Deck 9: Personality

Question 1

According to Hooker (2002), the three processes that act in tandem with the three structural components of personality levels are

A) state processes, personal concerns, and cognitive processes.
B) self-concept processes, personal concerns, and cognitive processes.
C) state processes, self-concept processes, and personal concerns.
D) personal concerns, dispositional traits, and life narrative

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following is not a facet of neuroticism according to Costa and McCrae?

A) assertiveness
B) depression
C) impulsiveness
D) anxiety

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Which of the following is not one of the parallel levels of personality and function as defined by McAdams (1999)?

A) dispositional traits
B) life narrative
C) self-concept
D) personal concerns

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Melissa is high in warmth, gregariousness, activity, and positive emotions. In Costa and McCrae's theory, Melissa would be considered high on the dimension of

A) neuroticism.
B) extroversion.
C) openness to experience.
D) agreeableness.

Question 5

The creation of an identity or a sense of self is the goal of this type of personality theory.

A) dispositional traits
B) life narrative
C) self-concept
D) personal concerns

Question 6

Thinking theoretically or philosophically, with little emphasis on economic values, is most characteristic of people who score high on Costa and McCrae's dimension of

A) neuroticism.
B) extroversion.
C) openness to experience.
D) agreeableness.

Question 7

Research on Costa and McCrae's model of personality traits shows

A) little evidence of stability.
B) stability for only a few years.
C) no support for trait theories.
D) strong support for long-term stability.

Question 8

. is/are (an) aspect(s) of personality that is/are consistent across different contexts.

A) Dispositional traits
B) Life narrative
C) Self-concept
D) Personal concerns

Question 9

Costa and McCrae's model is criticized mainly because of

A) methodological concerns.
B) assumptions of traits.
C) lack of research data.
D) questionnaire research.

Question 10

According to the Berkeley studies, the best predictor of life satisfaction in old age for women is

A) personality in young adulthood.
B) lifestyle in young adulthood.
C) self-esteem in young adulthood.
D) intelligence in young adulthood.

Question 11

One view of personality incorporates which consist of things important to people.

A) dispositional traits
B) life narrative
C) self-concept
D) personal concerns

Question 12

Which of the following is not a dimension of Costa and McCrae's theory?

A) neuroticism
B) psychoticism
C) agreeableness
D) conscientiousness

Question 13

Everyone describes Sharon as a nice person who is always helpful. This description best represents the personality concept of

A) behaviors.
B) traits.
C) stereotypes.
D) generativity.

Question 14

Being lazy, careless, late, unenergetic, and aimless are characteristics that fall on the low end of Costa and McCrae's dimension.

A) neuroticism
B) openness to experience
C) agreeableness
D) conscientiousness

Question 15

Which of the following is not an assumption about traits?

A) Behaviors represented by traits must be distinctive.
B) Traits are stable characteristics.
C) Absolute quantitative standards are used to define traits.
D) Traits are based on relative comparisons across people.

Question 16

Costa and colleagues reported that traits remained highly stable with correlations ranging from .68 to .85 over a year period.

A) 5
B) 7
C) 10
D) 12

Question 17

In addition to methodological concerns, Costa and McCrae's model has been criticized because dispositional traits rarely provide enough information to make predictions about how a person will act in a given situation, along with the fact that they

A) do not tell us about the core aspects of human nature.
B) rarely provide compelling explanations of why people behave the way they do.
C) do not take into account sociocultural context.
D) all of these.

Question 18

An approach to personality that explicitly takes into account contextual factors is

A) dispositional traits.
B) personal concerns.
C) personality constructs.
D) situational specific.

Question 19

What people want during a particular time in their lives and within specific domains; and include their strategies, plans, and defenses used to get what they want are termed

A) defense mechanisms.
B) life skills.
C) personal concerns.
D) contextual traits.

Question 20

An interesting study of personality using the internet, Srivastava et al. (2003) found

A) cohort differences in neuroticism.
B) none of the Big Five personality traits remained stable after age 30.
C) stability in the Big Five personality traits.
D) lifestyle predicted personality.

Question 21

A key concept in Jung's theory of ego development is

A) conflict.
B) dialectic.
C) balance.
D) function.

Question 22

In Loevinger's theory the representation of a person's patterns of relations with others is known as

A) cognitive style.
B) interpersonal style.
C) conscientiousness.
D) character development.

Question 23

According to Jung, which of the following always increases with age?

A) extroversion
B) introversion
C) masculinity
D) femininity

Question 24

Research concludes that the personal concerns of

A) older adults are fundamentally different from those of younger adults.
B) older adults are not fundamentally different from those of younger adults.
C) older adults are identical to those of middle-aged adults.
D) middle-aged adults are fundamentally different from those of younger adults.

Question 25

Changes in the ways in which thoughts, values, morals, and goals are organized are related to one's

A) ego development.
B) interpersonal growth.
C) conscientiousness.
D) character development.

Question 26

According to Loevinger, the level of ego development that most adults are at is

A) conformist.
B) conscientious-conformist.
C) conscientious.
D) individualistic-autonomous.

Question 27

Which of the following is not one of the rules proposed by Van Geert (1987) to explain how we move from one of Erikson's stages to another?

A) movement from outward orientation to inward orientation
B) movement from general to specific categories of understanding the world
C) movement from loving deserving people to loving all people
D) movement from masculine perspective to feminine perspective

Question 28

According to Jung, which of the following age groups is most likely to act in accordance with gender-role stereotypes?

A) young adults
B) middle-aged adults
C) young-old adults
D) old-old adults

Question 29

In Loevinger's theory, the dynamic interaction between the person and the environment leads to

A) ego development.
B) interpersonal growth.
C) conscientiousness.
D) character development.

Question 30

In which Loevinger's stage does concern for social problems and differentiating one's inner life from one's outer life become the main preoccupations?

A) conformist
B) indvidualistic
C) conscientious
D) autonomous

Question 31

Research by Thorne and colleagues showed that when older adults speak about themselves, they go beyond

A) dispositional traits.
B) age-related differences.
C) social class.
D) contextual traits.

Question 32

The most basic aspect of a healthy personality in Erikson's theory is

A) introversion.
B) autonomy.
C) integrity.
D) trust.

Question 33

When individuals have a beginning understanding of the true complexity of the world, they have entered which of Loevinger's stages?

A) individualistic
B) conscientious-conformist
C) conscientious
D) autonomous

Question 34

Deirdre is very concerned about nurturing her colleagues in order for them to assume the responsibility some day. Deirdre is most likely to be at Erikson's stage of

A) trust vs. mistrust.
B) identity vs. identity diffusion.
C) generativity vs. stagnation.
D) ego integrity vs. despair.

Question 35

The epigenetic principle in Erikson's theory means that

A) ego development is determined by the environment.
B) each psychosocial strength has its own special time of importance.
C) the order of the stages of ego development is variable.
D) psychosocial development is due to assimilation-accommodation.

Question 36

One way to look at Erikson's theory, is that it is

A) a cycle of trust-identity-integrity that repeats twice.
B) really a cognitive developmental theory.
C) a trait theory in disguise.
D) not truly life-span.

Question 37

According to Erikson, the basis for personality growth is

A) achieving a balance of forces.
B) blending among traits.
C) resolving struggles between tendencies.
D) achieving formal operations.

Question 38

Which of the following is not one of Kotre's (1984) types of generativity?

A) cultural generativity
B) agentic generativity
C) personal generativity
D) technical generativity

Question 39

High tolerance for ambiguity and respect for each person's independence are characteristics of which of Loevinger's stages?

A) conformist
B) conscientious-conformist
C) conscientious
D) autonomous

Question 40

Which of the following is the correct order of Erikson's stages during adulthood?

A) intimacy-isolation, generativity-stagnation, ego integrity-despair
B) identity-confusion, intimacy-isolation, generativity-stagnation
C) generativity-stagnation, ego integrity-despair, trust-mistrust
D) trust-mistrust, initiative-guilt, industry-inferiority

Question 41

The best conclusion to draw from research concerning the midlife crisis is that

A) there is no question it exists.
B) there is little data to support its existence.
C) it clearly exists for women but not for men.
D) it clearly exists for men but not for women.

Question 42

One's willingness to let the situation determine what he or she will do is known as in Whitbourne's identity theory.

A) accommodation.
B) assimilation.
C) perspective hypothesis.
D) scenario testing.

Question 43

Giving events personal meaning and creating an autobiography is the goal of Whitbourne's concept of the

A) life-span construct.
B) life story.
C) perspective hypothesis.
D) scenario.

Question 44

Which of the following is not a criticism of theories based on life transitions?

A) sample selection
B) whether changes really happen
C) degree to which stages are universal
D) whether changes in extroversion occur

Question 45

A good predictor of younger and middle-aged adults' reasoning on social dilemma tasks and also coping strategies across the life span is

A) religion.
B) avoidance.
C) generativity.
D) ego level.

Question 46

The organized, coherent, integrated pattern of self-perceptions is the

A) ego.
B) life story.
C) self-concept.
D) scenario.

Question 47

Research focusing on life transitions as the basis for personality development shows

A) clear evidence of a single sequence of qualitative changes.
B) supportive evidence based on large representative samples.
C) strong evidence of transitions at specific points (such as age 30).
D) little evidence of universal transitions tied to specific ages.

Question 48

Whitbourne's findings suggest that the two most important sources of identity come from

A) friends and work.
B) family and work.
C) friends and family.
D) work and children.

Question 49

In Whitbourne's approach, a person's unified sense of the past, present, and future is termed the

A) life-span construct.
B) life story.
C) perspective hypothesis.
D) scenario.

Question 50

According to McAdams, the narrative that people create and revise throughout adulthood is a

A) life-span construct.
B) life story.
C) life narrative.
D) scenario.

Question 51

Mortimer and colleagues (1982) followed men for 14 years, beginning when they were in their first year of college, to better understand self-concept. Results of this study show that self-concept

A) changed somewhat over the 14 years.
B) did not change over the 14 years.
C) was generally stable.
D) fluctuated greatly during this time period.

Question 52

Changing your identity over time is a process of reframing your life story, which, according to McAdams, is strongly influenced by

A) generativity.
B) personal control.
C) personal concerns.
D) culture.

Question 53

The best way to view midlife is as a time of

A) inevitable losses.
B) unavoidable crises.
C) both gains and losses.
D) inevitable gains.

Question 54

Stewart (1996) suggests that rather than a midlife crisis, we should think about

A) midlife changes.
B) unavoidable crises.
C) midlife corrections.
D) midlife complexity.

Question 55

The best conclusion to make about personal concerns is that there is

A) some change, but it is not tied to any specific ages.
B) no change.
C) some change but it is related to a person's age.
D) a midlife crisis.

Question 56

Life stories with the clear ending quality of "giving birth to" a new generation is similar to the concept of

A) autonomy.
B) creation.
C) generativity.
D) self-esteem.

Question 57

Which of the following is not a goal when creating a life story?

A) coherent life story
B) excluding new possibilities
C) reconciling opposite aspects of oneself
D) integrating one's sociocultural context

Question 58

The books Passages and Pathfinders reflect which group of personality theories?

A) ego theories
B) personal attributions
C) dispositional traits
D) life transitions

Question 59

Mortimer and colleagues suggest that men may

A) actively seek and create experiences that fit their personality.
B) actively change their personality to fit with experiences they have had.
C) actively seek and create experiences that modify their personality.
D) change their self-concept to better fit with experiences they have had.

Question 60

Whitbourne's identity theory combines assimilation and accommodation, components of which cognitive-development theory?

A) Baltes
B) Piaget
C) Erikson
D) Sternberg

Question 61

Older adults report using most frequently as a coping mechanism in daily life.

A) family
B) friends
C) religious faith
D) knowledge gathering

Question 62

A person that you call the "life of the party" would score high on a personality scale measuring .

Question 63

Personality traits based on shared cultural beliefs of what is considered prototypically masculine and feminine are called

A) neuroticism.
B) gender differences.
C) personal sex preferences.
D) gender-role identity.

Question 64

Younger adults, compared with older adults, are more likely to have

A) more possible selves but to be less likely to believe they can attain them.
B) more possible selves and to be more likely to believe they can attain them.
C) fewer possible selves and be less likely to believe they can attain them.
D) fewer possible selves and be more likely to believe they can attain them.

Question 65

Older men often indicate to develop close relationships.

A) less desire
B) a greater willingness
C) more reluctance
D) more fearfulness

Question 66

Cross-sectional research on age differences in gender-role identity show

A) increased polarization of men and women as they grow older.
B) clear behavioral indicators of fundamental shifts.
C) a move toward greater similarity between older men and women.
D) evidence that people who change are all dependent personalities.

Question 67

Which of the following is not a dimension of psychological well being as defined by Ryff?

A) autonomy
B) achievement
C) environmental mastery
D) self-acceptance

Question 68

Older adults who reported having very little religious commitment also reported

A) unstable dispositional traits.
B) low self-worth.
C) unstable personal concerns.
D) causal attributions.

Question 69

A(n) is a relatively stable and enduring aspect of personality.

Question 70

The greater acceptance of both male and female gender roles is known as

A) androgyny.
B) attributional shift.
C) personal sex preferences.
D) dependent personalities.

Question 71

Which dimension of psychological well-being as defined by Ryff includes being independent, determining one's own life, and being able to resist social pressures?

A) autonomy
B) achievement
C) environmental mastery
D) self-acceptance

Question 72

Some of the facets of involve impulsiveness, self-consciousness, anxiety, and hostility.

Question 73

According to research, adults of all ages list what type of issues as their most frequent feared self?

A) family
B) activity
C) physical
D) intellectual

Question 74

Reliance on religion in times of stress appears to be especially important for

A) Hispanic Americans.
B) African Americans.
C) Native Americans.
D) European Americans.

Question 75

Aspects of our personality pertaining to what we could become, what we would like to become, and what we are afraid of becoming are called

A) life story.
B) possible selves.
C) ego.
D) trait clusters.

Question 76

Longitudinal data suggest that of people remain in the same gender-role category over a 10-year period.

A) 10%
B) 25%
C) 36%
D) 54%

Question 77

Research on the development of self-concept shows the importance of

A) trait clusters.
B) ego development.
C) life events.
D) rejecting myths.

Question 78

Descriptions of women as being less active, having lower self-esteem, but are more nurturing relative to men help form one's

A) neuroticism.
B) gender differences.
C) personal sex preferences.
D) gender-role identity.

Question 79

The term) is used to describe a fairly stable aspect of a person's personality.

Question 80

refers to the inclusion of both masculine and feminine gender role traits.