PSYC-102 Chapter 14

projective tests

such as Rorschach, present ambiguous stimuli onto which people supposedly project their own inner feelings.

The Big Five personality factors are

1. openness 2. conscientiousness 3. extraversion 4. agreeableness 5. neuroticism - emotional stability

Oedipus complex

According to Freud, boys in the phallic stage develop a collection of feelings, known as the Oedipus complex, that center on sexual attraction to the mother and resentment of the father. Some psychologists believe girls have a parallel Electra complex.

unconditional positive regard

According to Rogers, unconditional positive regard is an attitude of total acceptance toward another person.

reciprocal determinism

According to the social-cognitive perspective, personality is shaped through reciprocal determinism, or the interacting influences of behavior, internal cognition, and environment.

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory MMPI

Consisting of 10 clinical scales, the MMPI is the most widely researched and clinically used personality inventory.

psychosexual stages

Freud's psychosexual stages are developmental periods children pass through during which the id's pleasure-seeking energies are focused on different erogenous zones.

humanistic theories

Humanistic theories of personality focus on our potential for healthy personal growth.

fixation

In Freud's theory, fixation occurs when development becomes arrested, due to unresolved conflicts, in an earlier psychosexual stage.

identification

In Freud's theory, identification, is the process by which the child's superego develops and incorporates the parents' values. Freud saw identification as crucial, not only to resolution of the Oedipus complex but also to the development of what psychologists now call gender identity.

id

In Freud's theory, the id is the unconscious system of personality, consisting of basic sexual and aggressive drives, that supplies psychic energy to personality. It operates on the pleasure principle.

superego

In Freud's theory, the superego is the division of personality that represents internalized ideals and provides standards for judgement the conscience and for future aspirations.

unconscious

In Freud's theory, the unconscious is the reservoir of mostly unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings, and memories. According to contemporary psychologists, it is a level of information processing of which we are unaware.

self-acturalization

In Maslow's theory, self-actualization describes the process of fulfilling one's potential and becoming spontaneous, loving, creative, and self-accepting. Self-actualization becomes active only after the more basic physical and psychological needs have been met.

self

In contemporary psychology, the self is the organizer of our thoughts, feelings, and actions.

defense mechanisms

In psychoanalytic theory, defense mechanisms are the ego's methods of unconsciously protecting itself against anxiety by distorting reality.

ego

In psychoanalytic theory, the ego is the largely conscious, "executive" division of personality that attempts to mediate among the demands of the id, the superego, and reality. It operates on the reality principle.

repression

The basis of all defense mechanisms, repression is the unconscious exclusion of anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories from consciousness.

Which of Freud's ideas would NOT be accepted by most contemporary psychologists? a. Development is essentially fixed in childhood. b. Sexuality is a potent drive in humans. c. The mind is an iceberg with consciousness being only the tip. d. Repression can be the cause of forgetting.

a. Development is essentially fixed in childhood.

The ____ classifies people according to Carl Jung's personality types. a. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator b. MMPI c. the Hierarchy of Needs Scale d. Kagan Temperament Scale

a. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

Which two dimensions of personality have the Eysencks emphasized? a. extraversion-introversion and emotional stability-instability b. self-actualization and self-transcendence c. unconditional positive regard and emotional stability-instability d. melancholic-phlegmatic and choleric-sanguine

a. extraversion-introversion and emotional stability-instability

According to the psychoanalytic perspective, a child who frequently "slips" and calls her teacher "mom" probably: a. has some unresolved conflicts concerning her mother. b. is fixated in the oral stage of development. c. is ruled by the pleasure principle. d. has a superego that overrides her id.

a. has some unresolved conflicts concerning her mother.

Research has shown that individuals who are made to feel insecure are subsequently: a. more critical of others. b. less critical of others. c. more likely to display self-serving bias. d. less likely to display self-serving bias.

a. more critical of others

Which of the following is the correct order of psychosexual stages proposed by Freud? a. oral; anal; phallic; latency; genital b. anal; oral; phallic; latency; genital c. oral; anal; genital; latency; phallic d. anal; oral; genital; latency; phallic

a. oral; anal; phallic; latency; genital

James attributes his failing grade in chemistry to an unfair final exam. His attitude exemplifies: a. self-efficacy. b. narcissism. c. self-serving bias. d. reciprocal determinism.

a. self-serving bias

Jill has a biting, sarcastic manner. According to Freud, she is a. projecting her anxiety onto others. b. fixated in the oral stage of development. c. fixated in the anal stage of development. d. identifying with her mother.

b. fixated in the oral stage of development.

Research on the Big Five personality factors provides evidence that a. some tendencies decrease during adulthood, while others increase. b. these traits only describe personality in Western, individualist cultures. c. the heritability of individual differences in these traits generally runs about 25 percent or less. d. all of these statements are true.

a. some tendencies decrease during adulthood, while others increase

Wanda wishes to instill in her children an accepting attitude toward other people. Maslow and Rogers would probably recommend that she: a. teach her children first to accept themselves. b. use discipline sparingly. c. be affectionate with her children only when they behave as she wishes. d. exhibit all of these behaviors.

a. teach her children first to accept themselves

A psychologist at the campus mental health center administered an empirically derived personality test to diagnose an emotionally troubled student. Which test did the psychologist MOST LIKELY administer? a. the MMPI b. the Neuroticism Index c. the Big Five Questionnaire d. the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire

a. the MMPI

personality inventory

associated with the trait perspective, are questionnaires used to assess personality traits.

Neo-Freudians such as Adler and Horney believed that a. Freud placed too great an emphasis on the conscious mind. b. Freud placed too great an emphasis on sexual and aggressive mstincts. c. the years of childhood were more important in the formation of personality than Freud had indicated. d. Freud's ideas about the id, ego, and superego as personality structures were incorrect.

b. Freud placed too great an emphasis on sexual and aggressive instincts.

AN example of self-serving bias described in the text is the tendency of people to a. see themselves as average on nearly any desirable dimension. b. accept more responsibility for successes than failures. c. be overly critical of other people. d. exhibit heightened racial prejudice.

b. accept more responsibility for successes than failures

The text defines personality as a. the set of personal attitudes that characterizes a person. b. an individual's characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting. c. a predictable set of responses to environmental stimuli. d. an unpredictable set of responses to environmental stimuli.

b. an individual's characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting.

Trait theory attempts to a. show how development of personality is a lifelong process. b. describe and classify people in terms of their predispositions to behave in certain ways. c. determine which traits are most conducive to individual self-actualization. d. explain how behavior is shaped by the interaction between traits, behavior, and the environment.

b. describe and classify people in terms of their predispositions to behave in certain ways.

Humanistic theories of personality a. emphasize the description rather than the explanation of traits. b. emphasize the growth potential of "healthy" individuals. c. emphasize the importance of consistency of behavior from one situation to the next. d. describe personality in terms of scores on various personality scales.

b. emphasize the growth potential of "healthy" individuals.

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory MMPI is an a. projective personality test b. empirically derived and objective personality test. c. personality test developed mainly to assess job applicants. d. personality test used primarily to assess locus of control.

b. empirically derived and objective personality test.

Regarding high self-esteem, psychologists who study the self have found that self-affirming thinking: a. is generally maladaptive to the individual because it distorts reality by overinflating self-esteem. b. is generally adaptive to the individual because it reduces shyness, anxiety, and loneliness. c. tends to prevent the individual from viewing others with compassion and understanding. d. tends not to characterize people who exhibit narcissism.

b. is generally adaptive to the individual because it reduces shyness, anxiety, and loneliness.

Which of the following is the major criticism of the social-cognitive perspective? a. It focuses too much on early childhood experiences. b. It focuses too little on the inner traits of a person. c. It provides descriptions but not explanations. d. It lacks appropriate assessment techniques.

b. it focuses too little on the inner traits of a person.

A major criticism of trait theory is that it a. places too great an emphasis on early childhood experiences. b. overestimates the consistency of behavior in different situations. c. underestimates the importance of heredity in personality development. d. places too great an emphasis on positive traits.

b. overestimates the consistency of behavior in different situations.

Id is to ego as ____ is to ____. a. reality principle; pleasure principle b. pleasure principle; reality principle c. conscious forces; unconscious forces d. conscience; "personality executive"

b. pleasure principle; reality principle

Contemporary research has provided more support for defense mechanisms such as ____ than for defense mechanisms such as ____. a. projection; reaction formation b. reaction formation; projection c. displacement; regression d. regression; displacement

b. reaction formation; projection

With regard to personality, it appears that a. there is little consistency of behavior from one situation to the next and little consistency of traits over the life span. b. there is little consistency of behavior from one situation to the next but significant consistency of traits over the life span. c. there is significant consistency of behavior from one situation to the next but little consistency of traits over the life span. d. there is significant consistency of behavior from one situation to the next and significant consistency of traits over the life span.

b. there is little consistency of behavior from one situation to the next but significant consistency of traits over the life span.

social-cognitive perspective

behavior is the result of interactions between people's traits including their thinking and their social context.

Which of the following was NOT mentioned in the text as a criticism of Freud's theory? a. The theory is sexist. b. It offers few testable hypotheses. c. There is no evidence of anything like an "unconscious." d. The theory ignores the fact that human development is lifelong.

c. There is no evidence of anything like an "unconscious."

According to Freud, defense mechanisms are methods of reducing a. anger. b. fear. c. anxiety. d. lust.

c. anxiety

Because you have a relatively low level of brain arousal, a trait theorist would suggest that you are an ____ who would naturally seek ____. a. introvert; stimulation b. introvert; isolation c. extravert; stimulation d. extravert; isolation

c. extravert; stimulation

The school psychologist believes that having a positive self-concept is necessary before students can achieve their potential. Evidently, the school psychologist is working within the ____ perspective. a. trait b. psychodynamic c. humanistic d. behaviorist

c. humanistic

According to Freud, ____ is the process by which children incorporate their parents' values into their ____. a. reaction formation; superegos b. reaction formation; egos c. identification; superegos d. identification; egos

c. identification; superegos

Andrew's grandfather, who has lived a rich and productive life, is a spontaneous, loving, and self-accepting person. Maslow might say that he: a. is at the middle rung of the hierarchy of needs b. has passed the need for self-transcendence. c. still has to satisfy his basic, physiological needs. d. is a self-actualizing person.

c. is a self-actualizing person

In studying personality, a social-cognitive theorist would MOST LIKELY make use of: a. personality inventories b. projective tests c. observing behavior in different situations d. factory analyses

c. observing behavior in different situations

The behavior of many people has been described in terms of a spotlight effect. This means that they a. tend to see themselves as being above average in ability. b. perceive that their fate is determined by forces not under their personal control. c. overestimate the extent to which other people are noticing them. d. do all of these things.

c. overestimate the extent to which other people are noticing them.

Which of the following statements about self-esteem is NOT correct? a. people with low self-esteem tend to be negative about others. b. people with high self-esteem are more persistent at difficult tasks. c. people with low self-esteem tend to be nonconformists. d.. people with high self-esteem have fewer sleepless nights.

c. people with low self-esteem tend to be non-conformists.

Suzy bought a used, high-mileage automobile because it was all she could afford. Attempting to justify her purchase, she raves to her friends about the car's attractiveness, good acceleration, and stereo. According to Freud, Suzy is using the defense mechanism of: a. displacement b. reaction formation. c. rationalization. d. projection.

c. rationalization

Professor Minton believes that people are basically good and are endowed with self-actualizing tendencies. Evidently, Professor Minton is a proponent of: a. behaviorism. b. psychodynamic theory. c. the humanistic perspective. d. self-concept theory.

c. the humanistic perspective

Projective tests such as the Rorschach inkblot test have been criticized because a. their scoring system is too rigid and leads to unfair labeling. b. they were standardized with unrepresentative samples. c. they have low reliability and low validity. d. it is easy for people to fake answers in order to appear healthy.

c. they have low reliability and low validity.

In studying personality, a trait theorist would MOST LIKELY: a. interview the person. b. observe a person in a variety of situations. c. use a personality inventory. d. show uncondtional positive regard.

c. use a personality inventory

Which of the following is a common criticism of the humanistic perspective? a. its concepts are vague and subjective b. the emphasis on the self encourages selfishness in individuals c. humanism fails to appreciate the reality of evil in human behavior d. all of these are common criticisms.

d. all of these are common criticisms.

In promoting personality growth, the person-centered perspective emphasizes all but a. empathy. b. acceptance. c. genuineness. d. altruism.

d. altruism

According to Rogers, three conditions are necessary to promote growth in personality. These are: a. honesty, sincerity, and empathy. b. high self-esteem, honesty, and empathy. c. high self-esteem, genuineness, and acceptance. d. genuineness, acceptance, and empathy.

d. genuineness, acceptance, and empathy.

Isaiah is sober and reserved; Rashid is fun-loving and affectionate. The Eysencks would say that Isaiah ____ and Rashid ____. a. has a positive self-concept; has a negative self-concept b. has a negative self-concept; has a positive self-concept c. is an extravert; is an introvert d. is an introvert; is an extravert

d. is an introvert; is an extravert

According to Freud's theory, personality arises in response to conflicts between a. our unacceptable urges and our tendency to become self-actualized. b. the process of identification and the ego's defense mechanisms. c. the collective unconscious and our individual desires. d. our biological iinpulses and the social resta-aints against them.

d. our biological impulses and the social restraints against them.

The Oedipus and Electra complexes have their roots in the a. anal stage. b. oral stage. c. latency stage. d. phallic stage.

d. phallic stage

For humanistic psychologists, many of our behaviors and perceptions are ultimately shaped by whether our ____ is ____ or ____. a. genuineness; real; feigned b. empathy; internal; external c. personality sfruchire; introverted; extraverted d. self-concept; positive; negative

d. self-concept; positive; negative

Which personal theory emphasizes the interaction between the individual and the environment in shaping personality? a. psychodynamic b. trait c. humanistic d. social-cognitive

d. social-cognitive

Which of the following refers to the tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs? a. displacement b. projection c. rationalization d. the false consensus effect

d. the false consensus effect

Which of the following places the greatest emphasis on the unconscious mind? a. the humanistic perspective b. the social-cognitive perspective c. the trait perspective d. the psychoanalytic perspective

d. the psychoanalytic perspective

terror-management theory

focuses on people's emotional and behavioral responses to reminders of their mortality.

psychoanalysis

is Freud's theory of personality that attributes thoughts and actions to unconscious motives and conflicts; also, the techniques used in treating psychological disorders by seeking to expose and interpret the tensions within a patient's unconscious.

collective unconscious

is Jung's concept of an inherited unconscious shared by all people and deriving from our species' history

trait

is a characteristic pattern of behavior or a disposition to feel and act.

Thematic Apperception Test TAT

is a projective test in which people express their inner feelings and interests through the stories they make up about ambiguous scenes.

personality

is an individual's characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting.

narcissism

is excessive self-love and self-absorption

empirically derived test

is one developed by testing many items to see which best distinguish between groups of interest.

self-efficacy

is one's sense of competence and effectiveness

free association

is the Freudian technique in which the person is encouraged to say whatever comes to mind as means of exploring the unconscious.

spotlight effect

is the tendency of people to overestimate the extent to which other people are noticing and evaluating their appearance, performance, and blunders.

self-serving bias

is the tendency to perceive one-self favorably

self-esteem

refers to an individual's feeling of self-worth

self-concept

refers to one's personal awareness of "who I am." In the humanistic perspective, the self-concept is a central feature of personality; life happiness is significantly affected by whether the self-concept is positive or negative.

Rorschach inkblot test

the most widely used projective test, consists of 10 inkblots that people are asked to interpret; it seeks to identify people's inner feelings by analyzing their interpretations of the blots.

psychodynamic theories

view human behavior as a dynamic interaction between the conscious and unconscious minds. They stress the importance of childhood experiences.