Question 1

Most of Candice's relationships with other people are hostile. She frequently gets in fights with strangers and even close friends. If Candice took the NEO Personality Inventory, she would likely have a low score on the ____________ dimension.

Accepted Answer

The dimension of personality that is most relevant to hostile relationships with others is agreeableness, which refers to an individual's tendency to be friendly, cooperative, and compassionate towards others. A low score on this dimension would suggest that Candice is less likely to be empathetic or tolerant of others, leading to more conflict and hostility in her relationships.

Question 2

Nancy is a three month old infant. Compared to other infants her age, she is fussy and cries easily. Nancy's behaviors would most accurately be described as the result of her _____________.

Accepted Answer

Nancy's behavior is likely the result of her temperament, which refers to a baby's innate characteristics such as their general mood, activity level, and sensitivity to stimuli. This can vary widely among infants and can affect how they respond to different situations and stimuli.

Question 3

The _______________ dimension of the NEO PI-R describes the extent to which people are imaginative and curious, or conventional and "down-to-earth."

Accepted Answer

The openness dimension of the NEO PI-R describes the extent to which people are imaginative and curious, or conventional and "down-to-earth."

Question 4

Raymond Cattell advanced the study of personality by:

Accepted Answer

Raymond Cattell advanced the study of personality by using factor analysis, which is a statistical method used to identify underlying dimensions of personality traits. This allowed him to develop his 16 Personality Factors (16PF) theory, which identified 16 key traits that make up an individual's personality.

Question 5

Research indicates that ___________ college students are likely to achieve high status in student groups such as fraternities and sororities, but are also more prone to risk taking and substance abuse problems.

Accepted Answer

Research shows that extraverted college students are more likely to join fraternities and sororities, and also have a higher tendency towards risk taking behaviors and substance abuse. Conscientious students, on the other hand, are often high achieving but may not be as inclined towards social activities like joining student groups. Neurotic students may avoid taking risks altogether, and introverted students may be more reserved and less likely to seek out social opportunities like joining student organizations.

Question 6

Which of the following statements describes the relationship between temperament and personality?

Accepted Answer

Temperament and personality are related concepts but they are not the same. Temperament is the innate or genetic component of an individual's behavioral style, whereas personality is shaped over time through environmental and social experiences. Therefore, temperament can be seen as the foundation upon which personality is built.

Question 7

Walter prefers to stay home on a Friday night and read a good book to hanging out with other people. In fact, he tends to be fairly reclusive in general. If Walter took the NEO PI-R, he would likely have a low score on the ____________ dimension.

Accepted Answer

Extraversion is the dimension that measures how outgoing and sociable a person is. Walter's preference for staying home and being reclusive suggests that he is not very outgoing or sociable, and therefore would likely score low on the extraversion dimension if he took the NEO PI-R personality test.

Question 8

Research discussed in your textbook suggests that people on Facebook tend to present themselves:

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that people on Facebook generally present themselves in a manner that is accurate to how they see themselves in real life, rather than in idealized, exaggerated, or more extraverted ways.

Question 9

A technique called _____________ reveals statistical similarities among a wide variety of items.

Accepted Answer

Factor analysis is the technique that reveals statistical similarities among a wide variety of items. Option A (idiography) is a method of studying individuals, not finding statistical similarities. Option C (MMPI-2) is a personality assessment test, not a statistical technique. Option D (reciprocal determinism) is a theory in social psychology that explains how behavior, environment, and personal factors interact, not a statistical technique.

Question 10

While psychologists do not typically refer to infants as having "personalities," infants do display personality-like attributes called _____________.

Accepted Answer

Infants display personality-like attributes known as temperaments. Temperament refers to a set of innate traits or predispositions that determine an individual's behavioral style and characteristic emotional responses, such as activity level, adaptability, intensity of reactions, and sensitivity to stimuli.

Question 11

Amir is constantly worrying about things, even though he really doesn't have anything to worry about. He is also very insecure and can become very upset when he thinks his friends are making a joke about him. If Walter took the NEO PI-R, he would likely have a ____________ score on the ____________ dimension.

Accepted Answer

Amir's constant worrying and insecurity are both characteristics of high neuroticism, which is described as emotional instability and propensity to experience negative emotions.

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT one of the dimensions of the Big Five?

Accepted Answer

Sociableness is not one of the dimensions of the Big Five. The correct dimension is agreeableness.

Question 13

Which of these is an acronym that could help you remember the Big Five traits?

Accepted Answer

OCEAN is an acronym commonly used to remember the Big Five traits: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism.

Question 14

The _______________ dimension of the NEO PI-R describes the extent to which people are outgoing or shy.

Accepted Answer

The NEO PI-R uses the "Big Five" personality traits, and the dimension that describes outgoingness versus shyness is extraversion.

Question 15

What technique do trait theorists use to identify groups or clusters of related personality traits?

Accepted Answer

Trait theorists use factor analysis to identify groups or clusters of related personality traits. Factor analysis is a statistical technique used to identify correlations among various items on a test or questionnaire and group them into related clusters.

Question 16

Rob suffers from occasional bouts of depression, but is otherwise a typical teenager. One of his favorite pastimes is browsing Facebook and demonstrating what he likes through "liking." If he is like most people, his likes will have a _______ correlation to other's assessments and a self-assessment of his personality.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that there is a high positive correlation between someone's Facebook likes and both other people's assessments and self-assessments of their personality.

Question 17

Marques loves to go to parties, and while there he can have a conversation with just about anyone, whether he knows them or not. Which of the following Five Factors would Marques probably rate highly on based on this information?

Accepted Answer

Marques exhibiting social behavior and enjoying parties indicates high extraversion.

Question 18

Which two researchers are associated with the Five Factor Model, also known as the Big Five?

Accepted Answer

McCrae and Costa are the two researchers most commonly associated with the Five Factor Model, also known as the Big Five.

Question 19

Cattell used the statistical technique called ____________.

Accepted Answer

Cattell used factor analysis, a technique used to identify underlying factors or dimensions that explain the intercorrelations among multiple variables.

Question 20

A central principle of the trait perspective to personality is that:

Accepted Answer

The trait perspective focuses on identifying and describing the specific traits that make up an individual's unique personality. The belief is that by understanding these traits, we can gain insight into how an individual is likely to behave in different situations. Therefore, individuals can be understood based on how well specific traits describe them. Options A and B are incorrect as they suggest either inconsistency or total uniqueness in individuals' personalities, which is not supported by the trait perspective. Option D is also incorrect as the trait perspective supports both the idiographic and nomothetic approaches to studying personality.

Quiz 12: Personality