Question 1

Fowsia and Ahmed live in Africa, and Lucy and Frank live in the United States.Given your knowledge about gender differences in personality, what can you predict about how these two couples will score on a personality assessment?

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that gender differences in personality tend to be larger in Western cultures like the United States, compared to non-Western cultures like those found in Africa. Therefore, Lucy and Frank are more likely to show greater gender differences on a personality assessment than Fowsia and Ahmed.

Question 2

Which of the following is a weak situation?

Accepted Answer

Talking with a friend at a coffee shop is a weak situation because it does not involve any significant social or emotional pressure, danger, or stress. The other options all involve some level of authority, scrutiny, or potential threat, making them stronger situations.

Question 3

In terms of gender differences in personality,

Accepted Answer

Research has consistently found that women tend to score higher on the trait of agreeableness and higher on the trait of neuroticism compared to men. However, it is important to note that there is also significant variation within genders and personality traits are not binary. Additionally, cultural and societal factors can influence gender differences in personality, but overall, women and men are more similar than they are different in terms of personality traits.

Question 4

Anna is a college student from the United States and Michiko is a college student from Japan.Both have taken the same personality assessment.Who is likely to score higher in neuroticism, and why?

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that Japanese people tend to score higher in neuroticism compared to Americans. This may be due to cultural differences and the emphasis on emotional restraint and suppression in Japanese culture.

Question 5

Across cultures, people become neurotic, extraverted, and conscientious as they age.

Accepted Answer

As people age, they generally become less neurotic and less extraverted, but more conscientious. This reflects a common trend in personality development over the lifespan.

Question 6

In what ways do weak situations affect personality differently?

Accepted Answer

Weak situations, or situations with low levels of structure, can reveal personality expression because individuals are not provided with clear cues for behavior. In contrast, strong situations, or situations with high levels of structure, can mask personality expression because individuals must conform to the demands of the situation. Weak situations can be opportunities for individuals to express their unique traits and preferences.

Question 7

Which of the following accurately describes cross-cultural research on the Big Five personality traits?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following accurately describes cross-cultural...

Question 8

What do interactionist theories say about personality?

Accepted Answer

Interactionist theories suggest that behavior is dependent on both situational factors and underlying dispositions. Therefore, personality is seen as constantly changing and evolving based on the social interactions and experiences an individual has throughout their life span.

Question 9

When conscientiousness was measured across 56 cultures, it was found that

Accepted Answer

Conscientiousness generally increased with age in all cultures, indicating a universal trend across different cultural contexts.

Question 10

Which of the following is a strong situation?

Accepted Answer

A strong situation is one in which the situation has a strong influence on behavior, regardless of individual differences. Taking a standardized exam is a classic example of a strong situation as it has clear and well-defined expectations and rules that strongly influence behavior. The other options, such as playing at a playground, watching TV, or talking with a friend, do not have as strong of a situational influence on behavior.

Question 11

According to research, men tend to be higher than women on which of the following traits?

Accepted Answer

Studies have consistently shown that men tend to score higher on assertiveness than women.

Question 12

Why is a wedding considered a strong situation?

Accepted Answer

Weddings are considered strong situations because they have clear social norms and expectations about how individuals should behave, leading most people to act in a similar manner regardless of their personal differences.

Question 13

Janeesa is 7 years old, Tyree is 15 years old, Evelyn is 30 years old, and LaShonda is 50 years old.Which person is most likely to show a highly stable personality if measured today and again after 1 year?

Accepted Answer

Personality tends to stabilize with age, meaning changes become less frequent and less pronounced as people get older. LaShonda, being the oldest at 50 years, is most likely to show a highly stable personality over a year compared to the younger individuals listed.

Question 14

In what ways do strong situations affect personality differently?

Accepted Answer

Strong situations mask personality expression because they provide clear cues for behavior, reducing the influence of individual personality traits.

Question 15

How is age related to the stability of personality?

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that there is some stability in personality traits across the lifespan, but this stability tends to increase after age 50. Therefore, option B is the best choice. Options A, C, and D are incorrect because they do not accurately reflect the research on personality stability across the lifespan.

Question 16

Which of the following statements is most accurate regarding personality stability?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following statements is most...

Question 17

Jayda and LeMario are arguing.Jayda tells LeMario that he is assertive.LeMario tells Jayda that she is neurotic.According to the research on gender differences in personality, who has made an accurate personality assessment?

Accepted Answer

Research on gender differences in personality often finds that, on average, men are typically rated higher on assertiveness, while women are often rated higher on neuroticism. This does not mean that all men are assertive or all women are neurotic, but these trends have been observed in psychological research.

Question 18

As a college student, Pearl worried constantly about dating, friendships, and her grades.In her 40s, she now worries about her health, her finances, and the environment.This change in the focus of her worrying is called a

Accepted Answer

The change in the focus of Pearl's worrying is called a characteristic adaptation. Characteristic adaptations refer to the ways in which people's underlying psychological characteristics (such as personality traits) change as they age and encounter new experiences. In this case, Pearl's worrying has shifted from concerns related to her immediate social and academic life to broader, more long-term concerns related to health, finances, and the environment.

Question 19

Naoko is a college student in Japan.Given your knowledge of cross-cultural research on the Big Five, how is Naoko likely to rate herself on the dimensions of agreeableness and neuroticism compared to college students from the United States)?

Accepted Answer

Cross-cultural research on the Big Five personality traits suggests that individuals from East Asian cultures, such as Japan, tend to rate themselves lower on agreeableness and higher on neuroticism compared to individuals from Western cultures, like the United States. This is attributed to cultural differences in self-perception and interpersonal relationships.

Question 20

Cataline is from Zimbabwe in Africa.Wakako is from Japan.Which person is likely to rate herself higher on agreeableness?

Accepted Answer

Cultural differences often influence personality traits and their self-assessment. People from collectivist cultures, like Japan, might not rate themselves as high on agreeableness as those from more individualistic or less conformist cultures. Zimbabwe, while not strictly categorized as individualistic, does not emphasize the same level of group harmony over individual traits as Japan does. Therefore, Cataline from Zimbabwe might rate herself higher on agreeableness compared to Wakako from Japan, due to cultural differences in self-perception and the value placed on agreeableness.

Quiz 13: Personality