Question 1

A correlation coefficient is a measure of ________ and mathematically ranges between ________.

Accepted Answer

A correlation coefficient is a measure of the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two variables, and it mathematically ranges between -1 and +1, which is represented by the symbols in choice C.

Question 2

Which of the following was NOT one of the types of data that Mischel compared to one another?

Accepted Answer

Mischel did not compare S data with S data, as this would involve comparing self-reports with themselves, which is not a typical comparison for evaluating different types of data.

Question 3

In his book, Personality and Assessment, Mischel argued that behavior can be MOST accurately predicted from

Accepted Answer

Mischel emphasized the importance of situational factors in predicting behavior, arguing that behavior is more influenced by the specific context or situation than by stable personality traits.

Question 4

Situationism is the position that

Accepted Answer

Situationism argues that the influence of situational factors on behavior is significant, often more so than the influence of personality traits, suggesting that the predictability of behavior based on personality traits is limited.

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT a reason that older people believe their personalities are more consistent than those of younger people?

Accepted Answer

Older people's perception of their personality consistency is not directly related to the amount of wealth they have accumulated. Factors like stable social roles, maturity, and increased responsibilities contribute to the perception of consistent personality over time, rather than financial status.

Question 6

The situationist argument holds that

Accepted Answer

The situationist argument posits that behavior is more influenced by situational factors than by personality traits, suggesting limitations in predicting behavior based on personality alone and highlighting flaws in our everyday intuitions about people.

Question 7

Individuals in which age group are likely to have the greatest amount of stability in their personality traits?

Accepted Answer

Adults between the ages of 50 and 70 are likely to have the greatest amount of stability in their personality traits because personality traits tend to stabilize with age, and by this age range, individuals have typically undergone significant life experiences that contribute to a more stable and consistent personality.

Question 8

Which of the following psychologists is often credited with starting the person-situation debate?

Accepted Answer

Walter Mischel is often credited with starting the person-situation debate through his critique of the consistency of personality traits, arguing that behavior is more variable across situations than traditional trait theories would suggest.

Question 9

The trait approach is based on empirical research that is mostly from ________ studies.

Accepted Answer

The trait approach to personality is largely based on correlational studies, where researchers observe and measure how different traits are associated with various behaviors or outcomes, rather than manipulating variables as in experimental studies.

Question 10

Personality trait measurements are typically made on a(n) ________ scale.

Accepted Answer

Personality trait measurements are typically made on an ordinal scale, which ranks individuals or items in order without assuming equal intervals between ranks. This allows for the comparison of greater than or less than but does not specify the exact difference in magnitude between levels.

Question 11

The trait approach focuses exclusively on

Accepted Answer

The trait approach in psychology emphasizes individual differences in personality traits, focusing on how people vary from one another in terms of specific characteristics or traits.

Question 12

According to Kluckhohn and Murray, "Every man is in certain respects (a) like all other men, (b) like some other men, (c) like no other man." Which section of this quote MOST closely reflects what trait psychologists study?

Accepted Answer

Trait psychologists focus on individual differences and how people are like some other people, studying traits that vary among individuals.

Question 13

A fundamental problem for the trait approach is that

Accepted Answer

The trait approach assumes that individuals have consistent characteristics that influence their behavior across different situations. However, a fundamental problem is that people often behave inconsistently across different contexts, challenging the notion of stable traits.

Question 14

Which of the following terms describes the tendency for people to act differently in different situations?

Accepted Answer

Inconsistency refers to the tendency for people's behaviors or reactions to vary across different situations, rather than remaining stable or predictable. This term captures the idea that an individual may act differently depending on the context or circumstances they are in.

Question 15

According to situationists, the upper limit of personality coefficients is estimated as

Accepted Answer

Situationists argue that the upper limit of personality coefficients is around .40, suggesting that behavior is not as consistent across different situations as trait theories might suggest.

Question 16

According to the text, which of the following is NOT part of the situationist argument?

Accepted Answer

The situationist argument emphasizes the importance of situations over traits in predicting behavior, suggesting that everyday intuitions about personality are incorrect. However, the interaction between persons and situations to predict behavior is not a part of the situationist argument; it is more aligned with interactionist perspectives.

Question 17

According to the text, which of the following characteristics is positively associated with personality consistency?

Accepted Answer

General mental health is positively associated with personality consistency, as individuals with better mental health tend to have more stable and consistent personalities.

Question 18

Mischel originally argued that personality coefficients seldom exceed .30, whereas subsequent situationists raised that estimate to

Accepted Answer

Mischel originally argued that personality coefficients seldom exceed .30, suggesting that the influence of personality on behavior is relatively modest. Subsequent situationists, who emphasize the role of situational factors over traits, raised that estimate slightly to .40, indicating a somewhat greater, but still limited, role for personality in predicting behavior.

Question 19

In his book, Personality and Assessment, Mischel argues that

Accepted Answer

Mischel's argument in "Personality and Assessment" centers on the idea that behavior is too inconsistent across different situations to be accurately predicted by broad personality traits, challenging the traditional trait theory of personality.

Question 20

Walter Mischel and his 1968 book Personality and Assessment are noteworthy because this work

Accepted Answer

Walter Mischel's 1968 book "Personality and Assessment" is significant for initiating the person-situation debate, arguing that situational factors are more important than personality traits in predicting behavior.

Quiz 4: Persons and Situations

A correlation coefficient is a measure of and mathematically ranges between .