Psychology of Personality Traits and Human Motivation
Personality Traits and Environment
Personality traits are relatively stable patterns of thoughts, feelings, and actions that distinguish one person from another across time and situations.
- Trait-Environment Interaction: Traits affect how people react to environments (e.g., extraverts respond positively to rewards).
- Trait-Environment Correlation: Traits influence the types of environments people choose (e.g., sensation seekers prefer adventurous activities).
Sensation Seeking and Motivation
Sensation seeking is the preference for novel, complex, and intense sensations and experiences.
Four Components of Sensation Seeking
- Thrill and adventure seeking
- Experience seeking
- Disinhibition
- Boredom susceptibility
Effects on Motivation: High sensation seekers pursue risky and stimulating goals, while low sensation seekers prefer safety and routine. High- and low-sensation seekers engage in different activities in order to attain their most pleasurable level of sensation.
Self-Control and Grit
Value-Based Self-Control
People weigh the value of competing goals and choose the one with greater subjective value. Example: An extravert values socializing over grades, while an introvert may value grades more.
The Strength Model
Self-control relies on psychological energy that can become depleted and recover with rest.
Grit: Persistence and Passion
Grit is defined as persistence and passion toward long-term goals despite setbacks. It consists of two primary components:
- Consistency of Interest: Not being distracted by other interests, remaining focused, and not losing concentration.
- Perseverance of Effort: Individuals overcome setbacks, are diligent, work hard, and persist.
Effects on Motivation: High grit leads to better achievement in academics, military training, and competitions.
Well-being and Effectance Motivation
Subjective Well-being is higher in individuals low in neuroticism and high in extraversion and agreeableness. Effectance motivation is the motive to actively interact with and control one’s environment.
Incentive Theory and Decision Making
Utility and Incentive Value
Utility is the subjective value of an incentive based on its personal relevance or satisfaction. Example: A student studies for an A (extrinsic) or studies because they enjoy learning (intrinsic).
Incentive value increases in “hot” states such as hunger or fatigue. Example: Food becomes more valuable when a person is hungry.
Loss Aversion and Prospect Theory
- Loss Aversion: Losses are felt more strongly than gains of the same size.
- Risk Aversion: People prefer safer gains (e.g., a 90% chance to win $3,000).
- Risk Seeking: People prefer risk to avoid losses (e.g., a 45% chance to avoid losing $3,000).
Prospect Theory: Expected utilities are considered prospects. The prospect of a loss is felt more strongly than the prospect of a gain. The loss of something is more dissatisfying than the gain of it is satisfying; it hurts us more to lose than to gain things. Example: The loss of $100 or $200 is more dissatisfying than the gain of $100 or $200 is satisfying.
Incentive Contrast and Behavioral Effects
Incentive Contrast: Motivation changes depending on previous incentive levels.
- Positive contrast: Current reward exceeds past rewards, leading to increased motivation.
- Negative contrast: Current reward is lower than past rewards, leading to decreased motivation.
Substitution Effect: If one incentive becomes less attractive, an alternative is pursued. IKEA Effect: People value products they made themselves more than those made by others.