Deck 4: Biological Underpinnings of Personality

Question 1

According to researchers, how much of the variation in personality traits among people in personality traits is likely due to genetics?

A) 50%
B) 70%
C) 90%
D) 95%

Answer 1

50%

Question 2

Growing up in the same household with the same parents has __________.

A) a big influence on a person's degree of agreeableness
B) virtually no influence on a person's degree of agreeableness
C) a mild influence on a person's degree of agreeableness
D) more influence on a person's degree of extraversion than on agreeableness

Answer 2

a mild influence on a person's degree of agreeableness

Question 3

Wilhelm scores above average on extraversion and agreeableness. His identical twin Matteus, who was raised by a different family, has about a __________ chance of also scoring high on those same two traits.

A) 5%
B) 20%
C) 50%
D) 67%

Answer 3

67%

Question 4

Which of these factors has the least amount of influence on personality development?

A) friends
B) individual experiences
C) shared environment
D) genetics

Question 5

Jukka does not like to plan but loves to take risks. He is always seeking new experiences that heighten his senses. Jukka is likely high in __________.

A) conscientiousness
B) impulsivity
C) introversion
D) anxiety

Question 6

Sir Francis Galton was an early pioneer in the study of twins. When he studied twin pairs, he asked them to identify other twins who might want to participate in his research. This technique is called __________.

A) random assignment
B) convenience sampling
C) the ripple effect
D) snowball sampling

Question 7

Why would a shared environment have such little effect on personality development?

A) A shared environment doesn't mean shared experiences or shared reactions to those experiences; what one sibling perceives as "harsh parenting" could be perceived as "typical" by another.
B) Genetics generally accounts for about 70 percent to 80 percent of the variance explained in personality characteristics; there simply isn't much variation left to be explained by environment.
C) The shared environment cannot be quantified or defined adequately; therefore, any influence it may have on personality development is likely to be haphazard at best.
D) "Shared environment" is not a construct that personality psychologists endorse; rather, it is a concept borrowed from sociology and applied inexpertly to the study of personality.

Question 8

What is the most common research method for answering the "nature-versus-nurture" question about the contributions of genetics and the environment to personality development?

A) a twin study
B) a friend study
C) a neighbor study
D) a large-scale questionnaire study

Question 9

__________ is another term for identical twins.

A) Matched twins
B) Dizygotic twins
C) Fraternal twins
D) Monozygotic twins

Question 10

Which term is used to refer to siblings growing up in the same household with the same parents?

A) environment
B) shared environment
C) stable environment
D) nonshared environment

Question 11

Based on findings from twin studies, which of your family members is likely to have personality characteristics most similar to yours?

A) your fraternal twin who lives with you
B) your younger sibling
C) your identical twin who was reared in a different household
D) your older sibling

Question 12

What does the phrase "percentage of variance" tell a researcher?

A) how much of a trait in a single person can be explained by genetics
B) the amount of variation among a group of people
C) the difference in outcomes attributed to the shared versus nonshared environment
D) the amount of variation within a given individual

Question 13

Growing up in the same household with the same parents has __________.

A) a big influence on a person's degree of extraversion
B) virtually no influence on a person's degree of extraversion
C) a mild influence on a person's degree of extraversion
D) more influence on a person's degree of extraversion than on agreeableness

Question 14

Cali and Cari are identical twins. Their parents want to make sure they have a chance to develop their own individual personalities, so they enroll Cali in soccer and Cari in dance. This is a reflection of the twins' __________.

A) genetic makeup
B) shared environment
C) nonshared environment
D) inherited circumstances

Question 15

According to researchers, how much of the variation among people in personality traits is likely due to environmental factors?

A) 50 percent
B) 70 percent
C) 90 percent
D) 95 percent

Question 16

Biology is a term that includes everything that appears in the body and the __________, regardless of its origins.

A) nonshared environment
B) social circle
C) shared environment
D) brain

Question 17

Genetics alone are responsible for __________.

A) eye color
B) weight
C) personality
D) gray hair

Question 18

Of the 35 pairs of twins Sir Francis Galton studied, how many pairs did he find that had very similar personalities?

A) 0
B) 9
C) 16
D) 35

Question 19

The terms genetics and biology are__________.

A) not the same thing
B) interchangeable
C) equally broad terms
D) abstractions used by researchers

Question 20

What are the three main influences considered by researchers who study the origins of personality?

A) brain, biology, and behavior
B) nonshared environment, shared environment, and genetics
C) environment, genetics, and capabilities
D) parents, peers, and acquaintances

Question 21

The extent to which a gene influences a person's traits or outcomes is called __________.

A) genotypic manifestation
B) gene expression
C) phenotypic display
D) epigenetics

Question 22

Twins separated at birth are often adopted into very __________.

A) different cultures
B) different families
C) similar families
D) wealthy families

Question 23

Why is the unusual case of Phineas Gage instructive for understanding the relationship between personality and the brain?

A) Gage was born without a frontal lobe and, correspondingly, lacked any sense of conscientiousness.
B) It was the first demonstration of how an alteration in personality could lead to deterioration of brain tissue.
C) Gage agreed to a full-scale examination of his brain structures, which identified the brain areas associated with each of the Big Five personality traits.
D) It presented a rare opportunity to see how radical changes to the physical brain affect observable personality characteristics.

Question 24

On average, full siblings share __________ of their genetics.

A) 25%
B) 50%
C) 75%
D) 100%

Question 25

Logan is the oldest of five children and had the advantage of having his parents all to himself for five years before his siblings were born. He is a natural leader and loves to read. Katelyn is the youngest of the family and did not get a lot of attention when she was younger, but now that Logan and her other siblings have left the house, she has her parents all to herself. She is a bit immature and impulsive. The differences in their personalities are probably related to __________.

A) a contrast effect
B) their birth order
C) their genetics
D) chance

Question 26

Dennis loves horror movies. While he is watching Corpse-grinding Maniacs in 3-D, his __________ is activated because it is the part of the brain responsible for processing his reaction to fear.

A) frontal lobe
B) amygdala
C) hippocampus
D) brain stem

Question 27

What do studies show regarding the brain and personality?

A) Personality has no effect on how our brains respond to environmental stimuli.
B) There is no relationship between our brains and our personalities.
C) Personality affects how our brains respond to stimuli.
D) Personality affects our brains' structure but not our response to the environment.

Question 28

Monozygotic twins share __________ of their genetics.

A) 25%
B) 50%
C) 75%
D) 100%

Question 29

In one epigenetic study, mice experienced a stressful environment as newborns when they were separated from their mothers. What happened to these mice?

A) The mice were no different from mice that were not in stressful situations.
B) The mice became socially anxious, as did their offspring.
C) The mice interacted frequently with other mice.
D) The mice became very aggressive.

Question 30

Mei Lin is high in agreeableness, which means that she is __________.

A) likely to have high levels of neuroticism
B) likely to be in poor health
C) likely to excel at regulating her emotions
D) poor at regulating emotions

Question 31

Francesca has red hair, freckles, and blue eyes. These observable characteristics are part of her __________.

A) genotype
B) gene expression
C) phenotype
D) epigenetics

Question 32

The part of the brain that forms plans and make decisions is the __________.

A) frontal lobe
B) amygdala
C) hippocampus
D) brain stem

Question 33

A person's genetic predisposition is called her or his __________.

A) genotype
B) gene expression
C) phenotype
D) epigenetics

Question 34

What does the study of epigenetics reveal about the contributions of genetics and the environment to personality development?

A) The majority of the variance in personality is explained by genetics.
B) Genes influence the environment, but the environment has little impact on gene expression.
C) Genetics and the environment are interactive forces that mutually influence an individual.
D) The majority of the variance in personality is explained by environmental factors.

Question 35

Laurel has sustained damage to the frontal lobes of her brain. She is most apt to experience __________.

A) impaired self-control
B) enhanced self-control
C) increased anxiety
D) increased agreeableness

Question 36

Siblings can be different from each other if they make the conscious effort to try to be different; this is known as the __________ effect.

A) calibration
B) conviction
C) comparison
D) contrast

Question 37

Which of these scenarios is an example of a gene-environment interaction?

A) Anton, who is extraverted, seeks quiet time.
B) Bethany, who is introverted, seeks excitement.
C) Carla, who is anxious, joins a club to make friends.
D) Dino, who is extraverted, attends every party to which he is invited.

Question 38

The term __________ refers to the concept that the environment can influence how much genetics will matter.

A) genotype
B) gene expression
C) phenotype
D) epigenetics

Question 39

Who is likely to salivate the most in response to the "lemon juice test"?

A) Horace, who is very introverted
B) Tatiana, who is quite extraverted
C) Roxie, who is very agreeable
D) Dominic, who scores high in neuroticism

Question 40

Tyshawn is high in agreeableness and therefore would show strong activation in his __________.

A) amygdala
B) frontal lobe
C) hippocampus
D) brain stem

Question 41

Based on what is known about the circadian rhythm over the lifespan, which of these people is most likely to be a morning person?

A) Donna, who is 15 years old
B) Gordon, who is 23 years old
C) Cameron, who is 40 years old
D) Joe, who is 61 years old

Question 42

Which brain regions show evidence of being linked to openness to experience?

A) those regions associated with fear and happiness
B) those regions associated with memory and cognition
C) those regions associated with balance and coordination
D) those regions associated with sensation and perception

Question 43

Testosterone levels are __________.

A) lower in males than in females
B) higher in males than in females
C) only present in males
D) not linked to behavior

Question 44

Evolutionary psychologists argue that people will act in ways that __________.

A) maximize their chances of survival and minimize their chances of reproduction
B) minimize their chances of survival and reproduction
C) maximize their chances of survival and reproduction
D) minimize their chances of survival and maximize their chances of reproduction

Question 45

A person who has more energy in the evening is considered to be a(n) __________.

A) owl
B) lark
C) bluejay
D) penguin

Question 46

From an evolutionary perspective, which trait would be considered a universal one common to all humans?

A) the need to belong
B) the need for achievement
C) the need to eat
D) the need for cognition

Question 47

Which facet of extraversion is associated with increased activation in the amygdala?

A) gregariousness
B) assertivenenss
C) activity
D) anxiety

Question 48

Evolutionary psychologists posit that our brains inherently link sex with reproduction. For this reason, men usually find __________ women more attractive.

A) smart
B) fertile
C) older
D) high-earning

Question 49

Night owls are considered to be more __________ than early birds.

A) open to new ideas
B) organized
C) shy
D) caring

Question 50

Which statement accurately represents what researchers have discovered regarding brain scans and personality?

A) Extraversion is linked to positive emotions, and neuroticism is linked to negative emotions.
B) Neuroticism is linked to positive emotions, and extraversion is linked to negative emotions.
C) Extraversion is linked to both positive and negative emotions.
D) Neuroticism is linked to both positive and negative emotions.

Question 51

Some researchers have found a relationship between conscientiousness and __________.

A) high levels of serotonin
B) increased impulsivity
C) low levels of satisfaction with interpersonal relationships
D) higher rates of incarceration

Question 52

The brains of people high in neuroticism show strong responses in a brain area associated with __________.

A) circadian rhythms
B) epigenetics
C) signal activation
D) discrepancy detection

Question 53

Conceptually, why would openness to experience be associated with a pattern of brain activity rather than a specific brain region, as neuroticism or extraversion are?

A) Openness to experience involves a great deal of creativity, but there is no evidence that creativity has any link to brain activity.
B) The other Big Five traits are poorly defined, so tagging a specific brain region to a specific trait is a way of simplifying our understanding of these personality dimensions.
C) In contrast to neuroticism, which has been linked to a single area of the brain, the amygdala, openness to experience is a more diffuse concept enlisting many brain regions.
D) Only one facet of openness to experience-modesty-has been linked reliably to any kind of brain activity; there simply isn't a lot of evidence for this Big Five trait.

Question 54

Which theoretical challenge to the evolutionary perspective has been advanced?

A) No evidence for mate preferences has been collected.
B) The evolutionary perspective is not a comprehensive explanatory system.
C) No evidence for survival strategies has been collected.
D) An evolutionary explanation could be crafted for any preferences shown by current humans.

Question 55

Armando has low levels of conscientiousness and high levels of impulsivity, as measured by a reliable and valid personality questionnaire. Which area of Armando's brain is likely to show greater activity when he acts impulsively?

A) amygdala
B) ventral striatum
C) superior temporal sulcus
D) frontal lobe

Question 56

The chemicals that carry signals across the synapses in the brain are called __________.

A) hormones
B) circadians
C) neurotransmitters
D) myelin

Question 57

A person's circadian rhythm has a strong influence on when he or she __________.

A) talks
B) eats
C) mates
D) breathes

Question 58

Zondra wakes up in the middle of the night and realizes that her house is on fire. The house is full of family and friends who gathered to celebrate her birthday. She has time to save one person. According to evolutionary psychologists, who will she be most likely to save?

A) her best friend
B) her cousin
C) her grandmother
D) her brother

Question 59

Higher levels of the neurotransmitter dopamine have been tentatively associated with which personality dimension?

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

Question 60

Martino is a morning person who enjoys getting up when the sun rises and preparing for his day. Martino is probably __________.

A) more extraverted than a night owl
B) very open to new ideas
C) low on agreeableness
D) high in conscientiousness

Question 61

Describe epigenetics, and give an example.

Question 62

Give two examples of nonshared environments between siblings.

Question 63

What is the relationship between testosterone and men high in power motive?

Question 64

Explain what "percentage of variance" demonstrates, and give an example.

Question 65

Describe the "restriction of range" problem in twin studies.

Question 66

Explain how a person's beliefs can affect genetic influences on his or her behavior, and give an example.

Question 67

What is the relationship between personality traits and morningness-eveningness preferences?

Question 68

You want to assess the personality of family members, looking for similarities and differences. How would a twin study help you with your research?

Question 69

How can birth order affect siblings?

Question 70

How can someone's personal life affect her or his morningness-eveningness preferences?

Question 71

Stephanie and her identical twin Connie were separated at birth. Scientists recognize that due to confounding variables they cannot be sure which of the girls' traits are similar because of their genes and which are similar due to environment. Why?

Question 72

Give an example of a gene-environment interaction.

Question 73

How can the environment affect individual differences in personality?

Question 74

What is the difference between a genotype and phenotype?

Question 75

Give an example of a shared environment between siblings.

Question 76

How do evolutionary psychologists respond to the "I can't help it-it is my genes!" argument?

Question 77

What key questions does research on the biological underpinnings of personality aim to answer?

Question 78

How does sociosexuality impact mating strategies?

Question 79

How can whether or not you have a sex partner influence your hormone levels?

Question 80

What is the purpose of a twin study?

A) to help us understand the influence of genetics and environment on personality
B) to tell us if twins siblings get along better than non-twin siblings
C) to aid in our understanding of monozygotic twin feelings of attachment
D) to conduct two studies at once and compare results