Psychology Chapter 4: Personality Traits

Questions and Answers

What does the trait approach focus on?

Group dynamics

Situational influences on behavior

Personality commonalities

How individuals differ in personality dispositions (correct)

The fundamental problem of the trait approach is that people are inconsistent.

True

What does context to the person-situation debate refer to?

A generation of personality psychologists felt the debate was personal and challenging for their field.

What is David Funder known for?

He is a respected scholar who argued that personality is worthy of study. Signup and view all the answers

What does Walter Mischel believe about human behavior?

Human behavior is largely determined by the situation rather than traits. Signup and view all the answers

The marshmallow test is associated with __________.

Walter Mischel Signup and view all the answers

What is the main topic of the person-situation debate?

The relative power of personality traits compared to situational influences on behavior. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is one of the three issues in the person-situation debate?

Is personality consistent across different situations? Signup and view all the answers

What is situationism?

The theory that behavior is determined more by the situation than by personality traits. Signup and view all the answers

What is the first situationist argument regarding predictability?

There is an upper limit to how well one can predict behavior based on personality measurements. Signup and view all the answers

What is the response to the first situationist argument?

Mischel's literature review was unfair, and evidence found consistency. Signup and view all the answers

What does the second situationist argument state about personality and situations?

Situations are more important than personality traits in determining behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What is the conclusion of the person-situation debate?

Both personality and situations are important determinants of behavior. Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference between absolute and relative consistency?

Absolute consistency refers to unchanging behavior, while relative consistency acknowledges behavioral changes across situations. Signup and view all the answers

The third situationist argument claims that personality assessment is a worthwhile pursuit.

False Signup and view all the answers

Why is personality important in life?

Personality affects and predicts important life outcomes such as career success and health. Signup and view all the answers

What is interactionism in terms of personality and situations?

The effect of a personality variable may depend on the situation, or vice versa. Signup and view all the answers

What significant experiment is related to situational influences on behavior?

Stanford Prison Experiment. Signup and view all the answers

According to the Situation View, what determines differences between people?

The situation Signup and view all the answers

According to the Personality View, what determines behavior?

Personality traits Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Trait Approach

Focuses on individual differences in personality dispositions.
Predominantly relies on correlational designs to study traits.
Traits aim to predict behavior and serve as building blocks of personality.
Strengths: explains individual differences; weaknesses: overlooks universal aspects of personality.
Captures the essence of human experience: everyone shares similarities, some differences, and unique traits.

Fundamental Problem of the Trait Approach

Highlights inconsistency in behavior based on personality traits alone.
Individual differences exist in consistency; some exhibit consistent traits, while others only in specific situations.

Context of the Person-Situation Debate

The debate reflects a historical struggle within personality psychology for recognition and academic acceptance.
Pioneering psychologists faced challenges when advocating that personality was significant and worth studying.

Key Figures

David Funder: Respected scholar from Stanford who championed the importance of personality.
Walter Mischel: Emphasized situational influences over traits in understanding behavior; known for the Marshmallow Test demonstrating self-control and future success.

Marshmallow Test

Experiment where children are asked to wait for a marshmallow, with delay indicating potential future success.
Highlights the relationship between self-control and life outcomes.

Person-Situation Debate

Centers on the power of personality traits vs. situational factors in influencing behavior.
Mischel’s argument emphasizes variability in behavior contingent on the situation directly correlates with his critique of personality assessment's predictive power.

Situationism

Argues behavior is more influenced by situational factors than personality traits; undermines the value of studying personality if true.
Suggests traits may not hold significant predictive power for behavior.

Predictability and Response to Situationism

Mischel's findings indicated low upper limits on predicting behavior based on personality.
Critics highlight potential biases in Mischel’s literature review and call for improved methodologies to uncover personality consistency.

Variance in Behavior

Situationism suggests that the variance in behavior due to personality is minimal; however, critics argue that this overlooks the influence of personality traits on performance.

Conclusion of the Person-Situation Debate

Acknowledges that both personality and situational factors are crucial determinants of behavior.
Importance of individual differences persists even within varying situations while maintaining a consistent personality style.

Absolute vs. Relative Consistency

Individuals demonstrate consistent personality differences across situational variations, where situations influence behavior but do not overwhelm personal traits.

Errors in Person Perception

The practice of personality assessment often criticized as flawed; however, evidence suggests significant impact of traits on behavior can be perceived.

Personality's Impact on Life

Personality holds relevance beyond theoretical discussions, influencing critical life outcomes such as relationships, career achievements, and health.

Interactionism

The notion that the influence of personality traits varies depending on the situation, and individuals shape their circumstances through personality.

Stanford Prison Experiment

A study revealing that assigned roles influence behavior, demonstrating variability among participants regardless of their assigned position as guards or prisoners.

Views on Situation vs. Personality

Situation View: Suggests behavior is shaped by external circumstances, minimizing personal responsibility.
Personality View: Argues that consistent identities allow individuals to maintain behavior across diverse situations.

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Description

Explore key concepts from Chapter 4 on personality through this flashcard quiz focused on the Trait Approach. Understand the individual differences in personality dispositions and the implications in predicting behavior. Get ready to test your knowledge and deepen your understanding of personality psychology.