Question 1

If the frustration, conflict, and anxiety associated with a particular psychosexual stage are not properly resolved, Freud believed children may:

Accepted Answer

According to Freud's theory of psychosexual development, if a child fails to successfully resolve the conflict associated with a particular stage, they may become fixated, or stuck, at that stage. This means that their personality may become overly focused on the needs and desires associated with that stage, leading to potential psychological issues later on in life. For example, if a child fails to resolve the conflict associated with the oral stage (0-1 years), they may become fixated on dependency and develop an overly passive personality. If they fail to resolve the conflict associated with the anal stage (1-3 years), they may become fixated on issues related to control and become overly rigid or obstinate.

Question 2

Stewie has developed strong feelings for his mother and views his father as a rival for her attention. However, he is afraid that his father will find out and interfere with these plans. Stewie is clearly immersed in the __________ stage.

Accepted Answer

Stewie's situation is best explained by Freud's theory of psychosexual development, specifically the phallic stage. During this stage (roughly ages 3 to 6), children become aware of their own gender identity and develop a sexual attraction to the opposite-sex parent, viewing the same-sex parent as a rival. This is known as the Oedipus complex for boys and the Electra complex for girls. In Stewie's case, he has developed an attraction to his mother and sees his father as a rival for her attention, which is characteristic of the phallic stage.

Question 3

What is one criticism of projective tests?

Accepted Answer

Projective tests have been criticized for their low validity and reliability. Validity refers to how accurately a test measures what it is intended to measure, and reliability refers to how consistent the results of a test are over time. Projective tests, such as the Rorschach Inkblot Test or the Thematic Apperception Test, rely on subjective interpretation of ambiguous stimuli, which can lead to inconsistent or inaccurate results.

Question 4

The Oedipal complex is most likely experienced in the __________ stage.

Accepted Answer

The Oedipal complex is a psychoanalytic theory that suggests that during the phallic stage of development (ages 3-6), children experience unconscious sexual desires for their opposite-sex parent and see their same-sex parent as a rival.

Question 5

Tony has devised a test in which people look at clouds and talk about what they see. What type of test would psychologists call this?

Accepted Answer

This test is known as a projective test. Projective tests are a type of personality test in which individuals respond to ambiguous stimuli, such as inkblots or pictures, in order to reveal unconscious aspects of their personality. Looking at clouds and talking about what you see is another example of an ambiguous stimulus that can be used in a projective test.

Question 6

Which of the following is a projective test?

Accepted Answer

The Rorschach is a projective test in which an individual is shown inkblot images and asked to share what they see. The responses are then analyzed to gain insight into the individual's personality and thought processes. The other options are not projective tests - the MMPI-2 is a self-report questionnaire, the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale is an intelligence test, and the NEO Personality Inventory is a personality questionnaire.

Question 7

Which order is correct for Freud's psychosexual stages of development?

Accepted Answer

The correct order for Freud's psychosexual stages of development is Oral (0-1 years), Anal (1-3 years), Phallic (3-6 years), Latent (6-12 years), and Genital (puberty onwards). This order is reflected in choice D.

Question 8

Which personality test relies on the interpretation of inkblots to understand personality?

Accepted Answer

The Rorschach inkblot test is a type of projective psychological test that involves the interpretation of inkblots. It is used to understand a person's underlying thought processes, emotions, and personality traits.

Question 9

A newborn baby is in what stage of psychosexual development?

Accepted Answer

According to Freud's theory of psychosexual development, the oral stage occurs from birth to approximately 18 months of age, during which the infant's primary source of pleasure and satisfaction comes from oral activities such as sucking, biting, and eating.

Question 10

During a grade school field trip, Ryan and his friends were running down a hill when he stepped on a snake. He was unharmed but shaken by the experience. When one of his friends mentioned the incident months later, Ryan could not remember running down the hill that day. Freud would say that this is an example of __________.

Accepted Answer

Freud would say that this is an example of repression, which is the unconscious blocking of unpleasant memories or thoughts. Ryan's inability to remember the incident suggests that his mind may have repressed the memory in order to avoid the associated negative emotions.

Question 11

A person's responses to a projective test are thought to reflect

Accepted Answer

Projective tests are designed to tap into a person's unconscious thoughts and feelings, which are thought to be reflected in their responses. These tests typically involve ambiguous stimuli, such as inkblots or pictures, and the way a person interprets and responds to them can reveal underlying aspects of their personality or motivations. Current events and daydreaming themes may occasionally be reflected in a person's responses, but the primary purpose of projective tests is to access unconscious information. Maladaptive patterns of behavior may also be revealed through projective tests, but this is not the primary focus of the assessment method.

Question 12

Anna is a morally rigorous person who demands that her daughter remain a virgin until she is married. Anna cannot remember her own premarital sexual encounters. Which defense mechanism would likely account for this memory lapse?

Accepted Answer

Repression is a defense mechanism where a person unconsciously blocks or suppresses memories, thoughts, or feelings that may cause distress or anxiety. Anna's inability to remember her own premarital sexual encounters may suggest that she has repressed those memories as a way to maintain her belief that premarital sex is morally wrong.

Question 13

A psychological test asks the subject to tell a story based on a picture of one or more people in which it is unclear what is going on is one example of a/the

Accepted Answer

This is a description of a projective test, specifically the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT). The subject is asked to create a story based on an ambiguous image, and the content of the story is thought to reveal unconscious thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. The CPI and MMPI are both self-report personality inventories, and an intelligence test would not typically involve story-telling based on an image.

Question 14

According to Freud, appropriate sexual and romantic relationships are only possible when an individual has attained the ________ stage of psychosexual development.

Accepted Answer

According to Freud, the genital stage is the final stage of psychosexual development, and it occurs during adolescence and adulthood. At this stage, individuals have developed their own sense of identity, and they have a mature concept of love and sexuality, which allows them to form appropriate sexual and romantic relationships.

Question 15

The libido is dormant during the __________ stage.

Accepted Answer

The latency stage occurs between the ages of 6 and 12 years old, during which the libido is dormant or inactive. This stage is characterized by a focus on social and cognitive development, rather than sexual development. The other stages listed (genital, phallic, and anal) are all stages of psychosexual development where the libido is active.

Question 16

When Anna looks at some modern artwork at the museum, she often thinks she sees human figures or faces and likes to make up stories about them. When she tells the stories to her friend, her friend says that the stories reflect Anna's unconscious thoughts. In psychological terms, what Anna does is most similar to _____________.

Accepted Answer

Anna's interpretation of the artwork as containing human figures and her creation of stories about them is similar to the process of a projective test. In projective tests, individuals are presented with ambiguous stimuli and asked to create meaning from them, which is thought to reveal their unconscious thoughts and desires. Classical conditioning and personality inventories do not involve interpretation of ambiguous stimuli, and the MMPI is a specific type of personality inventory, so it is not the most appropriate option in this case.

Question 17

According to Freud, habits such as fingernail biting or gum chewing could result from a fixation in the __________ stage.

Accepted Answer

Freud believed that the first stage of psychosexual development is the oral stage, which occurs from birth to 18 months. In this stage, the primary source of pleasure and tension reduction is the mouth, and infants explore the world through their mouths. Freud hypothesized that if a child experiences either too much or too little gratification during the oral stage, they may develop habits such as nail-biting or gum-chewing as a means of continuing to satisfy the need for oral stimulation. Therefore, the most likely choice is A, the oral stage.

Question 18

A Freudian psychotherapist would assert that an alcoholic or a chain-smoker is stuck in what stage of development?

Accepted Answer

According to Freud's theory of psychosexual development, the oral stage occurs from birth to 18 months, during which the infant's libido is focused on the pleasures and frustrations associated with the mouth (sucking, biting). Therefore, an alcoholic or a chain-smoker may be stuck in the oral stage, seeking pleasure and comfort through oral fixation (i.e. drinking, smoking).

Question 19

You notice your classmate Hannah chewing on her pencil as she takes her psychology final. Which psychosexual stage may not have been resolved?

Accepted Answer

Chewing on objects, such as pencils, is considered an oral fixation and may indicate that the person did not fully resolve the oral stage of psychosexual development. This stage occurs from birth to about 18 months and involves the infant's pleasure center being focused on the mouth through actions such as sucking and biting. If this stage is not fully resolved it can lead to oral fixation behaviors in adulthood, such as chewing on objects as a means of anxiety relief.

Question 20

The main conflict of the anal stage comes from:

Accepted Answer

The main conflict of the anal stage, according to Freud's psychosexual development theory, is toilet training. This is when children learn to control their bodily functions and develop a sense of autonomy and independence. If this training is too harsh or if the child is not ready for it, it can result in fixation or regression, leading to issues later in life such as obsessive-compulsive tendencies or being overly controlling. The other options listed are conflicts in other stages of psychosexual development.

Quiz 12: Personality