Question 1

In terms of the five-factor model of personality,an individual who is grouchy and difficult to get along with,who is also stubborn and refuses to try new things would be described as:
A) low in extraversion and high on emotional instability
B) low on agreeableness and low on extraversion
C) low in conscientiousness and low on emotional instability
D) low on openness to experience and low on agreeableness

Accepted Answer

This individual's description fits the characteristics of being low on openness to experience (refusing to try new things) and low on agreeableness (being grouchy and difficult to get along with).

Question 2

Which researchers popularized the "big five" theory of personality?
A) Eysenck and Cattell
B) Costa and McCrae
C) Gray and Hall
D) Allport and Odbert

Accepted Answer

Costa and McCrae are the researchers who popularized the "big five" theory of personality, which includes openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

Question 3

Hans Eysenck believed that one of our basic personality traits,our level of outgoingness,is mediated by sensitivity in the __________ of the brain.
A) basal ganglia
B) reticular formation
C) left cerebral hemisphere
D) gray matter

Accepted Answer

Hans Eysenck believed that extroversion is mediated by sensitivity in reticular activation system (RAS), which is a network of neurons located in the brainstem. The RAS is responsible for regulating arousal and attention, which are important for outgoing behavior.

Question 4

Marietta is always on-time for class,makes sure to do her reading the night before so that she will be ready for the class lectures and discussions,and writes her papers and assignments well ahead of the due dates so that she can bring them to the teacher's office hours to make sure that she has done a good job before submitting her work.Which of the following factors from the Big Five theory would Marietta score highly on?
A) Agreeableness
B) Emotional stability
C) Extraversion
D) Conscientiousness

Accepted Answer

Marietta's behavior exhibits traits associated with conscientiousness, such as being responsible, organized, and diligent in completing tasks.

Question 5

The __________ system is a part of the brain that stimulates approach behavior in response to the anticipation of a reward.
A) reticular activating
B) cerebellar inhibition
C) medullar mediating
D) behavioral activating

Accepted Answer

The behavioral activating system (BAS) is the part of the brain that is responsible for activating approach behavior in response to the anticipation of a reward. This system is involved in the regulation of positive emotions and motivation, and it is associated with the neurotransmitter dopamine.

Question 6

Which of the following is an accurate limitation of all personality questionnaires?
A) The questions are more difficult for children to answer, and thus they cause us to overpathologize kids.
B) The questions tend to be racially biased in favor of white individuals.
C) The questions tend to be transparent, so it is possible to present yourself differently than you actually are.
D) The questions favor male respondents and handicap female respondents.

Accepted Answer

Personality questionnaires rely on self-reporting, so individuals may intentionally or unintentionally distort their responses. This may be due to social desirability bias or a lack of self-awareness. As a result, it is possible to present oneself differently than is actually the case. However, this is not an accurate limitation for all personality questionnaires. The other options listed are either incorrect or not applicable to all personality questionnaires.

Question 7

According to Jeffrey Gray,a personality researcher who explored the theories of Hans Eysenck,there are two basic brain systems that mediate the two personality dimensions of Eysenck's theory.What are they?
A) The brainstem and the language acquisition device (LAD)
B) The reticular activating system (RAS) and the neuronal inhibiting system (NIS)
C) The presynaptic stimulating module (PESM) and the postsynaptic stimulating module (POSM)
D) The behavioral activating system (BAS) and the behavioral inhibition system (BIS)

Accepted Answer

According to Jeffrey Gray's exploration of Hans Eysenck's theory, there are two basic brain systems that mediate the two personality dimensions - the behavioral activating system (BAS) and the behavioral inhibition system (BIS). BAS is responsible for regulating behavior in response to rewards or incentives, while BIS regulates behavior in response to punishment or threat.

Question 8

The __________ paradox is the observation that personality ratings are consistent across time and among different observers,but that behavior ratings are not.
A) reliability
B) nomothetic
C) consistency
D) neuropersonality

Accepted Answer

The consistency paradox refers to the phenomenon where personality assessments show stable and consistent ratings over time and across different observers, yet observations of actual behavior tend to vary and lack consistency.

Question 9

Which of the following personality traits is contained in the five-factor model?
A) behavioral activation/behavioral inhibition
B) consciousness/unconsciousness
C) altruism/selfishness
D) conscientiousness/ undirectedness

Accepted Answer

Conscientiousness/undirectedness is contained in the five-factor model, also known as the Big Five personality traits. The other options listed are not part of this model.

Question 10

It is estimated that genetic factors account for about ___% of individual differences for most personality traits,including the Big Five.
A) 50
B) 75
C) 90
D) 0

Accepted Answer

The answer of It is estimated that genetic factors account...

Question 11

Some studies have suggested that our personalities become _______ as we grow older.
A) more fluid
B) more stable
C) more mature
D) more difficult to maintain

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that personality traits tend to become more stable as individuals age. This means that individuals become more consistent in their behavior and less likely to change their personality traits.

Question 12

Which of the following set of personality traits did psychologist Hans Eysenck believe existed?
A) Agreeableness vs disagreeableness and openness to experience vs rigidity
B) Emotional stability vs instability and introversion vs extroversion
C) Shyness vs sociability and conscientiousness vs unreliability
D) Consciousness vs unconsciousness and neuroticism vs agreeableness

Accepted Answer

Hans Eysenck believed in the personality dimensions of emotional stability vs instability and introversion vs extroversion. He later added a third dimension of psychoticism vs impulse control.

Question 13

For what purpose was the MMPI originally developed?
A) To identify children with learning disabilities
B) To identify individuals with emotional disorders
C) To provide employee screenings
D) To determine college placements

Accepted Answer

The MMPI, or Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, was originally developed in the 1930s to identify individuals with emotional disorders. It remains one of the most widely used personality assessments in clinical and forensic settings today.

Question 14

What is the difference between a personality 'test' and a personality 'inventory'?
A) A test is a paper-and-pencil type of measure, while an inventory involves a conversation with a trained professional
B) An inventory is given in a clinical setting, while a test is given in a counseling setting.
C) A test measures personalities along dimensions that are considered "right and wrong," while an inventory makes no such judgments about an individual's personality.
D) An inventory is longer and more scientifically rigorous than a test.

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the difference between a personality...

Question 15

The most widely used and researched of all personality inventories is the __________.
A) California Personality Inventory (CPI)
B) Thematic Apperceptive Personality Profile Screening (TAPPS)
C) Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)
D) NEO-Personality Inventory - Revised (NEO-PI-R)

Accepted Answer

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) is the most widely used and researched personality inventory. It consists of multiple-choice questions that assess different areas of personality, including social attitudes, emotional problems, and behavioral tendencies. The MMPI is frequently used in clinical and forensic settings, and has been revised and updated since its original publication in 1943.

Question 16

Each of the five factors of personality proposed in the "Big Five" model consists of ___ facets,each of which correlate with one another.
A) 1
B) 4
C) 6
D) 12

Accepted Answer

Each of the five factors of personality in the "Big Five" model consists of 6 facets. These facets provide a more detailed description of personality traits.

Question 17

A personality __________ is a long,scientifically rigorous instrument that asks about many different behaviors and assesses several traits at once.
A) inventory
B) test
C) questionnaire
D) assessor

Accepted Answer

A personality inventory is a more comprehensive and in-depth assessment tool for personality than a simple test or questionnaire. It typically consists of numerous questions that cover a broad range of personality traits and behaviors, and may require specialized training or credentials to administer and interpret.

Question 18

What has research found about the heritability of traits identified by trait theories?
A) Traits only show heritability for family members who are raised in the same household. Otherwise there is no type of research that can investigate personality heritability.
B) Traits only show heritability for identical twins, since they are genetic clones. Relatives without the exact same genetic heritage show no real personality heritability.
C) Traits tend to be heritable, as demonstrated by the fact that the closer two people are genetically, the greater their trait similarity.
D) Personality is 90% genetic, so those who don't want to turn into their own parents are out of luck.

Accepted Answer

Research has consistently found evidence for the heritability of personality traits, with the degree of heritability increasing as genetic relatedness increases. However, heritability estimates vary depending on the specific trait and the population being studied. It is important to note that heritability does not mean that traits are predetermined and cannot be influenced by environmental factors.

Question 19

The validity of a personality inventory refers to
A) the ability of the inventory to separate those with good personalities from those with bad personalities.
B) the level to which the inventory is able to label people as suffering from a psychiatric disease.
C) the degree to which the scores for each trait correlate with the corresponding aspect of the person's actual behaviors.
D) the degree to which the scores produced by one inventory agree with the scores produced on another inventory.

Accepted Answer

The validity of a personality inventory refers to how accurately it measures the intended traits or aspects of a person's personality. Option A and B are incorrect because personality is not inherently "good" or "bad," nor does a personality inventory diagnose psychiatric disorders. Option D refers to the reliability of a personality inventory, not its validity.

Question 20

__________ describes the extent to which a trait is able to be passed on genetically.
A) Lineage
B) Heritability
C) Chromosomal dispersion
D) Familiality

Accepted Answer

Heritability is the extent to which a trait is able to be passed on genetically. Lineage refers to a direct line of descent, whereas chromosomal dispersion and familiality are not related to the passing on of traits genetically.

Quiz 16: Personality and Individual Differences

In terms of the five-factor model of personality,an individual who is grouchy and difficult to get along with,who is also stubborn and refuses to try new things would be described as:

Which researchers popularized the "big five" theory of personality?

Hans Eysenck believed that one of our basic personality traits,our level of outgoingness,is mediated by sensitivity in the __________ of the brain.

The __________ system is a part of the brain that stimulates approach behavior in response to the anticipation of a reward.

Which of the following is an accurate limitation of all personality questionnaires?

According to Jeffrey Gray,a personality researcher who explored the theories of Hans Eysenck,there are two basic brain systems that mediate the two personality dimensions of Eysenck's theory.What are they?

The __________ paradox is the observation that personality ratings are consistent across time and among different observers,but that behavior ratings are not.

Which of the following personality traits is contained in the five-factor model?

It is estimated that genetic factors account for about ___% of individual differences for most personality traits,including the Big Five.

Some studies have suggested that our personalities become _______ as we grow older.

Which of the following set of personality traits did psychologist Hans Eysenck believe existed?

For what purpose was the MMPI originally developed?

What is the difference between a personality 'test' and a personality 'inventory'?

The most widely used and researched of all personality inventories is the __________.

Each of the five factors of personality proposed in the "Big Five" model consists of ___ facets,each of which correlate with one another.

A personality __________ is a long,scientifically rigorous instrument that asks about many different behaviors and assesses several traits at once.

What has research found about the heritability of traits identified by trait theories?

The validity of a personality inventory refers to

__________ describes the extent to which a trait is able to be passed on genetically.