Personality Psychology Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What primarily influences the consistency of behavior across time and situations?

Cultural norms

Temporary states

Genetic predispositions (correct)

Family environment

Which approach to studying personality focuses on unique characteristics of individuals?

Idiosyncratic approach

Comparative approach

Nomothetic approach

Idiographic approach (correct)

What aspect of personality development tends to stabilize as individuals age?

Environmental changes

Social influences

Personality traits (correct)

Cognitive abilities

In which environment do observed personality variations often arise?

Unshared environments Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason that older individuals may display more fixed personalities?

Consistency of environment Signup and view all the answers

How does generational cohort affect personality development?

It exerts a major influence on personality development Signup and view all the answers

Which personality theories focus on observable behavior rather than on internal traits?

Behavioral and social learning theories Signup and view all the answers

What is repression in Freudian theory?

The motivated removal of unwanted thoughts to the unconscious Signup and view all the answers

Which defense mechanism involves converting aggressive or sexual urges into socially acceptable actions?

Sublimation Signup and view all the answers

What psychological effect can occur if a person becomes fixated in the anal stage of psychosexual development?

Obsessive cleanliness or messiness Signup and view all the answers

Which defense mechanism is characterized by refusing to accept reality?

Denial Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of the phallic stage in Freud's psychosexual development?

Exploration of sexual identity and relationships Signup and view all the answers

Which defense mechanism involves expressing the opposite emotion or behavior to reduce anxiety?

Reaction formation Signup and view all the answers

What is one strength of trait theories of personality?

They offer useful descriptions of personality and its structure. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following personality assessment tools is developed using an empirical method of test construction?

MMPI Signup and view all the answers

What type of behavior does the defense mechanism of regression involve?

Reverting to childish behaviors Signup and view all the answers

What is a common limitation of personality assessments mentioned in the content?

They can lead to oversimplified classifications and descriptions. Signup and view all the answers

What can result from unresolved issues during the oral stage of psychosexual development?

Persistent reliance on others or issues with independence Signup and view all the answers

Which validity scale in the MMPI detects impression management?

L (Lie) Signup and view all the answers

Which defense mechanism is likely to involve attributing one's unacceptable experiences to someone else?

Projection Signup and view all the answers

The NEO PI-R measures which of the following personality traits?

Neuroticism, Extraversions, Openness, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness Signup and view all the answers

What does social interest refer to?

Solidarity and identification with others in constructive action Signup and view all the answers

According to humanistic psychologists, which of the following statements is true?

People are essentially good and strive to achieve their potential. Signup and view all the answers

Which concept involves the unconditional acceptance of another person?

Unconditional positive regard Signup and view all the answers

How did Carl Rogers view the relationship between individuals and their goals?

Individuals naturally strive toward positive goals without special urging. Signup and view all the answers

What is self-actualization as described by Maslow?

The fulfillment of one’s potential and capabilities Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following distinguishes a trait from a state?

Traits are consistent tendencies; states are temporary behaviors. Signup and view all the answers

What describes the Big Five personality traits?

Clusters of traits that correlate strongly but not with other clusters. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes emotional stability in the Big Five personality traits?

Resistance to unpleasant emotions Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following was a significant aspect of self-actualized individuals according to Maslow?

They are prone to peak experiences. Signup and view all the answers

Which trait in the Big Five personality model is characterized by self-discipline and a sense of duty?

Conscientiousness Signup and view all the answers

What is a hallmark characteristic of self-actualized individuals?

They are creative and spontaneous. Signup and view all the answers

What does Maslow's concept of self-actualization imply about a person's nature?

People have an inherent drive to grow and achieve. Signup and view all the answers

What real-world behaviors can the Big Five personality traits predict?

Job performance and grades in school Signup and view all the answers

In the context of cross-cultural studies, which trait was identified in a study in China?

Loyalty to Chinese traditions Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following traits emphasizes interpersonal relatedness in the Chinese Big Five?

Harmony Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following traits corresponds with the excitement-seeking nature?

Extraversion Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant finding related to personality change according to the content?

Some personality change can occur prior to age 30. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement reflects a common misconception about personality traits?

Personality remains static throughout life. Signup and view all the answers

What trait from the Big Five model involves an appreciation for art and new ideas?

Openness to experience Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of personality did a study with Chinese students emphasize?

Interdependence and relatedness Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Introduction to Psychology - Personality

Introduction to Personality covers theories, definitions, approaches, causes, and influences of age, culture, and cohort, plus personality assessment methods
The lecture preview mentions psychoanalytic, humanistic, behavioral, social learning and trait theories as key areas of focus related to personality

Definitions of Personality

Personality traits are relatively enduring predispositions influencing behavior across various situations
Traits explain consistency in behavior over time and situations
States are temporary activations of specific behaviors; descriptions, not explanations

Approaches to Studying Personality

Nomothetic approaches focus on general principles of personality, whereas idiographic approaches focus on unique characteristics
This compares different ways to study personality (general rules/general examples versus individual variations/individual examples)

Causes of Personality: Genes and Environment

Studies on twins and adopted children highlight the role of heredity in personality differences, however no single gene controls the significant variation
Family environment has less impact than previously thought
Unshared environment (unique aspects for each person even within the same family) is a major contributor to personality variation

Influences of Age, Culture, and Cohort

Personality change slows down as individuals age because they usually stay in the same environment and engage in similar activities over time
Self-ratings of personality across different cultures aren't easily comparable; observing actual behaviors is a better way to compare
Generational differences in personality exist

Six Aspects of Personality Change Over Age

Longitudinal studies show diverse patterns of personality development throughout different age groups measured by standard deviations. These graphs (figure 14.5) show that six personality areas vary over time (social vitality, and dominance; agreeableness; conscientiousness; emotional stability; openness to experience).

Four Main Perspectives on Personality

Psychodynamic, behavioral, humanistic, and trait perspectives are the key areas of focus

Sigmund Freud and the Psychodynamic Approach

Freud used interpretations of dreams, slips of tongue, etc. to infer unconscious thoughts and motivations
Psychodynamic theory emphasizes the interplay of conflicting forces, including unconscious forces, shaping personality
The presentation of a brief video describing Freuds theories has no accompanying content

Freud's Model of Personality Structure

Personality is compared to an iceberg: a small portion of the iceberg is conscious (ego), while the majority is unconscious (id and superego)
Different aspects of personality are in constant interaction

Structure of Personality

Freud suggested that the psyche contains the Id (basic instincts and pleasure principles), Ego (primary decision-maker and reality principle), and Superego (sense of morality): these components are in conflict sometimes creating psychological distress

Anxiety and Defence Mechanisms

The ego tries to minimize anxiety through defense mechanisms
Although these mechanisms are essential for psychological health, over-reliance on one or two mechanisms can lead to problems

Defense Mechanisms

Repression is the motivated removal of threatening material into the unconscious
Denial is the refusal to accept unpleasant reality
Rationalization is an attempt to justify one's actions
Displacement redirects behaviors or thoughts away from their target
Regression reverts to a more immature behavior
Projection attributes undesirable thoughts to others
Reaction formation presents oneself as opposite of one's true self.
Sublimation redirects unacceptable energies into socially acceptable behavior.

Stages of Psychosexual Development

According to Freud, personality development progresses through stages focused on erogenous zones
Sexuality begins in infancy and fixation at a particular stage can hinder development

Freud's Stages of Psychosexual Development (Details)

Oral Stage (birth-1.5 years) - focused on sucking, swallowing, biting. Fixation can lead to dependency needs, oral activities (including eating, drinking) and independence issues
Anal Stage (1.5-3 years) - focused on expelling and retaining feces; fixation can lead to issues like orderliness/sloppiness.
Phallic Stage (3-6 years) - focused on exploration of genitals (Oedipus complex in males and penis envy issues in females). Fixation can lead to closeness, castration anxiety in males, and envy in females.
Latent Stage (6-puberty) - libido not focused anywhere. Sexual interest is suppressed.
Genital Stage (puberty onwards) - focused on sexual contact.

Changes in Freud's Theory

Freud initially cited childhood sexual abuse, and later moved to childhood sexual fantasies as the root cause of personality difficulties.

Scientific Evaluation of Freud's Theory

Freud's theory has had a major impact on how we think about personality, but is criticized for poor predictions, dubious notions about the unconscious, limited sample sizes, and overrepresentation of shared environmental factors

Karen Horney, a Neo-Freudian

Neo-Freudians modified some aspects of Freud's theory, concentrating more on cultural aspects and feminine psychology

Carl Jung and the Collective Unconscious

Jung rejected Freud's concept that dreams hide their meaning; rather said dreams are part of nature and intend to express themselves as well as they can.
Collective unconscious refers to inborn thoughts and images related to the cumulative experience of preceding generations

Alfred Adler and Individual Psychology

Adler highlighted the ways in which personality is shaped by striving for a sense of superiority and by the individual as a whole
Individual psychology focuses on the individual and not on the fragmented components of the individual.
Importance of personal excellence and fulfillment is key
Social interest is highlighted; a sense of solidarity and identification with others

The Learning Approach to Personality

Most of what we call personality is learnt through experience, imitation, and vicarious reinforcement and punishment

What is Learning?

A lasting behavior change brought about by experiences

Humanistic Psychology

Humanistic psychology emphasizes consciousness, values, and abstract beliefs, including spirituality
People strive to fulfill their potential and strive to be better versions of themselves

Carl Rogers and Unconditional Positive Regard

People strive towards positive goals naturally
Unconditional positive regard is the complete unqualified acceptance of another person

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Self-actualization is at the highest level of Maslow's Hierarchy; being the fullest unique potential of an individual
Other needs discussed as part of the pyramid include: esteem needs, belongingness and love needs, safety needs, and physiological needs

Self-Actualization

Self-actualized people, tend to be creative, spontaneous, and accepting of themselves and others
Difficulty working with and aloof in some cases
Prone to peak experiences (fleeting moments of intense awareness)

Mahatma Gandhi

Abraham Maslow saw Mahatma Gandhi as a self-actualized figure

Personality Traits and States

Trait: Consistent tendency in behavior (e.g. shyness, hostility, talkativeness)
State: Temporary activation of a particular behavior; descriptions, not explanations
Traits and states are descriptions, not explanations

Derivation of the Big Five Personality Traits

An initial list of almost 18,000 words describing personality was reduced to 35 traits.
Key traits overlapped
Psychologists grouped related traits into clusters, resulting in the Big Five: emotional stability, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to new experience.

Five-Factor Model of Personality

Each trait is described with a brief summary and an example of a question to measure each trait.
The five factor model of personality includes traits like: emotional stability, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to new experience

Big Five in Harry Porter

Using fictional examples of characters to illustrate Big Five personality traits

Big Five and Behavior

The Big Five personality traits predict a variety of behavior, including job performance, grades in school and physical health related outcomes

Cross-Cultural Studies of the Big Five

Research supporting the Big Five model in other cultures using other languages
Differences in cultural priorities revealed in cross-cultural studies (e.g., Chinese studies emphasizing interpersonal relatedness)

The Chinese Big Five - Interpersonal Relatedness

Some cross-cultural studies show differences in the Big Five. For example in Chinese cultures, interpersonal relatedness emphasizes interdependence.

Can Personality Change?

Personality shows some variability before age 30 but little afterwards
Evidence exists that personality can be changed psychopharmacologically , but the question of whether it should be raised

Strengths and Limitations of Trait Theories

Trait theories offer descriptions of personality structure
Provided foundation for reliable personality measurement tools
Can oversimplify classifications of personality
May overlook socio-cultural influences on behavior

Personality Assessment

Lecture preview of different methods of assessing personality
Introduction to personality assessment instruments like self-reported inventories (MMPI, NEO-PI, MBTI) and projective tests (Rorschach, TAT, Human Figure drawings).

Dubious Methods

Discussion of unreliable and controversial personality assessment methods, including phrenology, physiognomy, and Sheldon's body types.

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)

Developed via empirical research, with low face-validity
Contains 567 true-false questions.
10 basic scales + 3 validity scales (L, F, K) to detect distortions.

An MMPI-2 Profile

Graph showing an example of an MMPI-2 profile

MMPI - Evaluated Scientifically

MMPI can differentiate amongst mental disorders
Some issues including redundant scales, not used for formal diagnosis, potential misuse by others

The NEO PI-R

Measures neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness.

The NEO PI-R (Details)

Graph shows the similarity of countries in terms of neuroticism and extraversion and how these traits cluster in various countries (figure 14.6)

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

Based on Jung's personality theory and categorizes people by extraversion/introversion, sensing/intuition, thinking/feeling, and judgment/perception

Projective Tests

Participants interpret ambiguous stimuli and project aspects of personality onto them
Reliability and validity are disputed

Rorschach Inkblot Test

Test using ten inkblots (black and white/color)- participants describe what they see revealing aspects of personality.

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

Participants create stories based on pictures eliciting aspects of personality

Other Projective Tests

Human figure drawing tests require drawing a human figure(s)- reliability and validity are disputed/have low correlation to personality traits

Study: Facebook "likes" as a Personality Test

Facebook "likes" can sometimes serve as a proxy for personality traits

Pitfalls in Personality Assessment

Barnum effect - Accepting descriptions applicable to almost everyone, thinking it applies specifically to oneself (astrology, tarot)

Standardized Personality Tests

Standardized tests administer tests in a consistent manner and use score distributions to determine if a score is in a typical or non-typical range, possibly indicative of a disorder

Uses and Misuses of Personality Tests

Personality tests are helpful in assessment, with results interpreted cautiously as they are not always perfectly accurate. The likelihood of scores indicating a specific disorder might be present in many cases without a disorder

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Description

Test your knowledge on key concepts of personality psychology. This quiz covers various theories, development stages, and personality traits, focusing on influential factors and defense mechanisms. Challenge yourself with questions about both Freud's theories and contemporary approaches.