Psychological Explanations: Eysenck's Theory
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What did Eysenck (1947) propose?
Personality can be represented along three dimensions
What are the three dimensions?
• Introversion-extraversion (E) • Neuroticism-stability (N) • Psychoticism-socialisation (P)
What does the combination of the three dimensions do?
Forms a variety of personality characteristics
Where did Eysenck (1947) the personality types come from?
The nervous system
Are personality types learnt or innate according to Eysenk?
Innate
What kind of nervous system does extraverts have?
Underactive nervous system
What does it mean to have an underactive nervous system?
Seek excitement and stimulation and engage in risk taking activities
What kind of sympathetic nervous system does more neurotic individuals have?
Higher levels of reactivity
What do people with a higher sympathetic nervous system behave?
Nervous, jumpy, and over-anxious
Is it easier or more difficult to predict the behaviours of neurotic individuals?
More difficult
What hormone do psychotic individuals have a higher level of?
Testosterone
What are the behaviours of psychotic individuals?
Cold, unemotional and prone to aggression
What three types of personality does a criminal have?
Extraverts, neurotic and high psychoticism
How does a criminal behave according to Eysenck?
• Unstable so prone to overreact to threat • Seek more arousal so engages in dangerous activities • Aggressive • Lacks empathy
Are criminals behaviour developmentally mature?
No, immature
Why are criminals behaviours immature?
Selfish and concerned with immediate gratification
What normally occurs during socialisation of children?
• Delay gratification - More socially orientated
Why do criminals (with a high extravesion and neuroticism) find it difficult to learn during socialisation?
Nervous system makes it more difficult for them to learn
What are criminals less likely to learn?
Anxiety responses to antisocial impulses
How did Eysenck measure the type of personality an individual may have?
With the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI)
What was the original Eysenck Personality Inventory?
Psychological test that locates respondents along the E and N dimensions
How is the newer version of Eysenck Personality Inventory different?
Adding of psychoticism
Who supports the Eysenck’s theory?
Eysenck and Eysenck (1977)
How did Eysenck and Eysenck (1977) support the EPI?
Compared 2070 male prisoners with a control group of 2422 non-criminal