Deck 7: Personality Stability, Development, and Change

Question 1

In one study,researchers found that personality trait scores from the same people measured 10 years apart correlated between r = .60 and r = .90.This is evidence for ________.

A) personality stability
B) personality accuracy
C) mean level change
D) adaptability

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following serves as evidence for the claim that personality remains stable throughout the life span?

A) Due to major life events throughout young adulthood, people undergo significant personality trait changes.
B) The impact of major life events is similar in young adulthood and later in life.
C) People tend to select the same environments throughout their life span.
D) Childhood personality ratings are predictive of adult life outcomes.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT a known physical factor that influences personality development?

A) height
B) attractiveness
C) gender
D) a summer tan

Answer 3

D

Question 4

________ generally refers to the traits that help a person to fulfill socially important adult roles such as being a spouse,a parent,or a worker.

A) Responsibility
B) Consistency
C) Maturity
D) Generativity

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT a basic aspects of childhood temperament?

A) positive emotionality
B) negative emotionality
C) effortful control
D) heterotypic continuity

Question 6

Consistency of individual differences in personality ________ over the life span.

A) decreases
B) stays the same
C) increases
D) increases and then decreases

Question 7

Developmental Personality Psychology is the study of personality ________ and ________.

A) structure; organization
B) traits; facets
C) consistency; stability
D) judgment; accuracy

Question 8

Molly had a self-proclaimed "perfect childhood." According to the text,what might Molly face later in life?

A) a perfect family and career
B) unpreparedness for difficult times
C) a life riddled with stress
D) a strong emotional reaction to imperfection

Question 9

The process by which a person seeks out compatible environments and avoids incompatible ones is called ________.

A) active person-environmental transaction
B) reactive personal-environment transaction
C) evocative person-environment transaction
D) heterotypic continuity

Question 10

According to psychologist Frank Sulloway,firstborns are more ________ compared to later borns.

A) conscientious
B) neurotic
C) open to experience
D) extraverted

Question 11

In line with the ________ process,if someone is high on conscientiousness,she will most likely select environments that promote achievement and order.

A) evocative person-environment transaction
B) active person-environment transaction
C) reactive person-environment transaction
D) heterotypic continuity

Question 12

Richard is an extravert and finds himself miserable at parties.His response is an example of a(n)________ person-environment transaction.

A) active
B) evocative
C) inactive
D) reactive

Question 13

According to previous research,when does personality stop developing?

A) There's no way to know for sure; the evidence is inconclusive.
B) Somewhere between childhood and adolescence.
C) By the time someone turns 30.
D) Personality continues to develop throughout the entire life span.

Question 14

As a child,Brett was always bouncing off the walls at his parent's social gatherings.As an adult,he is the life of every party.This is an example of ________.

A) personal-environment transactions
B) temperament
C) heterotypic continuity
D) cumulative continuity

Question 15

Personality disorders generally ________ across the life span.

A) are responsive to therapy and become less severe
B) are stable
C) get worse
D) become less severe

Question 16

According to the text,what paradox is central to the study of personality development?

A) People change throughout their lives yet fundamental personality traits maintain rank-order stability in relation to others in their age group.
B) People's personality changes both across their entire lives and in response to specific events.
C) People develop their personalities according to both nature and nurture.
D) Some people's personalities change dramatically over the life span, and some people don't change at all.

Question 17

When individuals have rank-order personality consistency,they maintain the ways in which they ________ other people the same age.

A) are the same as
B) change from
C) are different from
D) are liked by

Question 18

The processes by which people respond to,seek out,and create environments that are compatible with their personalities are called ________.

A) cumulative personalities continuity
B) personality-environment transactions
C) personality-life-history transactions
D) birth-order effects

Question 19

Between ages 10 and 20,levels of extraversion tend to ________ and then ________.

A) decrease; increase
B) level off; stay the same
C) decrease; stay the same
D) increase; level off

Question 20

According to the text,the personality one begins with is known as one's ________.

A) rank-order consistency
B) trait structure
C) temperament
D) social clock

Question 21

Becoming an author enables you to form a(n)________.

A) sense of purpose
B) well-rounded personality
C) intellectual identity
D) narrative identity

Question 22

Personality development is ________.

A) the mean level change of a trait over time
B) the cross-situational consistency of a trait
C) the rank-order change of a trait across individuals
D) the change in social status of an individual over time

Question 23

Maria is in her late 20s and is a manager at an advertising company.According to the text,Maria is following the ________.

A) Feminine Social Clock
B) Neither Social Clock
C) Masculine Social Clock
D) Occupational Achievement Clock

Question 24

According to a classic study,individuals who grew up during the Great Depression had different attitudes regarding work and financial security than those who did not grow up during this time.These findings provide evidence for ________.

A) the maturity principle
B) cohort effects
C) rank-order stability of personality
D) cumulative continuity principle

Question 25

A current study is surveying people of different ages in order to understand whether or not individuals' levels of subjective well-being change across the life span.What type of developmental study is this?

A) longitudinal
B) cross-sectional
C) informant
D) experimental

Question 26

According to Dan McAdams,the narrative theme of "agency" organizes the life story around ________.

A) an event that seemed terrible at the time but had positive consequences in the end
B) individuals who had a particular influence in the trajectory of one's life
C) episodes of challenging oneself and then accomplishing one's goals
D) a high-point, a low-point, and a turning point

Question 27

Ashley has just graduated from law school and in the next few weeks will begin working as a junior partner at a national law firm.Ashley is beginning to see herself as an ________.

A) agent
B) artist
C) author
D) actor

Question 28

According to a recent large-scale cross-sectional study,adolescents around the world in today's age tend to be ________.

A) agreeable and considerate
B) impulsive and rebellious
C) conscientious and studious
D) aggressive and angry

Question 29

Based on personality development research conducted over the last 40 years,what can we conclude regarding William James's claim that personality is "set like plaster" by age 30?

A) He was more or less correct.
B) He was very wrong.
C) There is not yet enough evidence to know whether or not he was correct.
D) He was wrong in the sense that personality remains stable after age 50.

Question 30

Research suggests that women who follow ________ reported being content and satisfied with life 20 years after graduation.

A) the Feminine Social Clock
B) the Masculine Social Clock
C) neither the Feminine Social Clock nor the social clock
D) either the Feminine Social Clock or Masculine Social Clock

Question 31

What is a well-known issue with cross-sectional methodology?

A) the length of time it takes to collect data from each and every age group
B) the possibility that differences in childhood social environment is determining differences between age groups
C) the difficulty in obtaining data from each and every age group
D) the possibility that one group is over-represented in the study

Question 32

According to recent evidence,results from longitudinal studies and cross-sectional studies about personality traits are ________.

A) only slightly different
B) drastically different
C) not comparable
D) only the same in certain contexts

Question 33

Allen has just begun his first professional job.Allen will most likely display an increase in which trait?

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

Question 34

Paul used to abuse alcohol and at his lowest point,his father helped him become sober.Now Paul and his father are closer than they ever have been.Paul's story is an example of a(n)________ story.

A) agency
B) interpersonal
C) redemptive
D) communion

Question 35

Personality psychologists are currently debating whether young adults in the 21st century are more ________ than previous generations.

A) self-centered and narcissistic
B) depressed and anxious
C) agreeable and happy
D) hardworking and diligent

Question 36

What is the correct order of narrative identity development over the life course,according to Dan McAdams?

A) actor, agent, author
B) author, agent, actor
C) agent, actor, author
D) agent, author, actor

Question 37

What is a key strength of longitudinal personality development studies?

A) They are easy and quick to complete.
B) They are not biased by the cohort effect.
C) They are typically high powered with many thousand participants.
D) They are not affected by attrition.

Question 38

According to psychologist Ravenna Helson,someone who stays "on time" in relation to their social clock ________.

A) receives social approval
B) feels no different than someone who is "behind"
C) receives social shaming
D) feels as if they have not "lived"

Question 39

John is 65 years old.Relative to his personality as a 20-year-old,John has likely ________ in openness to experience.

A) increased
B) stayed pretty much the same
C) decreased
D) increased and then decreased

Question 40

In the last month,Oscar learned to drive and began working at his first job.These new developments are helping him to see himself as an ________.

A) agent
B) actor
C) author
D) artist

Question 41

According to a study investigating personality change among young Germans,those who completed community service increased in ________at a higher rate than those who entered into the military.

A) agreeableness
B) conscientiousness
C) extraversion
D) emotional stability

Question 42

During old age,individuals tend to have goals that focus on ________.

A) what is emotionally meaningful
B) staying as busy as possible
C) what can earn them the most money
D) traveling around the world

Question 43

Based on the findings from various studies investigating interventions aimed at changing delinquent behavior,targeting ________ children seems to be more effective.

A) older
B) low socio-economic status
C) younger
D) high socio-economic status

Question 44

Joe just got back from a month long trip to Africa.According to the text,what are the likely long-term effects of his trip?

A) an increase in his self-confidence and social skills
B) a decrease in verbal fluency
C) an increased appreciation for his hometown and family
D) a decreased sense of self

Question 45

According to the text,narcissists seem to ________ the positive consequences of changing themselves.

A) overestimate
B) underestimate
C) fully understand
D) reject

Question 46

Sandy is afraid that her lack of diligence and timeliness will cause her to get fired from her job.According to the text,what is the first thing she must do to increase her level of conscientiousness?

A) recognize her specific problem areas and want to change
B) talk to her boss to get his perspective
C) change herself immediately without much thought
D) recognize that particular aspects of her job are likely causing her to be late and lazy

Question 47

The following exercises are used to help develop self-control EXCEPT ________.

A) meditating
B) self-affirmation
C) relaxing
D) reconsidering temptations

Question 48

Starting a job,entering college,and beginning a serious relationship are all associated with increases in ________.

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

Question 49

What piece of evidence suggests that age is NOT a determining factor in the desire to change one's personality?

A) College students are more likely to want to change themselves than do individuals in their 60s.
B) There is little to no correlation between participants' age and their self-reported desire to change.
C) Parents report that their children want to change more often than their children report wanting to change.
D) There is a negative correlation between participants' age and their self-reported desire to change.

Question 50

According to the theoretical model cited in the text,what is the correct order of steps necessary to accomplish self-regulated personality trait change?

A) changing one's behavior, allowing the behaviors to become habitual, wanting to change, believing change is possible
B) believing change is possible, wanting to change, asking for outside help, changing one's behavior
C) changing one's behavior, asking for outside help, believing change is possible, wanting to change
D) wanting to change, believing change is possible, self-regulating behavioral change, behavior change becoming habitual

Question 51

According to a recent study,what intervention can lead people to become more tolerant of stress and less defensive in general?

A) attending a two-week acceptance training
B) practicing daily mindfulness activities
C) participating in one-on-one counseling sessions
D) writing self-affirmation essays

Question 52

According to one survey,what trait did the greatest number of people report wanting to change?

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

Question 53

What intervention has been developed to (temporarily)change levels of narcissism?

A) Individuals were given psilocybin mushrooms.
B) Individuals were instructed to work for a charity for at least 10 hours per week.
C) Individuals were told to practice mindfulness meditation.
D) Individuals were told to practice perspective taking and empathy.

Question 54

Young people with life-threatening illnesses appear to shift their goals from ________ to ________.

A) exploration; emotional well-being
B) generativity; meaningfulness
C) work; family
D) intellectual achievement; creativity

Question 55

Johnny just lost his job.What change in personality is he likely to undergo?

A) an increase in conscientiousness
B) a decrease in agreeableness
C) an increase in emotional stability
D) a decrease in extraversion

Question 56

What event is likely to contribute to personality changes well into adulthood?

A) entering college
B) beginning a serious relationship
C) caring for a spouse with a terminal illness
D) going through the natural aging process

Question 57

What drug can lead to increases in openness to experience that lasts a year or longer?

A) Prozac
B) marijuana
C) psilocybin mushrooms
D) cocaine

Question 58

According to a new theoretical model for personality change,if individuals ________,the trait change will follow.

A) change their mindset
B) change the relevant environmental factors
C) change the relevant behaviors
D) change their life goals

Question 59

According to a recent study,a ________ amount of stress throughout one's life leads to a(n)________ in cardiovascular reactivity.

A) low; decrease
B) high; decrease
C) moderate; increase
D) moderate; decrease

Question 60

A shift in one's goals is related to a change in one's ________.

A) age
B) life-narrative
C) personality trait levels
D) social roles

Question 61

How capable are we of changing ourselves? Are we passive or active in the process? Identify interventions and techniques used to aid in effortful personal change.

Question 62

Match each definition with its associated principle of personality development.
a.Taking on roles or images such as being a "jock" can lead personality to be consistent over time.
b.People become better equipped to deal with the demands of life as they acquire experience and skills.
c.People seek to develop a stable sense of whom they are and then strive to act consistently with this self-view.
d.Personality can change at any time (but such change may not be easy).
e.Personality traits increase in rank-order consistency as people get older.
f.Person-environment transactions can cause personality traits to remain consistent or even magnify over time.
g.Changing social roles at different stages of life, such as becoming a spouse, parent, or boss, can cause personality to change.
Role continuity principle

Question 63

Identify and discuss the ways in which individuals interact with their environment.Explain the difference between reactive and evocative person-environment interaction.

Question 64

What is a reasonable argument for the idea that personality change is maladaptive?

A) Having a disorganized, unsteady personality can cause others to find it difficult to make sense of or relate to that person.
B) Personality stability causes others to consider that person as "too perfect."
C) Someone who changes their personality frequently is perceived as unattractive and therefore may not acquire many relationship partners.
D) Personality instability causes borderline personality disorder.

Question 65

Which of the following life events has NOT been identified as contributing to significant changes in one's personality over one's lifespan?

A) birth order
B) early experience
C) attending college
D) retirement

Question 66

Match each definition with its associated principle of personality development.
a.Taking on roles or images such as being a "jock" can lead personality to be consistent over time.
b.People become better equipped to deal with the demands of life as they acquire experience and skills.
c.People seek to develop a stable sense of whom they are and then strive to act consistently with this self-view.
d.Personality can change at any time (but such change may not be easy).
e.Personality traits increase in rank-order consistency as people get older.
f.Person-environment transactions can cause personality traits to remain consistent or even magnify over time.
g.Changing social roles at different stages of life, such as becoming a spouse, parent, or boss, can cause personality to change.
Maturity principle

Question 67

Match each definition with its associated principle of personality development.
a.Taking on roles or images such as being a "jock" can lead personality to be consistent over time.
b.People become better equipped to deal with the demands of life as they acquire experience and skills.
c.People seek to develop a stable sense of whom they are and then strive to act consistently with this self-view.
d.Personality can change at any time (but such change may not be easy).
e.Personality traits increase in rank-order consistency as people get older.
f.Person-environment transactions can cause personality traits to remain consistent or even magnify over time.
g.Changing social roles at different stages of life, such as becoming a spouse, parent, or boss, can cause personality to change.
Cumulative continuity principle

Question 68

The best sort of personality change ________.

A) is quick and focused
B) occurs in childhood but not in adulthood
C) is slow and steady
D) is a constant effortful struggle throughout the life span

Question 69

Over the last 10 years,Angelica has become more agreeable,conscientious and emotionally stable.What principle best describes Angelica's development?

A) cumulative continuity principle
B) the maturity principle
C) plasticity principle
D) social investment principle

Question 70

All of the following are among Roberts and colleagues' principles of personality development EXCEPT ________.

A) cumulative continuity principle
B) maturity principle
C) role continuity principle
D) rank-order reversal principle

Question 71

With accumulated evidence from personality and developmental psychology we can conclude that personality ________ and ________ over the life course.

A) is positive; negative
B) changes; is stable
C) is subjective; objective
D) is self-reported; peer-reported

Question 72

People tend to blame negative experiences on ________ rather than recognizing the role of ________.

A) their own personality; external factors
B) luck; their own personality
C) external factors; their own personality
D) external factors; luck

Question 73

In high school Jane was made fun of for being a geek.As an adult,she is a molecular biologist who now proudly wears the "geek" badge of honor.Jane's experience is an example of which of the principles of personality development?

A) plasticity principle
B) role continuity principle
C) identity development principle
D) maturity principle

Question 74

According to the text,each of the principles of personality development is well suited to ________.

A) argue against the previous claim that personality changes across the life span
B) serve as the bases of personality development and as a guide for future research
C) direct a therapist's approach to effortful personal change
D) argue against the previous claim that personality remains stable across the life span

Question 75

Match each definition with its associated principle of personality development.
a.Taking on roles or images such as being a "jock" can lead personality to be consistent over time.
b.People become better equipped to deal with the demands of life as they acquire experience and skills.
c.People seek to develop a stable sense of whom they are and then strive to act consistently with this self-view.
d.Personality can change at any time (but such change may not be easy).
e.Personality traits increase in rank-order consistency as people get older.
f.Person-environment transactions can cause personality traits to remain consistent or even magnify over time.
g.Changing social roles at different stages of life, such as becoming a spouse, parent, or boss, can cause personality to change.
Identity development principle

Question 76

Match each definition with its associated principle of personality development.
a.Taking on roles or images such as being a "jock" can lead personality to be consistent over time.
b.People become better equipped to deal with the demands of life as they acquire experience and skills.
c.People seek to develop a stable sense of whom they are and then strive to act consistently with this self-view.
d.Personality can change at any time (but such change may not be easy).
e.Personality traits increase in rank-order consistency as people get older.
f.Person-environment transactions can cause personality traits to remain consistent or even magnify over time.
g.Changing social roles at different stages of life, such as becoming a spouse, parent, or boss, can cause personality to change.
Corresponsive principle

Question 77

Match each definition with its associated principle of personality development.
a.Taking on roles or images such as being a "jock" can lead personality to be consistent over time.
b.People become better equipped to deal with the demands of life as they acquire experience and skills.
c.People seek to develop a stable sense of whom they are and then strive to act consistently with this self-view.
d.Personality can change at any time (but such change may not be easy).
e.Personality traits increase in rank-order consistency as people get older.
f.Person-environment transactions can cause personality traits to remain consistent or even magnify over time.
g.Changing social roles at different stages of life, such as becoming a spouse, parent, or boss, can cause personality to change.
Social investment principle

Question 78

The idea that people seek to develop a stable sense of who they are and then strive to act consistently with this self-view is consistent with the ________.

A) identity development principle
B) role continuity principle
C) corresponsive principle
D) plasticity principle

Question 79

Match each definition with its associated principle of personality development.
a.Taking on roles or images such as being a "jock" can lead personality to be consistent over time.
b.People become better equipped to deal with the demands of life as they acquire experience and skills.
c.People seek to develop a stable sense of whom they are and then strive to act consistently with this self-view.
d.Personality can change at any time (but such change may not be easy).
e.Personality traits increase in rank-order consistency as people get older.
f.Person-environment transactions can cause personality traits to remain consistent or even magnify over time.
g.Changing social roles at different stages of life, such as becoming a spouse, parent, or boss, can cause personality to change.
Plasticity principle

Question 80

Identify and describe the ways in which personality development is studied throughout psychology.What are the strengths and drawbacks of the longitudinal and cross-sectional approaches?