The aim of this thesis was to empirically examine one of the theories regarding the laws of intraspecific variability in animal behavior, which assumes that differences in behavior are directly related to individual differences in the rate of growth. One of our most common rodents, common vole (Microtus arvalis) was chosen as a model species, mainly because lots of previous studies on this species have demonstrated, among other things, presence of consistent differences in behavior.

The Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5) is an emerging measure used to map pathological personality traits. In this thesis, the reliability and facet structure of the Swedish version of the PID-5 is evaluated. Further, the possible occurrence of higher-order factors of the pathological personality traits is explored. Using a sample of 275 observations, the facet structure and higher-order factors are investigated using structural equation modeling (SEM). Results show that the internal consistency, measured with Cronbach's alpha, is strong for the facets and adequate for the domains from the PID-5. The theorized facet structure could not be confirmed for the Swedish version of the PID-5. Treating the five domains as observed variables, support for a general factor of psychopathology and indications of the two factors internalizing and externalizing are found.

A presença de traços de personalidade em familiares de pessoas com diagnóstico de Transtornos do Espectro do Autismo (TEA) parece corresponder a algumas das características comportamentais de indivíduos com TEA, apontando para a alta herdabilidade dessa condição. Esta área de estudos é referida como aquela que investiga o fenótipo ampliado do autismo (FAA). A presente pesquisa é composta por dois estudos: o primeiro teve como objetivo apresentar uma revisão crítica da literatura, especialmente sobre os aspectos comportamentais ligados ao FAA, abordando-se os traços de personalidade e diferenças de gênero, nos genitores. O segundo investigou a presença desses traços em genitores de crianças com o diagnóstico de TEA, através de um delineamento de estudos de casos múltiplos, utilizando instrumentos nacionais e internacionais. Os resultados apontam para a presença de traços autísticos nos genitores, especialmente em relação à área de Interação Social Recíproca e Comportamentos Repetitivos e Estereotipados. Esta pesquisa alinha-se a outras, ao identificar alguns traços de personalidade em pais e mães de crianças com autismo, que parecem corresponder, em algum nível, aos encontrados no TEA e, por isso, podem representar o fenótipo ampliado do autismo. / The presence of personality traits in relatives of people diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) seems to correspond to some of the behavioral characteristics of individuals with ASD, pointing to the high heritability of this condition. This area of study is referred to as one that investigates the Broader Autism Phenotype (BAP). This research consists of two studies: one aimed at reviewing the literature, especially on the behavioral aspects related to the BAP, approaching the personality traits and gender differences in parents of children with autism. Second, we investigated the presence of these traits in these parents through a design of multiple case studies, using national and international measures. The results indicate the presence of autistic traits in these parents, especially in relation to the area of Social Interaction and Repetitive and Stereotyped Behaviors. This research aligns to other studies of the field, to identify some personality traits in parents of children with autism, which seem to correspond to some degree, those found in ASD and therefore may represent the broader autism phenotype.

Cette thèse a pour but d’aller « à la racine » de la théorie de la valeur sociale (Beauvois & Dubois, 2009) stipulant que les adjectifs de personnalité ont pour fonction d’évaluer les agents sociaux. Nous montrons que les personnes sont évaluées sur ces adjectifs en fonction de l’utilité économique de leurs professions ou des conséquences économiques de leurs comportements, bien indépendamment de leurs qualités psychologiques. Nos travaux ont d’abord permis (études 1 à 4) d’appuyer l’intérêt de dégager trois registres de traits de personnalité (effort, compétence et aisance) qui évaluent trois niveaux distincts d’utilité. Nos études 5 à 8 précisent que la présence ou non d’objectifs économiques détermine le registre le plus utile pour juger la valeur sociale des personnes. L’aisance est décisive si les situations sont imprégnées d’objectifs économiques comme c’est le cas en entreprise. C’est sur ce modèle que les gens jugent par défaut. Dans les contextes où ces objectifs sont nettement absents, l’aisance est moins décisive que les autres registres. Une autre série d’études (9 et 10) montre que la simple connaissance des retombées économiques d’une réussite ou d’un échec, mêmes si ces retombées ne concernent pas directement l’auteur de la performance, a des effets sur la description qu’il fait de lui-même. Enfin, les dernières études (11 à 13) ont montré que les enjeux économiques impactent de nombreux phénomènes psychologiques (estime de soi, perception du caractère figé des traits et motivation scolaire). Finalement, nos travaux mettent en évidence l’intérêt de la prise en compte des objectifs économiques dans l’étude du jugement social. / Our aim was to go "at the root" of the theory of social value (Beauvois & Dubois, 2009) stipulating that the adjectives of personality have the function of evaluating social agents. We show that people are evaluated on these adjectives according to the economic utility of their professions or the economic consequences of their behavior, regardless of their psychological qualities. Our work has first allowed (studies 1 to 4) to support the interest of identifying three registers of personality traits (effort, competence and agency) that evaluate three distinct levels of utility. Our studies 5 to 8 specify that the presence or absence of economic objectives determines the most useful register to judge the social value of people. Agency is decisive if the situations are imbued with economic objectives as is the case in company. It is on this model that people judge by default. In contexts where these objectives are clearly absent, agency is less decisive than the other registers. Another series of studies (9 and 10) shows that the mere knowledge of the economic benefits of a success or a failure, even if these effects do not directly concern the author of the performance, has effects on the description that he makes of himself. Finally, the latest studies (11 to 13) have shown that economic issues impact many psychological phenomena (self-esteem, perception of the fixed character of the traits and academic motivation). Finally, this PhD highlights the importance of taking into account economic objectives in the study of social judgment.

O Câncer de Esôfago é uma das neoplasias mais agressivas do trato gastrointestinal; é considerado como a nona neoplasia mais comum no mundo, além de ter altas taxas de mortalidade. A doença pode ser desencadeada por hábitos de vida, tais como etilismo e tabagismo, e também por fatores intrínsecos ao indivíduo. De todo modo, interfere significativamente em vários setores da vida do sujeito. Uma doença como o câncer pode conter uma tentativa simbólica para compensar uma atitude unilateral do indivíduo, ao relacionar-se com o ambiente e consigo mesmo. Acredita-se que conhecer aspectos do funcionamento e da dinâmica psíquica do sujeito pode contribuir para o foco do tratamento psicológico, de forma a propiciar intervenções psicológicas precoces e a auxiliar as demais equipes assistenciais nos cuidados e no modo de interação com o paciente. Entre elementos da estrutura psíquica do sujeito, buscou-se a tipologia psicológica dos referidos pacientes; para tanto, foi utilizado o Questionário de avaliação tipológica - QUATI (Zacharias, 2003). Além disso, valemo-nos de aspectos contidos na avaliação psicológica, rotina da instituição, com a finalidade de acessarmos as particularidades de cada um dos pacientes, especialmente no que se refere à reação ao diagnóstico e ao significado atribuído à doença. O estudo pode ser considerado como transversal, exploratório e descritivo. Foram incluídos 90 pacientes, derivados de análise estatística. Foram sujeitos da pesquisa pacientes maiores de 18 anos com diagnóstico de câncer de esôfago; com ensino fundamental completo; virgens de tratamento; atendidos em primeira consulta, no ambulatório de cirurgia do aparelho digestivo, do Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo (ICESP-HCFMUSP). Encontramos esses pacientes em sala de espera da consulta médica, onde foram informados sobre o objetivo da pesquisa; e, àqueles que aceitaram participar, foi aplicado o termo de consentimento livre e esclarecido, seguido da avaliação psicológica (rotina da instituição) e aplicação do instrumento. Os resultados indicaram que a maior parte da nossa amostra tem uma atitude introvertida. O tipo psicológico mais comum foi o introvertido sensação, com função auxiliar sentimento. A partir da avaliação psicológica, constatou-se uma variedade de mecanismos defensivos para minimização da angústia. A grande parte dos pacientes valeu-se de defesas adaptativas diante do processo de adoecimento. Conclui-se que, no atendimento com esses pacientes, torna-se necessária uma postura prática e objetiva dos profissionais de saúde, em que se busque fornecer orientações com base na realidade dos pacientes, assim como ter um modo de agir empático, com o estabelecimento de vínculo significativo, mas respeitando os limites dos pacientes, sobretudo ao que se refere à forma reservada e introspectiva de interagirem com o mundo e com as pessoas que os cercam / Esophageal cancer is one of the most aggressive neoplasms of the gastrointestinal tract, and can be triggered by life habits such as alcoholism and smoking and factors intrinsic to the individual. A disease such as cancer can hold a symbolic attempt to compensate for a onesided attitude of the individual. It is believed that knowing aspects of the psychic dynamics of the person, can contribute to the focus of a psychological treatment, in order to provide early psychological interventions, as well as assisting other attending teams in the care of and interaction with the patient. Among the psychic structure elements of a subject, we looked for the psychological typology of these patients. Typological Assessment Questionnaire was used to evaluate the psychological typology. In addition, we drew on aspects from within the psychological assessment, routine of the institution, in order to access the particularities of each one of the patients, especially concerning their reaction to the diagnosis and the meaning attributed to the disease. Ninety patients were included. They were over 18 years old, having completed middle-school education, diagnosed with esophageal cancer, and interviewed during their first medical appointment at the Digestive Surgery Clinic at the Cancer Institute of the State of São Paulo (ICESP-HCFMUSP). We met these patients in the waiting room, where they were informed of the purpose of the survey. Those who agreed to participate, were given the terms of free and informed consent, followed by a psychological evaluation and the application of the instrument used. The results indicated a predominant introverted attitude. The most common psychological type was the introverted feeling, with feeling as a secondary function. From this psychological evaluation, we found a variety of defensive mechanisms to minimize the anguish. Most of the patients made use of adaptive defenses when facing the illness process. Therefore, when attending these patients, health professionals must have a practical and objective posture, seeking to guide the patients according to their reality. In addition, they should be empathetic in their manner, establishing significant bond, but respecting the patients\' limits, especially when it comes to their reserved and introspective way of interacting with the world and the people around them

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) is often used for evaluating candidates for gastric bypass surgery, chronic pain patients, head trauma victims, and medical school applicants. However, due to the considerable time involved in completing and scoring the standard MMPI, researchers have attempted to devise short versions of this instrument to reduce the time required while providing similar results. In recent years, the Faschingbauer Abbreviated MMPI (FAM) and the MMPI-16 8 have been proposed as viable MMPI substitutes. The present study examined the comparability between profiles using these short versions of the MMPI with the patterns obtained using the entire measure. Participants consisted of equal numbers of gastric bypass candidates, chronic pain patients, head trauma victims, and medical school applicants. Scores on the FAM tended to be similar to scores on the complete MMPI for gastric bypass, chronic pain and head trauma patients. In contrast, the MMPI-16 8 yielded profiles which were similar to complete MMPI profiles with chronic pain and head trauma patients.

The aim of the present study was to investigate how sensory processing sensitivity is related to the personality traits extraversion, agreeableness, emotional stability, conscientiousness and autonomy of the five-factor model. The samples for the study were members of the Association for the Highly Sensitive in Sweden and a Facebook community for highly sensitive individuals. The participants in the present study responded on a web-based questionnaire to participate. To answer the purpose of the study The Highly Sensitive Person scale (HSPS) were used to measure the degree of a person’s sensitivity. The Five Factor Personality Inventory (FFPI) was used to measure the Big Five personality traits. The data were analyzed in the statistics program SPSS with Pearson’s correlations coefficient and a multiple regression analysis. The result of the multiple regression analysis showed that personality traits of neuroticism and agreeableness predicted sensory processing sensitivity. Further on results showed that the personality traits of extraversion, conscientiousness and autonomy not predicted sensory processing sensitivity. The results of the study conclude that participants of the study are much likely to have the personality traits neuroticism and introversion. Furthermore, results indicated that the participants of the study had the personality traits agreeableness, conscientiousness and autonomy. Continued studies with other methodological starting points are needed to achieve greater knowledge about the personality trait sensory processing sensitivity. / Studiens syfte var att undersöka om det fanns en relation mellan högkänslighet och personlighetsdragen extraversion, vänlighet, samvetsgrannhet, öppenhet samt emotionell stabilitet enligt femfaktormodellen. Urvalet bestod av medlemmar från Sveriges Förening för Högkänsliga och en Facebookgrupp som riktar sig till högkänsliga personer. För att besvara frågeställningen användes en webbaserad enkät som mailades ut till medlemmarna i Sveriges Förening för Högkänsliga samt publicerades i Facebookgruppen. Beroendevariabeln högkänslighet mättes med mätinstrumentet The Highly Sensitive Person Scale (HSPS). Oberoendevariablerna extraversion, vänlighet, samvetsgrannhet, emotionell stabilitet och öppenhet mättes med mätinstrumentet The Five Factor Personality Inventory (FFPI). Dataanalyserna som genomfördes i studien var Pearsons korrelationskoefficient och multipel regressionsanalys. Regressionsanalysen visade att personlighetsdragen emotionell stabilitet och vänlighet var prediktorer för högkänslighet. Personlighetsdragen extraversion, samvetsgrannhet och öppenhet var inte prediktorer för högkänslighet. Resultatet indikerade att studiens deltagare i högre grad hade personlighetsdragen neuroticism och introversion. Vidare visade resultatet att studiens deltagare hade grad av personlighetsdragen samvetsgrannhet, vänlighet och öppenhet. Studien gav en indikation på hur hög grad av högkänslighet var i relation till andra personlighetsdrag. Resultatet kan således öka kunskapen om högkänslighet och vad det medför. Fortsatta studier med andra metodologiska utgångspunkter krävs för att få ökad kunskap om personlighetsdraget högkänslighet.

Att kvinnor och män bedöms olika enbart baserat på könstillhörighet har tidigare kunnat konstateras i flertalet olika sammanhang. Föreliggande studie syftade till att undersöka hur personlighetsdragen hos en individ uppfattades beroende på om individen var kvinna eller man, samt huruvida skillnader i uppfattningen av individen gick i linje med generella könsföreställningar. I undersökningen deltog 105 socionomstudenter (M=23,3 år), vilka indelades i två grupper. Grupperna fick lyssna till olika versioner av en och samma inspelade dialog, där individen Kim framställdes med antingen kvinnlig eller manlig röst genom en röstförvrängningsmetod. Detta akustiska material hämtades från ett forskningsprojekt, Raising Awareness through Virtual Experience (RAVE), vid Umeå universitet. Formuläret Ten Item Personality Inventory (TIPI), som mäter personlighetsdrag utifrån femfaktorteorin, användes för att mäta uppfattningen av individen Kim samt generella föreställningar om kvinnor och män. Resultaten visade att en och samma individ uppfattades olika enbart baserat på könstillhörighet, då Kim som kvinna uppfattades mer extrovert, samvetsgrann, emotionellt stabil och öppen än Kim som man. Avseende generella föreställningar om kvinnor och män, ansågs kvinnor generellt sett mer vänliga, samvetsgranna och öppna än män, medan män generellt sett ansågs mer emotionellt stabila än kvinnor. Individen Kim som kvinna och man uppfattades både i linje med generella könsföreställningar och emot. Ett område att vidare undersöka är på vilket sätt könsföreställningar inverkar på oss i bildandet av en uppfattning av en individ. / The fact that women and men are judged differently solely on the basis of their gender has previously been found in several different contexts. The present study aimed at investigating how the personality traits of an individual were perceived depending on whether the individual was a woman or a man, and whether differences in the perception of the individual were in line with gender beliefs. The survey included 105 students at the bachelor of social service (M = 23.3 years), who were divided into two groups. The groups listened to different versions of the same recorded dialogue, where the individual Kim was presented with either female or male voice through a voice morphing method. This acoustic material was gathered from a research project, Raising Awareness through Virtual Experience (RAVE), at Umeå University. The Ten Item Personality Inventory (TIPI), which measures personality traits based on five-factor theory, was used to measure the perception of the individual Kim as well as general beliefs about women and men. The results showed that the individual Kim was perceived differently solely based on gender. Kim as a woman was perceived more extrovert, conscientious, emotionally stable and open than Kim as a man. Regarding general beliefs about women and men, women were considered more agreeable, conscientious and open than men, while men were considered more emotionally stable than women. The individual Kim as a woman and man was perceived both in line with and in opposite of gender beliefs. An area to further investigate is how gender beliefs affect us when forming an opinion of an individual.

Il a été postulé qu’en plus d’influencer les comportements parentaux, les caractéristiques personnelles des parents joueraient un rôle important dans leur degré de coopération avec leur partenaire (Abidin, 1992 ; Belsky, 1984). Toutefois, peu d’études se sont penchées sur les liens unissant les traits de personnalité des parents et l’alliance parentale (Jacobson et al., 1995; Stright et Bales, 2003). Le premier objectif de l’étude était donc d’évaluer les liens intra-parents, c’est-à-dire si les traits de personnalité d’un parent d’enfant d’âge préscolaire permettent de prédire sa propre perception de l’alliance parentale et ce, après avoir contrôlé pour l’effet de son niveau de scolarité, de son revenu ainsi que de sa perception de sa situation financière. Le second objectif était d’examiner les liens inter-parents, donc de vérifier si les traits de personnalité d’un partenaire contribuent à prédire la perception de l’alliance parentale de l’autre parent. Finalement, le troisième objectif consistait à vérifier s’il existait des différences sexuelles dans les relations prédictives entre les traits de personnalité et l’alliance parentale. L’échantillon est composé de 170 dyades de parents ayant un enfant âgé entre 42 et 48 mois et résidant dans la grande région métropolitaine de Montréal. Les parents ont été évalués par le biais de questionnaires auto-révélés. Les résultats montrent que l’amabilité des mères et la stabilité émotionnelle des pères sont positivement associées à leur perception de l’alliance parentale. De plus, une forte amabilité chez les conjoints prédit positivement l’alliance parentale, autant pour les mères que les pères. Par ailleurs, le trait d’amabilité maternelle prédit significativement mieux la perception de l’alliance parentale des pères que l’amabilité paternelle. Toutefois, aucune différence sexuelle significative n’a été constatée quant à la magnitude de la contribution des traits de personnalité des parents sur la perception de l’alliance parentale des mères. Cette étude met en lumière l’importance de certaines caractéristiques personnelles influençant la perception de la coopération entre les parents sur la sphère parentale. / It has been theorized that personality has implications in both parenting behaviours and the extent to which parents are willing to collaborate in order to respond to a child’s changing needs (Abidin, 1992 ; Belsky, 1984 ). However, few studies examined the relationship between parent’s personality traits and their parenting alliance (Jacobson et al., 1995; Stright et Bales, 2003). This study focused on three objectives. The first aim was to examine the influence of parent’s personality traits on his own perception of the parenting alliance. The second objective was to verify if the partner’s personality traits predicted the perception of the parenting alliance of the other parent. Lastly, the study aimed to identify potential sexual differences in the predictive relations between personality traits and parenting alliance. Data was collected using a sample of 170 mothers and fathers of children aged 24 to 48 months, living in the Montreal area, who completed self-report questionnaires. The results of this study show that high agreeableness in mothers and high emotional stability in fathers were linked to better perception of the parenting alliance. Furthermore, spouse’s high agreeableness predicted higher parenting alliance scores, for both parents. Compared to father’s agreeableness, mother’s agreeableness is significantly a better predictor of father’s perception of the parenting alliance. Also, when mother’s and father’s scores were compared, none of the partner’s personality traits emerged as a more significant predictor of the parenting alliance as perceived by mothers. This study provides evidence that some parent’s characteristics are important in understanding how they perceive the cooperation with their spouse in regard to parenting.

The Covid-19 pandemic caused countries across the world to implement a wide range of restrictions and recommendations to control the spread of the virus. The current study aimed to investigate how differences in personality traits and differences in how an individual perceives the situation of Covid-19 among Swedish university students affect the overall compliance with guidelines applied by their government. A total of 106 university students completed a questionnaire measuring personality traits (Big Five) and perceptions of the situation (Situational Eight DIAMONDS) in relation to their self-estimated compliance. The data analysis showed that the students complied with the guidelines with a mean of 77%. Individuals who were less agreeable and perceived less adversity in the Covid-19 situation complied more. All predictor variables could account for approximately 28% of the explained variance in compliance. These results are of importance in a preparatory purpose for governments to efficiently cope with future threats.