PSYC-233 Chapter Notes - Chapter 7.1: Frontal Lobe, Prefrontal Cortex, Neurotransmitter
Document Summary
We know that traits can be inherited (chapter 6) but we need to know why genes influence the behaviour. Personality is influenced by the workings of the body (physiology); personality as a manifestation of bodily processes; similarity lies in similar anatomy (ie nervous system) but differences lie in active vs non-active/responsive components. Eysenck: supertrait of extraversion is rooted in the ascending reticular activating system (aras) which deactivates and activates cerebral cortex; maintains alertness and controls sleep. Eysenck proposed that the aras typical level of rest is higher in introverts. Thus when nothing is happening introverts are still more alert (overaroused easily); extroverts seek social interaction to increase their stimulation. Thus introverts prefer slightly lower levels of stimulation than extroverts. Geen: extroverts pick louder sounds than introverts, but had comparable heartrates (equal arousal at differing levels of stimuli). Introverts assigned loud noises had higher heart rates.
