Deck 1: Understanding Yourself and Others

Question 1

Where do the roots of the modern trait approach to personality begin?

A) Henry Murray's approach to understanding motivation
B) Carl Jung's psychodynamic view of the self
C) James Cattell's early work on mental testing
D) Hippocrates's and Galen's idea of "humors"

Answer 1

Hippocrates's and Galen's idea of "humors"

Question 2

What limitation applies to most theoretical systems of personality?

A) Personality has proven to be impossible to measure.
B) No personality system can capture all the unique differences among people.
C) It has been difficult to identify a core set of personality dimensions.
D) Personality is, by definition, an unconscious process.

Answer 2

No personality system can capture all the unique differences among people.

Question 3

In relation to personality psychology, neuroscientists study __________.

A) how people's personalities change as they grow older
B) the relationship between personality traits and mental health
C) the extent to which unconscious processes drive observable behavior
D) how personality can be influenced and determined by brain activity

Answer 3

how personality can be influenced and determined by brain activity

Question 4

Industrial-organizational psychologists interested in personality would most likely study __________.

A) how people's personalities change as they grow older
B) the relationship between personality traits and mental health
C) the personality traits of people in the workforce
D) the extent to which unconscious processes drive observable behavior

Question 5

Personality reflects shared human tendencies, but how are these tendencies typically conceptualized?

A) as a part of our evolutionary heritage, honed to a common point over time
B) as individual differences that vary from person to person
C) as internal workings of human nature that cannot be measured
D) as core traits that are exhibited to the same degree across people

Question 6

Why is the study of the self important to personality psychology?

A) The "self" is an unconscious ideal and therefore contributes to the psychodynamic approach.
B) This area of investigation examines questions of identity.
C) Selves and traits can be used as interchangeable terms.
D) The study of the self allowed personality psychology to become a quantitative science.

Question 7

Ingo has felt anxious and nervous when he's been asked to speak in public. Given that these feelings are part of his personality, what is Ingo most likely to say when he's invited to address members of the Moose Lodge at their upcoming luncheon?

A) "I'd really rather not; thanks all the same."
B) "Sounds great; I'm really looking forward to it!"
C) "Would you like me to prepare notes ahead of time or speak extemporaneously?"
D) "Sure, I'll give it a try."

Question 8

In relation to personality psychology, developmental psychologists might be particularly interested in __________.

A) how people's personalities change as they grow older
B) the extent to which unconscious processes drive observable behavior
C) the relationship between personality traits and mental health
D) how personality can be influenced and determined by brain activity

Question 9

What is meant when psychology is called a "hub" field?

A) It is an area of study that links and unifies other areas of study.
B) "Hub" fields attract a small number of researchers investigating a single, highly focused topic.
C) It is a field of inquiry that is tangential to other major, more substantial fields.
D) "Hub" fields represent areas of study that have reached a theoretical dead end.

Question 10

How is the psychodynamics root of personality psychology represented?

A) through objectively quantifying terms such as trait or goal
B) in the development of objective measures of personality traits
C) by acknowledging unconscious drives and impulses that influence thought and behavior
D) through an exhaustive catalog of needs that are expressed in human behavior

Question 11

How is personality shaped?

A) through a combination of genetic tendencies and environmental influences
B) through a person's conscious decision-making during the first two years of life
C) haphazardly, through a sequence of random events a person might experience
D) by a process of reward and punishment introduced early in life

Question 12

Where do the historical roots of personality psychology begin?

A) the mental testing movement of the late 1800s
B) the investigations of Sir Francis Galton
C) ancient Greek and Roman philosophy and medicine
D) sociological theories of the 1930s

Question 13

What question would a trait theorist be most likely to ask?

A) "Why are thoughts and behaviors a product of momentary experiences?"
B) "What are the unconscious drives that motivate human behavior?"
C) "How do situational constraints influence behavior?"
D) "Which core personality dimensions determine individual differences?"

Question 14

Personality psychology is considered a __________ topic because of its relationship to other areas within psychology.

A) borderline
B) hub
C) marginal
D) first-level

Question 15

At its core, what does personality psychology deal with?

A) how social settings determine the actions a person takes
B) ways to apply basic scientific insights to the concerns of everyday life
C) fundamental questions about who we are and how we got that way
D) whether human nature is better characterized as a process of stability or a process of change

Question 16

In relation to personality psychology, a clinical psychologist would likely study __________.

A) how people's personalities change as they grow older
B) the relationship between personality traits and mental health
C) the personality traits of people in the workforce
D) how personality can be influenced and determined by brain activity

Question 17

How do psychologists define personality?

A) enduring characteristics shown by the majority of human beings
B) a person's patterns of responsiveness that vary across similar situations
C) a person's usual pattern of behavior, feelings, and thoughts
D) the unfolding of genetic tendencies toward action

Question 18

What does the phrase "usual pattern of behavior" mean?

A) Behavior characterizes how most people respond to a given situation.
B) A person reports that she or he experiences the same emotions most of the time.
C) Behavior is regulated by brain activity and genetic tendencies.
D) A person acts consistently across time or across situations.

Question 19

Which example represents the assessment and measurement root of personality psychology?

A) administering a test of extraversion to a large group of people
B) proposing a set number of traits that define the entirety of personality
C) developing a personality theory based on people's unconscious impulses
D) drawing conclusions about personality dimensions based on works of fiction by great authors

Question 20

What metaphor did Plato use to describe the struggle between passion and reason?

A) an architect designing a complex structure
B) a chariot driver guiding two horses
C) a bull and an ox pulling in opposite directions
D) a still lake disrupted by ripples from a stone

Question 21

Dwight is a middle manager at a midsized paper wholesaler. His office furniture consists of his desk, his chair, a table lamp, and a single chair to accommodate one visitor at a time. Apart from work-related items (such as his computer or telephone), there are no personal photographs or knick-knacks on his desk. What would you conclude about Dwight's personality?

A) He is high in introversion.
B) He enjoys going to parties.
C) He likes to socialize with his coworkers.
D) He is high in extraversion.

Question 22

Jacques is outgoing and talkative and loves to make new friends. Most people would assume that Jacques is low in __________.

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

Question 23

What do trait terms such as introversion and extraversion represent?

A) linguistic conventions for describing otherwise indescribable qualities
B) anchor points, or contrasting qualities, of a personality dimension
C) unconscious motivations that guide behavior
D) theoretical constructs in need of scientific validation

Question 24

A person who is outgoing and assertive would be described by the trait term __________.

A) introverted
B) agreeable
C) extraverted
D) neurotic

Question 25

Understanding personality psychology produces the benefit of being able to __________.

A) change one's core personality dimensions into an entirely different set of traits
B) understand the findings in all other hub fields related to personality psychology
C) understand one's own personality and the personality of friends and family members
D) eliminate undesirable traits from your own personality structure

Question 26

How can learning about personality psychology help you in your day-to-day life?

A) It can reveal spiritual principles that guide daily decision-making.
B) It can identify career paths that might be suited to your personality.
C) It can help you to be a better driver.
D) It can help you to choose healthier foods.

Question 27

The conceptual opposite of __________ is shyness.

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

Question 28

Which questions addressed in social psychology would apply to the study of personality?

A) how people's personalities change as they grow older
B) the extent to which personality traits predict good or poor mental health
C) whether personality traits influence people's productivity in the workplace
D) how a person's self-concept and self-esteem contribute to personality development

Question 29

Who would most likely update a Facebook post with internally directed information?

A) someone high in introversion
B) someone high in extraversion
C) someone low in neuroticism
D) someone high in openness to experience

Question 30

Raquel just updated her Facebook status, writing, "Thanks, girl, for the amazing birthday party! It was a totes magotes blast y'all! Much love. " Based on what you know about personality research and social media habits, Raquel most likely __________.

A) is an introvert
B) is low in agreeableness
C) is an extravert
D) has an unstable personality

Question 31

Bernardo just updated his Facebook status, writing, "I just finished reading a great book. I wish there was a sequel." Based on what you know about personality research and social media habits, Bernardo most likely __________.

A) has an unstable personality
B) is an introvert
C) is an extravert
D) has not used Facebook before

Question 32

Shlomo leaves many comments on his friends' Facebook pages, and he has many Facebook friends to begin with. His own Facebook page is filled with photos of himself and his real-life friends in a variety of situations. Shlomo is likely to be __________.

A) unfamiliar with Facebook
B) high in extraversion
C) a lonely person
D) quiet, shy, and reserved

Question 33

How accurately can people judge the personality dimensions of someone based on that individual's personal spaces, such as a bedroom or an office?

A) not at all accurately
B) a little better than chance
C) quite accurately
D) perfectly

Question 34

Mance is gregarious, sociable, assertive, and enthusiastic. Most people would assume that Mance is high in __________.

A) conscientiousness
B) introversion
C) extraversion
D) neuroticism

Question 35

What do Facebook posts, text messages, or computer preferences have in common in an investigation of personality?

A) They represent self-reports that people provide.
B) They are questionnaire-based methods of investigation.
C) They are unreliable measures of personality dimensions.
D) They are behavioral measures that can reveal underlying personality traits.

Question 36

How accurately can people judge the personality dimensions of someone based on that person's Facebook posts, Instagram accounts, or other online activities?

A) not at all accurately
B) a little better than chance
C) quite accurately
D) perfectly

Question 37

A person who is shy and reserved would be described by the trait term __________.

A) introverted
B) agreeable
C) conscientious
D) open to experience

Question 38

Courtney is a high-strung, anxious, nervous type. Based on these personality characteristics, what feature is she likely to look for when choosing personal technology, such as a computer or smartphone?

A) low price
B) many possible configurations
C) ease of use
D) a lot of technical literature to read through

Question 39

Who would most likely update a Facebook post with externally directed information?

A) someone high in introversion
B) someone high in extraversion
C) someone low in extraversion
D) someone low in openness to experience

Question 40

Which statement is correct regarding the benefits of measuring your own personality?

A) Your results will tell you whether you are above or below average for different traits.
B) You will appreciate why questionnaires are not a good way to assess personality.
C) You will learn "tricks" to alter your personality in socially desirable ways.
D) Your results will identify areas of personal weakness that you need to modify.

Question 41

Some of your friends love going to parties, whereas others refuse to attend or simply put in an appearance and then leave quickly. This is an example of __________.

A) personality being impacted by experiences
B) people responding differently to the same situation
C) people choosing their situation
D) people changing the situations they enter

Question 42

Based on behavioral measures of personality, a reliable association between being anxious and depressed and __________ can be established.

A) hosting large parties
B) wearing dark clothing
C) having many pets
D) being sociable

Question 43

Why was the original person-situation debate ill-conceived?

A) It is unreasonable to assume that typical or usual personality tendencies will predict behavior perfectly across the vast variety of situations in which people find themselves.
B) Personality had not yet been established as an identifiable discipline in the 1960s; any outcomes based on personality measures were tentative at best.
C) Nature-versus-nurture is a much more important question to ask than whether it is the person or the situation that determines behavior.
D) The situations social psychologists investigated were usually mundane or trivial; high-impact situations were needed to reveal the true contributions of traits and the situation.

Question 44

Which social psychologist conducted a well-known and controversial experiment that found most people would obey an experimenter's orders to administer a high level of shock to another person?

A) Sigmund Freud
B) William James
C) Walter Mischel
D) Stanley Milgram

Question 45

The view that stable personality traits predict behavior versus the view that circumstances have much greater predictive power is called the __________ debate.

A) nature-nurture
B) situation-person
C) person-situation
D) extraversion-introversion

Question 46

__________ is a personality trait that includes being neat, organized, and achievement motivated.

A) Agreeableness
B) Conscientiousness
C) Openness to experience
D) Extraversion

Question 47

When personality is measured, such as by using questionnaire self-reports, respondents are asked to report their __________ traits and behaviors.

A) preferred
B) least preferred
C) unusual
D) usual

Question 48

The person-situation debate caused a crisis in the field of psychology during the __________.

A) 1940s
B) 1950s
C) 1960s
D) 1970s

Question 49

You and your friends enroll in different universities. Over time, you notice that your friends seem much different from who they were in high school. This is an example of __________.

A) personality being impacted by experiences
B) people responding differently to the same situation
C) people choosing their situation
D) people changing the situations they enter

Question 50

Some researchers argue that genetics is the primary cause of personality traits, whereas other researchers argue that environmental factors cause personality traits. This disagreement is generally known as the __________ debate.

A) nature-nurture
B) situation-context
C) person-situation
D) extraversion-introversion

Question 51

What do most scientific studies of personality try to determine?

A) how a single score on a personality measure reveals an overall pattern of behavior
B) the life history of a specific individual based on her or his scores on a questionnaire
C) general answers to important questions about the personality and behaviors of a group of people
D) why maladaptive personality traits lead people to perform harmful behaviors

Question 52

Reggie has been hanging out with the wrong crowd, missing class, being disrespectful to his parents, and showing up late to his part-time job. He realizes that his behavior needs to change. He avoids his old friends and works hard at being punctual and polite. He joins a local bocce ball team to make new friends. What is Reggie trying to change?

A) his situation
B) his history
C) his personality
D) his career

Question 53

Dominique is high on the trait of conscientiousness. It is likely that Dominique will __________.

A) rarely be late to an event
B) consistently be late to scheduled events
C) never be late to scheduled events
D) not apologize after arriving late to an event

Question 54

Beginning in the 1960s, social psychologists found compelling evidence that the presence of other people and the environment one was in, collectively known as the __________, was primarily responsible for eliciting a person's behavior.

A) personal environment
B) collective space
C) bystander effect
D) situation

Question 55

Psychologists now recognize that __________.

A) situational forces are the primary determinants of behavior
B) personality traits are the true determinants of behavior
C) neither the situation nor the person determines behavior; genetics does
D) personality traits within a situational context determine behavior

Question 56

Chico believes that people do not display consistent behavioral tendencies across situations. Chico is on the __________ side of an enduring debate between personality psychologists and social psychologists.

A) situation
B) nature
C) nurture
D) person

Question 57

To what extent do personality traits and situational constraints predict behavior?

A) Only the situation influences a person's behavior.
B) Only personality influences a person's behavior.
C) Situations determine traits, which then determine behavior.
D) Both factors predict behavior about equally well.

Question 58

Which psychologist argued that the effects of personality on a person's behaviors were too small to matter?

A) George Herbert Mead
B) Sam Gosling
C) Walter Mischel
D) Stanley Milgram

Question 59

Beginning in the 1960s, many personality psychologists objected to the notion that situational constraints determined behavior. What argument did they advance instead?

A) Personality traits don't really exist.
B) The idea of a situational context is fictitious.
C) Stable personality traits can predict behavior reliably.
D) The effects of personality on behavior are too small to matter.

Question 60

Simone believes that people have consistent behavioral tendencies that are identifiable and impactful across situations. She is on the __________ side of an enduring debate between personality psychologists and social psychologists.

A) situation
B) nature
C) nurture
D) person

Question 61

Describe the person-situation debate.

Question 62

How does personality shape a person's life?

Question 63

You have always lived in a small midwestern town. Your best friend moved to Manhattan a year ago. The two of you were very similar when you attended high school together, but now you seem so different. How can personality be impacted by one's environment?

Question 64

Are we "prisoners of our personality"?

Question 65

What have psychologists found regarding the factors that influence a person's behavior?

Question 66

What is extraversion, and what is its conceptual opposite?

Question 67

Compare the person-situation debate to the nature-nurture debate.

Question 68

Why is personality psychology considered to be a hub field?

Question 69

Compare extraversion and introversion.

Question 70

What kinds of posts do extraverts and introverts share with others online?

Question 71

What does usual mean when referencing someone's "usual pattern of behavior, feelings, and thoughts?"

Question 72

What other branches of psychology are influenced by personality psychology?

Question 73

Can observers accurately determine someone's personality based on that person's Facebook page?

Question 74

How is personality revealed in the way a person dresses?

Question 75

How can the person and situation work together to influence our behavior?

Question 76

Are people's behaviors completely consistent? Explain.

Question 77

Why should some degree of stability be expected when assessing and describing personality traits?

Question 78

What question is raised about personality by the nature-nurture debate?

Question 79

What would an extravert's office typically have in it?

Question 80

Define personality.