Deck 13: Personality

Question 1

Genetics accounts for about percent of the difference in individuals' personality traits.

A)20-40
B)5-10
C)40-60
D)70-80

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Seeking to maximize personal growth through greater self-understanding is referred to as

A)a person-centered approach.
B)self-actualization.
C)a cognitive-social approach.
D)None of the answer options is correct.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following accurately summarizes current research on twin studies in personality?

A)Genetics can explain 75 percent of the variance between individuals for all personality traits.
B)The genetic basis of traits varies across cultures.
C)Genetics can explain about 25 percent of the variance in specific attitudes that reflect personality traits.
D)The relationship between genetics and personality is consistent, regardless of whether the twins, their family, or observers rates their personality traits.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

One of the earliest pieces of evidence that personality has a genetic component was the fact that

A)adopted children in the same family are not very similar in personality.
B)identical twins are more similar in personality than fraternal twins.
C)people in the same culture, who apparently share similar genes, are similar in personality.
D)men are more similar to other men in personality, and women are more similar to other women.

Question 5

How does infant temperament relate to adult personality?

A)Infant temperament correlates with overall adult personality but does not predict specific adult behavior patterns.
B)Temperament is unstable, therefore there is not a consistent relationship between infant temperament and adult personality.
C)Infant temperament correlates with both the general structure of adult personality and specific behavioral patterns observed in adults.
D)Infant temperament predicts negative but not positive behavior patterns in adults.

Question 6

Which of the following accurately summarizes current research on adoption studies in personality?

A)The correlation between a biological sibling and their biological parent is similar to the correlation between an adopted sibling and their adopted parent.
B)Genetics have a greater impact on personality than parenting style.
C)Children who are not biologically related but raised in the same household have more similar personalities compared to two random strangers.
D)Home environment and peer relationships have minimal influence on personality differences between siblings.

Question 7

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

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

Question 8

A view that personality is a coherent whole that is based on psychophysical systems yet is adaptive to the environment is most consistent with that of

A)B.F.Skinner.
B)Sigmund Freud.
C)Gordon Allport.
D)Carl Rogers.

Question 9

Personality traits associated with behavioral, cognitive, or emotional tendencies are referred to as

A)sociability traits.
B)humanistic traits.
C)dispositions.
D)characteristics.

Question 10

If a trait is a single concept, then personality is

A)a collection of concepts.
B)an element of a concept.
C)the opposite of a concept.
D)None of the answer options is correct.

Question 11

Which of the following describes the findings from the research examining twins and personality across cultures?

A)The genetic basis of the traits has been shown to be the same across cultures.
B)The genetic basis of traits is stronger in individualistic compared to communalistic cultures.
C)The genetic basis of traits is stronger in communalistic compared to individualistic cultures.
D)The genetic basis of traits varies across cultures.

Question 12

What is significant about Gordon Allport's notion of "psychophysical systems" relating to personality?

A)It emphasizes genetic contributions.
B)It highlights the negative aspects of personality.
C)It proposes nature versus nurture as an important distinction.
D)It combines mental and biological processes.

Question 13

What is the difference between personality traits and temperaments?

A)Personality traits are more mental, while temperaments are more physical.
B)Personality traits are more specific than temperaments.
C)Personality traits are more likely to be correlated among siblings than temperaments.
D)Personality traits are evident during infancy, while temperaments are evident during adulthood.

Question 14

Although specific genes seem to be involved in personality, the effects of these genes on behavior are small.Why?

A)Environmental factors, such as culture, typically override genetic effects.
B)Free will is more important in determining behavior.
C)Multiple genes interact, and they may act in opposite ways.
D)Genetic effects weaken over time.

Question 15

Jered and his identical twin brother were adopted by separate families as infants.As an adult, Jered's personality should most resemble that of

A)a sibling in his adoptive family.
B)one or both of his adoptive parents.
C)one or both of his biological parents.
D)his identical twin.

Question 16

According to Gordon Allport, personality is

A)largely contingent on one's environment.
B)a dynamic system arising from biological processes.
C)largely a social construction.
D)the outcome of how people think and behave rather than the cause of thought and behavior.

Question 17

Personality consists of people's typical that are relatively stable over time and circumstances.

A)thoughts
B)emotional responses
C)behaviors
D)All of the answer options are correct.

Question 18

Bruno is shy in most situations, would prefer to read rather than go to a party, likes working with computers, and spends minimal time worrying about the future.Bruno's many characteristics are referred to as his

A)dispositional array.
B)personality.
C)ego.
D)existential self.

Question 19

Which of the following accurately summarizes current research on twin studies in personality?

A)Genetics can explain 75 percent of the variance between individuals for all personality traits.
B)The genetic basis of traits varies across cultures.
C)Genetics can explain about half the variance in specific attitudes that reflect personality traits.
D)The relationship between genetics and personality varies depending on whether the twins or an observer rates their personality traits.

Question 20

Two infants who are not biologically related are adopted by the same family and raised in the same household.Research suggests that their personality characteristics will be most similar to those of

A)each other.
B)other children raised in the household.
C)their adoptive parents.
D)their biological parents.

Question 21

Studies of the relationship between infant temperament and adult personalities show

A)that infant temperament and adult personality are unrelated.
B)that infant temperament can predict aspects of adult personality.
C)that positive but not negative social behaviors can be predicted by early temperament.
D)that children classified as inhibited at age 3 were likely to be outgoing by young adulthood.

Question 22

If the id is a dominant force in one's personality, one is likely to

A)feel embarrassed even if he has done nothing wrong.
B)behave in ways that follow the wishes of other people.
C)act impulsively without thinking about the consequences.
D)think rationally and resolve conflicts in a peaceful way.

Question 23

Studies of gender differences in infant temperament show that

A)boys show more negative emotions during childhood.
B)girls show more positive emotions during childhood.
C)girls demonstrate stronger abilities to control their attention.
D)both boys and girls show equal levels of high-intensity pleasure.

Question 24

What is the difference between temperaments and personality traits?

A)Traits are broader than temperaments.
B)Temperaments are broader than traits.
C)There is no difference; traits and temperaments are essentially identical.
D)It depends on the age of the individual being examined.

Question 25

In Freud's model, mental activity

A)is divided into three zones or levels.
B)is controlled by the ego.
C)is entirely unconscious.
D)originates in the libido.

Question 26

In Freud's structural model of personality,

A)the superego dominates other structures in determining behavior.
B)the ego operates according to the reality principle.
C)the ego develops before the id.
D)the superego is the realistic, rational portion of the mind.

Question 27

How are the id, superego, and ego related, according to Freud?

A)The ego is responsive to demands of both the id and the superego.
B)The superego controls the id and the ego.
C)The id, superego, and ego all operate independently.
D)The ego is responsive to the id but ignores the superego.

Question 28

Which of the following have Buss and Plomin 1984) identified as basic traits or temperaments in infants?

A)novelty seeking, shyness, and activation
B)inhibition, extraversion, and sociability
C)activity level, emotionality, and sociability
D)shyness, sensation seeking, and agreeableness

Question 29

Freud viewed the libido as .In contrast, today, we think of the libido as .

A)unrestrained sexual behavior; sexual desire
B)one's unconscious motives; lust
C)the motive to punish or harm others; attraction
D)an energy that promotes pleasure-seeking; sexual drive

Question 30

You are going to babysit a friend's 2-year-old boy.Given what you know about gender differences in infant temperament, you should predict that, compared to a 2-year-old girl, he will

A)be less able to control his impulses.
B)show more positive emotions.
C)be more able to focus on one toy for an extended amount of time.
D)show more negative emotions.

Question 31

Which of the following is a basic characteristic of temperament identified by Buss and Plomin 1984)?

A)openness
B)emotionality
C)neuroticism
D)agreeableness

Question 32

Your roommate is an extremely shy person.Research suggests that she

A)probably acquired this disposition during a difficult time in her adolescence.
B)displayed signs of inhibition and social distress even as a very young child.
C)was raised by parents who provided supportive and calm environments that fostered her quiet character.
D)may have suffered some trauma as an infant.

Question 33

Which of the following is true about Freud's ideas about personality?

A)They are well-supported by research.
B)They emphasize the physical influences on behaviors.
C)They focus on conscious processes of which people are aware.
D)They emphasize the influence of early childhood experiences on personality.

Question 34

Kara, a 2-year-old, is a participant in a research study on infant temperament.Which of the following characteristics is most likely to be assessed in this study?

A)Kara's attention span
B)Kara's memory for objects
C)Kara's social behaviors
D)Kara's alertness on mental tasks

Question 35

Your 2-year-old cousin appears to have an inhibited temperament.If you want to apply the research on shyness, you would tell your aunt

A)that shyness is primarily biological and she should seek medical help for her child.
B)she should create a supportive and calm environment, but not shelter her child.
C)she should limit exposure to novelty and stress so that the child does not have negative consequences.
D)that the relationship between inhibited temperaments and adult anxiety is relatively small.

Question 36

Which of the following accurately describes research findings on the biological basis of inhibited temperaments?

A)Adults who had been categorized as inhibited as children showed increased amygdala activation when presented with novel faces.
B)Adults who had been categorized as inhibited as children showed increased serotonin activation when presented with novel faces.
C)Inhibited temperaments are predicted by a particular genetic pattern.
D)Inhibited temperaments are predicted by an increase in the size of the amygdala.

Question 37

Jaleesa's dad often said, "Do what you want, Jaleesa; I don't care." As a result, Jaleesa felt she lacked direction and never had any clear rules.According to Freudian theory, Jaleesa's dad had very little impact on the development of Jaleesa's

A)id.
B)aggression instinct.
C)superego.
D)pleasure principle.

Question 38

According to the work of Buss and Plomin 1984), temperament in infancy is based upon

A)activity level.
B)emotionality.
C)sociability.
D)All of the answer options are correct.

Question 39

Temperamental differences in humans are primarily a function of

A)different early environments.
B)different parenting styles.
C)underlying differences in biological processes.
D)gender differences.

Question 40

According to Freud's topography of mind, information from the unconscious must reach the mind before it reaches the mind.

A)semiconscious; conscious
B)conscious; preconscious
C)conscious; semiconscious
D)preconscious; conscious

Question 41

Freud's idea that fixation at the anal stage leads to a stubborn and regulating personality is

A)more likely to occur if they also became fixated at the oral stage.
B)currently incorporated into modern personality theory.
C)unsupported by current research in personality theory.
D)the basis of Freud's psychosexual development theory.

Question 42

Which of the following best describes the current beliefs about psychodynamic theory?

A)It has been largely abandoned because it is difficult to empirically test these ideas.
B)After changes by the neo-Freudians, it is a scientifically valid personality theory.
C)It is more widely endorsed now than when it was first proposed.
D)It has been abandoned by therapists but not research psychologists.

Question 43

The correct order for the development of Freud's psychosexual stages is

A)phallic, oral, latency, anal, genital.
B)oedipal, oral, anal, phallic, genital.
C)oral, anal, phallic, latency, genital.
D)anal, oral, latency, genital, phallic.

Question 44

The Neo-Freudians Adler and Horney criticized Freud for

A)underestimating the role of parents in child development.
B)giving too much weight to cultural factors.
C)his overemphasis on unconscious processes.
D)his largely negative view of women.

Question 45

Which of the following accurately describes the current understanding of defense mechanisms?

A)Defense mechanisms do help alleviate unconscious conflicts.
B)Defense mechanisms are most evident in individuals with high self-esteem.
C)The existence of many defense mechanisms has been supported in research.
D)Very little research confirms the existence of defense mechanisms.

Question 46

What is the most significant aspect of the humanistic approach to personality?

A)emphasis on unconscious motives
B)intensity and rigidity of treatment
C)focus on the subjective experiences that make up a person's life
D)examination of forces outside of a person's control

Question 47

Sierra, an 8-year-old, is primarily interested in developing friendships with girls her own age.In the next phase of her psychosexual development, what will become her primary interest, according to Freud?

A)pleasing authority figures, such as teachers
B)developing romantic relationships with boys
C)finding one or more role models in her group of female peers
D)overcoming the Oedipal relationship with her father

Question 48

Freud's psychodynamic theory and Roger's person-centered theory are similar in that they both

A)state that unconscious influences can impact personality.
B)focus primarily on early childhood experiences.
C)emphasize the parent-child relationship in personality development.
D)encourage unconditional positive regard to resolve personality fixations.

Question 49

In the psychosexual stage, the erogenous zone centers on the genitals.

A)oral
B)anal
C)phallic
D)latency

Question 50

If working through unconscious conflicts is central to Freud's psychodynamic theory, then is central to Rogers's person-centered theory.

A)recognizing one's value expectancies
B)accepting oneself unconditionally
C)developing a healthy level of extraversion
D)reducing one's level of psychoticism

Question 51

Oren is a very rigid person and must have things his own way.Other people find his attitude annoying, but Oren refuses to change.In Freud's view, Oren is fixated at which stage of development?

A)the Oedipal stage
B)the latency stage
C)the anal stage
D)the phallic stage

Question 52

During the phallic stage, children develop hostility toward the same-sex parent.According to Freud, this conflict is typically resolved by the

A)child adopting many of the same-sex parent's values and ideals.
B)parents confronting the child's inappropriate behavior.
C)id, which attempts to rein in the sexual urges.
D)time the child is 3 years old.

Question 53

Which of the following statements supports Carl Rogers's approach to personality?

A)People who satisfy their unconscious urges have healthier personalities.
B)Conditional parental love and acceptance are related to healthy personality.
C)Having an internal locus of control is related to healthy personality.
D)Providing unconditional positive regard helps develop healthy personalities.

Question 54

Reaction formation and displacement are similar in that they are both

A)identified by Freud as being harmful for mental health.
B)products of a conflict between the ego and the superego.
C)personality traits.
D)defense mechanisms.

Question 55

Based on Freud's theory of psychosexual stages, which of the following would you most expect to hear a 5-year-old boy say to his mother?

A)"How come none of the girls at school like me?"
B)"You are soooo beautiful!"
C)"I wish you would go away so I could spend more time with Dad!"
D)"You are mean.I don't like you!"

Question 56

The current view of defense mechanisms suggests that they

A)encourage moral decisions.
B)increase psychopathology.
C)support self-esteem.
D)decrease social interactions.

Question 57

Freud thought that during the latency stage of psychosexual development,

A)sexual urges are suppressed or channeled into various acceptable activities.
B)children deal with sexual urges by identifying with the same-sex parent.
C)sexual urges are reduced because of hormonal changes.
D)children develop more mature attitudes toward their sexuality.

Question 58

Freud argued that defense mechanisms are

A)strategies the id uses to satisfy the pleasure principle.
B)conscious mental strategies that we use to deal with unacceptable sexual urges.
C)unconscious strategies that the mind uses to protect itself from distress.
D)strategies that the superego employs to satisfy the reality principle.

Question 59

How would a therapist who endorses Carl Rogers's approach to therapy interact with clients?

A)observe the client's behavior and then give critical feedback
B)discuss the client's problems and concerns as he or she understands them
C)have the client complete a test of the five-factor model of personality
D)have the client take projective personality tests

Question 60

Rotter argues that people differ in their locus of control, by which he means

A)the degree to which they understand their circumstances.
B)their relative responsiveness to reinforcement versus punishment.
C)the extent to which they believe their fate is determined by their own actions.
D)the extent to which they value their personal expectancies.

Question 61

A primary advantage of a trait approach to personality is that it provides a method for

A)comparing individuals with regard to various personality dispositions.
B)explaining rather than describing personality.
C)identifying psychopathology.
D)assessing changes in one's personality over time.

Question 62

Factor analysis is useful to psychologists because it allows them to

A)separate real traits from imaginary traits.
B)group traits together based on their similarities.
C)identify the causal factor behind each trait.
D)predict behavior on the basis of traits.

Question 63

Your professor believes that behavior is strongly affected by your expectations about what might happen in the future and the environment.Your professor would agree with approach to personality.

A)Freud's
B)Rotter's
C)Rogers
D)Cattell's

Question 64

In biological trait theory, the dimension is most similar to the five-factor theory trait .

A)conscientiousness; openness
B)psychoticism; agreeableness
C)openness to experience; extraversion
D)emotional stability; neuroticism

Question 65

Two friends disagree about the basis of personality.John believes that personality is determined by unconscious conflicts.Sue asserts that personality is based in biological systems.Given this, you know that John would agree with and Sue would agree with .

A)Freud; Eysenck
B)Freud; Rotter
C)Rogers; Rotter
D)Rogers; Eysenck

Question 66

According to biological trait theory, people who score low on the emotional stability scale tend to

A)be aggressive and impulsive.
B)experience little variation in mood.
C)experience highly changeable moods.
D)be self-centered.

Question 67

According to Rotter's social cognitive theory of personality, behavior is a function of a person's

A)expectancies for reinforcement and the values given to those reinforcers.
B)importance of the behavior and the difficulty of doing the behavior.
C)importance of the behavior and values given to those reinforcers.
D)expectancies for reinforcement and difficulty of doing the behavior.

Question 68

James is very low in the biological trait theory's psychoticism dimension.Thus, you would expect him also to be

A)somewhat cynical.
B)moderately impulsive.
C)fairly empathic.
D)very outgoing.

Question 69

JoAnn is a rational person who does not daydream or seek out new experiences.Instead, she enjoys familiar tasks and having a structured daily routine.According to the five-factor theory of personality, JoAnn is very low in

A)empathy.
B)introversion.
C)conscientiousness.
D)openness.

Question 70

Rotter's theory of personality emphasizes

A)the effect of past patterns of reinforcement on behavior.
B)biological factors as determinants of personality.
C)the role of expectancies in guiding our behavior.
D)the unconscious processes that dictate our actions in social situations.

Question 71

According to , a person's personality is influenced by their environment, person factors, and behavior.

A)self-actualization
B)the biological trait theory
C)reciprocal determinism
D)the person-centered approach

Question 72

Recent evidence indicates that the five-factor theory

A)is specific to Western cultures.
B)has biological components.
C)can be modified by the environment.
D)is evident in adults but not children.

Question 73

In Eysenck's biological trait theory, the major dimensions of personality are

A)introversion/extraversion, emotional stability, and psychoticism.
B)sociability, dominance, and assertiveness.
C)conscientiousness, agreeableness, and neuroticism.
D)emotionality, sociability, and activity level.

Question 74

According to Bandura's Reciprocal Determinism Theory, one factor that influences how a person acts is person factors.These person factors include a person's

A)characteristics, self-esteem, and past experiences.
B)characteristics, self-confidence, and expectations.
C)temperament, self-confidence, and expectations.
D)temperament, self-esteem, and past experiences.

Question 75

According to Bandura's Reciprocal Determinism Theory, our personality is influenced by

A)our environment, person factors, and our behavior.
B)our environment, our past experiences, and our temperament.
C)our past experiences, our temperament, and our behavior.
D)our expectancies, person factors, and our environment.

Question 76

Evidence from cross-cultural research shows that there is support for the five-factor theory and that .

A)little; researchers are developing new cross-cultural theories of personality
B)much; some cultural differences also emerge
C)little; there is greater support for biological trait theory
D)much; the factors are more predictive of behavior in eastern cultures

Question 77

In Eysenck's biological trait theory, psychoticism means

A)having a psychological disorder.
B)showing little or no emotion.
C)showing dramatic mood swings.
D)being impulsive and self-centered.

Question 78

Martha knows she can get into medical school.She says, "I will figure out how other people got in, select successful strategies, and implement my plan." Martha is showing high levels of

A)unconditional positive regard.
B)external locus of control.
C)internal locus of control.
D)openness to experience.

Question 79

In regard to trait models of personality, psychologists now generally agree that

A)no one trait theory captures the complexity of personality.
B)there is little agreement as to which traits predict which behaviors.
C)personality can be accurately described using five basic factors.
D)Cattell's 16-factor theory is most accurate.

Question 80

The five-factor theory has factors and is widely accepted than the biological theory.

A)more; more
B)fewer; less
C)more; less
D)fewer; more