Deck 12: Self and Personality

Question 1

Susan usually does well on her written assignments and she says this is because she works really hard.But when she gets a bad grade on her last written assignment,she says it was because the teacher does not like her.Her explanations show that she is making a

A) self-serving bias.
B) reflected appraisal.
C) better-than-average effect.
D) downward comparison.

Answer 1

self-serving bias.

Question 2

Which of the following concepts is most clearly related to reflected appraisal?

A) self-schema
B) working self-concept
C) self-knowledge
D) self-esteem

Answer 2

self-esteem

Question 3

Our memories,beliefs,and generalizations about the self are integrated to make up our

A) sociometer.
B) self-esteem.
C) self-schema.
D) working self-concept.

Answer 3

self-schema.

Question 4

When Tori was asked whether she considered herself smart,she immediately answered "Yes,of course." Tori's ability to answer this question about herself effortlessly and automatically suggests that

A) she has low self-esteem and is giving a defensive answer.
B) her self-schema includes information about her intelligence.
C) her self-schema does not include information about her intelligence.
D) she has high self-esteem and is very narcissistic .

Question 5

Psychologists use the term personality mainly to refer to characteristics and behaviors that

A) are relatively stable across time and circumstances.
B) show little variability across persons.
C) stem from conscious intentions.
D) are relatively easy to observe and measure.

Question 6

Frank believes that he is more valuable and special than anyone else.As a result,he feels he is entitled to special treatment,focuses mainly on his own needs,and gets angry when anyone challenges him.Frank most likely

A) has low self-esteem.
B) is using his sociometer.
C) is narcissistic.
D) is experiencing reflected appraisal.

Question 7

Marta has a successful job,a handsome husband,and three intelligent children.What would you predict about Marta's self-esteem based on this information?

A) She will have high self-esteem but only in specific situations.
B) She will have overall high self-esteem.
C) There is only a weak relationship between life outcomes and her self-esteem.
D) She will have weaker self-esteem compared with her friends.

Question 8

When we process information about the self,there is more activity in the __________ of the brain.

A) frontal lobes
B) parietal lobes
C) hypothalamus
D) amygdala

Question 9

When Joe did really well on his first sales presentation,he said it was because he worked hard on it.When he did poorly on his second sales presentation,he said it was because the computer and projector were not working properly.Joe's explanations about his two sales presentations reveal a

A) reflected appraisal.
B) temporal comparison.
C) self-serving bias.
D) downward comparison.

Question 10

When you make a downward comparison,it will typically __________ self-esteem.

A) decrease your own
B) increase your own
C) have little effect on your own
D) increase another person's

Question 11

Bruno is typically shy,likes working on computers,and tends to worry about the future.Bruno's many unchanging characteristics across time and situations are referred to as his

A) self-schema.
B) ego.
C) personality.
D) working self-concept.

Question 12

Franzia decides that she is an excellent student because her grades are much higher than her younger siblings.Her judgment is based on a __________ comparison.

A) upward
B) downward
C) temporal
D) self-serving

Question 13

Which of the following is NOT a finding from research on the better-than-average effect?

A) People are unrealistically optimistic about their futures.
B) People overestimate their control over events.
C) People overestimate other people's abilities.
D) People are unrealistically optimistic about their abilities.

Question 14

If the planet was attacked by a disease that caused people to lose the use of their frontal lobes,people would

A) lose their self-awareness.
B) become narcissistic .
C) experience memory loss.
D) lose their sense of fear.

Question 15

Self-esteem is __________ related to objective life outcomes,such as being successful in one's work.

A) weakly
B) strongly
C) moderately
D) not

Question 16

Dhara was recently in a car accident.Her doctor told her that she has frontal lobe damage.How will this damage affect Dhara?

A) She will not experience fear.
B) She will be less self-aware.
C) She will have memory loss.
D) She will not recognize others.

Question 17

Ahmed has high self-esteem and is happy with his life.Based on this information,which of the following predictions can you make?

A) He has a high level of achievement in many areas of his life.
B) He has a moderate level of achievement in many areas of his life.
C) He has a low level of achievement in many areas of his life.
D) You can predict very little about his achievement in many areas of his life.

Question 18

The cognitive structure that helps us perceive,organize,interpret,and use information about ourselves is called our

A) sociometer.
B) self-schema.
C) self-esteem.
D) working self-concept.

Question 19

Which of the following statements is FALSE?

A) Self-esteem depends on the situation a person is in.
B) Self-esteem is very stable over one's lifetime.
C) Self-esteem strongly predicts lifetime success.
D) Self-esteem is related to how others perceive a person.

Question 20

According to sociometer theory,self-esteem is important because it indicates

A) social acceptance and rejection.
B) discrepancies between internal and external evaluations.
C) good and bad interpersonal behaviors.
D) changes in our moods and emotions.

Question 21

Our ability to fulfill our potential through greater self-understanding is part of the __________ approach to personality.

A) cognitive
B) psychodynamic
C) humanistic
D) trait

Question 22

Ryan's sister is visiting for Thanksgiving.She always gets on Ryan's nerves,and this year is no exception.While walking the dog after dinner,Ryan may reveal this conflict unconsciously by being strict with the dog.Ryan's behavior is best explained by the __________ defense mechanism.

A) rationalization
B) reaction formation
C) displacement
D) projection

Question 23

When Bart turns 4,he begins to find his mother sexually attractive.He wants to kill his father Homer,so that he does not have to share his mother.According to Freud,Bart is experiencing the __________ complex.

A) ego
B) latency
C) phallic
D) Oedipus

Question 24

According to the psychodynamic approach,children feel unconscious impulses toward their parents of the opposite sex during the __________ stage of psychosexual development.

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

Question 25

Which person is most likely to have a sense of self that is based on his feeling of being unique from others?

A) Miko, who was raised in Japan
B) Jack, who was raised in Australia
C) Chien, who grew up in China
D) Ibrahim, who grew up in Pakistan.

Question 26

Anita takes a personality test online.The results say she is high on the extraversion dimension of personality and she is likely to be assertive and energetic.The online personality test most likely used the __________ approach to personality.

A) cognitive
B) psychodynamic
C) humanistic
D) trait

Question 27

Andy is an angry child whose aggressive behavior has gotten him into trouble.His parents decide to put him in sports to channel some of this anger into a healthier and more productive outlet.According to the psychodynamic theory of personality,his parents are trying to use the defense mechanism of

A) displacement.
B) repression.
C) reaction formation.
D) sublimation.

Question 28

According to psychosexual development theory,when the erogenous zone centers on the genitals a person is in the __________ stage.

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

Question 29

Which of the following is NOT a psychosexual stage of development?

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

Question 30

Freud thought that anxiety resulted from conflict between __________ and __________.

A) the id; the superego
B) repression; rationalization
C) the preconscious; the unconscious
D) the oral stage; the anal stage

Question 31

Tyra is tall and very thin and appears to be anorexic.She justifies her weight by saying that she is small boned.Tyra excusing her eating habits is an example of the __________ defense mechanism.

A) displacement
B) rationalization
C) projection
D) denial

Question 32

Children raised to have connections with their family and follow societal norms are more likely to be from a(n)__________ culture.

A) individualistic
B) independent
C) collectivist
D) cohesive

Question 33

Raj is unconsciously attracted to his best friend's wife,Bernadette.But consciously,whenever Raj talks about Bernadette,he says how dumb and ugly she is.This example best demonstrates the __________ defense mechanism.

A) projection
B) reaction formation
C) displacement
D) sublimation

Question 34

Which person is most likely to have a sense of self largely defined by his social roles and group relationships?

A) Pierre, who was raised in France
B) Mike, who grew up in New York
C) Martin, who grew up in Canada
D) Miko, who was raised in Japan

Question 35

Josh is not worried that his newborn baby seems easily frightened.He tells his wife: "His personality will develop later,as a pattern of learned thinking and behavior." Josh believes in the __________ approach to personality.

A) psychodynamic
B) trait
C) humanistic
D) cognitive

Question 36

Ken wants a new CD but does not want to buy it.He knows that he can download it for free but that it is illegal.Or he can buy just a few tracks online.Ken wants to steal the music but knows it is wrong.According to psychodynamic theory Ken has a conflict between his __________ and __________.

A) superego; ego
B) id; ego
C) subego; superego
D) id; superego

Question 37

Katie is very particular.She likes her apartment to be overly organized and things have to be done correctly or she gets upset.According to psychodynamic theory,Katie is most likely fixated at the __________ phase of psychosexual development.

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

Question 38

After performing poorly at the track meet,Troy said that he just does not have as much natural athletic ability as the other runner.Troy explains his performances at the track meet based on a

A) self-serving bias.
B) downward comparison.
C) temporal comparison.
D) upward comparison.

Question 39

Trait theories of personality differ from psychodynamic and humanistic approaches because they

A) describe behavioral tendencies that are consistent over time.
B) have a generally more positive view of human nature.
C) are less able to be tested scientifically.
D) are based on people's unconscious conflicts.

Question 40

Tom was hungry,so he went to a fast-food restaurant.He did not have any money,so when a young girl left her burger unattended,Tom quickly grabbed her burger and left.According to the psychodynamic theory of personality,his actions were most likely driven by his

A) defense mechanisms.
B) id.
C) ego.
D) superego.

Question 41

Dr.Roger is a psychologist trained in the person-centered approach to therapy.Which of the following describes how Dr.Roger would treat his clients?

A) He would have his client's behaviors observed by two or more raters.
B) He would discuss his client's problems as the client understands them.
C) He would have his client take tests that measure the five-factor theory.
D) He would have his client take multiple projective tests to reveal unconscious conflicts.

Question 42

When Phia's boss tells her that she is lazy and needs to work harder,Phia smiles and nods politely.That night,she screams at her husband Eric for burning the steaks.Phia's behavior most likely is a result of the defense mechanism of

A) displacement.
B) denial.
C) sublimation.
D) repression.

Question 43

Betty is making a mud pie out of dirt she brought in from the backyard.When her mother sees it,she yells,"Stop it.Good girls do not play with dirt and mud." According to humanistic approaches to personality,Betty's mom is creating __________ for her daughter.

A) unconditional positive regard
B) self-actualization
C) unconscious conflicts
D) conditions of worth

Question 44

If you become fixated at the anal psychosexual stage,which of the following would likely characterize your behavior?

A) You would be sexually attracted to the opposite-sex parent.
B) You would focus on seeking pleasure and avoiding pain.
C) You would be stubborn and very regulating.
D) Your self-esteem would be dependent on others' views of you.

Question 45

Andy's id is a very dominant force in his personality.Which of the following is Andy most likely to do?

A) feel embarrassed even if he has done nothing wrong
B) act calmly around strangers
C) follow his impulses when making decisions
D) resolve conflicts in a peaceful way

Question 46

Eddie failed his driver's license test.When asked why he failed,Eddie says the questions were not fair and the driving instructor did not teach him properly.According to expectancy theory,Eddie probably has an

A) internal sense of determinism.
B) external sense of determinism.
C) internal locus of control.
D) external locus of control.

Question 47

Derek's dad demands that Derek play catch with him.When Derek drops the ball,his dad tells him that he is useless unless he can be a good athlete.According to humanistic approaches to personality,Derek's dad is creating __________ for his son.

A) conditions of worth
B) self-actualization
C) unconscious conflicts
D) low self-esteem

Question 48

You know you can successfully get into medical school.You say,"All I have to do is figure out how other people got in,select the strategies I can use,and implement my plan." You appear to have a(n)__________ locus of control

A) internal
B) external
C) situational
D) dispositional

Question 49

Charlotte is excessively needy and smokes cigarettes constantly to ease her anxiety.According to the psychodynamic theory of personality,Charlotte may be fixated at the __________ stage of psychosocial development.

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

Question 50

Sheldon and Amy met on an online dating site.Sheldon describes himself as stubborn,competitive,and argumentative.According to the Big Five trait theory,Sheldon is most likely

A) low in agreeableness.
B) high in neuroticism.
C) low in extraversion.
D) high in conscientiousness.

Question 51

Sam does not try hard at work,because he believes that promotions are completely random and that he has no control over whether he will get promoted.According to expectancy theory,Sam most likely has a(n)__________ locus of control.

A) internal
B) external
C) situational
D) dispositional

Question 52

Silas thinks that a personality is made up of characteristics that can be described on a dimension from low to high.Silas most likely agrees with the __________ approach to personality.

A) psychodynamic
B) cognitive
C) humanistic
D) trait

Question 53

Brad and Gloria met on an online dating site.Gloria describes herself as secure,calm in stressful situations,and rarely angry.According to the Big Five trait theory,Gloria is most likely

A) high in conscientiousness.
B) high in openness.
C) low in extraversion.
D) low in neuroticism.

Question 54

Marta's parents want her to become a doctor,but she would like to be an artist.Which approach to personality would suggest that Marta's personal growth is associated with following her dream of becoming an artist?

A) cognitive
B) trait
C) psychodynamic
D) humanistic

Question 55

In the five-factor theory trait,the trait of neuroticism is similar to the dimension of __________ in Eysenck's biological trait theory.

A) stability
B) psychoticism
C) constraint
D) extraversion

Question 56

Greg is a parent who wants to apply a person-centered approach to raising his son Isaac.Which of the following things should Greg do?

A) He should withhold treats and gifts to reinforce his rules.
B) He should emphasize Isaac's responsibility for his failures.
C) He should love and support Isaac no matter how he behaves.
D) He should teach Isaac defense mechanisms to relieve his internal conflicts.

Question 57

Phoebe is an inventor who is creative and good at using everyday items in unusual ways.According to the Big Five model of personality,Phoebe most likely would be high in

A) neuroticism.
B) openness to experience.
C) conscientiousness.
D) agreeableness.

Question 58

Which of the following traits is NOT part of the five-factor theory of personality?

A) openness to experience
B) agreeableness
C) neuroticism
D) introversion

Question 59

Dr.Carl is a humanistic psychologist studying personality.Which of the following statements is he most likely to say?

A) "Personality is based on a person's unconscious wishes and conflicts."
B) "Personality is influenced by a person's uniqueness, growth, and self-understanding."
C) "Personality is based on how we think, our expectancies, and our values."
D) "Personality can be described by our personal characteristics."

Question 60

Trait theories,like the five-factor theory,are important because they

A) provide information on unconscious processes.
B) can use projective measures to assess personality.
C) provide insight into how situations influence personality.
D) can predict a wide variety of behaviors.

Question 61

You have an internal locus of control.When you perform poorly in volleyball and your team loses the game,which of the following statements are you most likely to say?

A) "The other team was too good."
B) "Luck was not on my side today."
C) "I did not practice enough last week."
D) "My teammates need to play harder."

Question 62

Recent psychological research suggests that the impact of parenting style on personality is

A) more influential than previously assumed.
B) less influential than previously assumed.
C) only influential in individualistic cultures.
D) only influential in collectivistic cultures.

Question 63

Whenever they have recess,Marin ignores the other kids in his class.He would rather play with toys by himself.Researchers would say that Marin is low on the __________ aspect of temperament.

A) activity level
B) sociability
C) interpersonal
D) emotionality

Question 64

Which of the following is an aspect of temperament?

A) emotionality
B) agreeableness
C) stability
D) extraversion

Question 65

Which of the following people will show a highly stable personality if measured today and again 1 year later?

A) Janessa, a 7-year-old
B) Tyree, a 15-year-old
C) Evelyn, a 35-year-old
D) LaShonda, a 55-year-old

Question 66

Your teacher asks you what you did on your last vacation.After thinking about it for a moment,you tell her that last summer you went to Europe.To be able to answer your teacher's question,you had to pull information from your __________ level of awareness.

A) unconscious
B) nonconscious
C) conscious
D) preconscious

Question 67

Which of the following is a message that might be driven by your reality principle?

A) "I'm hungry and I've got to eat a pizza right now!"
B) "I want to play with his toy, so I will offer to trade him mine."
C) "It is not safe to play with matches."
D) "I should help that elderly woman or she might fall down."

Question 68

Becca wants to know whether her baby Cole is going to be shy.According to research,how early can Becca use Cole's behaviors and reactions as an indication of his shyness?

A) when Cole is 1 week old
B) when Cole is 6 weeks old
C) when Cole is 6 months old
D) when Cole is 3 years old

Question 69

At 3 years of age,Megan was classified as having an undercontrolled temperament.According to research,as an adult,Megan will be more likely to

A) be anxious.
B) be depressed.
C) have alcohol problems.
D) attempt suicide.

Question 70

Which of the following is NOT an aspect of temperament?

A) activity level
B) sociability
C) emotionality
D) agreeableness

Question 71

As identical twins get older,their personalities

A) become more different.
B) become more similar.
C) are as similar as they were growing up.
D) change depending on situational influences.

Question 72

Aman and Pavan are identical twins separated and adopted into different families as infants.They grew up in different cities,went to different schools,and had adoptive parents with different parenting styles.Which of the following people will be most similar to Aman in personality?

A) his adoptive mom
B) his biological mom
C) his male adopted sibling
D) Pavan

Question 73

Jared was an identical twin adopted into a different family.When Jared is an adult,his personality should most resemble his

A) adopted siblings.
B) adopted parents.
C) biological parents.
D) identical twin.

Question 74

How is age related to stability of personality?

A) Children's personalities are more stable than older adults.
B) There is some stability at any age, but particularly after age 50.
C) Age and personality stability are unrelated.
D) Personality traits are equally stable at any age range.

Question 75

What is the difference between temperaments and personality traits?

A) Traits are broader than temperaments.
B) Temperaments are broader than traits.
C) Temperaments only apply to children.
D) Traits only apply to children.

Question 76

A change in behavior based on the demands of specific situations is a

A) basic tendency.
B) characteristic adaptation.
C) temperament.
D) working self-concept.

Question 77

Which of the following is evidence that personality has a genetic component?

A) Adopted children in the same family are similar in personality.
B) Identical twins are more similar in personality than non-identical twins.
C) People in the same culture are similar in personality.
D) Both biological and nonbiological siblings show similar personalities.

Question 78

Igor tends to cry and become frightened easily.Even small changes in his environment can scare him.Researchers would say that Igor is high on the __________ aspect of temperament.

A) activity level
B) sociability
C) stability
D) emotionality

Question 79

Which of the following is a message that might be driven by your pleasure principle?

A) "It's not safe to run with scissors."
B) "I should hold that door open for that person carrying all those packages."
C) "I want to use his red crayon, so I'll see if he will trade for my green crayon."
D) "I'm thirsty and I need to have a soda right now!"

Question 80

A trait that is determined largely by biological processes is a

A) basic tendency.
B) characteristic adaptation.
C) temperament.
D) working self-concept.