Personality, Motivation and Emotion

The 5 factor model of personality suggests that all the different traits which make up ones personality fall into 5 factors, which exist on a continuum from high to low so that each individual varies in the amount they express each of the traits. These traits include neurotism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness and conscientiousness.

Of these factors both neurotism and extraversion relate closely to motivation and emotion, particularly ones affect. People who tend to be very unhappy are high on neurotism and low on extraversion while very happy people are high on extraversion and are emotionally stable. Because both of these traits have been found to be at least in part genetically determined (Keller, Coventry, Heath, & Martin, 2005) it make me wonder how much our affect may be pre-determined?

Indeed the idea of a happiness set point seems to suggest that life circumstances do not affect levels of happiness as much as one would think. Some of the economically poorest nations in the world are considered some of the happiest, while studies have shown that a year after a particularly aversive event (such as a car accident) happiness levels are roughly the same as someone a year after a particularly lucky or joyous event (such as winning the lottery) (Reeve, 2009). I found this idea really interesting and thought this is one case where having an slightly elevated perception of ability to control, in this case ones level of happiness, would definitely be good for well being as discussed in week 6.

One possible biological mechanism for this set point, Gray's BIS BAS system was also discussed. Gray’s theory suggests that those who are high on extraversion have a more sensitive behavioural approach system (BAS) while thought high on neurotism have a more sensitive behavioural inhibition system (BIS). This means that extraverts are more sensitive to rewards and experience more pleasure in response to rewards or happy events than those low on extraversion. They are thus more motivated to approach potentially rewarding experiences than those with low extraversion.

Those high on neurotsim however are more sensitive to punishment and are sensitive to negative emotionality with negative events being perceived as more negative to those high on neurotism. This means that neurotics are more motivated to avoid potentially harmful or punishing events and thus are less likely to take risks or approach particularly challenging tasks for fear of failure.

participants in sensory deprivation experiment

Arousal levels also effect motivation with ideal amounts of arousal relating to motivation and performance while too much (stress) or too little (boredom) lead to poor motivation.  Experimental evidence for the effects of low arousal on many aspects of one’s behaviour and function came from the 50s and 60s sensory deprivation studies. In these studies people were to stay in a room without any sensory input at all, i.e. wearing blind folds and ear muffs etc, for as long as they could last. Most people only lasted 2-3 days in these conditions and suffered from hallucinations and cognitive deficits as a result of the sensory deprivation.  Although these experiments were considered too cruel to recreate, in 2008 these studies were recreated for a television show on BBC in the UK. I remember watching this show (as it screened on SBS in Australia) a couple of years ago and finding it fascinating. This replication was shorter in duration (just 48 hours) but found very similar results to those of the 50s. Participants became highly distressed, began hallucinating and suffered many cognitive deficits. It is thought that because the brain is used to functioning in a highly stimulating environment, when deprived from stimulation it creates its own forms of stimulation (such as hallucinations) and decreases in functioning. More information and highlights from the show can be found on the BBC website and a news article on the show at timesonline

What is particularly interesting from these studies is that some people cope much better than others under sensory deprivation. Theory suggests that some people have higher baseline arousal than others and thus may last longer than those with low baseline arousal. This lead to research into sensation seekers, those with low levels of baseline arousal. Sensation seeking is a trait related to extraversion, with extraverts having lower arousal levels and seeking arousal from the external and social environment while introverts have a higher baseline arousal and thus avoid overly arousing environmental situations. This need to increase arousal means sensation seekers will be more likely to take physical, social and financial risks and be motivated by novel and intense situations.

In the tutorial the class took the sensation seeking scale which contains four factors. I was surprised to score quit high on 2 of the factors (disinhibtion and the experience seeking factors ) because I do not consider myself to be a sensation seeker. For me personally I think these 2 factors represent more of a fun loving rather than risk taking aspect of my personality. Experiencing seeking in particular is very important to me as I love to travel and experience other cultures, even though this does put me outside my comfort zone at times.  I was not surprised to score low on the thrill and adventure seeking as well as susceptibility to boredom. I have always had a great ability to keep myself amused in situations which others find boring and I actually don’t think I’d fair too badly in the sensory deprivation studies personally.

References

Keller, M. C., Coventry, W. L., Heath, A. C., & Martin, N. G. (2004). Widespread evidence for non-additive genetic variation in Cloninger’s and Eysenck’s personality dimensions using a twin plus sibling design. Behavior Genetics, 35, 707-721.

Reeve, J. (2009). Understanding motivation and emotion (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.