PSYC FPX 2900 Assessment 1 Lola from a Traits Perspective

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Capella University

PSYC FPX 2900 Introduction to Psychology of Personality

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Introduction

Over time, various psychological disciplines have endeavored to understand, interpret, and predict human behavior and the factors influencing it. Among these, personality psychology has garnered significant attention, focusing on theories that attempt to classify and comprehend behavior based on individual personality traits. Two of the most well-known theories in this domain are the five-factor model of personality and Eysenck’s hierarchy of personality. This paper examines a case study of a girl named Lola to demonstrate how specific personality theories can explain human behavior. The five-factor model and Eysenck’s hierarchy of personality theories will be applied to evaluate her behavior, describe her personality traits, and explore the psychological development of these traits.

Personality Traits

Lola, a woman in her 20s and a college student, believed that the sixth grade was the peak of her academic life. She felt a sense of purpose and belonging in society after achieving her academic goals. Lola also mentioned that she enjoyed being the center of attention when modeling children’s apparel. However, the source provided insights into how Lola’s situation worsened. In the eighth grade, Lola began experiencing conflicts with her self-image, such as changes in weight and the absence of acne. Additionally, the attention she received the previous year had shifted, possibly contributing to changes in her personality, including low self-esteem and a diminished sense of identity and self-worth.

In college, Lola only exerted effort in classes she enjoyed and suffered from test anxiety, particularly with essay exams. She briefly had a boyfriend, but after their breakup, she became emotionally distraught and began having terrifying nightmares. Her lack of self-confidence led her to skip lectures until her failing grades placed her on probation. Lola struggled to choose a major, believing no department would accept her. She is also quick to assume that anyone complimenting her appearance is insincere, suspecting ulterior motives. Her family perceives Lola as tough and socially isolated. Lola’s mother describes her as anxious, irritable, and prone to conflict. Lola’s sister observes that she frequently argues with others, despite having a kind heart. Lola’s father is less detailed in his description, simply stating that she will overcome the challenges she is facing.

Five-Factor Model Perspective

The Five-Factor Model identifies the Big Five personality traits as extraversion, emotional stability, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience (Larsen & Buss, 2018). These five broad categories encompass a wide range of specific personality traits, rather than representing the most critical traits. According to her statements and those of her family members, emotional stability is one of Lola’s most evident characteristics. Lola appears to lack emotional stability, as she is frequently nervous and insecure, doubting any positive feedback she receives from others, assuming they have ulterior motives and are insincere in their praise. This is further reflected in Lola’s lack of focus, as individuals with low emotional stability are more susceptible to stress-induced distraction (Larsen & Buss, 2018).

Both her mother and sister describe Lola as introverted, having few friends, and being challenging to interact with, suggesting low agreeableness. They have also noted Lola’s tendency to instigate conflicts. Lola’s academic struggles and lack of focus indicate lower conscientiousness. Although she enjoyed painting and playing the piano in high school, her openness to experience appears to have been diminished by her low self-esteem. Personality factors can predispose individuals to certain life challenges. For example, Lola’s insecurities lead her to lack trust and quickly doubt compliments, which are just a few of the hurdles she faces.

Eysenck’s Hierarchical Model Perspective

Eysenck’s theory categorizes personality into “types” at the highest level of the hierarchy. The three main types Eysenck emphasized are extraversion/introversion, neuroticism/stability, and psychoticism (Larsen & Buss, 2018). Similar to the Five-Factor Model, these three primary traits cover a broad range of more specific characteristics. However, in Eysenck’s hierarchy, habitual actions follow narrow traits before specialized actions serve as the ultimate driver. Individuals with high extraversion scores are more likely to engage in social activities, be talkative, sociable, and comfortable in social settings (Buchanan, 2020). In contrast, introverts are generally quieter, avoid large social gatherings, and may find it awkward to interact with strangers.

They prefer spending time in smaller groups with close friends and are more inclined to enjoy quiet activities (Buchanan, 2020). High neuroticism scores are associated with increased anxiety and stress. Such individuals often feel ill-prepared to handle life’s challenges and may overemphasize the significance of relatively minor issues. If they focus on negative aspects of a situation rather than the positives, they may develop an overly pessimistic outlook (Buchanan, 2020). Higher psychoticism scores are linked to a greater tendency for impulsive or reckless behavior, disregard for social norms, and engagement in risky activities despite potential consequences in pursuit of instant gratification (Buchanan, 2020).

Lola may not be highly extroverted, given her limited social connections and perceived aloofness toward her family. Her extremely low self-esteem, heightened anxiety, and frequent irritability suggest that Lola’s neuroticism levels are significantly elevated. She also exhibits mild psychotic tendencies, as she can be cold, abrasive, and creative, as evidenced by her interest in painting and playing the piano. Lola’s low self-esteem appears to fuel her anxiety and irritability. While Lola seems more stable when confident, her emotional state rapidly deteriorates when self-doubt sets in.

References

Buchanan, R. (2020). Hans Eysenck. Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1093/obo/9780199828340-0262