Deck 15: Personality

Question 1

In the study of personality, it is important to distinguish between traits and states. What is one difference?

A) Traits are temporary.
B) States are caused by neurochemistry.
C) Traits are relatively enduring.
D) Only traits affect behavior.

Answer 1

Traits are relatively enduring.

Question 2

Walter Mischel reported that children are __________ in their behavior in different circumstances. He saw this as evidence __________ the validity of personality traits.

A) consistent; supporting
B) inconsistent; supporting
C) consistent; against
D) inconsistent; against

Answer 2

inconsistent; against

Question 3

The so-called personality paradox refers to what, exactly?

A) the idea that personality seems both innate and acquired
B) the idea that personality, though plain to see in anyone, is extremely difficult to measure
C) the idea that personality comprises both behavior and inner states
D) the idea that people behave less consistently than a trait-based conception would predict

Answer 3

the idea that people behave less consistently than a trait-based conception would predict

Question 4

What is the positive pole for neuroticism?

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

Question 5

An important fact about the Big Five is that it is cast in terms of __________.

A) types
B) physiology
C) dimensions
D) informant data

Question 6

Jane is generally trusting and helpful, and makes it a priority to get along well with others. Which of the Big Five traits is most consistent with these descriptors?

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

Question 7

In Mexico, students identified personality factors bearing little resemblance to the Big Five. Moreover, the same students employed a total of __________.

A) 3 factors
B) 9 factors
C) 14 factors
D) 7 factors

Question 8

Energetic, lazy, meticulous, and conscientious are attributes called __________.

A) projective deviations
B) personality inventories
C) personality traits
D) projective characteristics

Question 9

Support for the cross-cultural generality of the Big Five wanes somewhat when __________.

A) participants are allowed to generate their own personality terms
B) participants are gathered from developing nations
C) participants are younger, aged less than 18
D) all of the above answers are correct

Question 10

Raymond Cattell's personality inventory __________.

A) was derived from a factor analysis of dozens of trait names based on the thousands of words used to describe personality attributes
B) assesses 16 primary dimensions of personality
C) both a and b
D) neither a nor b

Question 11

The self-monitoring scale developed by Mark Snyder __________.

A) assesses person-by-situation interactions
B) assesses how consistent one's behavior is across different situations
C) uses factor analysis to assess personality traits
D) assesses the extent to which people try to control the impressions they make on others
E) none of the above

Question 12

In general, trait theories involve the idea that __________.

A) different situations produce entirely different behaviors
B) a person's behavior is rarely consistent across time and situations
C) people can be grouped according to their basic underlying personality characteristics
D) the search for patterns in personality is misguided

Question 13

People who "trash talk" at basketball games, then act charming and sophisticated at art openings, are more likely to score high in __________.

A) conscientiousness
B) self-monitoring
C) sensation-seeking
D) neuroticism

Question 14

While filling out a personality inventory as part of a job application, David strongly endorses the item, "I see myself as someone who does things efficiently." David is most likely to score high in __________.

A) agreeableness
B) sensation-seeking
C) conscientiousness
D) extraversion

Question 15

My Very Elderly Mother Just Sold Uncle Nick's Puppy is a memory aid for remembering the names of the planets in our solar system (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto). Which of the following is an acronym that will help you remember the "Big Five" dimensions of personality?

A) TRIPE
B) WAGON
C) OCEAN
D) PORCH

Question 16

If you are prone to negative affect and agree with statements such as "I see myself as someone who is depressed, blue," chances are you might score high in __________.

A) conscientiousness
B) introversion
C) sensation-seeking
D) neuroticism

Question 17

Julie is very high in self-monitoring. We can expect that when she goes out with different groups of people she __________.

A) will adjust her behavior to match that of the group she is with
B) will be much more consistent in behavior across the different group than a low self-monitoring person
C) is extremely likely to be stubborn and rigid in behavior
D) all of the above

Question 18

Early trait psychologists counted personality-relevant terms in the dictionary. How many did they find?

A) 18,000
B) 2,500
C) 500,000
D) 1,000

Question 19

Those who are high in self-monitoring tend, on average, to be __________.

A) less consistent behaviorally
B) less nervous as people
C) less conscientious
D) happier than others

Question 20

Dan has carefully conducted a factor analysis of the many different personality descriptors of the students in his school. Like most researchers he has ended up with five distinct personality traits. Which of the following would not likely be among the distinct traits he identified?

A) religiosity
B) extraversion
C) agreeableness
D) conscientiousness

Question 21

According to Hans Eysenck, extraverts, in contrast to introverts, seem to be __________.

A) in need of additional stimulation
B) easily overstimulated
C) less reactive to stimuli
D) both b and c

Question 22

The claim that genetic factors contribute to personality is best supported by the fact that __________.

A) different people have different reactions to the same situation
B) some traits seem to be related to somatotypes
C) an aggressive child is likely to become an aggressive adult
D) identical twins are more alike than fraternal twins on some personality measures

Question 23

If a personality questionnaire were to be administered to numerous pairs of identical twins, what degree of heritability would be expected on a measure of extraversion/introversion?

A) -.50
B) .90
C) -.05
D) .50

Question 24

Despite their best intentions, Jennifer and her twin sister Megan have each been divorced three times. Given what we know about personality and divorce, we can assume that Jennifer and Megan have higher scores on measures related to extraversion and __________.

A) neuroticism
B) agreeableness
C) sensation-seeking
D) openness to experience

Question 25

Recent studies show that TV watching seems to be genetically related, but that makes very little sense. Therefore researchers have suggested that TV watching actually reflects the influence of the more general trait of __________.

A) sensation-seeking
B) introversion
C) openness to experience
D) extraversion

Question 26

According to Hans Eysenck, introversion corresponds to __________.

A) low levels of central nervous system arousal
B) high levels of central nervous system arousal
C) low levels of social neuroticism
D) high levels of social neuroticism

Question 27

Jamal and Liz are each given two tests of fearfulness, both rated on a 10-point scale, on which zero means no fear and 10 means maximum fear. In the first test, both Jamal and Liz are confronted with a vicious dog. Here, Jamal's fear rating is 9 points and Liz's is 5. In the second test, both are about to take a difficult examination. Here, Jamal's rating is 5 points and Liz's is 9. These results illustrate __________.

A) the unreliability of traits
B) differences in personal traits
C) the interaction of the situation with personality
D) none of the above

Question 28

According to Zuckerman, what neurotransmitter is underactive in the brains of sensation-seekers?

A) acetylcholine
B) norepinephrine
C) dopamine
D) serotonin

Question 29

Kagan and his colleagues hypothesize that children who seem to be temperamentally inhibited have a low threshold for activity in a subcortical brain structure called the __________.

A) amygdala
B) hippocampus
C) lateral geniculate nucleus
D) superior colliculus

Question 30

"Some people are more anxious than others; some situations evoke more fear than others." This statement refers to __________.

A) the role of genetic inheritance in determining personality
B) the role of environment determining personality
C) the idea that personality is the result of an interaction between person and situation
D) the idea that anxiety develops in fearful situations

Question 31

One implication of Eysenck's extraversion/introversion theory is that introverts should have __________ than extraverts.

A) higher basic alertness
B) lower basic alertness
C) higher pain thresholds
D) lower pain thresholds

Question 32

His teachers described Darrell as being very honest and conscientious on the basis of his classroom performance. However, his basketball coach observed Darrell breaking the rules and taking cheap shots during practice, and described him as a cheat. Such findings have led to criticism of trait theories of personality because __________.

A) different observers tend to describe a single individual in terms of different traits
B) personality is based on fluid cognitive structures rather than systems of traits
C) people behave much less consistently across situations than trait theory predicts
D) all of the above

Question 33

People who are chronically underaroused and who therefore take risks that others would not in order to stimulate their norepinephrine systems into greater activity theoretically would score high on the trait of __________.

A) openness to experience
B) neuroticism
C) sensation-seeking
D) disinhibition

Question 34

Genetic influences have been identified for traits such as TV watching, oddly enough. Why is it logically absurd to think that genes directly influence the viewing of television?

A) Some people don't own TVs.
B) Natural selection unfolds slowly, yet TV has existed for less than a century.
C) Some people do not watch TV at all.
D) TV viewing is determined by culture, according to research.

Question 35

An implication of Hans Eysenck's theory would be that introverts who want to study effectively should __________.

A) seek a louder, more stimulating environment
B) seek a quiet study environment to avoid overarousal
C) use tranquilizers before studying to reduce their excessive arousal
D) listen to loud music to enhance their motivation

Question 36

Dr. Personality is interested in examining the consistency of honest behaviors in children across a range of situations. He observes how likely they are to behave honestly during a classroom exercise, and then he also records how often they behaved honestly during a playground game. If Dr. Personality's results are like those of most researchers, about what degree of correlation for honest behaviors would be expected across the two situations?

A) .90
B) .30
C) .80
D) .75

Question 37

Which of the following would be termed a weak situation?

A) being home alone
B) sitting at a traffic light
C) taking a test in class
D) eating at a very fancy restaurant

Question 38

Situations in which we are most liable to show our "true colors" are __________.

A) ambiguous
B) highly structured
C) tension producing
D) composed of members of the same sex

Question 39

Walter Mischel has argued that personality tests have low predictive validities because __________.

A) these tests were designed to yield construct validity rather than predictive validity
B) these tests are based on the assumption that behavior is consistent across situations
C) these test scores contain numerous errors of measurement
D) research participants try to hide personality flaws when taking the tests

Question 40

Which of the following would be termed a strong situation?

A) a court hearing
B) being home alone
C) playgrounds
D) a casual restaurant

Question 41

Deborah is a new graduate student in psychology trying to decide which theoretical perspective she wants to study. She is intrigued by psychodynamic theory but confused by the terminology. A more experienced graduate student would explain to her that the term "dynamics" in psychodynamic theory most clearly refers to the __________.

A) inevitable conflict between different family members during a child's first five to six years of life
B) relations among the various unconscious psychological forces within an individual
C) differences in temperament among individuals
D) observations that the behavior of normal people is filled with meaningful activities, whereas that of people with major problems seems to be less active and meaningful

Question 42

Now that he has started to undergo psychoanalysis, Beth has been instructed to say anything that comes into her mind, no matter how trivial, unrelated, or embarrassing. This procedure is called __________.

A) free association
B) symbolism
C) reaction formation
D) wish fulfillment

Question 43

If you've got a devil on one shoulder, telling you to do something "naughty," and an angel on the other, urging you to remain upright and moral, then the devil, according to Freud, would represent the __________.

A) ego
B) id
C) superego
D) mother

Question 44

In discussing the relative importance of within- and between-family differences, your textbook authors suggest that __________.

A) in general, within-family differences are more important than between-family differences
B) between-family differences are fairly important in the development of intelligence
C) between-family differences may be more important when we consider families from a wider range of socioeconomic classes, and from different cultures
D) all of the above

Question 45

Greg was certain that he could influence his adopted children and cause them to grow up happy, intellectually curious, and outgoing. He was very surprised 20 years later to find that his three adopted children had completely different personalities. The likely reason for Greg's experience is that __________.

A) family environment has a relatively weak effect on personality development
B) adopted children disrupt the normal influence of family environment
C) Greg is a poor parent for deliberately attempting to shape the personalities of his children
D) environment does not influence personality development

Question 46

A physician has ruled out any medical cause for Tammy's complaints of paralysis in her legs and believes that the cause is psychological instead. We would say that her paralysis is __________.

A) irrational
B) internalized
C) psychogenic
D) unconscious

Question 47

Robin has noticed that when she is in Brazil, her clients often show up 15 minutes late to meetings, whereas when she travels to Switzerland her clients usually arrive right on time. One likely reason for Robin's observation is that __________.

A) she is prejudiced
B) there is a cultural difference in the degree of conscientiousness
C) the national character of Brazil emphasizes openness to experience
D) Robin's personality biases lead her to interpret those from Switzerland in a more positive way

Question 48

According to Freudian theory, the__________ is governed by the __________ principle.

A) id; reality
B) superego; pleasure
C) ego; reality
D) superego; pleasure.

Question 49

The id is governed by the __________ principle.

A) pleasure
B) reality
C) rational
D) psychoanalytic

Question 50

Which of the following is probably not a between-family difference in environment?

A) child-rearing attitudes
B) birth order and spacing of children
C) socioeconomic status of parents
D) parental religion

Question 51

Sigmund Freud viewed adult human personality as composed of which of the following subsystems?

A) id, ego, and unconscious
B) ego, superego, and repression
C) id, ego, and superego
D) id, ego, and repression

Question 52

According to Sigmund Freud, __________ is the most primitive part of the human personality.

A) the ego
B) repression
C) the id
D) the unconscious

Question 53

In discussing how within-family differences arise, the textbook authors suggest that some within-family differences occur __________.

A) as a consequence of accidents that occur to one child but not another
B) because genetic differences lead siblings to create different environments for themselves
C) both a and b
D) neither a nor b

Question 54

Which of the following is evidence that within-family effects, rather than between-family effects, operate to produce variations in personality?

A) The correlation between the personality traits of adopted children and their adoptive siblings is essentially zero.
B) The correlation between the personality traits of adopted children and their adoptive parents is essentially zero.
C) The correlation between the traits of identical twins raised together and those reared apart is basically the same.
D) None of the above answers is correct.

Question 55

Dr. York feels that people's motives and desires generally lie hidden in the unconscious and are derived from early childhood experiences. Dr. York adheres to the __________ approach.

A) humanistic
B) trait
C) behavioral
D) Freudian

Question 56

Which of the following is not a within-family difference in environment?

A) child-rearing attitudes in parents
B) birth order and spacing of children
C) accidents, injuries, and diseases that affect only a single child
D) differences in friends, teachers, and peers

Question 57

Deafness or blindness, paralysis of parts of the body, uncontrollable trembling, and gaps in memory were the symptoms of __________, from which many of Sigmund Freud's patients suffered.

A) amnesia
B) hysteria
C) psychosis
D) schizophrenia

Question 58

Studies of how between-family differences and personality development arise suggest that __________.

A) the average correlations between adopted children and their adoptive siblings is very low
B) the similarity of identical twins reared apart is greater than the similarity for identical twins reared together
C) neuroticism, but not extraversion, seems more affected by between-family than by within-family variables
D) all of the above

Question 59

When David reads about the differences in the behavioral tendencies between the people of cultures on two different continents, he speculates about what possibly could have caused the two groups to differ so much. Researchers could inform him that __________.

A) individuals with a particular personality trait may have been more willing to travel together to a new location
B) the way that a group sustains itself may shape personality styles
C) people may move to a new location based on their perception that the traits they possess and value are more common there
D) all of the above

Question 60

All of the following statements made by a patient during free association are examples of resistance except __________.

A) "I really cannot think of anything to say right now"
B) "I just forgot what I was about to say"
C) "I'm thinking of something that has nothing to do with my problem"
D) "I just remembered a terrible experience from my childhood"

Question 61

What is the purpose of a defense mechanism?

A) It keeps the id from dominating people's thoughts.
B) It defends the consciousness against anxiety.
C) It keeps the superego happy.
D) It allows for positive coping in society.

Question 62

At first, a child's behavior is based on a fear of direct social consequences. Later, he will avoid certain behaviors even when there is no obvious chance of punishment. Sigmund Freud would say that the control put on the child by society is then __________.

A) eliminated
B) internalized
C) externalized
D) repressed

Question 63

When you punish yourself for your various shortcomings and assorted moral failings, the agency responsible for the guilt feelings that result is what Freud called the __________.

A) id
B) death instinct
C) ego
D) superego

Question 64

After several weeks in psychoanalysis, Jerry has repeatedly changed the subject as he came closer to talking about a childhood trauma. The psychoanalytic explanation for this resistance is that it is a product of __________.

A) anal fixation
B) transference
C) repression
D) none of the above

Question 65

Jessica, a 5-month-old infant, cannot make plans, solve problems, weight the moral implications of a decision, or consider how to realistically obtain food or put on warm clothes. In Freudian terms, Jessica is governed by __________.

A) the superego
B) the id
C) the ego
D) sublimation

Question 66

The concept of the id, ego, and superego is best regarded as a theory about three __________.

A) separate personalities inhabiting one body
B) different sets of reaction patterns within each personality
C) separate stages in personality development
D) distinct types of unconscious conflict

Question 67

Sigmund Freud believed that the intensity of resistance on the part of a patient __________.

A) reflected the degree to which the patient would be hypnotizable
B) reflected the way in which the patient was socialized to inhibit emotional responses
C) indicated that the patient was close to retrieving an emotionally charged memory
D) was indicative of how much the patient liked the therapist

Question 68

According to Sigmund Freud, personality development occurs in a series of __________ stages.

A) psychosocial
B) psychoanalytical
C) psychocultural
D) psychosexual

Question 69

Which of the following is not a defense mechanism according to Freud?

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

Question 70

Hysterical symptoms are psychogenic, which means that __________.

A) the cause of the disorder can be eliminated through hypnosis
B) they are a product of psychological rather than organic damage
C) they are a type of psychosis
D) they are a result of cultural values

Question 71

According to psychoanalytic theory, __________ is occurring when memories or impulses that give rise to anxiety are pushed out of consciousness.

A) rationalization
B) repression
C) aggression
D) catharsis

Question 72

The part of the mind, according to Freud, whose contents are not presently in focal awareness and yet are also not repressed is called the __________.

A) unconscious
B) id
C) collective unconscious
D) preconscious

Question 73

Which of the following is evidence that a patient suffers from a psychogenic disorder?

A) One of his symptoms is paralysis of the legs.
B) One of his symptoms is glove anesthesia.
C) After he is hypnotized, he shows posthypnotic amnesia.
D) He is extremely suggestible under hypnosis.

Question 74

Id is to __________ as superego is to __________.

A) immediate satisfaction; internal prohibitions
B) conscious reaction; immediate satisfaction
C) internal prohibitions; conscious reactions
D) internal prohibitions; immediate satisfaction

Question 75

A 3-year-old child who slaps her own hand to punish herself is showing signs of __________.

A) sublimation
B) the reality principle
C) resistance
D) superego development

Question 76

When unacceptable behaviors are reinterpreted in more acceptable terms, the defense mechanism at work is __________.

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

Question 77

As a skilled psychoanalyst, Alfred listens carefully for signs of indicating the existence of an unconscious conflict. Which of the following would give such a signal?

A) They exhibited paranoia.
B) They showed signs of resistance.
C) They showed signs of transference.
D) They described their latent dreams.

Question 78

The id, according to Freud, abides entirely by __________.

A) the pleasure principle
B) the moral sense
C) the reality principle
D) the superego

Question 79

Which of the following is a psychoanalytic mechanism of defense?

A) reaction formation
B) rationalization
C) projection
D) all of the above

Question 80

If you've got a devil on one shoulder telling you to do something "naughty," and an angel on the other urging you to remain upright and moral, then the angel, according to Freud, would represent the __________.

A) ego
B) id
C) superego
D) mother