Deck 16: The Trait Approach to Personality: Raymond Cattell and Hans Eysenck

Question 1

What is in common between Cattell and Eysenck?

A) Both are decidedly Freudian.
B) Both conceive of personality in trait terms.
C) Both emphasize cognitive facilities rather than traits.
D) Neither is a researcher; they are more philosophers than scientists.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

All of the following are true of Cattell's background, except one. Which is NOT true of Cattell's background?

A) He is middle-class English.
B) He described his parents and teachers as exacting.
C) He hints that his own high intelligence comes from his father.
D) He claimed to have quite a happy childhood.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

All except one of the following is true of Cattell as a youngster. Which is NOT true of Cattell's youth?

A) He enjoyed an idyllic childhood on the English coast.
B) He, as a Scout, tended wounded World War I soldiers.
C) He had affection, but little respect, for his school headmaster.
D) He married three times and had five children.

Answer 3

C

Question 4

All except one of the following was true of Cattell's early career. Which was NOT true of his early career?

A) He became involved in the eugenics movement.
B) He had a stomach disorder.
C) His first wife died.
D) He was hired at Columbus University, New York City, by Edward Thorndike.

Question 5

What were his impressions of World War I?

A) He was too young to be conscious of it.
B) He was impressed with the destructiveness of modern warfare.
C) He secretly favored the Germans.
D) He repeatedly wept when he saw wounded troops.

Question 6

As an empiricist, Cattell believed

A) theory first, data second
B) doing experiments provides the best approach to understanding people
C) the best approach to getting the facts about personality is a series of seemingly unrelated studies: attack personality from all sides at once
D) one collects data first then filters and sifts it through various statistical techniques until the facts emerge

Question 7

The inductive-hypothetico-deductive spiral refers to

A) detecting regularities in data leading to a hypothesis from which consequences are deduced, leading to further data from which new regularities are induced, and so forth
B) that which tells what a person will do when placed in a particular situation
C) a framework that integrates environmental situations with characteristics of the person in attempts to understand the person
D) a procedure for determining the number and nature of factors underlying larger numbers of measures

Question 8

Personality

A) involves detecting regularities in data leading to a hypothesis from which consequences are deduced, leading to further data from which new regularities are induced, and so forth
B) is that which tells what a person will do when placed in a particular situation
C) is a framework that integrates environmental situations with characteristics of the person in attempts to understand the person
D) is a procedure for determining the number and nature of factors underlying larger numbers of measures

Question 9

Where does Cattell stand in the nature-nurture debate?

A) on the nature side
B) on the nurture side
C) He leans to the nurture side.
D) He prefers a blend of the two, rather than either one or interactions between them.

Question 10

Cattell's conception of traits refers to

A) detecting regularities in trait-data leading to a hypothesis from which consequences are deduced, leading to further data from which new regularities are induced, and so forth
B) that which tells what a person will do when placed in a particular situation
C) the degree to which a trait is controlled by the genes and the degree to which it is controlled by the environment
D) a procedure for determining the number and nature of trait-factors underlying larger numbers of measures

Question 11

Factor analysis

A) involves detecting regularities in data leading to a hypothesis from which consequences are deduced, leading to further data from which new regularities are induced, and so forth
B) is a method which tells what a person will do when placed in a particular situation
C) involves a framework that integrates environmental situations with characteristics of the person in attempts to understand the person
D) is a procedure for determining the number and nature of factors underlying larger numbers of measures

Question 12

Factor (Cattell) refers to

A) an internal entity that stands between types and traits and mediates their relationship
B) a global unit that subsumes behavior, cognition (including traits) and feelings
C) a manifestation of a personality trait, rather than the trait itself
D) a hypothetical construct that is applied to a data cluster (set of items) and suggests what it is measuring

Question 13

The "analysis" in factor analysis refers to

A) the process of exploring a raw data set using the "eyeball technique" in search of regularities
B) the "talking process" that is used with the client
C) a series of statistical procedures involving intercorrelations among items and correlations of items with item-clusters, ending in a factor
D) a method that specifies a theory, derives a hypothesis from that theory, tests the hypothesis, draws conclusions, and projects those conclusions back onto the theory

Question 14

"Loadings" refers to

A) factors that are neither at the top or the bottom of the hierarchy of personality components, but can shift about the middle
B) factors that encompass several primary factors and are called superfactors
C) factors that are relatively pure and narrow in scope; it can be arranged that they are statistically independent
D) correlations of particular items with a given factor

Question 15

"Primary" refers to (Cattell)

A) factors that are neither at the top or the bottom of the hierarchy of personality components, but can shift about the middle
B) factors that encompass several more restricted factors and are called superfactors
C) factors that are relatively pure and narrow in scope; it can be arranged that they are statistically independent
D) correlations of particular items with a given factor

Question 16

"Secondary" refers to (Cattell)

A) factors that are neither at the top or the bottom of the hierarchy of personality components, but can shift about the middle
B) factors that encompass several primary factors and are called superfactors
C) factors that are relatively pure and narrow in scope; it can be arranged that they are statistically independent
D) correlations of particular items with a given factor

Question 17

The basic assumption behind factor analysis is

A) each measure is unrelated to each other measure
B) all measures relate to a significant degree to all other measures
C) certain simple responses intercorrelate or vary together and thus are grouped together
D) certain simple responses are entirely independent of each other and cannot be related to each other

Question 18

Which of the following did Cattell believe to be genetically determined?

A) super-ego-strength
B) self-sentiment
C) resilience
D) comeuppance

Question 19

What does it mean when a group of subjects endorse an item and also endorse other items?

A) The items are related.
B) The items are unrelated.
C) The items are negatively correlated.
D) The items are uncorrelated.

Question 20

What determines the assignment of a label for a factor?

A) chance
B) The analysis alone determines the assignment.
C) the researcher's best judgment
D) a new analysis especially designed to name labels

Question 21

A primary factor is to a secondary factor as

A) statistical analysis is to an intuitive analysis
B) luck is to chance
C) hope is to despair
D) source traits are to second-order traits

Question 22

What is the starting point of Cattell's personality investigations?

A) very complex behavior
B) projective test results
C) insights gained in psychoanalysis
D) simple responses

Question 23

"A common trait" is

A) so specific to an individual that no one else could be scored on its dimension
B) that which can be measured for all people by the same battery of tests and on which the people differ in degree rather than in form
C) a permanent entity that does not fade in and out; it is inborn or develops during the life course and regularly directs behavior
D) a psychological entity that fades in and out

Question 24

"Trait" is

A) so specific to an individual that no one else could be scored on its dimension
B) that which can be measured for all people by the same battery of tests and on which the people differ in degree rather than in form
C) a permanent entity that does not fade in and out; it is inborn or develops during the life course and regularly directs behavior
D) a psychological entity that fluctuates or varies over time and thus is transitory

Question 25

Which of the following doesn't fit any of Cattell's kinds of traits?

A) so specific to an individual that no one else could be scored on its dimension
B) that which can be measured for all people by the same battery of tests and on which the people differ in degree rather than in form
C) a permanent entity that does not fade in and out; it is inborn or develops during the life course and regularly directs behavior
D) a psychological entity that fluctuates or varies over time and thus is transitory

Question 26

"Unique trait" is

A) so specific to an individual that no one else could be scored on its dimension
B) that which can be measured for all people by the same battery of tests and on which the people differ in degree rather than in form
C) a permanent entity that does not fade in and out; it is inborn or develops during the life course and regularly directs behavior
D) a psychological entity that fluctuates or varies over time and thus is transitory

Question 27

All of the following is true of "second order traits," except one. Which is NOT true of second order traits?

A) subsumes others traits
B) called superfactors
C) pure and narrow in scope
D) called secondary factors

Question 28

Exvia-invia is synonymous with

A) envious-not envious
B) extraversion-introversion
C) exogenous-endogenous
D) external-internal

Question 29

To Cattell, anxiety is

A) the feelings of tension and upset, the source of which may be difficult to identify
B) a state of extremely unpleasant emotional discomfort
C) what a person experiences when his or her construction system does not apply to critical events
D) what happens to a person when she or he experiences the symptoms of fear, but is unable to identify the source of threat

Question 30

All except one of the following are true of source traits. Which is NOT true of source traits?

A) pure and narrow in scope
B) a primary factor dimension
C) a single unitary influence
D) occupies the highest rank among traits (most broad and general)

Question 31

An ability trait is

A) exclusively related to the motor skills
B) refers to motivations and interests
C) a general personality trait that is usually stylistic, in the sense that it deals with such matters as tempo and persistence
D) reflected in the manner of response to the complexity of a situation, selected after the individual is clear on what goals he or she wants to achieve in that situation

Question 32

A temperament trait is

A) exclusively related to the motor skills
B) refers to motivations and interests
C) a general personality trait that is usually stylistic, in the sense that it deals with such matters as tempo and persistence
D) reflected in the manner of response to the complexity of a situation, selected after the individual is clear on what goals he or she wants to achieve in that situation

Question 33

A dynamic trait is

A) exclusively related to the motor skills
B) refers to motivations and interests
C) a general personality trait that is usually stylistic, in the sense that it deals with such matters as tempo and persistence
D) reflected in the manner of response to the complexity of a situation, selected after the individual is clear on what goals he or she wants to achieve in that situation

Question 34

An erg is

A) an innate source of reactivity (drive) directed to a certain goal and accompanied by a certain quality
B) a motivational entity that is oriented to turning an unsatisfactory situation into a satisfactory one
C) an emotional unit that is expressed in anxiety, joy, sadness and so forth
D) an instinctual structure that is bent on satisfaction of physiological urges

Question 35

An attitude is (Cattell)

A) cognition, affect, and conation directed to some object
B) a cognitive representative of a social motive: prejudice is an attitude
C) an expression of an ergic goal that is generally subsidiated to an erg(s)
D) an orientation or inclination in a particular direction: vector

Question 36

A sentiment is

A) an emotional unit that is expressed in anxiety, joy, sadness and so forth
B) an instinctual structure that is bent on satisfaction of physiological urges
C) a motivational entity that is oriented to turning an unsatisfactory situation into a satisfactory one
D) a set of attitudes the strength of which has become correlated through their being all learned by contact with a particular social institution such as school, home, country

Question 37

"Dynamic lattice" refers to

A) a network of cognitive, affective, and conative orientations bounded by the social realm at the bottom and by the intellectual realm at the top
B) the tracing of the subsidiation of attitudes, one to another ending in the satisfaction of a number of primary ergic goals
C) a complex of interrelated psychic entities, each observable and measurable
D) the intricate interrelation among aspects the physiological, the intellectual, and the external world, including the social realm

Question 38

Which of the following is true of Cattell's personality classification system?

A) The system is laid out horizontally, left to right, so that the different kinds of traits have equal rank.
B) The system includes unique traits, but these are basically ignored by Cattell.
C) Second order traits can be subsidiated under source traits.
D) Source traits can be subsidiated under states.

Question 39

Which of the following refers to a source trait?

A) emotionality
B) traits which are correlated but do not form a factor, hence, determined by more than influence
C) a tendency to wink upon completing a question
D) "I like scuba diving"

Question 40

Which of the following refers to a surface trait?

A) emotionality
B) traits which are correlated but do not form a factor, hence, determined by more than influence
C) a tendency to wink upon completing the expression of a question
D) "I like scuba diving"

Question 41

Which of the following refers to a unique trait?

A) emotionality
B) traits which are correlated but do not form a factor, hence, determined by more than influence
C) a tendency to wink upon completing the expression of a question
D) "I like scuba diving"

Question 42

Cattell got the idea of "g" from

A) Jensen
B) Eysenck
C) Spearman
D) Burt

Question 43

All of the following relate to Cattell's notions about intelligence, except one. Which does NOT relate to intelligence?

A) Intelligence is primarily a result of the individuals' assimilation of the lessons taught by their solutions to puzzles provided them by their environment.
B) "g" subsumes the primary mental abilities
C) One form of general intelligence is largely innate and adapts itself to all kinds of material, regardless of previous experience.
D) One form of intelligence is largely abilities learned at school, representing the application of the other form, and is a function of the amount and intensity of schooling.

Question 44

All of the following are contributions of Cattell, except one. Which is NOT a contribution of Cattell?

A) developed the 16 PF
B) identified developmental trends
C) an innovator in the area of factor analysis
D) integrated Freudian theory, cognitive theory, and behaviorism bringing scientific respectability to them

Question 45

All except one of the following are dimensions of Cattell's 16PF. Which is NOT a dimension of the 16PF

A) reserved-outgoing
B) vulnerable-invulnerable
C) sober-happy-go-lucky
D) relaxed-tense

Question 46

All except one of the following are limitations of Cattell's thinking or work. Which is NOT a limitation?

A) There are several factor analytic methods and it is not possible to say which is "right."
B) Deciding on how many factors to isolate is a somewhat arbitrary process.
C) Deciding what name to assign factors is a somewhat arbitrary process.
D) Like Murray and others, Cattell has conjured up personality factors "off the top of the head," without benefit of research input.

Question 47

Heritability

A) is simply another name for the nature-nurture debate
B) assumes that all of a trait is determined by the genes, then attempts to assess which of several candidate genes is most important to the trait
C) popularly refers to the proportion of the variability in a trait that is accounted for by the genes
D) refers to a research design for discovering which is more important for the determination of personality traits, nature or nurture

Question 48

According to Azar (2002b) which is true of the search for genes relating to personality traits?

A) It has been proven that there is one gene for each trait.
B) Genes do not determine traits, the environment does.
C) The genome for personality traits has recently been specified.
D) There are so many genes possibly relating to each trait that frustrated researchers are abandoning the pursuit of genes that contribute to the determination of traits.

Question 49

Across two studies investigating the heritability of factors such as ego-strength, super-ego strength and self-sentiment, Cattell and his colleagues found

A) estimates across the two studies were later judged by Cattell to be incorrect
B) results of one study were not entirely in line with those of the other study
C) heritability was equal and high for all the factors across the studies
D) heritability was equal and low for all the factors across the studies

Question 50

All of the following are true about heritability estimates, except one. Which is NOT true of heritability estimates?

A) If high heritability is the case for a characteristic, it is impossible for any imaginable environmental intervention to affect its expression.
B) Heritability estimates are good only for the population used, at the time it is used.
C) Heritability is an average statistic and population measure and provides no information about how a given individual might have developed under different conditions.
D) Heritability estimates made with the use of "Whites" are meaningless when applied to "Blacks."

Question 51

All of the following are true of "heritability" or Cattell's use of it, except one? Which is NOT true of heritability or Cattell's use of it?

A) It was originally developed to estimate how successful animal breeders would be in their efforts to breed for certain desirable traits.
B) The very act of dividing up variation in a trait is suspect from a genetic point of view.
C) Cattell's methods have been criticized on statistical grounds.
D) If the criticisms of heritability and its use are correct, it is certain that the genes have nothing to do with factors like intelligence.

Question 52

If a boy has the null version of the MAOA gene relating to violent behavior, how will he turn out?

A) He will be aggression-prone only if he is maltreated.
B) He will be very violent.
C) His aggression proneness can't be predicted.
D) Predictions are impossible.

Question 53

All of the following is alternatives to usual assumptions about intelligence. Which is not an alternative?

A) three kinds of intelligence: the usual (g), creativity, and street smarts
B) The environment determines intelligence.
C) Intelligence may be relative rather than absolute.
D) Seven kinds of intelligences including g and musical.

Question 54

A study comparing 1984 children/families with 1998 children and their parents in Kenya found

A) no change over the period
B) a decline in intelligence over the period
C) no clear result
D) a large fluid intelligence increase over the period

Question 55

Which represents the current state of testing for emotional intelligence?

A) New measures match tests of "g" in validity.
B) New behavioral measures are superior to old self-report measures.
C) No new measures have appeared.
D) The superiority of any of the several measures available has not been established.

Question 56

Which of the following represents a "disaster at the end of Cattell's career"?

A) His promotion of eugenics cost him a prestigious award.
B) He died of cancer at an early age.
C) He suffered a third and final divorce.
D) His children condemned him.

Question 57

Which has Cattell consistently condemned during his life?

A) prejudice
B) race mixing
C) any hint of environment influence on behavior
D) the empiricist's approach to research

Question 58

Which of the following charges have been lodged against Cattell?

A) He faked date (made it up).
B) He was a poor mathematician.
C) He habitually avoided peer review of his publications.
D) He failed to cite other's research.

Question 59

"Trait," according to Eysenck, is

A) a permanent entity that does not fade in and out like a state
B) a neuropsychic structure having the capacity to render many stimuli functionally equivalent
C) defined as a theoretical construct based on observed intercorrelations between a number of habitual responses
D) a second-order dimension made up of statistically intercorrelated primary traits

Question 60

Type, according to Eysenck, is

A) a permanent entity that does not fade in and out like a state; it is inborn or develops early
B) a neuropsychic structure having the capacity to render many stimuli functionally equivalent
C) defined as a theoretical construct based on observed intercorrelations between a number of habitual responses
D) a second-order dimension made up of statistically intercorrelated primary traits

Question 61

Which is true of Eysenck's beliefs about the three factors he emphasized?

A) that there are other factors that have yet to be discovered
B) A person doesn't belong either to one end of each dimension, or the other.
C) His rank ordering of the importance of the factors is 1) Neuroticism, 2) Psychoticism, 3) Extraversion-introversion.
D) that Psychoticism is more researched is because of its stronger implications for disturbed behavior

Question 62

Which of the following statements is an actual quote of Eysenck?

A) The genes play an important role in the determination of personality ... but environment puts strict limits on their influence.
B) My attempts to add conscientiousness and agreeableness to the other three factors have been met with indifference.
C) There is reason to believe that people's personalities are [importantly] influenced by the order of their birth into their families.
D) Personality is determined ... by a person's genes; ... environment('s) influence is severely limited.

Question 63

Eysenck and others have produced evidence to support the claim that extraversion has been linked to

A) the ascending reticular activating system
B) the limbic system
C) the endocrine glands
D) the amygdala

Question 64

Eysenck links Neuroticism to

A) the ascending reticular activating system
B) the limbic system
C) the endocrine glands
D) the amygdala

Question 65

Eysenck links Psychoticism to

A) the ascending reticular activating system
B) the limbic system
C) the endocrine glands
D) the amygdala

Question 66

All except one of the following are believed by Eysenck to be more similar among identical twins pairs than among fraternal twins pairs. Which is NOT one of the phenomena for which he claims there is greater similarity among identical twins?

A) personality
B) criminality
C) neurotic behavior
D) altruistic behavior

Question 67

Which of the following relates to Eysenck's "scientific model for studying personality"?

A) Factor analysis is the method of choice to be used exclusively in the study of personality.
B) Observe first, hypothesize later.
C) In terms of explanation, one seeks to answer questions about "why" personality is the way it is.
D) Pure genetic research π laboratory experiments involving a search for gene products π investigating populations rather than traits is the proper approach.

Question 68

"Specific responses" refers to (Eysenck)

A) responses at a micro-level
B) responses that are often too subtle to be detected with the naked eye
C) everyday behaviors or experiences that may or may not be characteristic of an individual
D) specific responses that recur under similar circumstances, such as regularly saying "hi" to a neighbor

Question 69

"Habitual responses" refers to (Eysenck)

A) responses at a micro-level
B) responses that are often too subtle to be detected with the naked eye
C) everyday behaviors or experiences that may or may not be characteristic of an individual
D) specific responses that recur under similar circumstances, such as regularly saying "hi" to a neighbor

Question 70

Which of the following is the order with which Eysenck and colleagues extracted the three main factors from their questionnaire development research?

A) N,P,E
B) P,E,N
C) N,E,P
D) E,P,N

Question 71

All of the following are descriptions of high Ns, except one (Eysenck). Which does NOT describe high Ns?

A) restless
B) practical jokers
C) moody
D) touchy

Question 72

All of the following are descriptions of high Es, except one (Eysenck). Which does NOT describe high Es?

A) short-tempered
B) on the move
C) optimistic
D) sexually impersonal

Question 73

All of the following are descriptions of high Ps, except one (Eysenck). Which does NOT describe high Ps?

A) liking of odd things
B) imperturbable
C) undervaluing people
D) socially withdrawn

Question 74

All except one of the following are research results that support Eysenck's theory. Which is NOT a supportive result?

A) Extraverts react more strongly to negative than to positive stimuli.
B) Introverts were more likely to salivate to lemon juice.
C) Extraverts are better than introverts at pursuing multiple goals at the same time.
D) Extraversion predicts subjective well being (happiness).

Question 75

All except one of the following are research findings, or relate to findings, in support of Eysenck's ideas. Which is NOT a research finding in support of Eysenck?

A) The detrimental effect of alcohol was significantly worse for extraverts.
B) A stimulant improved the performance efficiency of introverts, but not extraverts.
C) Arousal of the amygdala in response to happy faces was correlated with extraversion.
D) Children with symptoms of "mass hysteria" showed both high extraversion and high neuroticism scores.

Question 76

All of the following are recent research results regarding extraversion, except one. Which is NOT a result?

A) Reward-sensitive extraverted men emerges as group leaders if evaluated by women.
B) Contrary to intuition, U.S. regions did not differ on the Big 5 dimensions.
C) Happiness was most likely related to extraversion among people who confuse neutral and positive events.
D) Research participants were happier when they acted extraverted than when they acted introverted.

Question 77

Which of the following may represent a way to finesse the debate on whether intelligence is "genetically determined"?

A) begin with the assumption that environmental causation is the whole story, and go from there
B) Early enrichment may actually shape the nervous system, and, thereby, change the expression of a gene.
C) concede the importance of the genes for intelligence, and deal with other important factors, such as emotional development
D) end the debate by making the assumption that the genes and the environment are equally important

Question 78

Which of the following has proved to be a serious challenge to Eysenck's belief in the primary importance of E,N, & P?

A) research supporting Allport's conception of traits
B) research suggesting that only two dimensions are needed to account for personality
C) The Big 5
D) research that show E,N, & P are all actually environmentally determine

Question 79

Which of the following represents Eysenck's greatest contribution?

A) his thesis that the genes determine personality
B) he has help make extraversion-introversion the king of personality concepts
C) his insistence that there are only three second-order factors
D) his development of measures of Neuroticism and Psychoticism

Question 80

Cattell endorsed all except one of the following. Which did he NOT endorse?

A) eliminating mentally retarded
B) eugenics
C) eliminating some races
D) new conceptions of intelligence