Psychology Test 1 Ch. 1, 2, 3, 4
Which of the following provides the best idea of the person's personality? A) Jacob is late to class on Thursday. B) Jorge was on time to class on Thursday. C) Lana was late to class on Tuesday. D) Akira is almost always late to class.
Akira is almost always late to class
Which of the following illustrates a problem specific to self-report measures? A) Alex believes that she is being videotaped and starts acting weird. B) Jake drops out of a study shortly after agreeing to do it. C) Mark is confused by what the researchers are asking him to do. D) Alisha tries to answer the questionnaire in a way that makes her look good.
Alisha tries to answer the questionnaire in a way that makes her look good
Who proposed the idea of mental tests? A) Cattell B) Jung C) Allport D) Galton
Cattell
Hippocrates and __________ both presaged modern trait theory when they discussed differences between people grounded in the so-called "humors." A) Galen B) Cattell C) Freud D) Plato
Galen
Nelson is using a Likert scale in constructing his personality questionnaire. What does this mean? A) He has made the questionnaire as free from cultural bias as possible. B) All of his question items are reverse-scored. C) He has put in a series of True or False question items. D) He has put in a range of numbers that correspond to how much someone agrees or disagrees with an item.
He has put in a range of numbers that correspond to how much someone agrees or disagrees with an item
Which person is most likely to be conducting personality research? A) Lucy, who observes how aggressive behavior varies among people playing a violent vs. non-violent video game B) Evelyn, who observes whether people are more likely to stop to help someone in a crowded vs. non-crowded street C) Josh, who examines changes in extraversion over students' first year in college D) Casey, who studies how boxers physiologically react to being punched
Josh, who examines changes in extraversion over students' first year in college
Why is it important to have sufficiently large samples in social science research? A) Studies with large samples are more likely to receive more funding. B) Larger samples help ensure that the study can reliably detect an effect. C) Large samples offset the need to have a diverse sample of participants. D) Large samples make all research findings infallible.
Larger samples help ensure that the study can reliably detect an effect
Why is it more accurate to think of the Big Five traits as on a continuum rather than as distinct categories? A) Most people like to think of themselves as moderate, not extreme. B) Most people measure at one extreme or another for a given trait. C) Most people measure somewhere in the middle for each trait, rather than entirely at one extreme or another. D) Most people who exhibit high on one trait tend to exhibit low on all the rest.
Most people measure somewhere in the middle for each trait, rather than entirely at one extreme or another.
Much of the time, people's scores fall into a normal distribution. What does this mean? A) Most people's scores are exactly the same because people share so many of the same qualities. B) Most people score in the middle and fewer score at the extremes. C) Most people score at the two extremes of a scale. D) Men score on the higher end of the scale and women score on the lower end.
Most people score in the middle and fewer score at the extremes.
What is a downside to agreeableness? A) People who are high in agreeableness are more cautious. B) People who are high in agreeableness are lonelier. C) People might take advantage of a person who is high in agreeableness. D) Other people do not like someone who is high in agreeableness.
People might take advantage of a person who is high in agreeableness
Which factor explains why some of your friends thrive at parties, whereas others shrink into the background? A) Personality is dominated by situations. B) People rarely control their situations. C) Birth order plays a big part in how people shape situations. D) People respond differently to the same situation.
People respond differently to the same situation
Why do personality assessments include some reverse-scored items? A) because researchers are required to reverse questions due to ethics B) because people tend to disagree with half of the questions they are asked C) because people tend to agree with everything D) because it is difficult to score the items if they are not reversed
because people tend to agree with everything
When researchers have participants report what they are doing at random times on the day using their cell phones, they are measuring __________. A) the quality of relationships B) behavior C) social desirability D) physiology
behavior
What is a common method researchers may use to assess mental health disorders? A) self-report questionnaire B) archival analysis C) clinical interviews D) experiments
clinical interviews
A study of nearly 70,000 Facebook users who filled out a personality questionnaire and then allowed researchers to access their pages found which of the following words were more likely associated with introverts on their Facebook pages? A) internet, party, amazing B) read, love, party C) computer, internet, read D) amazing, computer, love
computer, internet, read
Darla is known as one of the best workers in her office, and she also is very disciplined when it comes to exercising and diet. Darla is likely to measure high on which Big Five trait? A) openness to experience B) conscientiousness C) extraversion D) agreeableness
conscientiousness
Peter is always on time for work and makes sure he does each task to the best of his ability. Peter is likely high in which of the Big Five traits? A) neuroticism B) openness to experience C) agreeableness D) conscientiousness
conscientiousness
An extraversion scale is correlated with other extraversion scales. This is considered to be an example of __________. A) convergent validity B) discriminant validity C) face validity D) predictive validity
convergent validity
Tyson has found that his scale on conscientiousness correlates well with his friend Natasha's scale on conscientiousness. This is a sign of __________. A) convergent validity B) inter-rater reliability C) face validity D) internal reliability
convergent validity
Personality psychology aims to __________. A) change people's personality to more socially desirable traits. B) define and measure every aspect of the human experience. C) define and measure what it can while acknowledging that it will not be everything. D) capture all the unique differences among people and their life experiences.
define and measure what it can while acknowledging that it will not be everything
When researchers are measuring the effects of a drug, the effects are the __________. A) dependent variable B) independent variable C) confounding variable D) random assignment
dependent variable
If a Cat Person Scale correlates very highly with a measure of IQ, it would be said to be lacking __________. A) discriminant validity B) face validity C) convergent validity D) predictive validity
discriminant validity
Which scientific method is the only way to prove causation? A) projective test B) fMRI C) longitudinal study D) experiment
experiment
The Big Five factors consist of __________, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness to experience. A) extraversion B) introversion C) conservatism D) collectivism
extraversion
Which Big Five trait includes gregariousness and cheerfulness? A) extraversion B) agreeableness C) neuroticism D) conscientiousness
extraversion
Which of the Big Five traits translate most effectively across cultures? A) neuroticism, conscientiousness, agreeableness B) openness to experience, agreeableness, neuroticism C) openness to experience, extraversion, agreeableness D) extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness
extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness
What are the Big Five personality traits? A) extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, openness to experience B) extraversion, introversion, conscientiousness, neuroticism, agreeableness C) openness to experience, domineering, conscientious, anal, introversion D) introversion, hostility, openness to experience, conscientiousness, neuroticism
extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, openness to experience
The smaller specific components within each Big Five trait are called __________. A) super traits B) facets C) micro-traits D) subdivisions
facets
The nature-nurture debate is the view that __________. A) genetics versus preferences cause personality traits B) parents versus the environment cause personality traits C) genetics versus the environment cause personality traits D) the environment versus the situation causes personality traits
genetics versus the environment cause personality traits
A factor analysis is when words that correlate with each other form __________. A) sentences B) verbs C) descriptions D) groups
groups
Which of the following outcomes is more likely to be experienced by people who are considered extraverts? A) weak social relationships B) happiness C) depression D) anxiety
happiness
Amber is an extravert, so we would expect her to __________. A) have an uncomfortable chair in her office B) send fewer texts C) have many friends on facebook D) be less likely to have violated conduct rules
have many friends on facebook
Which of the following is an example of a self-report measure? A) having people fill out a questionnaire to describe themselves B) having researchers study documents that a person wrote C) having researchers observe and assess participants in a study D) having people react to strenuous situations
having people fill out a questionnaire to describe themselves
What are some common physiological measures related to personality that can be measured by physiological tests? A) self-reports B) behavioral observations C) TAT scores D) heart rate and sweating
heart rate and sweating
Influential factors in the shaping of personality __________. A) include genetics, parents, peers, and cultures B) are almost exclusively genetics C) are almost exclusively from the environment D) occur mainly in the first six months of life
include genetics, parents, peers, and cultures
When all the questions in a personality questionnaire measure the same thing, the questionnaire is considered to have __________. A) inter-rater reliability B) validity C) internal reliability D) statistical significance
internal reliability
With regard to other personality research, the Big Five __________. A) is hindering other lines of personality studies B) is not very useful because the traits do not translate well to other models C) is useful because it can incorporate traits used in other models D) is useful but only for conscientiousness and extraversion
is useful because it can incorporate traits used in other models
The __________ is the idea that important traits are embedded in our language. A) dawn hypothesis B) lexical hypothesis C) Cattell hypothesis D) Eysenck hypothesis
lexical hypothesis
A(n) __________ collects data on the same people at more than one time. A) experiment B) correlational study C) longitudinal study D) archival study
longitudinal study
Personality psychology is considered a hub topic because it incorporates __________. A) intuition, emotion, and intelligence B) many different fields of psychology C) nature and nature influences D) common sense and scientific methodology
many different fields of psychology
The standard deviation measures the spread around the __________. A) mode B) mean C) percentile score D) median
mean
Descriptive statistics allow you to compare your scores on personality tests with others by focusing on the __________. A) mode, measure, and validity B) mean, median, and mode C) low mean, high mean, and average mean D) median, distribution, and reliability
mean, median, and mode
What term do researchers use to describe the most frequent score in a set of raw data? A) mode B) median C) standard deviation D) mean
mode
Someone high in conscientiousness is, on average, __________. A) more likely to be on time B) more considerate of other people's feelings C) more aware of their surroundings D) more outgoing and social
more likely to be on time
Where can personality be observed, according to research studies? A) mainly through how one dresses B) only in labs C) most places and contexts D) only in places where people feel truly comfortable
most places and contexts
When the temperature is high, people wear less clothing. This is an example of a(n)__________. A) negative correlation B) positive correlation C) insignificant correlation D) null correlation
negative correlation
Ashley tends to get anxious when she goes through periods of change in her life. Ashley likely measures high on which Big Five trait? A) openness to experience B) neuroticism C) agreeableness D) extraversion
neuroticism
Which Big Five trait includes anger and immoderation? A) conscientiousness B) extraversion C) neuroticism D) openness to experience
neuroticism
The __________ is the distribution of scores in which most people score in the middle with fewer scores at the extremes. A) convergent validity B) divergent validity C) normal distribution D) abnormal distribution
normal distribution
Dan and Michelle are making their research materials and data on neuroticism in middle-aged men public. They are engaging in __________. A) unethical research practices B) open practices C) meta-analysis D) many labs approach
open practices
Which Big Five trait contains facets such as intellect, imagination, and adventurousness? A) neuroticism B) extraversion C) openness to experience D) conscientiousness
openness to experience
Which Big Five trait is least likely to appear in other cultures and languages? A) openness to experience B) neuroticism C) conscientiousness D) extraversion
openness to experience
Your friend Meghan decided to backpack across Europe so she could meet new people, try different foods, and experience a range of cultures and languages. Meghan likely scores high in which of the following Big Five traits? A) conscientiousness B) openness to experience C) agreeableness D) neuroticism
openness to experience
Students often mistakenly think that conscientiousness means consideration for others, but instead it refers to someone who is __________. A) emotional B) organized C) self-conscious D) assertive
organized
Rather than competing to see which has the biggest role in shaping behavior, the person and situation actually work together in many different ways, called __________. A) people-experience interaction B) personality-behavior interaction C) person-situation interaction D) people-family interaction
person-situation interaction
Research exploring if personality can predict whether people use a Mac or a PC has found that __________. A) personality does not predict preferences for features associated with brands. B) personality does predict preferences for features associated with brands. C) it is not possible to predict preferences D) personality predicts brand preferences
personality does predict preferences for features associated with brands
When Marlita's motivation decreases, her test scores tend to decrease. This is an example of what kind of relationship? A) positive correlation B) null correlation C) standard deviation D) negative correlation
positive correlation
Duane is using a numbers table to assign participants to each of the three conditions in his study. He is using __________. A) controls B) correlations C) random assignment D) archives
random assignment
What are the two main criteria researchers use to evaluate personality scales? A) reliability and validity B) fragility and validity C) reliability and variability D) validity and measurability
reliability and validity
A broken watch always shows the same time. It is __________. A) both reliable and valid B) neither reliable nor valid C) reliable but not valid D) valid but not reliable
reliable but not valid
Melissa has just completed her research analysis and the findings of her study are very similar to a different study measuring the same thing. This is an example of _____________. A) replication B) test-retest reliability C) a many labs approach D) meta-analysis
replication
What is a downside to extraversion? A) risk taking B) cautiousness C) loneliness D) decrease in sexual activity
risk taking
People with a hostile attribution bias tend to __________. A) have long lives B) see the worst in people C) think poorly of themselves D) be highly successful in business
see the worst in people
What is the most commonly used research method in personality psychology? A) physiological measure B) projective test C) self-report measure D) experiment
self-report measure
Erik is interviewing participants for his research study. He has a set of questions that he asks every participant, but sometimes asks follow-up questions as needed. What type of interview is he conducting? A) longitudinal study B) projective test C) self-report questionnaire D) semi-structured interview
semi-structured interview
People can get a sense of your personality by __________. A) only reviewing your standardized test scores B) your office but not your bedroom C) only reviewing your personality test scores D) the clothes you wear
the clothes you wear
What is an International Review Board? A) the entity that will decide if the research fits ethical guidelines B) the entity that will decide what the research should focus on C) the entity that the researchers need to join in order to be permitted to collect data D) the entity that will analyze the data that has been collected during a study
the entity that will decide if the research fits ethical guidelines
Which of the following measures is typically of most interest to personality researchers? A) the most frequent score B) the score that falls in the middle of all the scores C) the distribution of scores D) the score calculated by adding all participants' scores and dividing by the number of scores
the score calculated by adding all participants' scores and dividing by the number of scores
What does correlation measure? A) the acquiescence response set B) the statistical relationship between two variables C) the average score D) internal validity
the statistical relationship between two variables
What is the "Barnum effect"? A) the tendency for people to react strongly to negative statements about themselves B) the tendency for people to behave oddly when complimented C) the tendency for people to believe vague, negative statements about themselves D) the tendency for people to believe vague, positive statements about themselves
the tendency for people to believe vague, positive statements about themselves
What is the independent variable in an experiment? A) the variable that the researcher manipulates B) the outcome variable C) the variable that is often interchangeable with the confounding variable D) the variable that is set apart from the other manipulated variables
the variable that the researcher manipulates
Psychologists explain behaviors using the concept of __________, which is based on the idea that some people reliably behave differently than other people. A) terms referring to temporary states B) traits C) descriptive terms D) clusters
traits
The relatively stable tendencies of individuals are called __________. A) foundations B) factors C) traits D) pillars
traits
Kai is using multiple assessment methods to learn about one aspect of personality. Kai is employing what method? A) reinforcement B) multiple-choice C) inter-rater reliability D) triangulation
triangulation
Which of the following terms is critical to defining the term personality? A) usual pattern B) inconsistent thinking C) conscientious D) situational behavior
usual pattern
What are confounding variables? A) variables that determine when related items have a positive correlation B) variables that make it look like the two original variables are causing each other C) variables that most researchers forget to consider D) variables that determine when related items have a negative correlation
variables that make it look like the two original variables are causing each other
Which of the following scenarios provides the most accurate representation of someone's personality? A) talking to someone moments after a breakup B) looking at people eat spaghetti the day before running a marathon C) watching people brush their teeth before going out on a date D) walking into someone's dorm room on a typical weekday afternoon
walking into someone's dorm room on a typical weekday afternoon
When is the use of informant reports particularly helpful? A) when a personality study is seeking to understand undesirable traits B) when a personality study is looking to collect biological data C) when a personality study doesn't have the funding to conduct a self-report questionnaire D) when a personality study is seeking to find out about illegal behavior
when a personality study is seeking to understand undesirable traits
If you are a personality researcher, which of the following is the best way of measuring behavior to best predict personality? A) when situational influences are strong B) when behavior is measured through genetic tests C) when behavior is measured once D) when behavior is averaged across several days
when behavior is averaged across several days
What is a many labs approach? A) when different groups of researchers attempt to replicate the results of the same study B) when large labs provide resources to smaller labs to maximize time and resources C) when researchers alternate the labs they work in D) when many labs compete for funding
when different groups of researchers attempt to replicate the results of the same study
What is at the core of the person-situation debate? A) whether a person's behavior is influenced more by personality or a particular situation B) whether situations make people do bad things C) whether personality is due to genetics or environment D) whether people shape the situation they are in
whether a person's behavior is influenced more by personality or a particular situation
What is the difference between the person-situation debate and the nature-nurture debate? A) The person-situation debate asks whether personality exists at all and the nature-nurture debate asks about what causes personality. B) The person-situation debate asks whether personality is important and the nature-nurture debate asks why personality exists. C) The person-situation debate asks what causes personality and the nature-nurture debate asks why personality exists. D) The person-situation debate asks what causes personality and the nature-nurture debate asks about the environment's influence on personality.
The person-situation debate asks whether personality exists at all and the nature-nurture debate asks about what causes personality
What makes a research finding statistically significant? A) The researcher can determine the significance of the correlation. B) Multiple studies replicate the same finding. C) The sample size is larger than 10 participants. D) The probability is less than 5% that the results are due to random chance.
The probability is less than 5% that the results are due to random chance
Which researcher's work launched the person-situation debate? A) Walter Mischel B) Sigmund Freud C) George Mead D) Stanley Milgram
Walter Mischel
The person-situation debate tried to settle which question? A) What situations lead to more aggressive behavior? B) Do people have consistent behavioral tendencies across situations? C) How does the situation influence the behavior of the person? D) Is personality determined by genetics or environment?
Do people have consistent behavioral tendencies across situations?
What is the difference between extroversion and introversion? A) Extraversion is how assertive someone is and introversion is how talkative someone is. B) Extraversion is how shy someone is and introversion is how reserved someone is. C) Extraversion is how outgoing and talkative someone is and introversion is how shy and reserved someone is. D) Extraversion is how organized someone is and introversion is how shy someone is.
Extraversion is how outgoing and talkative someone is and introversion is how shy and reserved someone is
__________ is the procedure in which potential research participants are told about the purpose of the study ahead of time. A) TAT B) Debriefing C) Informed consent D) IRB
Informed consent
How was the person-situation debate resolved? A) It was resolved by finding that the person has more of an influence than the situation. B) It was resolved by finding that the situation has more of an influence than the person. C) The debate has not been resolved. D) It was resolved by concluding that both the person and the situation have about equal influence, and that the person and situation also interact to predict behavior.
It was resolved by concluding that both the person and the situation have about equal influence, and that the person and situation also interact to predict behavior
What do we know about how personality appears online? A) Only introverted people tend to be more extraverted online. B) The Internet has made typically conscientious people unconscientious. C) Social media typically distorts people's true personalities. D) People's personalities tend to match up with their online activities and profiles.
People's personalities tend to match up with their online activities and profiles
Jamar is debating a friend about the definition of personality. Which of the following claims should he use in his argument? A) Personality is most accurately displayed in a heated moment. B) Personality is best understood across time and situations. C) Personality is less about the person and more about situations. D) Personality is best understood when people feel uncomfortable in their environment.
Personality is best understood across time and situations
Which of the following statements about personality is true? A) Personality does not really exist. B) Personality is shaped by many factors. C) Personality is shaped more by birth order than by peers. D) Personality is shaped almost exclusively by genetics.
Personality is shaped by many factors
Why are experiments not often used in personality psychology? A) Experiments do not go far enough in proving causation. B) Projective tests have proven to be much more reliable. C) Random assignment is very difficult. D) The funding is frequently not available.
Random assignment is very difficult
__________ is a measure of how far a score is from the average in a normal distribution. A) Mode B) Mean C) Standard deviation D) Median
Standard deviation
Which of the following statements regarding the Big Five is true? A) The Big Five includes important information about people's ability to reproduce but tells us little about our ability to survive. B) The Big Five is interesting in many ways but tells us little about our ability to survive and reproduce. C) The Big Five includes important information about people's ability to survive but tells us little about our ability to reproduce. D) The Big Five includes important information about people's ability to survive and reproduce.
The Big Five includes important information about people's ability to survive and reproduce.
What is the main reason social desirability scales are useful in research? A) These scales help researchers measure the reliability of other scales. B) These scales help researchers measure extraversion vs. introversion. C) These scales measure how many friends someone has. D) These scales are used to screen out people who may not be telling the truth.
These scales are used to screen out people who may not be telling the truth.
Why are open practices important? A) They are much less expensive than traditional research methods. B) They protect the researchers from others who want to perform the same research. C) They allow for a more diverse participation pool. D) They allow for greater transparency among researchers.
They allow for greater transparency among researchers
One night, a young couple gets into a loud fight, disturbing their neighbors. Which of these explanations falls on the person side of the person-situation debate? A) They must have been drinking. B) They were both aggressive types. C) It was the end of the semester, so they were stressed and tired. D) She just told him she was unexpectedly pregnant.
They were both aggressive types
Personality is defined as __________. A) the influence of genetics on our behavior B) how different life situations shape behavior C) a person's usual pattern of behavior, feelings, and thoughts D) how we interact with our friends
a person's usual pattern of behavior, feelings, and thoughts
According to the text, researchers recorded all of the __________ in an English-language dictionary that could be used to describe people. A) adjectives B) verbs C) nouns D) clusters
adjectives
Studying the speeches of U.S. presidents to assess personality is done using __________. A) archival research B) projective tests C) meta-analysis D) experiments
archival research
