Question 1

Funder and Colvin (1991) brought participants to the lab for two interactions with different people. Which of the following results shows the power of the situation?

Accepted Answer

The result showing participants were more relaxed at session 2 than session 1 illustrates the power of the situation, indicating that their behavior changed due to the different contexts or conditions of the sessions, rather than remaining consistent across both interactions.

Question 2

The large number of trait terms in the English language indicates that

Accepted Answer

The large number of trait terms in the English language suggests that we require many terms to differentiate among various types of people, indicating that personality traits are a significant aspect of our culture and acknowledging the diversity in personality, implying that one size does not fit all.

Question 3

Which conclusion follows from Funder's analysis of the person-situation debate?

Accepted Answer

Funder's analysis of the person-situation debate highlights the importance of individual differences in behavior across different situations, suggesting that people do not all behave the same way even when placed in identical situations. This underscores the role of personality in influencing behavior, contrary to the idea that situational factors alone dictate how people act.

Question 4

Which of the following conclusions does Funder draw about the role of persons versus situations in affecting behavior?

Accepted Answer

Funder suggests that while situations have a significant impact on behavior, there is also evidence that people's behaviors are consistent across different situations, indicating a role for both situational factors and personal dispositions in shaping behavior.

Question 5

Funder notes that the person who is most talkative at a party is also likely to be the most talkative at the department of motor vehicles (DMV). Which of the following terms describes this principle?

Accepted Answer

This principle is described as "relative consistency," which suggests that while the level of a trait (like talkativeness) may vary across different situations, the relative standing of individuals on that trait tends to remain consistent across different contexts.

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT one of Funder's conclusions regarding the person-situation debate?

Accepted Answer

Funder's conclusions emphasize that both situational and personality variables influence behavior and that their effect sizes are comparable. The difficulty in translating experimental results into effect sizes is not one of his conclusions.

Question 7

Good coping would be positively associated with what trait?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Good coping would be positively associated with...

Question 8

The avoidance of drug abuse is associated with what trait?

Accepted Answer

Conscientiousness, a personality trait characterized by organization, dependability, and discipline, is associated with the avoidance of drug abuse. Individuals high in conscientiousness are more likely to engage in healthy behaviors and avoid risky activities, including drug use.

Question 9

Peer acceptance is associated with what trait?

Accepted Answer

Extraversion is associated with peer acceptance because it involves being outgoing, sociable, and assertive, which are traits that are typically valued in social groups.

Question 10

In Leikas, Lönnqvist, and Verkasalo (2012), participants interacted with trained actors. The number of times a participant gestured depended mostly on his or her own characteristics. Which of the following reflects the correct interpretation of this result?

Accepted Answer

The result indicates that the participant's own characteristics had a significant influence on the number of gestures, suggesting that the variability explained by the person was large.

Question 11

Happiness is associated with what trait?

Accepted Answer

Extraversion is associated with higher levels of happiness. Extroverts tend to have more social interactions, which can lead to increased happiness.

Question 12

Attractiveness is associated with what trait?

Accepted Answer

Extraversion is associated with attractiveness because extraverts are more likely to engage in social interactions, display positive emotions, and have a larger social network, all of which can contribute to being perceived as more attractive.

Question 13

A long life is associated with what trait?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that conscientiousness, which involves being responsible, organized, and capable of self-discipline, is associated with longer life expectancy. This trait is thought to contribute to healthier lifestyles and better stress management, which can lead to a longer life.

Question 14

Funder and Ozer (1983) converted the results of three classic social psychological studies to effect sizes. After comparing those effect sizes with those typically obtained by personality psychologists, Funder and Ozer concluded that

Accepted Answer

Funder and Ozer (1983) concluded that both situational and personality variables are significant determinants of behavior, demonstrating that the effect sizes from classic social psychological studies were comparable to those typically found in personality psychology research.

Question 15

In Leikas, Lönnqvist, and Verkasalo (2012), participants interacted with trained actors. The number of times a participant gazed into the eyes of his or her partner depended a lot on the behavior of the partner. Which of the following reflects the correct interpretation of this result?

Accepted Answer

The correct interpretation is that the situation (i.e., the behavior of the partner) had a large influence on the participant's behavior, specifically on how often they gazed into the eyes of their partner. This suggests that the situational factors, rather than individual personality traits, played a significant role in determining the behavior.

Question 16

A social psychologist focused on statistical significance is concerned with ________, whereas a personality researcher focused on effect sizes is concerned with ________.

Accepted Answer

Statistical significance is about documenting the existence of an effect, showing that it is unlikely to have occurred by chance, while effect size quantifies the magnitude of the effect, indicating how strong or meaningful it is.

Question 17

Political liberalism is associated with what trait?

Accepted Answer

Political liberalism is often associated with openness to experience, as individuals who score high in this trait tend to be more open to new ideas, experiences, and changes, which aligns with liberal ideologies.

Question 18

Which definition best describes the meaning of a cross-situational consistency coefficient of r = .70?

Accepted Answer

A cross-situational consistency coefficient of 0.70 indicates a strong relationship between behaviors in one situation and behaviors in another, suggesting that how a person behaves in one context is a strong predictor of how they will behave in a different context.

Question 19

In Leikas, Lönnqvist, and Verkasalo (2012), participants interacted with trained actors. What was one of the major conclusions from this study?

Accepted Answer

Behaviors that showed more variance across different situations (i.e., were more dependent on the situation) tended to show less variance across different individuals, suggesting that the way individuals behave is more consistent in situations that strongly dictate how one should act.

Question 20

Historically, personality psychologists have concentrated on ________ to evaluate the effects of personality variables, whereas social psychologists have concentrated on ________ to evaluate the effects of situational variables.

Accepted Answer

Personality psychologists often focus on effect size to understand the impact of personality variables, while social psychologists emphasize statistical significance to assess the influence of situational variables.

Quiz 4: Persons and Situations