Lecture 2 - Early biological theories of personality

    Cards (25)

    • Is personality inherited according to the biological perspective?
      Yes
    • Who are some early theorists of the biological perspective on personality?
      Hippocrates, Galen, Kretchsmer, Sheldon
    • What are the 4 personality types according to Hippocrates?
      Choleric, Sanguine, Phlegmatic, Melancholic
    • What did Galen find out about the personality types of Hippocrates?
      They depend on the balance of the four humours in the body
    • What are the four humours in the body according to Galen?
      Yellow bile, blood, phlegm, black bile
    • How did Galen link the four humours to the personality types?
      Excess of yellow bile - choleric, excess of blood - sanguine, excess of phlegm - phlegmatic, excess of black bile - melancholic
    • Who proposed the idea that body type is related to personality type in the 20th century?
      Kretchsmer and Sheldon
    • What are the 3 main types of physique according to Kretchsmer?
      Aesthenic, athletic, pyknic
    • How did Kretchsmer link physique to personality?
      Aesthenic - schizophrenia, athletic - thought disorders, pyknic - manic depression
    • What are the 3 body types according to Sheldon?
      Endomorphy, mesomorphy, ectomorphy
    • How did Sheldon link body types to personality types?
      Endomorphic - visceratonia, mesomorphic - somatonia, ectomorphic - cerebrotonia
    • What are the 3 personality types according to Sheldon?
      Visceratonia, somatonia, cerebrotonia
    • Who found that delinquent boys are more likely to be mesomorphs?
      Glueck and Glueck
    • What is the model that Sheldon proposed to explain the relationship between genes, body type, and personality?
      Genes - body type - personality
    • What is the current view on the biological perspective of personality?
      Acceptance of genetic influence on personality
    • What are some other biological theories of personality today?
      Brain wave activity, hormone levels, heart rate responsiveness, CNS determines personality
    • What is somatotyping?
      Rating system to rate body type
    • How did Brant (1988) study somatotyping?
      Used a rating system to rate themselves how much they see themselves as a particular body type
    • What were the findings of Brant (1988) study?
      Males rated themselves as a 4 for endomorphy, 4 for mesomorphy, and a 3 for ectomorphy, women rated themselves as a 5 for endomorphy, 3 for mesomorphy, and a 3 for ectomorphy
    • What is a flaw in Sheldon's research?
      Researcher bias
    • What is the idea that personality and heart disease are linked?
      Personality and heart disease are linked
    • What are the main components of the biological perspective on personality?
      * Genetic influence
      * Body type
      * Personality types
      * Brain wave activity
      * Hormone levels
      * Heart rate responsiveness
    • What is the concept of blood types and personality?
      Blood types and personality are linked
    • What are the strengths and weaknesses of the biological perspective on personality?
      Strengths:
      * Provides a framework for understanding personality
      * Links personality to biological factors
      Weaknesses:
      * Oversimplifies the complexity of personality
      * Fails to account for environmental factors
    • How can the biological perspective on personality be applied in real-life situations?
      * Understanding individual differences in personality
      * Developing personalized interventions for personality disorders
      * Informing strategies for improving mental health