
• be measured
• meaningfully
• Environmental and
• social influences are
• seen as critical

4
Cattells 16 Factors
2.4

• 1. Reserved vs Outgoing
• 2. Concrete thinking vs Abstract thinking
• 3. Emotionally less stable vs Emotionally
  stable
• 4. Mild vs Assertive
• 5. Sober vs Enthusiastic
• 6. Expedient vs Conscientious
• 7. Shy vs Socially bold
• 8. Tough minded vs Tender minded
• 9. Trusting vs Suspicious
• 10. Practical vs Imaginative
• 11. Forthright vs Shrewd
• 12. Confident vs Apprehensive
• 13. Conservative vs Experimental
• 14. Group orientated vs Independent
• 15. Undisciplined vs Controlled
• 16. Relaxed vs Tense

5
Eysencks Personality Types
2.5

• Unstable
• Moody, Anxious, Touchy, Restless, Changeable,
• Rigid, Sober, Pessimistic Aggressive,
  Excitable, Active,
• Reserved, Unsociable, Quiet Impulsive,
  Optimistic
• Introverted Extroverted
• Passive, Careful, Thoughtful, Sociable,
  Outgoing, Talkative,
• Peaceful, Controlled, Reliable, Responsive,
  Easygoing, Lively,
• Even-tempered, Calm Carefree, Leadership
• Stable

6
Repertory Grid
2.6
Constructs
Elements
Where 5 left side of grid and 1 right side of
grid
Rating scale
7
Attitudes
2.7

• Consist of three components
• Cognitive (beliefs about an object)
• Affective (feelings about an objective)
• Behavioural (ways of acting with respect to an
  object)
• e.g. I believe blood sports are wrong
  (cognitive) hunting makes me angry (affective)
  I take part in anti-hunt marches (behavioural).

8
Cognitive dissonance theory
2.8
Individual engages in attitude discrepant
behaviour
Consistency motive need for attitudes, beliefs
and behaviour to be in-line with each other

• Individual
• Experiences negative consequences
• Feels personally responsible for consequences
• Believes the consequences were foreseeable
• Experiences physiological arousal - cognitive
  dissonance

Attitude change