Question 1

The projective test that Murray developed the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT).

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

Test-takers who "fake good"

Accepted Answer

A)  are able to fool most test givers with their inaccurate responses. 
B)  are not likely to be detected unless they admit that they are faking their test answers. 
C)  are trying to present a better image than is accurate. 
D)  are not aware that they are distorting their responses to create a false image.

Question 3

Andrew has strong opinions and enjoys a good argument in which he can stand up for his beliefs. He prefers to work where he can compete with others, rather than an organization that stresses cooperation. Andrew would probably score low on a measure of

Accepted Answer

A)  conscientiousness. 
B)  agreeableness. 
C)  introversion. 
D)  openness.

Question 4

Which theorist identified psychogenic needs as the basic elements of personality?

Accepted Answer

A)  Gordon Allport 
B)  Raymond Cattell 
C)  Carl Jung 
D)  Henry Murray

Question 5

A woman indicates on a test that she agrees with the statement, "I am confident in my abilities." Later on the same test she agrees with the statement, "I have doubts about my abilities." This woman's responses may indicate the presence of which potential problem?

Accepted Answer

A)  Faking good 
B)  Faking bad 
C)  Social desirability 
D)  Acquiescence response

Question 6

Research has shown that among the Big Five personality factors, the best predictor of job performance is conscientiousness.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

A psychologist examines six personality tests. She suspects that four of the tests are really measuring the same personality trait and that the other two measure another personality trait. What kind of research should the psychologist conduct to test her hypothesis?

Accepted Answer

A)  A field study 
B)  A case study 
C)  Factor analysis 
D)  Idiographic research

Question 8

According to the "person by situation" approach,

Accepted Answer

A)  personality is more important than the situation in determining behavior. 
B)  there is little evidence for cross-situational consistency. 
C)  behavior is determined by an interaction of personality and the situation. 
D)  personality researchers need to measure behavior in more than one way.

Question 9

In his quest to understand the basic structure of personality, Cattell relied heavily on

Accepted Answer

A)  the idiographic approach. 
B)  factor analysis. 
C)  the examination of central traits. 
D)  case studies.

Question 10

While research shows that personalities continue to develop, the changes are gradual, evolving over a period of years.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

A man is said to have one personality trait that dominates his personality. Allport would identify this personality trait as a

Accepted Answer

A)  common trait. 
B)  central trait. 
C)  cardinal trait. 
D)  secondary trait.

Question 12

Summarize the situation versus trait controversy. Discuss two criticisms of the trait approach given by Mischel with respect to this controversy. Give a defense of the trait approach and specify how the criticisms and defense have improved our understanding of personality traits.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Summarize the situation versus trait controversy. Discuss...

Question 13

The idiographic approach to personality has advantages. For example,

Accepted Answer

A)  researchers can compare all people on measures of a certain trait. 
B)  it reveals common traits. 
C)  the person rather than the researcher determines what traits to examine. 
D)  it provides information about the relationship between traits and behavior.

Question 14

Which of the following is true about the trait approach to personality?

Accepted Answer

A)  Trait researchers generally are not interested in understanding and predicting the behavior of a single individual. 
B)  It is not easy to make comparisons across people with the trait approach. 
C)  The trait approach has been responsible for generating a number of useful approaches to psychotherapy. 
D)  Trait theorists place a greater emphasis on discovering the mechanisms underlying behavior than do theorists from other approaches to personality.

Question 15

Which of the following is true about the five-factor model?

Accepted Answer

A)  Few have criticized it for its lack of predictive value. 
B)  Hypotheses about the origin of the Big Five factors were generated after the results of the research were seen. 
C)  Trait theorists would be better off focusing their research on the five main traits. 
D)  Both b and c

Question 16

Rather than examine a large number of personality variables that may or may not be related to how well people perform in the workplace, many researchers now address the questions of job performance and personality

Accepted Answer

A)  by using the personality dimensions identified in the five-factor model. 
B)  by categorizing workers by personality types. 
C)  by using the several psychogenic needs developed by Murray. 
D)  by responses to work interests on self-report inventories.

Question 17

Traits were introduced into the field of personality psychology by

Accepted Answer

A)  Gordon Allport 
B)  Raymond Cattell 
C)  Carl Jung 
D)  Henry Murray

Question 18

Critics of the trait approach have argued that there is

Accepted Answer

A)  little consistency of behavior across situations. 
B)  no valid prediction of behavior from test scores. 
C)  too much reliance on situational factors rather than the traits themselves. 
D)  all of the above

Question 19

Personality psychologists use factor analysis to help them determine

Accepted Answer

A)  a person's central traits. 
B)  which personality traits correlate together. 
C)  the stability of personality traits over time and situations. 
D)  the validity of personality trait measures.

Question 20

Why were pioneers in the study of personality traits limited in what they could discover?

Accepted Answer

A)  There were not as many sophisticated statistical tests in those days. 
B)  They had to calculate the factor analyses by hand. 
C)  Their data set was limited. 
D)  all of the above

Exam 7: The Trait Approach: Theory, Application, and Assessment

The projective test that Murray developed the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT).

Test-takers who "fake good"

Andrew has strong opinions and enjoys a good argument in which he can stand up for his beliefs. He prefers to work where he can compete with others, rather than an organization that stresses cooperation. Andrew would probably score low on a measure of

Which theorist identified psychogenic needs as the basic elements of personality?

A woman indicates on a test that she agrees with the statement, "I am confident in my abilities." Later on the same test she agrees with the statement, "I have doubts about my abilities." This woman's responses may indicate the presence of which potential problem?

Research has shown that among the Big Five personality factors, the best predictor of job performance is conscientiousness.

A psychologist examines six personality tests. She suspects that four of the tests are really measuring the same personality trait and that the other two measure another personality trait. What kind of research should the psychologist conduct to test her hypothesis?

According to the "person by situation" approach,

In his quest to understand the basic structure of personality, Cattell relied heavily on

While research shows that personalities continue to develop, the changes are gradual, evolving over a period of years.

A man is said to have one personality trait that dominates his personality. Allport would identify this personality trait as a

Summarize the situation versus trait controversy. Discuss two criticisms of the trait approach given by Mischel with respect to this controversy. Give a defense of the trait approach and specify how the criticisms and defense have improved our understanding of personality traits.

The idiographic approach to personality has advantages. For example,

Which of the following is true about the trait approach to personality?

Which of the following is true about the five-factor model?

Rather than examine a large number of personality variables that may or may not be related to how well people perform in the workplace, many researchers now address the questions of job performance and personality

Traits were introduced into the field of personality psychology by

Critics of the trait approach have argued that there is

Personality psychologists use factor analysis to help them determine

Why were pioneers in the study of personality traits limited in what they could discover?