Deck 24: Personality: Theory, Research, and Assessment Part 2

Question 1

Carly was trapped in her basement when her neighborhood was rocked by an earthquake. She has enough food and water stored in the basement to last her for several weeks, but each time she feels an aftershock she is terrified that the remaining beams may fall and crush her. According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, at this point in time Carly is most likely motivated by

A) safety and security needs.
B) physiological needs.
C) homeostatic drives.
D) aesthetic needs.

Answer 1

safety and security needs.

Question 2

According to Maslow's theory, the self-actualizing person would be LEAST likely to

A) have a limited number of strong friendships.
B) be spontaneous and neutral in exchanges.
C) have somewhat mystical experiences.
D) be uncomfortable when alone or detached.

Answer 2

be uncomfortable when alone or detached.

Question 3

Esteban has a job that pays well, and he recently moved to a neighborhood where there is little crime. Lately, he finds that he is thinking seriously about finding the right person to settle down with, and raising a family. According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, at this point in time Esteban is MOST likely motivated by

A) aesthetic needs.
B) belongingness and love needs.
C) esteem needs.
D) the need for self-actualization.

Answer 3

belongingness and love needs.

Question 4

According to Carl Rogers, when parents make their affection unconditional and show acceptance of their children's behavior, they are promoting

A) the resolution of the Oedipal conflict.
B) congruence between their children's self concept and their actual experiences.
C) observational learning and identification.
D) incongruence between their children's self concept and their actual experiences.

Question 5

Kevin has been working for the same company for the past 15 years. He earns a good salary, and he feels like his coworkers are "family." However, lately he has begun to feel that his supervisors are not giving him the recognition or respect that he deserves, so he has been considering looking for another job. Based on Maslow's hierarchy of needs, Kevin's thoughts of changing jobs may well be motivated by frustrated

A) belongingness and love needs.
B) safety and security needs.
C) cognitive needs.
D) esteem needs.

Question 6

Jordon has taken a job that is extremely dangerous, but which pays him enough so that he is sure he will have enough to eat and he will be able to sleep in a warm place each night. According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, Jordon is probably primarily motivated by

A) safety and security needs.
B) cognitive needs.
C) the need for self-actualization.
D) physiological needs.

Question 7

Shayna has a job that pays well, and she has three children who are now all in adolescence. For the past few months she finds herself increasingly restless, and she is thinking about enrolling in university and taking some classes in art, which has always interested her. According to Maslow's hierarchy of needs, Shayna is probably primarily motivated by

A) esteem needs.
B) belongingness and love needs.
C) growth needs.
D) homeostatic drives.

Question 8

According to Carl Rogers, troublesome anxiety is caused by

A) unresolved sexual conflicts.
B) unconditional love.
C) threats to our self-concept.
D) the use of defense mechanisms.

Question 9

Fred was the highest paid news anchor in prime time television. He had been with the same national network for 20 years. His coworkers couldn't believe it when Fred cleared out his office one day and announced he was going to become a volunteer with an international relief agency. He explained: "I feel I need to make a fundamental change in my life if I am going to continue to grow as a person." Fred's actions are consistent with

A) Bandura's concept of reciprocal determinism
B) Adler's concept of overcompensation
C) Rogers' concept of incongruence
D) Maslow's concept of self-actualizing individuals

Question 10

Which personality theorist stated, "It's as if Freud supplied us the sick half of psychology and we must now fill it out with the healthy half?"

A) Alfred Adler
B) Albert Bandura
C) Carl Rogers
D) Abraham Maslow

Question 11

Your needs for social status and for respect and recognition from others reflect the ____ needs in Maslow's hierarchy.

A) cognitive
B) esteem
C) aesthetic
D) love and belongingness

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT one of the major contributions associated with the humanistic theory of personality?

A) the importance of a person's subjective views
B) focusing attention on what constitutes a healthy personality
C) making the self-concept an important construct in psychology
D) acknowledging the role that internal conflict plays in generating psychological distress

Question 13

Imagine a neighborhood in which a hurricane has caused extensive flooding. Many of the residents have had their homes damaged or destroyed. At the time, however, the material loss is unimportant as the residents think only of escaping the flood. Maslow would say this is because the residents' ____ needs are threatened.

A) physiological
B) safety and security
C) esteem
D) self-actualization

Question 14

The correct order of the needs in Maslow's hierarchy, from most basic to highest level, is

A) esteem, physiological, aesthetic, safety, love, cognitive, self-actualization.
B) physiological, cognitive, love, safety, aesthetic, esteem, self-actualization.
C) safety, physiological, esteem, aesthetic, love, self-actualization.
D) physiological, safety, love, esteem, cognitive, aesthetic, self-actualization.

Question 15

Your needs to learn all you can about philosophy and understand the inner workings of our political system are examples of ____ needs.

A) aesthetic
B) esteem
C) cognitive
D) self-actualization

Question 16

Abraham Maslow called the need to fulfill one's potential the need for

A) affiliation.
B) achievement.
C) self-actualization.
D) power.

Question 17

Which theorist argues that experiences that threaten people's personal views of themselves are the principal cause of anxiety?

A) Walter Mischel
B) Sigmund Freud
C) Carl Rogers
D) Abraham Maslow

Question 18

What need was Abraham Maslow expressing when he said that "what a man can be, he must be"?

A) the need for superiority
B) the need for unconditional love
C) the need to self-actualize
D) the need to achieve

Question 19

Your needs to live in a crime-free neighborhood, save money, buy insurance, and have a stable job are examples of which of the following kinds of needs?

A) physiological
B) safety and security
C) love and belongingness
D) esteem

Question 20

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of a self-actualizing person?

A) being realistic
B) being open and spontaneous
C) enjoying peak experiences
D) having a strong need to affiliate with many people

Question 21

According to Hans Eysenck, personality is largely

A) inherited.
B) a function of unconscious forces.
C) shaped by sexual conflicts.
D) determined by external forces.

Question 22

According to Hans Eysenck, ____ involves being egocentric, impulsive, cold, and antisocial.

A) neuroticism
B) psychoticism
C) extraversion
D) introversion

Question 23

Which of the following is one of the major criticisms of the humanistic approach to personality?

A) It is too deterministic.
B) It is too optimistic about human nature.
C) It presents a fragmented view of personality.
D) It de-emphasizes the subjective nature of self-concept.

Question 24

According to Hans Eysenck, people who condition easily are likely to become

A) neurotic.
B) psychotic.
C) extraverted.
D) introverted.

Question 25

One criticism of humanistic theories of personality is that the theories

A) overgeneralize from animal behavior to human behavior.
B) are unrealistically optimistic about human nature.
C) lack a strong theoretical framework.
D) have a sexist bias.

Question 26

Mary just completed a personality scale designed to measure the three higher-order traits identified by Hans Eysenck. She scored low in the personality trait of neuroticism. This suggests that Mary tends to be

A) sensitive and caring.
B) anxious and moody.
C) warm and sociable.
D) relaxed and high in self-esteem.

Question 27

Isaiah just completed a personality scale designed to measure the three higher-order traits identified by Hans Eysenck. He scored low in the personality trait of psychoticism. This suggests Isaiah tends to be

A) quiet and non-assertive.
B) sensitive and caring.
C) anxious and moody.
D) warm and sociable.

Question 28

Eysenck's theory of personality is based on all of the following except

A) basic personality traits
B) differences in physiological functioning
C) differences in basic needs
D) differences in ease of conditioning

Question 29

Being sociable, assertive, active, and lively is associated with the higher-order trait of ____ according to Eysenck.

A) extraversion
B) self-monitoring
C) sensation-seeking
D) intraception

Question 30

How is Hans Eysenck's theory similar to behavioral theory?

A) Both theories examine the roles of the introversion-extroversion trait dimension
B) Both theories focus on the role of the unconscious on behavior
C) Both theories argue that conditioning influences the development of personality
D) Both theories use a trait approach

Question 31

Which of the following criticisms can be leveled against BOTH the psychoanalytic approach and the humanistic approach to personality?

A) poor testability
B) too deterministic
C) overemphasis on the influence of early childhood experiences
D) provide a fragmented view of personality

Question 32

According to Maslow, after people satisfy their physiological needs and safety and security needs they will next become concerned with

A) belongingness and love needs.
B) self-actualization needs.
C) cognitive needs.
D) esteem needs.

Question 33

Maslow's systematic arrangement of needs, according to priority, in which basic needs must be met before less basic needs are aroused is referred to as

A) a theory of needs.
B) a hierarchy of needs.
C) a pyramid of needs.
D) an archetype of needs.

Question 34

Maslow describes people who have exceptionally healthy personalities marked by continued personal growth as

A) self-accepting.
B) self-sufficient.
C) self-efficacy.
D) self-actualizing.

Question 35

According to Maslow, it is only after a person satisfies needs at any level reasonably well that the person becomes concerned with satisfying

A) more basic needs.
B) needs at the next higher level.
C) needs at the next lower level.
D) self-actualization needs.

Question 36

Behavioral genetics, the evolutionary approach, and Eysenck's theory all approach the study of personality from the

A) scientific perspective.
B) psychodynamic perspective.
C) biological perspective.
D) behavioral perspective.

Question 37

Your psychology professor argues that personality is to a large extent determined by a person's genes. Whose theory of personality is his argument MOST similar to?

A) Hans Eysenck
B) David Buss
C) Albert Bandura
D) Carol Rogers

Question 38

A strength of humanistic theories of personality is that the theories

A) emphasize the unique aspects of human genetic inheritance.
B) are supported by extensive empirical research.
C) emphasize a person's subjective view rather than objective reality.
D) suggest internal conflict often plays a key role in generating psychological distress.

Question 39

Maslow called the need to fulfill one's potential the need for

A) affiliation.
B) achievement.
C) self-actualization.
D) self-determinism.

Question 40

John, a college student, is very interested in his courses and is planning on attending graduate school in psychology. Which of the following types of needs has John probably NOT yet satisfied?

A) self-actualization
B) belongingness
C) safety and security
D) esteem

Question 41

According to the evolutionary approach to personality, humans have evolved special sensitivity to variations in the capacity to be an innovative problem solver, which is closely associated with which of the following Big Five personality traits?

A) neuroticism
B) extraversion
C) conscientiousness
D) openness to experience

Question 42

Research in behavioral genetics has shown the family environment shared by children growing up together has ____ impact on personality.

A) no
B) little
C) a moderately large
D) a large

Question 43

Nettle (2006) believes which trait may be adaptive because it fueled competitiveness in our ancestors?

A) openness to experience
B) conscientiousness
C) extraversion
D) neuroticism

Question 44

Research on genes and personality indicates that the heritability estimates for personality traits are approximately

A) just less than 15 percent.
B) between 25 and 30 percent.
C) between 40 and 60 percent.
D) just over 75 percent.

Question 45

The findings from twin studies indicate that identical twins are much more similar than fraternal twins on which of the following?

A) neuroticism
B) extraversion
C) conscientiousness
D) all the personality traits in the five-factor model of personality

Question 46

The evolutionary approach to personality suggests that ____ may have contributed to reproductive fitness.

A) various personality traits
B) the ability to recognize various personality traits in others
C) both various personality traits and the ability to recognize the traits in others
D) neither various personality traits nor the ability to recognize the traits in others

Question 47

Assume that personality researchers have isolated a new trait they called "nescience." If these researchers report that identical twins reared together and identical twins reared apart show the same correspondence for this particular trait, it would indicate that

A) genetics has a larger influence than environment in the expression of nescience.
B) environment has a larger influence than genetics in the expression of nescience.
C) neither genetics nor environment influences the expression of nescience.
D) genetics and environment exert equivalent influences in the expression of nescience.

Question 48

Research in behavioral genetics has shown that identical twins reared apart often have similar personality traits. This result suggests that ____ contribute(s) to personality.

A) genetic inheritance
B) environmental factors
C) both genetic inheritance and environmental factors
D) neither genetic inheritance nor environmental factors

Question 49

Research in behavioral genetics has shown that identical twins

A) have personalities that are more strongly influenced by environmental factors than is the case for other pairs of siblings.
B) are not as similar in personality as was commonly assumed.
C) are no more similar in personality traits than fraternal twins.
D) reared apart, often exhibit similar personality traits.

Question 50

In comparison to Eysenck's theory of personality, evolutionary theory

A) is more limited in scope.
B) has greater empirical support.
C) is more popular among behaviorists.
D) is less applicable to behavior across cultures.

Question 51

According to the evolutionary approach to personality, humans have evolved special sensitivity to variations in the tendency to be reliable and ethical, which is closely associated with which of the following Big Five personality traits?

A) neuroticism
B) extraversion
C) agreeableness
D) conscientiousness

Question 52

Nettle (2006) takes Buss's evolutionary view of the Big Five personality traits one step further by arguing

A) they operate unconsciously.
B) they operate consciously.
C) they were adaptive in ancestral environments.
D) the ability to recognize them in others is adaptive.

Question 53

The ____ approach to personality suggests that the Big Five personality traits have significant adaptive implications.

A) evolutionary
B) behavioral
C) humanistic
D) social cognitive

Question 54

Nettle (2006) argues the Big Five personality traits

A) operate at the level of subjective experience.
B) operate at the level of reinforcement.
C) have adaptive costs.
D) are always adaptive.

Question 55

Which of the following is NOT one of the main weaknesses in biological approaches to personality?

A) conceptual problems with heritability estimates
B) an overly optimistic view of human nature
C) the difficulty of separating the effects of nature and nurture
D) the lack of a comprehensive theory

Question 56

Dr. Jack assumes that humans share an evolutionary heritage with other animals that includes instinctive drift drive for self preservation, but unlike animals humans have also evolved complex cognitive abilities that permit self-awareness. Dr. Jack's views are similar to the view of personality put forward by the

A) evolutionary perspective.
B) behavioral perspective.
C) terror management theory.
D) humanistic theory.

Question 57

According to the evolutionary approach to personality, humans have evolved special sensitivity to variations in the ability to bond with others, which is closely associated with which of the following Big Five personality traits?

A) neuroticism
B) extraversion
C) agreeableness
D) conscientiousness

Question 58

Assume that personality researchers have isolated a new trait they called "prajna." If these researchers report that fraternal twins reared together are more similar in this trait than identical twins reared apart, it would indicate that

A) genetics has a larger influence than environment in the expression of prajna.
B) neither genetics nor environment influences the expression of prajna.
C) environment has a larger influence than genetics in the expression of prajna.
D) genetics and environment exert equivalent influences in the expression of prajna.

Question 59

Which of the following is MOST accurate?

A) Efforts to divide behavior into genetic and environmental components are ultimately artificial.
B) The evidence suggests that genetic factors do not influence personality.
C) The evidence suggests that environmental factors do not influence personality.
D) It is only a matter of time before the complicated intertwining of nature and nurture will be understood.

Question 60

Research on the heritability of personality shows that ____ appears to have a surprisingly small impact on personality.

A) shared family environment
B) heredity
C) unique experiences
D) unconscious motivation

Question 61

Goldenberg and his colleagues (2005) have found that increased mortality salience

A) leads to an increase in some sexual urges.
B) leads to the suppression of some sexual urges.
C) enhances the value of positive reinforcement.
D) decreases the value of positive reinforcement.

Question 62

Consistent with terror management theory, in the months following 9/11, individuals showed all of the following behaviors EXCEPT an

A) increase in admiration of individuals who uphold cultural standards such as firefighters.
B) increase in expressions of patriotism and religious faith.
C) increase in separations and divorces.
D) increase in hostility towards individuals who question government policies.

Question 63

How, according to Terror Management Theory, does culture solve the existential crisis created by awareness of death?

A) It gives members a sense of being part of a enduring legacy by creating stories and traditions.
B) It provides people with a sense of personal self-worth.
C) It functions as an anxiety buffer.
D) It creates mortality salience by encouraging humans to think about their own death.

Question 64

One of the chief goals of terror management theory is to explain why people

A) experience anxiety, alarm, and terror
B) need self-esteem
C) have an awareness of the inevitability of their death
D) have an instinctive drive for self-preservation

Question 65

According to terror management theory, how does self-esteem function?

A) It gives members a sense of being part of a enduring legacy.
B) It provides people with a sense of tradition.
C) It functions as an anxiety buffer.
D) It creates mortality salience by encouraging humans to think about their own death.

Question 66

According to the terror management theory it is not surprising that patriotic fervor increased after the attacks on the Twin Towers in New York on 9/11 because

A) mortality salience increased, leading people to work harder to defend their cultural world view.
B) mortality salience decreased, leading people to work harder to defend their cultural world view.
C) national self-esteem increased; creating an anxiety buffer that had to be overcome.
D) national self-esteem decreased; creating an anxiety buffer that had to be overcome.

Question 67

Mike has just lost a close friend to death and has begun thinking about his own death; as a result Mike is likely to

A) work less at defending his world-view.
B) suggest lighter penalties to moral transgressors.
C) respond more positively to people who criticize his country.
D) show more respect for cultural icons.

Question 68

Terror management theory would predict that all of the following would occur in the United States after the terrorist attacks on 9/11 EXCEPT

A) expressions of patriotism would become elevated.
B) religious faith would increase dramatically.
C) people would become less tolerant of those who were different.
D) prejudice would decrease.

Question 69

What saves humans according to the Terror Management Theory?

A) self actualization needs
B) observational learning
C) genetic heritage
D) culture

Question 70

Research findings indicate that, in general, ____ is fairly consistent across cultures.

A) self-monitoring
B) the use of defense mechanisms
C) conceptions of the self
D) the trait structure of personality

Question 71

Terror management theory asserts that much of our behavior is motivated by our needs

A) to defend our worldview and preserve our self-esteem.
B) to defend our worldview and reduce mortality salience.
C) for self-preservation and to preserve our self-esteem.
D) for self-preservation and to reduce mortality salience.

Question 72

One criticism of the biological perspective of personality is that the perspective

A) is unrealistically optimistic about human nature.
B) is unrealistically pessimistic about human nature.
C) overgeneralizes from animal behavior to human behavior.
D) has no comprehensive theoretical framework.

Question 73

Goldenberg and his colleagues (2005) have found that increased mortality salience

A) fosters health-protective behaviors.
B) inhibits health-protective behaviors.
C) enhances the value of peak experiences.
D) decreases the value of peak experiences.

Question 74

Increasing mortality salience leads people to

A) work less at defending their world-view.
B) hand out lighter penalties to moral transgressors.
C) respond more positively to people who criticize their country.
D) show more respect for cultural icons.

Question 75

Stefan is from the Czech Republic. Based on research using the Big Five personality traits, you would predict Stefan will be high in:

A) extraversion
B) conscientiousness
C) agreeableness
D) openness to experience

Question 76

Early investigations of the connection between culture and personality were largely guided by which of the following theories?

A) Adler's individual psychology
B) Bandura's social cognitive theory
C) Freud's psychoanalytic theory
D) Skinner's operant conditioning theory

Question 77

Mike is from Australia. Based on research using the Big Five personality traits, you would predict Mike will be high in:

A) extraversion
B) conscientiousness
C) agreeableness
D) openness to experience

Question 78

Terror management theory suggests that self-esteem serves a terror management function by reducing

A) awareness of the inevitability of their death.
B) mortality salience.
C) anxiety.
D) cultural worldviews.

Question 79

Research on national character using the Big Fived personality traits found that

A) subjects displayed considerable disagreement concerning what was typical of their culture.
B) subjects displayed considerable agreement concerning what was typical of their culture.
C) people's beliefs about national character were fueled by egalitarian principles.
D) people's beliefs about national character were fueled by unconscious impulses.

Question 80

Cross-cultural research suggests that the Big Five personality traits

A) only exist in Western cultures.
B) are unique to each culture.
C) are fairly consistent across cultures.
D) are fairly inconsistent across cultures.