Deck 14: Personality

Question 1

The original goal of psychoanalysis was to

A) prevent the process known as catharsis.
B) help the patient reexamine the assumptions behind his or her style of life.
C) bring the contents of the unconscious mind into the conscious mind.
D) help the patient probe the contents of the collective unconscious.

Answer 1

bring the contents of the unconscious mind into the conscious mind.

Question 2

Early in his career, Freud believed that some people overreacted to mildly traumatic events in adult life because of

A) a failure to understand their own style of life.
B) impaired attention processes.
C) symbolism contained in their collective unconscious.
D) early childhood sexual events.

Answer 2

early childhood sexual events.

Question 3

For a few years, Freud argued that disorders stem from __________. Later he switched to arguing that they result from __________.

A) imbalances among neurotransmitters; abnormal avoidance learning
B) childhood sexual fantasies; childhood sexual abuse
C) abnormal avoidance learning; imbalances among neurotransmitters
D) childhood sexual abuse; childhood sexual fantasies

Answer 3

childhood sexual abuse; childhood sexual fantasies

Question 4

According to Freud's psychodynamic theory:

A) all neurotic behavior can be traced to overindulgence in sexual behavior.
B) libido focuses on different parts of the body.
C) catharsis is what happens if the libido becomes fixated.
D) the unconscious has no thoughts, memories, or emotions.

Question 5

According to Freud, what made certain people highly vulnerable to psychological disorders?

A) symbolism contained in their collective unconscious
B) hereditary physiological weakness
C) sexual fantasies during early childhood
D) a failure to understand their own style of life

Question 6

Freud's theory of personality is an example of a __________ theory.

A) functional
B) Gestalt
C) humanistic
D) psychodynamic

Question 7

Freud's influence within psychology __________; his influence outside of psychology __________.

A) is greater than it has ever been...is almost nonexistent
B) was never very great...was significant at one time, but has declined
C) continues to be very high...is very much on the decline
D) is very much on the decline...continues to be very high

Question 8

Freud's influence within psychology is on the decline because

A) there is little scientific evidence to support any of his theories.
B) most people find his emphasis on sexuality distasteful.
C) in spite of good scientific support, many people find his theories objectionable.
D) most university professors no longer teach or discuss his ideas.

Question 9

A theory that relates personality to the interplay of conflicting forces within the individual is known as a

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

Question 10

Freud's original goal in psychoanalysis was to help a patient by

A) examining the assumptions behind the patient's style of life.
B) providing reinforcement for new learned patterns of behavior.
C) making the person conscious of memories that had been previously unconscious.
D) probing the collective unconscious, as revealed in symbols and art.

Question 11

Which of the following does a psychoanalyst hope to produce?

A) reaction formation
B) a latent period
C) an Oedipus complex
D) catharsis

Question 12

The term personality comes from the Latin word persona, which means

A) nice, or friendly.
B) experience.
C) mask.
D) stable, or permanent.

Question 13

Catharsis refers to

A) the release of pent-up emotions.
B) gaining access to the collective unconscious.
C) treating the therapist like a parent.
D) an increase in anxiety.

Question 14

Freud developed his view of the most common cause of psychological disorders based on

A) claims his patients made about childhood experiences of sexual abuse.
B) claims his patients made about early childhood sexual fantasies.
C) inferences he made regarding his clients' childhood experiences.
D) both survey results and laboratory experiments.

Question 15

Freud's influence within psychology is

A) as strong as ever.
B) especially significant in modern times.
C) very much on the decline.
D) more significant than his impact on sociology and literature.

Question 16

The idea that individuals are basically destructive and have to be held in check by society are views that were expressed by __________ and __________.

A) Jean-Jacques Rousseau...Carl Rogers
B) Thomas Hobbes...Carl Rogers
C) Jean-Jacques Rousseau...Sigmund Freud
D) Thomas Hobbes...Sigmund Freud

Question 17

According to Freud, a boy who develops a sexual interest in his mother and competitive aggression toward his father is experiencing

A) an Oedipus complex.
B) an Electra complex.
C) an Othello complex.
D) catharsis.

Question 18

The idea that individuals are basically good and will achieve noble goals if not restrained by society are views that were expressed by __________ and __________.

A) Jean-Jacques Rousseau...Carl Rogers
B) Thomas Hobbes...Carl Rogers
C) Jean-Jacques Rousseau...Sigmund Freud
D) Thomas Hobbes...Sigmund Freud

Question 19

The process of releasing an emotion, getting it out of one's system, is called

A) displacement.
B) obsession.
C) catharsis.
D) transference.

Question 20

Psychodynamic approaches claim that personality is

A) the result of hidden motives.
B) the result of conflicting motivations.
C) strongly influenced by motives that may be subconscious.
D) all of these

Question 21

Sigmund Freud based his theories mainly on what kind of evidence?

A) surveys of other psychiatrists
B) his inferences from his patients' dreams and self-reports
C) double-blind experiments
D) careful observations of preschool children

Question 22

According to Freud, people have a psychosexual energy, which he called

A) catharsis.
B) libido.
C) superego.
D) ego.

Question 23

Based on Freud's stages of psychosexual development, toilet training that is too strict may result in fixation in the __________ stage.

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

Question 24

In Freud's terms, blockage of normal sexual development at some stage is called

A) repression.
B) fixation.
C) sublimation.
D) catharsis.

Question 25

According to Freud, the "anal stage" is

A) a normal part of psychosexual development.
B) an indication of probable parental abuse.
C) the result of failure to thrive during the oral stage.
D) an indication that someone's superego is dominating over the id.

Question 26

According to Freud, someone who goes through life "holding things back" and is orderly, stingy, and stubborn was probably fixated in the

A) oral stage.
B) anal stage.
C) phallic stage.
D) latency period.

Question 27

Early in his career, Sigmund Freud changed his position with regard to

A) whether psychological problems stem from early sexual abuse or fantasies about early sexual abuse.
B) whether the primary human motivation is sex or striving for superiority.
C) how many stages of sexual development are normal during childhood development.
D) the probable brain locations of the id, ego, and superego.

Question 28

Initially, Freud argued that psychological disorders were the product of early sexual abuse. Later he said they were the product of fantasies of early sexual abuse. What evidence did he have for these theories?

A) At first his patients told him they had been sexually abused. Later they admitted that their previous reports were fantasies.
B) At first his patients told him they had been sexually abused. Later Freud interviewed the alleged abusers and believed they were innocent.
C) Both theories were Freud's inferences or guesses, in attempts to make sense of his patients' dreams and other experiences.
D) Freud conducted surveys and other research; his later theories were based on improved statistical analyses.

Question 29

According to Freud, libido is FIRST focused on the sensations that an infant feels in their

A) mouth.
B) genitals.
C) anal sphincter.
D) penis.

Question 30

Sigmund Freud believed that one important determinant of personality was

A) striving to achieve self-actualization.
B) the influence of images from the collective unconscious.
C) fixation at an immature stage of psychosexual development.
D) behaviors learned through classical and operant conditioning.

Question 31

How would Sigmund Freud explain why some person has lasting concerns about dependence and independence?

A) The person has a strong id and a weak superego.
B) The person has a very high level of libido.
C) The person is engaging in projection and rationalization.
D) The person had a fixation during the oral stage.

Question 32

According to Freud, we go through stages of sexual development in the following order:

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

Question 33

In Freud's earliest psychological writings, he said the cause of mental illness was __________. Several years later he changed his mind and said the cause was __________.

A) the Oedipal complex...the Electra complex
B) biological disorders...ideas related to sex
C) ideas related to sex...ideas related to striving for superiority
D) childhood sexual abuse...sexual fantasies during childhood

Question 34

Early in Freud's career, he changed his theory about whether psychological disorders were due to

A) sexual abuse or sexual fantasies during childhood.
B) adult experiences or childhood experiences.
C) forces of the id or forces of the ego.
D) striving for superiority or sex.

Question 35

How would Sigmund Freud explain why someone eats, drinks, or smokes too much?

A) The person has a strong id and a weak superego.
B) The person has a very high level of libido.
C) The person is engaging in projection and rationalization.
D) The person had a fixation during the oral stage.

Question 36

According to Freud's original theory, the reason for psychological disturbances was __________. Later he changed his theory and said that the reason was __________.

A) fixation at an early stage of psychosexual development...inadequate methods of striving for superiority
B) inadequate methods of striving for superiority...fixation at an early stage of psychosexual development
C) childhood sexual abuse...sexual fantasies during childhood
D) childhood sexual fantasies...childhood sexual abuse

Question 37

Sigmund Freud based his theories mainly on

A) the results of scientific experiments.
B) observations of how people behave in natural settings.
C) what his patients told him about their early sexual experiences.
D) what he inferred must have happened in his patients' early experience.

Question 38

Which of the following was NOT true of Sigmund Freud?

A) he spent much time observing children's behavior
B) he believed that behavior has causes
C) he inferred unconscious influences that his clients didn't know about
D) he emphasized the influence of early experience on later behavior

Question 39

During which of Freud's stages of psychosexual development does the Oedipus Complex occur?

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

Question 40

According to Sigmund Freud, libido referred to:

A) repressed memories.
B) infantile behaviors.
C) aggressive tendencies.
D) sexual energy.

Question 41

According to Sigmund Freud, repression is a means of

A) forcing people to do something they don't want to do.
B) fixating psychosexual energy at a particular stage.
C) keeping unpleasant thoughts out of consciousness.
D) keeping the id, ego, and superego separate from one another.

Question 42

According to Freud, sexual interest is suppressed during the

A) oral stage.
B) phallic stage.
C) latent period.
D) genital stage.

Question 43

Many psychologists criticize Freud's theory of psychosexual stages because

A) the theory makes such vague predictions that it cannot be tested.
B) children can go through the stages in any order, beginning at any age.
C) he dealt only with normal sexual development and neglected to deal with frustrated development.
D) he described only the infant stages and neglected to deal with adolescence and adulthood.

Question 44

According to Sigmund Freud, which stage of sexual development is characteristic of a normal adult?

A) phallic stage
B) latent period
C) genital stage
D) oral stage

Question 45

In Freud's theory, the ego is the part of personality that

A) resembles conscience.
B) makes rational decisions.
C) must be repressed in order for the superego to emerge.
D) includes biological drives.

Question 46

According to Freud, girls who are fixated in the phallic stage

A) become orderly, stingy, and stubborn.
B) are likely to become adults who eat and drink too much.
C) become promiscuous as adults.
D) develop penis envy.

Question 47

Many modern psychologists are critical of Freud's theory of psychosexual stages. Why?

A) Most research suggests there are more stages than the five Freud proposed.
B) Most research suggests there are fewer stages than the five Freud proposed.
C) Most research suggests that people become fixated at several stages, rather than just one.
D) Freud's theory is so vague that meaningful research on it is nearly impossible.

Question 48

According to Freud, what does the ego do?

A) makes rational decisions
B) evaluates behavior in comparison to the prohibitions taught by one's parents
C) urges behavior toward immediate fulfillment of biological drives
D) seeks a feeling of superiority over others

Question 49

In Freud's theory, the id is the part of personality that

A) resembles conscience.
B) makes rational decisions.
C) includes biological drives.
D) mediates between the conscious and the unconscious.

Question 50

A worker in an asbestos plant who hears that working with asbestos increases the risk of cancer soon forgets the report. This is an example of which defense mechanism?

A) reaction formation
B) displacement
C) regression
D) repression

Question 51

Someone gives in to a variety of sexual impulses and other impulses that other people would inhibit. In Freud's terminology, this person would be said to have a

A) strong superego and strong ego.
B) strong id and weak superego.
C) weak id and weak ego.
D) strong ego and weak id.

Question 52

A college student, ill prepared for the final exam, shows up late and then discovers that he has forgotten to bring a pencil. This is a possible example of which defense mechanism?

A) reaction formation
B) projection
C) regression
D) repression

Question 53

According to Freud, boys who are fixated in the phallic stage

A) become orderly, stingy, and stubborn.
B) are likely to become adults who eat and drink too much.
C) develop a fear of being castrated.
D) develop penis envy.

Question 54

In Freud's theory, the term superego means something similar to

A) reality.
B) libido.
C) conscience.
D) logical thought.

Question 55

In Freud's theory, repression refers to:

A) motivated forgetting.
B) psychic mistreatment.
C) attributing your undesirable characteristics to other people.
D) going to the opposite extreme to cover up an undesirable tendency.

Question 56

In Freud's theory, "repression" is a possible cause of

A) motivation.
B) transference.
C) forgetting.
D) sex drive.

Question 57

The purpose of the defense mechanisms, according to Freud, is to

A) protect the id.
B) achieve physical gratification.
C) gain access to the unconscious.
D) reduce anxiety.

Question 58

In Freud's theory, the superego is the part of personality that

A) includes the drives for biological gratification.
B) suppresses the desires of the ego in order to make logical decisions.
C) includes dos and don'ts handed down from one's parents.
D) strives for superiority.

Question 59

According to Freud, what does the superego do?

A) urges behavior toward immediate fulfillment of biological drives
B) seeks a feeling of superiority over others
C) evaluates behavior in comparison to the prohibitions taught by one's parents
D) makes rational decisions

Question 60

According to Freud, repression is

A) blocking an unpleasant memory from reaching consciousness.
B) completely forgetting some unimportant event.
C) suppressing or preventing an urge to do something.
D) a return to an infantile mode of thinking.

Question 61

A group of wealthy business people, angry because of poor business conditions, insist on the firing of the football coach at the local college. This is an example of which defense mechanism?

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

Question 62

A student who is having difficulty in school begins acting in a childish manner. This is an example of which defense mechanism?

A) projection
B) repression
C) regression
D) displacement

Question 63

The defense mechanism of regression is

A) motivated forgetting.
B) presenting oneself as the opposite of what one actually is.
C) a refusal to believe something.
D) a return to juvenile behavior.

Question 64

A student who does not want to study says, "It is more important for me to spend the evening talking with my roommate, who really needs my help right now." This may be an example of which defense mechanism?

A) repression
B) sublimation
C) rationalization
D) regression

Question 65

Someone who illegally copies computer software says, "I am actually doing the company a favor by using their software and therefore publicizing it." This may be an example of which defense mechanism?

A) repression
B) displacement
C) sublimation
D) rationalization

Question 66

Someone who is yelled at by the boss goes home and yells at the children. This is an example of which defense mechanism?

A) displacement
B) repression
C) regression
D) denial

Question 67

A man who notices he has symptoms of cancer develops anxieties about something else. This is a possible example of which defense mechanism?

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

Question 68

It is May 7 and you have not yet begun to look for a summer job. You say, "Nothing to worry about....I won't have any trouble finding a job." This is an example of which defense mechanism?

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

Question 69

A student who fails an exam yells at her roommate. This is an example of which defense mechanism?

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

Question 70

In Freud's theory, if you take something you dislike about yourself (such as hostility) and attribute it to other people, you are engaging in?

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

Question 71

Herman, who is often dishonest, claims that most people are liars. Of the following, which is the most likely explanation or description of why he makes that claim?

A) regression
B) repression
C) reaction formation
D) projection

Question 72

Which of the following would be the clearest example of Freud's defense mechanism of projection?

A) someone who gets angry with his boss keeps quiet until he gets home and then kicks the dog
B) an adult who fails at business and begins to act like a teenager again
C) a witness to a bloody automobile accident forgets all the relevant details
D) someone who has used illegal drugs accuses other people of being drug users

Question 73

In Freud's theory, projection refers to

A) motivated forgetting.
B) abusive mistreatment.
C) attributing your undesirable characteristics to other people.
D) going to the opposite extreme to cover up an undesirable tendency.

Question 74

An hour after wrecking her car, a woman yells at her friend. This is an example of which defense mechanism?

A) regression
B) displacement
C) denial
D) reaction formation

Question 75

A woman who feels anxiety about her dishonest tax returns attributes similar behavior to other people, claiming that most people cheat on their income taxes. Her claim is an apparent example of which of Freud's defense mechanisms?

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

Question 76

A woman who has just been told that her husband is having an affair with another woman says, "I don't believe it." This is an example of which defense mechanism?

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

Question 77

Denial is

A) the same thing as motivated forgetting.
B) a defense mechanism that involves a return to a more juvenile level of functioning.
C) a defense mechanism that involves refusal to believe information.
D) a river in Egypt.

Question 78

Someone who is frustrated by economic failure expresses hatred toward a minority group. This is an example of which defense mechanism?

A) displacement
B) regression
C) repression
D) reaction formation

Question 79

A student who fails an exam begs, cries, and pouts. This is an example of which defense mechanism?

A) repression
B) projection
C) regression
D) displacement

Question 80

A student who seldom comes to class and seldom reads the book says, "No one else takes this class seriously either." This is an example of which defense mechanism?

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