Question 1

Which of the following Big Five traits had the greatest positive correlation with success across a wide range of professional,skilled,and unskilled job descriptions?

Accepted Answer

Conscientiousness has consistently been found to have the strongest positive correlation with success across various professions, as it is associated with traits such as reliability, responsibility, and goal orientation.

Question 2

What are the two dimensions of temperament that appear to be particularly important for adult personality?

Accepted Answer

Reactivity (how one responds to different stimuli or situations) and self-regulation (one's ability to control their impulses, emotions, and behavior) are two dimensions of temperament that have been found to be particularly important for shaping adult personality. High reactivity combined with poor self-regulation can lead to negative outcomes such as anxiety disorders or substance abuse, while low reactivity and strong self-regulation tend to be associated with positive outcomes such as successful goal attainment and healthy relationships.

Question 3

Research showing that situations can exert a stronger influence on people's behavior than any individual predispositions highlights the ____.

Accepted Answer

The question is asking about a phenomenon that challenges the accuracy or comprehensiveness of the general trait approach. Situations playing a greater role in behavior than individual predispositions suggests that traits alone may not always be adequate in explaining behavior. Therefore, the correct answer is C, the limits of the general trait approach. The power of the id and the human need for self-actualization are related to other theoretical frameworks and do not specifically relate to the question being asked.

Question 4

Janna is studying the firing of neurons in the brains of rats as part of her dissertation research on memory.She is disciplined in her research process and in her record-keeping and follows her advisor's recommendations to the letter,as she wants to eventually accomplish a lot in this field.The Big Five trait that best describes this aspect of Janna's personality is ____.

Accepted Answer

Janna's discipline in her research process and record-keeping, as well as her adherence to her advisor's recommendations indicate a strong sense of conscientiousness, which is one of the Big Five personality traits. Openness, extroversion, and agreeableness are less relevant to this scenario.

Question 5

What is the social-cognitive learning theory of personality that features the mutual influence of the person and situation on each other?

Accepted Answer

The social-cognitive learning theory of personality, developed by Albert Bandura, emphasizes the reciprocal interaction between the person, the environment, and behavior, which is captured by the concept of reciprocal determinism. It suggests that individuals not only influence their environment but also are influenced by it through feedback and consequences that shape their behavior. Therefore, the person and the situation mutually influence each other in a dynamic and continuous process of learning and adaptation. Behaviorism, self-efficacy, and locus of control are also important concepts in this theory but do not capture the holistic and interactive nature of the reciprocal determinism concept.

Question 6

Genetics account for a percentage of the variability seen in the population's personality.What is the source of the remaining percentage of variability?

Accepted Answer

While genetics do account for some variability in a population's personality, it is not the only factor. Research has shown that both shared and non-shared experiences also contribute to the variability seen in personality. Shared experiences, such as growing up in the same family or attending the same school can shape our personality, while non-shared experiences, such as unique life events, also play a role in shaping our individual personalities. Therefore, the remaining percentage of variability in personality can be attributed to both shared and non-shared experiences.

Question 7

The critical finding of the Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart (Bouchard,1994;Bouchard,Lykken,McGue,Segal,& Tellegen,1990)was that identical twins raised apart and together were ____.

Accepted Answer

The critical finding of the Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart was that identical twins raised apart and together were very similar to one another, whether the overall positive correlation for a particular characteristic was strong or weak. This suggests a strong genetic influence on human behavior, as opposed to environmental factors.

Question 8

Researchers have identified structural correlates in the brains of adults for four of the Big Five personality traits.Which Big Five personality trait has not yet been correlated with a structure of the brain?

Accepted Answer

Researchers have identified structural correlates in the brains of adults for Agreeableness, Neuroticism, Conscientiousness, but not for Openness.

Question 9

Surprisingly,research involving the use of a meta-analysis (Barrick & Mount,1991)found that there is rather little relationship between the Big Five trait of _____ and job performance.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Surprisingly,research involving the use of a meta-analysis...

Question 10

What is the approximate heritability ratio of the Big Five personality traits in humans?

Accepted Answer

The heritability of the Big Five personality traits is generally estimated to be around 50%, indicating that about half of the variation in these traits can be attributed to genetic factors.

Question 11

What is the theory of personality that features cognition and learning,especially from the social environment,as important sources of individual differences in personality?

Accepted Answer

Social-cognitive learning theory emphasizes the role of cognitive processes and social learning in shaping personality. It suggests that personality is shaped by both environmental factors (such as social influences) and cognitive processes (such as perceptions, beliefs, and expectations). This theory also emphasizes the importance of observational learning and self-efficacy beliefs in shaping personality.

Question 12

Which of the following statements is true about the heritability ratio of personality traits in humans?

Accepted Answer

The heritability ratio only indicates the proportion of variance in a trait that is attributable to genetic factors, but it does not inform us on how these genes interact with the environment or how personality actually develops.

Question 13

Jared,a college senior,is an outgoing person.His first reaction to many things is excitement,such as taking on a new challenge,meeting new people,or interviewing for a new job.From a biological perspective he would be described as having a low level of reactivity.Toward which end of the continuum of these Big Five traits would he likely fall?

Accepted Answer

Jared's outgoing and excited personality indicates high levels of extroversion and openness. The low level of reactivity mentioned in the question further supports this as high reactivity is typically associated with neuroticism. Emotional stability and disagreeability are not likely considering Jared's described personality.

Question 14

A child's pattern of mood,activity,or emotional responsiveness,which is linked to later personality,is called her ____.

Accepted Answer

Temperament refers to a child's innate characteristics, such as how they react to stimuli, their level of activity, and their emotional responsiveness, that can have a long-term impact on their personality development. Self-esteem refers to a child's self-evaluation, self-concept refers to their overall perception of themselves, and character refers to their moral and ethical values.

Question 15

According to Walter Mischel,if a child experiences a particular situation,he or she will then respond with a unique,stable set of behaviors.These if-then patterns will be characteristic of an individual,leading to the stable characteristics we think of as ____.

Accepted Answer

The if-then patterns of behavior described by Mischel lead to the development of stable characteristics that we refer to as personality. Therefore, choice C is the best answer. While traits and temperament may be components of personality, they are not synonymous with personality itself. Self-concept refers more specifically to an individual's perceptions of themselves.

Question 16

Most efforts to study the effects of genetics on personality use ____.

Accepted Answer

The twin study method is the most commonly used approach to studying the effects of genetics on personality. This method involves comparing the personality traits of identical twins (who share 100% of their genes) and fraternal twins (who share 50% of their genes on average). By comparing these two groups, researchers can estimate the degree to which genetics influences personality.

Question 17

Evidence across diverse cultures,including those of the United States,Japan,Korea,Germany,Portugal,Israel,and China,suggests that the Big Five personality traits ____ (McCrae & Costa,1997).

Accepted Answer

Evidence suggests that the Big Five personality traits represent a universal human characteristic, meaning they are applicable across diverse cultures.

Question 18

Aaron,a premed student,received an A on his anatomy and physiology exam.He told his roommate that he had studied for the exam,and that it was just good luck that the professor had asked so many questions that he understood.Aaron appears to have ____.

Accepted Answer

Aaron is attributing his success to external factors (luck) rather than his own ability or effort. This suggests he has an external locus of control, meaning he believes outcomes are primarily influenced by external factors outside his control.

Question 19

What is the cognitive expectancy featured in social-cognitive learning theories of personality about the source of individual outcomes?

Accepted Answer

Locus of control is the cognitive expectancy in social-cognitive learning theories that refers to individuals' beliefs about the source of their outcomes, whether they are controlled by internal factors (internal locus) or external factors (external locus).

Question 20

Of the following,who most reflects self-efficacy?

Accepted Answer

Self-efficacy refers to one's belief in their ability to achieve goals and handle difficult situations. Todd's belief that he can handle challenging situations and obtain future rewards indicates a high level of self-efficacy. Maria's attempt to redirect her aggressive urges into prosocial channels might show a level of self-control or self-regulation, but it doesn't necessarily reflect self-efficacy. Beth's tendency to attribute her own problems to others shows a lack of personal responsibility and self-efficacy. Marcus's belief that most of the things that happen to him are due to luck or factors beyond his control indicates a lack of self-efficacy.

Quiz 12: The Individual Mind Personality and the Self