Question 1

Which of the following is NOT considered to be a social cognitive theorist?

Accepted Answer

Hans Eysenck is primarily known for his work in personality theory and is not considered a social cognitive theorist. Julian Rotter, Walter Mischel, and Albert Bandura, on the other hand, have made significant contributions to social cognitive theory.

Question 2

A person believes that most of one's life is determined by luck, so there is really no point in worrying about things like grades and work. This person probably has ________.

Accepted Answer

An external locus of control is the belief that one's life outcomes are largely determined by external forces beyond one's personal control, such as luck. This contrasts with an internal locus of control, where individuals believe they can influence their life outcomes through their actions.

Question 3

Which of the following would NOT be considered a challenge or limitation that confronts the trait approach to personality?

Accepted Answer

Factor analysis is a valuable tool in trait theory for identifying underlying relationships between variables, and its limitations are not typically considered a major challenge to the trait approach.

Question 4

A student believes that if they go out partying with friends tonight, it is very likely that they will fail his history midterm tomorrow. The student's perception about the consequences of their behaviour and the likelihood of these consequences would best be considered an example of Julian Rotter's concept of ________.

Accepted Answer

This is an example of Julian Rotter's concept of "expectancy," which refers to an individual's belief about the likelihood of certain outcomes resulting from specific behaviors. In this case, the student believes that going out partying (a specific behavior) is very likely to result in failing the history midterm (a specific outcome).

Question 5

The importance or centrality of a particular personality trait for a person is most relevant to determining how ________.

Accepted Answer

The centrality of a personality trait influences how consistent a person's behavior is across different situations. If a trait is central to someone's personality, their actions are more likely to reflect that trait consistently, regardless of the context.

Question 6

Locus of control refers to the ________.

Accepted Answer

Locus of control refers to an individual's beliefs about the extent to which outcomes of their actions are contingent on what they do (internal locus of control) or on events outside their personal control (external locus of control).

Question 7

Consider the following statement: The average citizen can have an influence in government decisions. Whether or not a person agrees or disagrees with this statement would provide information most relevant to which psychological concept?

Accepted Answer

The concept of internal-external locus of control relates to whether individuals believe they have control over events affecting them (internal locus) or believe that external forces predominantly control outcomes (external locus). Agreeing with the statement suggests an internal locus of control, believing one's actions can influence government decisions, while disagreeing suggests an external locus, perceiving little personal influence over such decisions.

Question 8

According to the text, the personality theory of Hans Eysenck operates at the _____________ level of analysis.

Accepted Answer

Hans Eysenck's personality theory operates at the biological level of analysis, emphasizing the role of genetics and biological factors in shaping personality traits.

Question 9

Research associating the Big Five personality factors with activity in specific brain regions is still at its early stages and much is still to be discovered. Early results, however, suggest that each of the main dimensions of personality ________.

Accepted Answer

Early research into the Big Five personality factors and their association with brain activity suggests that each personality dimension may be linked to its own unique brain circuitry, indicating a complex relationship between personality traits and brain function.

Question 10

A person is very attentive to situational cues and adapts their behaviour to what they think would be most appropriate. The person is high in ___________.

Accepted Answer

Self-monitoring refers to the ability of individuals to regulate their behavior to accommodate social situations, which involves being attentive to situational cues and adapting accordingly.

Question 11

You know a person has an extremely unstable nervous system and he often experiences emotional problems. Research by Hans Eysenck suggests that your friend would be most likely to score high on the trait(s) of ________.

Accepted Answer

Hans Eysenck's research suggests that individuals with an unstable nervous system and frequent emotional problems are likely to score high on neuroticism. Neuroticism is a personality trait associated with emotional instability and proneness to psychological distress.

Question 12

Studies of college students have revealed that students with an ____________ locus of control tend to perform better academically than students on the other end of the spectrum. These better students most likely associate their academic success with ___________.

Accepted Answer

Students with an internal locus of control believe that their own actions and decisions directly affect the outcomes of their lives, including academic success. Therefore, they are more likely to associate their academic achievements with their own hard work rather than external factors like luck.

Question 13

If you were optimistic at age 20, we would expect you to be ___________ at age 60.

Accepted Answer

Optimism is generally considered a stable personality trait over time, meaning if someone is optimistic at a young age, they are likely to remain optimistic as they age.

Question 14

One reason for situational inconsistency in personality is that some people are "social chameleons" who tailor their behaviour for each situation. These people are what we call ________.

Accepted Answer

High self-monitors are individuals who closely observe their surroundings and adjust their behavior accordingly to fit in, much like "social chameleons."

Question 15

Which of the following is a factor that that makes it difficult to accurately predict behaviours from personality traits?

Accepted Answer

Traits interact with each other and with situations, which can make it difficult to predict behaviors based solely on personality traits. This complexity and variability in how traits manifest in different contexts contribute to the challenge of making accurate predictions.

Question 16

Low self-monitors tailor their behaviour to _________________, whereas high self-monitors tailor their behaviour to __________________.

Accepted Answer

Low self-monitors are more likely to act consistently with their internal dispositions or personality, regardless of the social situation. High self-monitors, on the other hand, are more adaptable and change their behavior to fit the social context or situation they are in.

Question 17

The person, the person's behaviour, and the environment all influence one another in a pattern of two-way causal links, according to ________________________.

Accepted Answer

Reciprocal determinism is the concept proposed by Albert Bandura that suggests that a person's behavior both influences and is influenced by personal factors and the social environment.

Question 18

Each time a student scores low on tests, the student blames the professor for giving difficult questions, or too little time to finish the questions. Clearly, this student has a(n) ___________ locus of control.

Accepted Answer

The student attributes their low test scores to external factors (difficulty of questions, not enough time), which is characteristic of an external locus of control. This means they believe their performance is largely influenced by external circumstances rather than their own efforts or abilities.

Question 19

Beliefs about one's ability to perform behaviours needed to achieve a desired outcome are called self-_________.

Accepted Answer

Self-efficacy refers to an individual's belief in their capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments. It reflects confidence in the ability to exert control over one's own motivation, behavior, and social environment.

Question 20

A person's personality trait of disagreeableness may motivate them to behave in irritable, cynical, and uncooperative ways. These behaviours likely trigger negative reactions in their friends, and these social consequences may in turn serve to strengthen and reinforce this person's personality and their social behaviour. This example best demonstrates the concept of ________.

Accepted Answer

Reciprocal determinism is a concept introduced by Albert Bandura that explains how a person's behavior, personal factors (like attitudes, preferences, and beliefs), and the environment all interact and influence each other. In this example, the person's disagreeable behavior influences their social environment, which in turn reinforces their behavior, perfectly illustrating reciprocal determinism.

Quiz 14: Personality