scholarly journals Plasticity in animal personality traits: does prior experience alter the degree of boldness?

2006 ◽  
Vol 274 (1608) ◽  
pp. 333-339 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashley J Frost ◽  
Alexandria Winrow-Giffen ◽  
Paul J Ashley ◽  
Lynne U Sneddon
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Adaptive Response ◽  
Competitive Ability ◽  
Prior Experience ◽  
Animal Personality ◽  
Strategic Decisions ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Negative Experiences ◽  
Novel Object

Theoreticians predict that animal ‘personality’ traits may be maladaptive if fixed throughout different contexts, so the present study aimed to test whether these traits are fixed or plastic. Rainbow trout ( Onchorhyncus mykiss ) were given emboldening or negative experiences in the forms of watching bold or shy individuals responding to novelty or winning or losing fights to examine whether prior experience affected boldness. Bold individuals that lost fights or watched shy demonstrators became more shy by increasing their latency to approach a novel object, whereas shy observers that watched bold demonstrators remained cautious and did not modify their responses to novelty. Shy winners became bolder and decreased their latency to approach a novel object, but shy losers also displayed this shift. In comparison, control groups showed no change in behaviour. Bold fishes given negative experiences reduced their boldness which may be an adaptive response; however, shy fishes may base their strategic decisions upon self-assessment of their relative competitive ability and increase their boldness in situations where getting to resources more quickly ensures they outcompete better competitors.

scholarly journals Developmental perspectives on personality: implications for ecological and evolutionary studies of individual differences

2010 ◽  
Vol 365 (1560) ◽  
pp. 4029-4041 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judy A. Stamps ◽  
Ton G. G. Groothuis
Keyword(s):  
Developmental Plasticity ◽  
Niche Construction ◽  
Prior Experience ◽  
Life Stage ◽  
Animal Personality ◽  
Temporal Consistency ◽  
Developmental Processes ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Evolutionary Studies ◽  
Research Programmes

Developmental processes can have major impacts on the correlations in behaviour across contexts (contextual generality) and across time (temporal consistency) that are the hallmarks of animal personality. Personality can and does change: at any given age or life stage it is contingent upon a wide range of experiential factors that occurred earlier in life, from prior to conception through adulthood. We show how developmental reaction norms that describe the effects of prior experience on a given behaviour can be used to determine whether the effects of a given experience at a given age will affect contextual generality at a later age, and to illustrate how variation within individuals in developmental plasticity leads to variation in contextual generality across individuals as a function of experience. We also show why niche-picking and niche-construction, behavioural processes which allow individuals to affect their own developmental environment, can affect the contextual generality and the temporal consistency of personality. We conclude by discussing how an appreciation of developmental processes can alert behavioural ecologists studying animal personality to critical, untested assumptions that underlie their own research programmes, and outline situations in which a developmental perspective can improve studies of the functional significance and evolution of animal personality.

scholarly journals Instructional Efficacy of Portfolio for Assessing Iranian EFL Learners’ Speaking Ability

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 102
Author(s):  
Mahshad Safari ◽  
Mansour Koosha
Keyword(s):  
Alternative Form ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Instructional Efficacy ◽  
Advanced Students ◽  
Advanced Control ◽  
Speaking Skill ◽  
Advanced Proficiency

<p>Regarding the fundamental role of speaking in language skills, this study intended to investigate the effects of speaking portfolio as an alternative form of assessment for assessing Iranian EFL learners’ speaking ability at the intermediate and advanced proficiency levels and also its impact on their attitudes. Accordingly, from the population of 72 students studying at Kowsar Language Institute in Esfahan, a sample of 64 male and female intermediate and advanced students were randomly selected based on their scores on an OPT test and they were assigned to 4 groups: intermediate and advanced experimental groups and intermediate and advanced control groups. In order to collect the data, a pretest and a posttest as well as a questionnaire were employed. To analyze the data, an ANOVA and a series of Chi-square were run in the study and the findings indicated that the experimental groups using speaking portfolios performed better than the control groups in terms of speaking ability. Moreover, the result shed light on the advantages of speaking portfolios such as self-assessment, peer-feedback, and improvement of speaking skill. This study provides instructors, administrators, and test developers with alternative ways to improve and assess speaking skill through speaking portfolios.</p>

Personality traits of the chronic pain population comparatively to neurotic and control groups

Pain ◽  
1981 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. S69
Author(s):  
J. Barg ◽  
A. Perez ◽  
C. Main ◽  
M. R. Bond
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
And Control

Into the wild: developing field tests to examine the link between elasmobranch personality and laterality

Behaviour ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 153 (13-14) ◽  
pp. 1777-1793 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evan E. Byrnes ◽  
Catarina Vila Pouca ◽  
Sherrie L. Chambers ◽  
Culum Brown
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Field Tests ◽  
Animal Personality ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Port Jackson ◽  
The Relationship

The field of animal personality has received considerable attention in past decades, yet few studies have examined personality in the wild. This study investigated docility, a measure of boldness, in two Port Jackson shark (Heterodontus portusjacksoni) populations using field tests, and if laterality differences explained docility levels. We developed a struggle test as an assay for docility, which is particularly amenable to field studies. The struggle test was effective, and repeatable inter-individual docility differences were observed. Sex, but not population, influenced docility scores, with male sharks being less docile than females. This difference is likely due to the contrasting role each sex plays during mating. We also found individualized lateralization. However, no individual-level relationship between lateralization and docility was detected. Despite reported links between laterality and some personality traits, the relationship between laterality and boldness remains inconclusive in sharks. Further studies will prove essential to clarify the mechanisms behind personality traits in vertebrates.

The Personality of Female Prisoners

1973 ◽  
Vol 123 (577) ◽  
pp. 693-698 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sybil B. G. Eysenck ◽  
Hans J. Eysenck
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Female Prisoners ◽  
Third Dimension ◽  
Main Components ◽  
Male Prisoners

The theory has been put forward inCrime and Personality(Eysenck, 1964) that criminals are characterized by a combination of extraverted and neurotic personality traits; put in operational terms, it was suggested that compared with a control group of normal (non-criminal) subjects they would have higher scores on the N and E scales of the MPI or the EPI (Eysenck, 1959; Eysenck and Eysenck, 1964). In the second edition of the book the further hypothesis was added that prisoners would also be characterized by high P scores; the letter P refers to a third dimension of personality provisionally entitled ‘psychoticism’. Earlier investigations of the N x E hypothesis have been reviewed in the second edition ofCrime and Personality(Eysenck, 1970) and by Passingham (1972); the most recent study of both hypotheses is contained in two papers dealing with the personality makeup of male prisoners (Eysenck and Eysenck, 1970, 1971). The conclusions to be drawn from an examination of the literature are as follows: (1) As far as P is concerned, prisoners undoubtedly have much higher scores than do various types of control groups. (2) As far as N is concerned, most studies show prisoners to have significantly higher scores than controls. (3) As far as E is concerned, it appears that scores sometimes do and sometimes do not separate prisoners and controls in the predicted direction; it seems that we must distinguish between the two main components of E, i.e. sociability and impulsivity (Eysenck and Eysenck, 1969). Prisoners are significantly more impulsive, but less sociable, than controls.

scholarly journals Personality is associated with dominance in a social feeding context in the great tit

Behaviour ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 156 (13-14) ◽  
pp. 1419-1434
Author(s):  
Nehafta Bibi ◽  
Yusheng Wei ◽  
Hongwei Xu ◽  
Jingnan Liang ◽  
Ijaz Hussain ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Context ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Parus Major ◽  
Novel Object ◽  
Novel Environment ◽  
Personality Differences ◽  
Individual Personality ◽  
Behavioural Types ◽  
Fitness Consequence ◽  
Feeding Context

Abstract Despite the growing interest in consistent individual differences in behaviour (animal personality), the influence of social context on different behavioural types remains poorly understood. The suite of correlated behaviours within and across contexts is called behavioural syndromes. Most personality studies have investigated consistent individual behavioural types and their consequences in a asocial context, however few studies have considered the influence of social context on individual behaviour. In addition, the evolutionary and ecological consequences of personality differences in social context remain unknown. In the present study, we confirm individual personality in Great tits (Parus major) using room exploration and neophobia tests. As a result of these two tests, repeatability and correlational structure of two personality traits were investigated. Additionally we assessed the extent to which personality influences dominance in a social feeding context. Great tits remained consistent in their personality traits (exploration and neophobia). Individuals who explored a novel environment faster also approached a novel object faster, while those who spent more time exploring a novel environment were also slower to approach a novel object. In a social feeding context personality was linked to dominance: with proactive individuals being more likely to be dominant. Our result provides evidence of the importance of social context in a wild population of birds and may have fitness consequence, both for focal individuals and their conspecifics.

Mental health and hearing impairment - A German survey

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S386-S386
Author(s):  
M. Abdel-Hamid ◽  
K. Tretbar ◽  
M. Grabemann ◽  
S. Meyer-Rötz ◽  
N. Scherbaum ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Hearing Impairment ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Hearing Impaired ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Control Groups ◽  
Psychosomatic Symptoms ◽  
Mental Diseases

IntroductionOnly few international studies have focused on mental diseases among the hearing-impaired population. However, Fellinger et al. (2012) underline the high discrepancy between the current and future demand of mental treatment and the simultaneous impeded access to health care.AimsThe aim of this multicenter project is to conduct the first analysis of mental diseases among the hearing-impaired population in Germany in order to quantify and qualify the specific demands of treatment.ObjectivesIn order to achieve this aim, we compiled an extensive questionnaire battery.MethodsThis questionnaire battery measured sociodemographic data, non-verbal intelligence, quality of life, perception and suffering from stress, psychosomatic symptoms as well as personality traits.ResultsOur three samples consisted of 21 hearing-impaired patients with a history of mental diseases (EG-HI), 21 hearing-impaired subjects without mental diseases (CG-HI) and 21 hearing participants without any psychological disease (CG-H). Compared to the two control groups, the EG-HI shows significantly higher rates in different fields, i.e. participants perceive a lower quality of life, suffer from more psychosomatic symptoms and show more pronounced personality traits. The two control groups did not differ significantly from each other.ConclusionsCertain psychological characteristics among hearing-impaired patients can be detected which need to be accounted for in treatment. Furthermore, a hearing impairment is not inevitably linked to a reduced quality of life or even mental disorders. Therefore, future research should focus on risk factors and protective factors which could prevent mental diseases among the hearing-impaired population.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Individual traits and a tendency to procrastinate among students

2017 ◽  
Vol 54 (12) ◽  
pp. 108-121
Author(s):  
Joanna Paszkowska-Rogacz ◽  
Grażyna Poraj
Keyword(s):  
Gender Difference ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Predictive Factor ◽  
Time Management ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Personality Inventory ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Assessment Scale ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Individual Traits

Systematic psychological studies of procrastination started quite recently – in the late eighties. Scientists suggest that procrastination concerns many people, most often, however, it occurs among students. The percentage of affected reaches 70–95%. Despite that, not many studies looking at Polish students have been carried out. The aim of the current study was to analyze a relationship between chosen individual characteristics (personality traits), self-esteem, self-efficiency and procrastination among students. The experiment used: Procrastination Questionnaire, Personality Inventory (NEO-FFI), Self-Assessment Scale and a Generalised Effectiveness Scale. 140 participants were empoloyed (75 females and 65 males). No gender difference in terms of procrastination was found. The most important predictive factor of procrastination was conscientiousness. Other important factors were time management and being systematic, strong will, the awareness of procrastination, procrastination as a trait, and a lack of punctuality. Weak predictors, significant only for some scales measuring procrastination, were: extroversion, neuroticism, openness, self-esteem and self-efficiency. The research, however, needs a continuation, because procrastination can lead to serious problems.

Age, Sex and Prior Site Experience Have Independent Effects On the Foraging Success of Wintering Snow Buntings

Behaviour ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 129 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 99-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard D. Smith ◽  
Neil B. Metcalfe
Keyword(s):  
Competitive Ability ◽  
Feeding Rate ◽  
Prior Experience ◽  
Residual Effects ◽  
Flock Size ◽  
Foraging Success ◽  
Feeding Rates ◽  
North East ◽  
Independent Effects ◽  
Feeding Bout

AbstractIntraspecific variation in foraging success amongst birds is often associated with differences between individuals in competitive ability or experience. However, it is usually difficult to separate the importance of experience per se from that of age. Here we examined the feeding rates of wintering snow buntings (Plectrophenax nivalis) at Cairn Gorm, North-east Scotland in both competitive and non-competitive situations. Although flock-size/density and stage of the feeding bout accounted for most of the explainable variation in peck-rates, there remained significant and additive residual effects of both age and prior experience of the site (older/more experienced birds achieving higher feeding rates) and these effects were very similar for birds feeding alone or in flocks. Sex differences in feeding rates were only apparent in large flocks, where males (the dominant sex) had faster peck-rates than females. Birds without previous experience (whether age or site-related) showed increases in relative feeding rate during the course of the winter, whereas experienced birds did not. This suggests that the differences between experienced and inexperienced birds were due to learning rather than the disproportionate loss of poor foragers.

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