Individual Differences Approach

What is personality? How can you define/explain it?

Personality is:

Personality is a hypothetical construct!

We can never observe one

We can only infer personality from behaviour

Personality is: (continued)

Baron & Byrne (1991)Personality is ………the combination of those relatively

enduring TRAITS which influence behaviour in a predictable way in a variety of situations…...

Trait Theories of Personality…

EYSENCK (1953)

The INTROVERT personality A typical introvert is quiet, retiring,

introspective, fond of books rather than of people, reserved & distant...

Trait Theories of Personality…

EYSENCK (1953)

The EXTROVERT personality A typical extrovert is sociable, likes

parties, has many friends, needs people to talk to, craves excitement, and likes change…

Biological Approach to Personality

EYSENCK.. Biological differences in nervous systems

Extroverts have STRONG nervous systems which tend to DAMP down incoming sensory data - thus they are UNDER AROUSED and need to ‘arouse themselves’ with activity’

Introverts have SENSITIVE nervous systems which AMPLIFY incoming sensory data, thus they need to ‘reduce sensory input’...

Personality Traits:

Does the EYSENCK theory of a biological basis for personality predict

STABLE personality traits? VARIABLE personality traits?

This is a reductionist theory of personality~ What do we mean by ‘reductionist’ ?

Freud ‘s psychodynamic theory of personality

The tripartite structure of personality

IDEGOSUPEREGO

What is Multiple Personality Disorder? (MPD)

MPD or Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenics commonly have problems with reality tests (where you check that ones perceptions of reality match up with reality).

The multiple personalities of an individual will not have problems with reality tests (all the personalities perceptions of reality match up with reality).

MPD or Schizophrenia? continued

Schizophrenia does literally mean ‘split-mind’, however this is referring to the loss of unity between psychological functions

MPD is “dissociative disorder in which two or more distinct personalities co-exist within the same individual”

MPD is also known as ‘Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)- mainly in the USA.

Dissociation:

Is a mental process which produces a lack of connection in a person’s thoughts, memories, feelings, actions or sense of identity. This is on a spectrum, we have all be affected mildly e.g. daydreaming, getting ‘lost’ in a book or film or driving on ‘auto-pilot’.

MPD Symptoms:

At least two distinct identities or personality states.

Each personality has it own lasting pattern of sensing, thinking and relating to self and the environment.

At least two of these personalities assume control of the patients behaviour

MPD Symptoms continued:

Common forgetfulness cannot explain the patient’s extensive inability to remember important personal details

This behaviour is not directly caused by substance abuse or by a general medical condition.

What causes MPD?

Believed it is a response to extremely traumatic situations in which there are no physical means of escape. If the person ‘goes away in their head’ they can remove themselves from the pain and function if it has not occurred.

Does it Exist? Can you ‘fake’ it?Why would you want to?

Thigpen and Cleckley (1954)

Aim: to record the symptoms and treatment of a multiple personality disorder

This is a case study (and a record of a therapeutic process)

Their paper was published in the Journal of abnormal & social psychology (1954)

The Three Faces of Eve

Who was EVE? A 25 year old woman who was referred because of her SEVERE & BLINDING

HEADACHES and spells of amnesia

Thigpen & Cleckley tested her with Psychometric tests, projective tests,

The Three Faces of Eve

In the initial interviews (EVE WHITE) EVE complained of (symptoms) Blinding Headaches Blackouts Marital Problems Personal problems

The Three Faces of Eve

What was EVE WHITE like? IQ score 110 memory - excellent repressive personality conservative, shy, dutiful loving wife and mother

The Three Faces of Eve

THEN WHAT HAPPENED?

EVE WHITE EVE showed amnesia for a recent trip and

was HYPNOTISED in order to restore her memory

The Three Faces of Eve

THEN WHAT HAPPENED?

FIRST SIGN OF SOMETHING ODD!

A letter arrived which was written in two kinds of handwriting!

The Three Faces of Eve

The letter

is objective evidence

The Three Faces of Eve

What did EVE say about the letter?

She denied writing it, though she did say she had begun a letter which she had not finished

The Three Faces of Eve

What happened then?Eve became distressed and asked “whether hearing voices in her head

meant she was insane” she said that she had heard a voice in

her head speaking to her

The Three Faces of Eve

This was a critical interview Several times she put her hands

to her head as if in pain

AND THEN...

The Three Faces of Eve

THE TRANSFORMATION!

EVE WHITE CHANGED and became EVE BLACK!

1st ‘alter-ego?

The Three Faces of Eve

THE TRANSFORMATION!The therapist noted A quick reckless smile…”HI DOC”Eve White now displayed a childishly daredevil air an erotic glance even her sitting posture changedEve White became Eve Black!

The Three Faces of Eve

What was EVE BLACK like? IQ score 104 memory - poor regressive personality childish, extrovert, mischievous denied being a wife & mother

The Three Faces of Eve

The therapy lasted 14 months and 100 hours of interviews

Eve Black would sometimes ‘appear’ but could only be CALLED OUT under hypnosis

The Three Faces of Eve

Eve White was not aware of Eve Black Eve Black was aware of Eve White

Eve Black had existed since childhood Eve Black - “would emerge, would behave

badly and then retreat and let Eve White take the blame…(parents verified incidents)

The Three Faces of Eve

How T & C described Eve Black

“childish, irresponsible & shallow “seeking pleasure & excitement “denied marriage to EW’s husband

whom she despised “denied relationship with EW’s daughter

The Three Faces of Eve

Did her family not notice ANYTHING odd

When they observed EB they put her harshness & aggression down to ‘occasional temper tantrums in a normally gentle woman

The Three Faces of Eve

Personality tests (psychometric tests) Rorschach ink blot tests EW = repressive (FREUD) EB = regressive (FREUD)

Electroencephalograms (EEG) to record brain activity)

How did the therapists measure the variables of personality?

Rorschach ink blot test = a projective testDiscussion:

•What do you see?

•Is what you see a projection of your unconscious mind?

•Is this a quantitative or qualitative measure?

•How valid is this measure?

How did the therapists measure the variables of personality?

Thematic Apperception Test = a projective testWrite a storyline for the pic:

• What has been happening?

• What is happening?

• What will happen?

Is your story a projection of your unconscious fears/desires?

How valid is this measure?

As treatment progressed

EW headaches recurred & got worse Blackouts increased Both EW & EW denied awareness in

these blackouts EW state of mind deteriorated

(confinement was considered)

THEN WHAT HAPPENED!!

Another personality appears!

A THIRD personality

who called herself JANE

JANE had full awareness of EW and EB Neither EW nor EB were aware of JANE

What did Thigpen & Cleckley do?

All THREE personalities were tested by electroencephalogram

clear differences were recorded

therapy continued to treat all THREE women in the ONE body

Psychological Tests

TESTS EW EB JaneIQ 110 104 Not doneMemory test superior inferior Not doneEEG 11 per

second (normal)

12.5 per second (psycho-pathic?)

11 per second

Personality Repressive Regressive No testDrawings Rigid but

healthyHysterical tendencies

Not done

The decision of Thigpen & Cleckley

Jane seemed to be the person most likelyto bring a solutionto the troubled mind

She was increasingly dominant over the other personalities

The moral dilemma- ethics!

‘Killing’ one or more personality- how ethical is this?

Who should decide which personality stays and which goes?

Other explanations?

Was the woman a very good actress (were T & C conned?)

Was the woman psychotic (schizophrenic?)

Could the hypnotism have caused the multiple personality effect?

What did T & C conclude?

They did wonder whether they had become so involved that they ‘lost their sense of judgement and over dramatised the case’

They remain convinced that they witnessed a case of multiple personality

Note: A film was made!

The Three faces of Eve - postscript

In 1975 a woman came forward and said SHE was EVE White

said she had experienced many other personalities both before therapy and since (22 in all)

that the fragmentation of her personality had been to protect herself from ‘unbearable experiences’

Ethical problems

Killing one/more of the personalities - who should decide this?

Making a film for profit - who benefits & what about patient confidentiality?

During the treatment Eve White got worse ‘Who’ gives informed consent for the

treatment procedures ?

Ethical problems

Which personality do you think T & C approved of most?

Might there be a ‘culture & gender bias issue here? Were their judgements biased by the ‘social norms’ of the 1950s

Key Concepts

EEG – electroencephalogram electrodes placed on head measure brain patterns from the different lobes

MPD – a neurosis, not a psychosis like schizophrenia

Repressed – suppresses feelings and emotions

Regressive – reverts to a childlike stagePsychopath – no empathy for others, egocentric, amoral

Questions you should be able to answer

What were the similarities & differences between Eve White and Eve Black?

What is the main difference between multiple personality disorder & schizophrenia?

What problems with the case study method does this study highlight?

What factor(s) may have influenced their diagnosis?

Questions you should be able to answer

If Eysenck’s theory of biological basis for personality is CORRECT could Eve have had multiple personalities?

Note: These days MPD is called DID !Disassociative Identity Disorder