Personality and Emotion

Individual Differences Personality- the complex of characteristics that distinguishes an individual; the totality of an individual’s behavioral and emotional characteristics. Human Nature Individual Differences Patterns of Behavior

Facultative Traits Definition Early Environment Sexual Strategies 1) 2) Results

Empirical Support Divorce Absent Fathers Relationship With Fathers Good Bad

Contingencies Among Traits Definition Aggressive vs Non-Aggressive Success of Strategies Selfishness vs. Cooperation Reactively Heritable

Frequency-Dependent Strategies Frequency-dependent selection Selfish vs. Cooperative

Trait Variance- Survival of Species Optimum Levels Risk Taking vs. Cautiousness Plenty Scarcity Ratio

Survival of Individual Flexibility of Behaviors Selfish Genes

Extraversion-Introversion Extraverts Introverts Risk-Taking Caution Today

Neuroticism/Emotional Stability(?) Neurotics Positive emotions Negative Emotions Smoke-Detector Principle EEA

Conscientiousness/Impulsivity Fluctuations

Agreeableness/Disagreeableness Balance

Openness/Conventionality Special Purpose Information Processors Conventional Thinking Creativity

Intelligence Fitness Indicator Low Intelligence “Loose Associations”

Extremes Extraversion- risky behavior Introversion- not enough risk taking Neuroticism- anxiety, depression Stoicism*- Schizoid PxDx Agreeableness- vulnerability Disagreeableness- Antisocial PxDx Conscientiousness- OCD Impulsivity- ADHD Openness- Schizophrenia Conventionality- boring! (seriously limited problem solving)

Emotions Universal Emotions Cultural Variations Male vs. Female

Function of Emotions Nervous System Limbic System Brain Stem Cognitive Component Emotional Control Importance

Universal Emotions Happy Surprise Sadness Anger Fear Disgust Contempt

What Are/Were They For? Happy Surprise Sadness Anger Fear Disgust Contempt

Self-Conscious Emotions Primary Emotions Self-Conscious Emotions Non-Humans

Empathy Development mirror neurons fusiform face area Autism Morality

Child Maltreatment Abused/Neglected Children Romanian Orphans Brain Scans Hormones Results

Attitudes Definition Examples Children Infants

Joint Attention Learning Mechanism Emotional vs. Cognitive Origins Challenging Information

Narrative Content of Emotion Emotional Events are triggered whenever an event signals a Goal-relevant change (can be external or internal events). Two Basic human Goals-: self (survival, procreation) and social (approval, acceptance). In an emotional event, you perceive you are either moving away from your goal or moving toward it. The appraisal process of an event follows a cluster of mental operations (in order): Goal Relevance, Goal Congruence/Incongruence, Ego Involvement, Credit or Blame, Coping Potential, Future Expectations. Not all emotional events will involve a lengthy appraisal process. Life-threatening events will (hopefully) involve quick action. A more in-depth appraisal will come after the threat has passed.

Translation Goal Relevance Goal Congruence/Incongruence Ego Involvement Credit/Blame Coping Potential Future Expectations

Narrative Content: FEAR Is X relevant to the subject’s goals? Is X goal-congruent or goal-incongruent? 3. Is X a threat to the subject’s life or safety?

Narrative Content: ANGER Has X resulted in damage or loss relative to any ego-involvement? Can X be attributed to some agent or object including the self or a scapegoat)? 6. Is retaliation for X a viable coping option?