Question 1

Mischel has argued that trait theories have difficulty predicting behaviour because:

Accepted Answer

A)  the typical trait measures have low reliability 
B)  our behaviour is more responsive to situational variables than such theories assume 
C)  the traits thus far identified relate to conscious rather than unconscious motives 
D)  they depend upon self-report rather than upon objective measures of traits 
A)  the typical trait measures have low reliability 
B)  our behaviour is more responsive to situational variables than such theories assume 
C)  the traits thus far identified relate to conscious rather than unconscious motives 
D)  they depend upon self-report rather than upon objective measures of traits

Question 2

Terror management theory predicts that people will experience the highest self-esteem when:

Accepted Answer

A)  other people evaluate them positively 
B)  they behave in self-consistent ways 
C)  they are reminded of sickness and death 
D)  others around them have low self-esteem 
A)  other people evaluate them positively 
B)  they behave in self-consistent ways 
C)  they are reminded of sickness and death 
D)  others around them have low self-esteem

Question 3

James is very low in Eysenck's personality trait of psychoticism. Thus, you would expect him also to be:

Accepted Answer

A)  somewhat cynical 
B)  moderately impulsive 
C)  a caring person 
D)  very outgoing 
A)  somewhat cynical 
B)  moderately impulsive 
C)  a caring person 
D)  very outgoing

Question 4

Isaac recently experienced a terrible flood which destroyed his home. Isaac believes he would have died in the flood if his neighbour had not rescued him. According to terror management theory, how is Isaac likely to feel after this traumatic experience?

Accepted Answer

A)  He is likely to become quite depressed due to the terrifying event. 
B)  He may feel very guilty if he knows he survived while others did not. 
C)  He will experience higher than average self-esteem if he engages in meaningful activities. 
D)  He will experience lower than average self-esteem because he had to be rescued by someone. 
A)  He is likely to become quite depressed due to the terrifying event. 
B)  He may feel very guilty if he knows he survived while others did not. 
C)  He will experience higher than average self-esteem if he engages in meaningful activities. 
D)  He will experience lower than average self-esteem because he had to be rescued by someone.

Question 5

When Pearl was a university student she worried constantly about many things, like dating, friendships, and her achievement in school. Now that she is older, she worries about things like her health, her family's health, and the state of world affairs. This change in the focus of her worrying is called a:

Accepted Answer

A)  personality trait shift 
B)  peripheral adaptation 
C)  characteristic adaptation 
D)  five-factor deviation 
A)  personality trait shift 
B)  peripheral adaptation 
C)  characteristic adaptation 
D)  five-factor deviation

Question 6

Greg has grown up to be a very aggressive person. Neither of his parents is aggressive. In addition, neither his school nor neighbourhood are particularly violent. According to behaviour geneticists, what might be happening?

Accepted Answer

A)  Greg is using his own free will to engage in aggressive behaviour. 
B)  Greg has a condition called "negative sociability," which is considered to be neither environmental nor genetic in origin. 
C)  The random combination of genes from Greg's parents combined in a unique way to create Greg's aggressive tendencies. 
D)  Greg probably inherited a gene called RH5, which is associated with aggression. 
A)  Greg is using his own free will to engage in aggressive behaviour. 
B)  Greg has a condition called "negative sociability," which is considered to be neither environmental nor genetic in origin. 
C)  The random combination of genes from Greg's parents combined in a unique way to create Greg's aggressive tendencies. 
D)  Greg probably inherited a gene called RH5, which is associated with aggression.

Question 7

Mischel has been a major critic of trait theories of personality in arguing that behaviour is:

Accepted Answer

A)  not as influenced by the unconscious as trait theorists predict 
B)  consistent only for familiar situations 
C)  not as consistent as trait theorists predict 
D)  less dependent on the situation than trait theories assume 
A)  not as influenced by the unconscious as trait theorists predict 
B)  consistent only for familiar situations 
C)  not as consistent as trait theorists predict 
D)  less dependent on the situation than trait theories assume

Question 8

In regard to the traits necessary to describe personality, psychologists are now generally agreed that:

Accepted Answer

A)  no one set of traits has yet been proposed that captures the complexity of personality 
B)  there is little agreement among perceivers as to which traits go with which behaviours 
C)  personality can be quite accurately described using five basic traits 
D)  Cattell's 16-factor theory was probably correct 
A)  no one set of traits has yet been proposed that captures the complexity of personality 
B)  there is little agreement among perceivers as to which traits go with which behaviours 
C)  personality can be quite accurately described using five basic traits 
D)  Cattell's 16-factor theory was probably correct

Question 9

Research on the Rorschach ink blot test indicates that it:

Accepted Answer

A)  does an excellent job of identifying specific psychological disorders 
B)  identifies many adults and children as psychologically disturbed when in fact they are not 
C)  is the most reliable of the many projective tests in use 
D)  reliably assesses id-ego-superego conflicts but not specific psychological disorders 
A)  does an excellent job of identifying specific psychological disorders 
B)  identifies many adults and children as psychologically disturbed when in fact they are not 
C)  is the most reliable of the many projective tests in use 
D)  reliably assesses id-ego-superego conflicts but not specific psychological disorders

Question 10

Cataline is from Zimbabwe in Africa. Wakako is from Japan. Which person is likely to rate herself higher on agreeableness?

Accepted Answer

A)  Cataline 
B)  Wakako 
C)  Both will rate themselves equally high. 
D)  Both will rate themselves equally low. 
A)  Cataline 
B)  Wakako 
C)  Both will rate themselves equally high. 
D)  Both will rate themselves equally low.

Question 11

Which of the following statements is the most accurate statement regarding personality stability?

Accepted Answer

A)  People usually experience many characteristic adaptations throughout life, which can cause substantial changes in personality over time. 
B)  Personality tends to be stable in adulthood, but can only be predicted from about the age of 15 or older. 
C)  Personality has a biological basis in infant temperament. 
D)  Personality is mostly influenced by social roles and norms, so it is difficult to predict accurately. 
A)  People usually experience many characteristic adaptations throughout life, which can cause substantial changes in personality over time. 
B)  Personality tends to be stable in adulthood, but can only be predicted from about the age of 15 or older. 
C)  Personality has a biological basis in infant temperament. 
D)  Personality is mostly influenced by social roles and norms, so it is difficult to predict accurately.

Question 12

People who are very ____________ may seek out so much environmental stimulation that they get into trouble. People who are very ____________ may be so overstimulated by their environments that they feel chronically overwhelmed and uncomfortable. Which brain structure is responsible for consistent differences in under- or overstimulation in personality?

Accepted Answer

A)  extroverted; introverted; descending reticular activating system 
B)  extroverted; introverted; ascending reticular activating system 
C)  introverted; extroverted; descending reticular activating system 
D)  introverted; extroverted; ascending reticular activating system 
A)  extroverted; introverted; descending reticular activating system 
B)  extroverted; introverted; ascending reticular activating system 
C)  introverted; extroverted; descending reticular activating system 
D)  introverted; extroverted; ascending reticular activating system

Question 13

Self-esteem is one's evaluation of one's own __________.

Accepted Answer

A)  personality 
B)  living conditions 
C)  prejudices and biases 
D)  self-concept 
A)  personality 
B)  living conditions 
C)  prejudices and biases 
D)  self-concept

Question 14

American student Arianna is talking to Tatsuye, a foreign exchange student from Japan. She notices that he often criticizes his own efforts and says, "I could work harder; I am actually kind of lazy." However, Arianna knows Tatsuye is a gifted and high-achieving student, so she is confused by his comments. Based on what you know about research on culture and the self, what would you tell Arianna about Tatsuye's comments?

Accepted Answer

A)  People from East Asia tend to have lower self-esteem than Americans. 
B)  People from East Asia prefer to appear modest in public. 
C)  Tatsuye is comparing himself to Americans who have a reputation as hard workers. 
D)  Tatsuye may be experiencing a non-integrated self-concept due to his recent change in culture. 
A)  People from East Asia tend to have lower self-esteem than Americans. 
B)  People from East Asia prefer to appear modest in public. 
C)  Tatsuye is comparing himself to Americans who have a reputation as hard workers. 
D)  Tatsuye may be experiencing a non-integrated self-concept due to his recent change in culture.

Question 15

The "better-than-average effect" describes:

Accepted Answer

A)  almost no one 
B)  about 10 percent of the population 
C)  about 30 percent of the population 
D)  most of the population 
A)  almost no one 
B)  about 10 percent of the population 
C)  about 30 percent of the population 
D)  most of the population

Question 16

If countries which are now collectivistic in orientation became more independent in orientation, people in those countries would be:

Accepted Answer

A)  more likely to use the self-serving bias 
B)  less likely to use the self-serving bias 
C)  more likely to use self-enhancement strategies 
D)  less likely to use self-enhancement strategies 
A)  more likely to use the self-serving bias 
B)  less likely to use the self-serving bias 
C)  more likely to use self-enhancement strategies 
D)  less likely to use self-enhancement strategies

Question 17

A personality trait:

Accepted Answer

A)  tends to be unstable 
B)  is a tendency to behave in a certain way across various circumstances 
C)  is the intention that naïve observers agree characterizes a person 
D)  is a temporary disposition to behave in a certain way 
A)  tends to be unstable 
B)  is a tendency to behave in a certain way across various circumstances 
C)  is the intention that naïve observers agree characterizes a person 
D)  is a temporary disposition to behave in a certain way

Question 18

Janie is very high on the personality dimension openness to experience. She likes to skydive, learn foreign languages, and travel to exotic countries. As Janie gets older, she may be less likely to skydive, but may still enjoy unusual vacations. McCrae and Costa would call this change in Janie's typical activities a:

Accepted Answer

A)  central trait change 
B)  peripheral function 
C)  five-factor deviation 
D)  characteristic adaptation 
A)  central trait change 
B)  peripheral function 
C)  five-factor deviation 
D)  characteristic adaptation

Question 19

Trait theories of personality differ from psychodynamic and humanistic approaches in that they:

Accepted Answer

A)  focus more on description than explanation 
B)  generally have a more positive view of human nature 
C)  are less amenable to empirical investigation 
D)  are less parallel to our intuitive views of personality 
A)  focus more on description than explanation 
B)  generally have a more positive view of human nature 
C)  are less amenable to empirical investigation 
D)  are less parallel to our intuitive views of personality

Question 20

Recent psychological research suggests that parental influence on the personality of children is:

Accepted Answer

A)  less influential than had been previously assumed 
B)  more influential than psychologists had previously believed 
C)  strongest during the identity development stage of adolescence 
D)  strong in collectivistic cultures but weak in individualistic cultures 
A)  less influential than had been previously assumed 
B)  more influential than psychologists had previously believed 
C)  strongest during the identity development stage of adolescence 
D)  strong in collectivistic cultures but weak in individualistic cultures

Mischel has argued that trait theories have difficulty predicting behaviour because:

Terror management theory predicts that people will experience the highest self-esteem when:

James is very low in Eysenck's personality trait of psychoticism. Thus, you would expect him also to be:

Isaac recently experienced a terrible flood which destroyed his home. Isaac believes he would have died in the flood if his neighbour had not rescued him. According to terror management theory, how is Isaac likely to feel after this traumatic experience?

Greg has grown up to be a very aggressive person. Neither of his parents is aggressive. In addition, neither his school nor neighbourhood are particularly violent. According to behaviour geneticists, what might be happening?

Mischel has been a major critic of trait theories of personality in arguing that behaviour is:

In regard to the traits necessary to describe personality, psychologists are now generally agreed that:

Research on the Rorschach ink blot test indicates that it:

Cataline is from Zimbabwe in Africa. Wakako is from Japan. Which person is likely to rate herself higher on agreeableness?

Which of the following statements is the most accurate statement regarding personality stability?

Self-esteem is one's evaluation of one's own __________.

The "better-than-average effect" describes:

If countries which are now collectivistic in orientation became more independent in orientation, people in those countries would be:

A personality trait:

Trait theories of personality differ from psychodynamic and humanistic approaches in that they:

Recent psychological research suggests that parental influence on the personality of children is:

Introduction

Research Methodology

Biological Foundations

The Mind and Consciousness

Sensation and Perception

Learning

Attention and Memory

Thinking and Intelligence

Motivation and Emotion

Health and Well-Being

Human Development

Social Psychology

Psychological Disorders

Treatment of Psychological Disorders

Cultural Psychology

Filters

Exam 13: Personality

Mischel has argued that trait theories have difficulty predicting behaviour because:

Terror management theory predicts that people will experience the highest self-esteem when:

James is very low in Eysenck's personality trait of psychoticism. Thus, you would expect him also to be:

Isaac recently experienced a terrible flood which destroyed his home. Isaac believes he would have died in the flood if his neighbour had not rescued him. According to terror management theory, how is Isaac likely to feel after this traumatic experience?

Greg has grown up to be a very aggressive person. Neither of his parents is aggressive. In addition, neither his school nor neighbourhood are particularly violent. According to behaviour geneticists, what might be happening?

Mischel has been a major critic of trait theories of personality in arguing that behaviour is:

In regard to the traits necessary to describe personality, psychologists are now generally agreed that:

Research on the Rorschach ink blot test indicates that it:

Cataline is from Zimbabwe in Africa. Wakako is from Japan. Which person is likely to rate herself higher on agreeableness?

Which of the following statements is the most accurate statement regarding personality stability?

Self-esteem is one's evaluation of one's own __________.

The "better-than-average effect" describes:

If countries which are now collectivistic in orientation became more independent in orientation, people in those countries would be:

A personality trait:

Trait theories of personality differ from psychodynamic and humanistic approaches in that they:

Recent psychological research suggests that parental influence on the personality of children is:

Introduction

Research Methodology

Biological Foundations

The Mind and Consciousness

Sensation and Perception

Learning

Attention and Memory

Thinking and Intelligence

Motivation and Emotion

Health and Well-Being

Human Development

Social Psychology

Psychological Disorders

Treatment of Psychological Disorders

Cultural Psychology

Filters