personality explanation

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Cards (92)

  • Personality
    A set of characteristics that determine what we are like
  • Personality theories
    • Some believe personality is a temperament (the nature someone is born with), which has a biological basis
    • These theories can explain how some personalities are associated with being a criminal, while others are not
  • Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI)
    • A questionnaire devised by Eysenck to measure each personality trait
    • Measures the specific traits of extraversion, introversion, neuroticism and psychoticism and gives them a PEN score
  • The EPI is a self-report questionnaire, so it has issues like social desirability bias and uses closed questions
  • Eysenck (1964)

    • Studied different personality traits and suggested that certain characteristics could be more prone to criminality
    • According to Eysenck, the typical criminal personality is an extravert-neurotic
  • Extraversion/Introversion
    • Two extreme ends of one dimension of personality
    • Extraversion is being outgoing and sociable, introversion is being reserved and quiet
  • Eysenck's PEN Theory of Personality
    • Extroversion is based on the level of stimulation we need, caused by the Ascending Reticular Activating System (ARAS)
    • Neuroticism is based on the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) and our ability to respond to stress
    • Psychoticism is seen in individuals who are self-centred, cold and lack empathy for other people
  • Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI)

    • A questionnaire which places respondents along E, N and P dimensions to determine personality type
    • Criminals tended to have higher PEN scores
  • High E score on the EPI
    Believed to have a nervous system with low arousal level, so they seek external stimulation to raise their biological arousal level
  • Low E score on the EPI
    Believed to have a nervous system with high arousal, so they avoid thrill and excitement to dampen their biological arousal level
  • High N score on the EPI
    Believed to have a nervous system that responds very quickly under stressful conditions, tending to overreact quickly
  • Low N score on the EPI
    Believed to have an unreactive nervous system, meaning they are calm under stressful conditions
  • High P score on the EPI
    Means a person is cold, lacks compassion and can be antisocial
  • Most people have moderate PEN scores, meaning they score moderately on psychoticism, extraversion and neuroticism
  • High PEN scores
    Relatively uncommon and have been used to explain criminality
  • Socialisation process
    • As we grow up, we are punished for antisocial behaviour and learn to associate it with anxiety of being punished
    • People with high PEN scores see antisocial behaviour as exciting and do not consider other people's feelings, so punishment is less effective
  • Eysenck's theory takes an interactionist approach, acknowledging biological, psychological and social factors in explaining criminal behaviour