Psychology: Social and Cultural Domain and Adjustment

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Questions and Answers

What are the three super-traits in Eysenck's taxonomy?

Extraversion, Emotional Stability, Conscientiousness

Openness, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness

Extraversion, Neuroticism, Psychoticism (correct)

Openness, Neuroticism, Agreeableness

What is the second level in Eysenck's hierarchical model?

Biological underpinnings

Super-traits

Narrow traits (correct)

Habitual acts

What is the aspect of the biological underpinnings of Eysenck's personality system that confirms heritability?

Super-traits

Identifiable physiological substrate

Hierarchical structure

Behavioral genetic evidence (correct)

What is the term used to describe the third level in Eysenck's hierarchical model?

Habitual acts Signup and view all the answers

What are the two resources that define social exchange in circumplex taxonomies of personality?

Love and status Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a super-trait in Eysenck's taxonomy?

Conscientiousness Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the first level in Eysenck's hierarchical model?

Super-traits Signup and view all the answers

What is the aspect of the biological underpinnings of Eysenck's personality system that refers to properties in the brain and central nervous system?

Identifiable physiological substrate Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of idiographic research in personality?

Studying general principles manifest in a single life over time Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between nomothetic and idiographic research in personality?

Statistical comparison versus single-case study Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary concern of grand theories of personality?

Studying the universal core of human nature Signup and view all the answers

What is the main limitation of contemporary research in personality?

Lack of focus on grand theories of personality Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary way in which individuals differ from one another?

In their personality traits Signup and view all the answers

What is the main advantage of studying individual and group differences in personality?

It provides insight into the ways in which people differ from one another Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a dimension of individual differences?

Extraversion Signup and view all the answers

What is the key debate in the field of personality analysis?

Nomothetic versus idiographic research Signup and view all the answers

What are the characteristics that describe ways in which people are different from each other?

Psychological traits Signup and view all the answers

What are the three essential ingredients of psychological mechanisms?

Inputs, decision rules, outputs Signup and view all the answers

What is personality defined as?

The set of psychological traits and mechanisms within the individual that are organized and relatively enduring Signup and view all the answers

Why are psychological traits useful?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

What do trait-descriptive adjectives describe about a person?

Their average tendencies Signup and view all the answers

What is the term that refers to the processes of personality?

Psychological mechanisms Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of personality?

To describe, explain, and predict differences among individuals Signup and view all the answers

What do traits describe?

The way people are different from each other Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of projective techniques in personality assessment?

To observe a person's reactions to ambiguous stimuli Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the information that can be gleaned from the events, activities, and outcomes in a person's life?

Life-Outcome Data (L-Data) Signup and view all the answers

What is the main issue that personality psychologists must address when using multiple data sources?

The links among various data sources Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of triangulation in personality assessment?

To examine results that transcend data sources Signup and view all the answers

What are the three standards used to evaluate personality measures?

Reliability, validity, and generalizability Signup and view all the answers

What is the advantage of using multiple data sources in personality assessment?

It provides a more comprehensive understanding of personality Signup and view all the answers

What is the main limitation of each data source in personality assessment?

It has problems and pitfalls that limit its utility Signup and view all the answers

Why do traits that are easily observable show a higher degree of self–observer agreement?

Because they do not require inferences about internal mental states Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of a good theory in science?

To organize known findings and make predictions Signup and view all the answers

What type of data is most commonly used to measure personality?

Self-report data Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of personality in the adjustment domain?

It plays a key role in how we cope with the ebb and flow of events in our day-to-day lives Signup and view all the answers

What is the Twenty Statements Test (TST) an example of?

An open-ended form of self-report Signup and view all the answers

Why are self-report data valuable in personality measurement?

Because individuals have access to a wealth of information about themselves that is inaccessible to anyone Signup and view all the answers

What is currently lacking in the field of personality theory?

A grand unifying theory Signup and view all the answers

What is linked with important health outcomes, such as heart disease?

Personality Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Personality is affected by and affects the social and cultural context.

Adjustment Domain

Personality plays a key role in how we cope, adapt, and adjust to the ebb and flow of events in our day-to-day lives.
Evidence shows that personality is linked with important health outcomes, such as heart disease.
Personality is also linked with health-related behaviors, such as smoking, drinking, and risk-taking.
Research has even demonstrated that personality is linked with how long we live.

The Role of Personality Theory

A good theory should fulfill three purposes in science: provide a guide for researchers, organize known findings, and make predictions.
Scientific theories should be distinguished from beliefs.
Five scientific standards for evaluating personality theories should be considered.

Personality Assessment, Measurement, and Research Design

Self-report data (S-data) is the most common method for measuring personality.
Self-report data can be obtained through various means, including interviews, periodic reports, and questionnaires.
The Twenty Statements Test (TST) is a prime example of an open-ended form of self-report.

Individual and Group Differences

Personality can have dimensions of individual differences, such as extraverts and sensation seekers.
Personality can also be observed by studying differences among groups, such as men and women.
Individual uniqueness is a key aspect of personality, with no two individuals having exactly the same personalities.

Research Approaches

Nomothetic research involves statistical comparisons of individuals or groups, requiring samples of participants.
Idiographic research focuses on a single person, trying to observe general principles that are manifest in a single life over time.

Grand Theories of Personality

Grand theories of personality address the universal core of human nature.
Statements about the universal core of human nature lie at the center of grand theories of personality.

Taxonomies of Personality

Eysenck's Hierarchical Model of Personality is strongly rooted in biology.
PEN: extraversion-introversion (E), neuroticism-emotional stability (N), and psychoticism (P).
The model has a hierarchical structure with three levels: super-traits, narrower traits, and habitual acts.
Biological underpinnings include heritability and identifiable physiological substrate.

Circumplex Taxonomies of Personality

The two resources that define social exchange are love and status.
The dimensions of status and love define the two major axes of the Wiggins circumplex.

Personality Psychology

Features of personality make people different from one another.
Personality is defined as the set of psychological traits and mechanisms within the individual that are organized and relatively enduring.
Psychological traits are characteristics that describe ways in which people are different from each other.
Traits describe the average tendencies of a person.
Psychological mechanisms are like traits, except that they refer to the processes of personality.

Data Sources

Projective techniques, such as the Rorschach inkblot test, involve giving a person a standard stimulus and asking what they see.
Life-Outcome Data (L-Data) refers to information that can be gleaned from the events, activities, and outcomes in a person's life.

Issues in Personality Assessment

A key issue is how closely the findings obtained from one data source correspond to findings from another data source.
Traits that are easily observable show a higher degree of self-observer agreement than do traits that are difficult to observe.
The Fallibility of Personality Measurement is a limitation, and triangulation can be a strategy to overcome this.

Evaluation of Personality Measures

Three standards are used to evaluate personality measures: reliability, validity, and generalizability.
Once personality measures have been identified, they should be subject to scientific scrutiny to determine how good the measures are.

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Description

This quiz explores the relationship between personality and social/cultural context, as well as how personality affects our coping mechanisms and health outcomes. Topics include adjustment, health, and risk-taking behaviors.