Question 1

Environmental influences on personality traits are most clearly highlighted by comparing

Accepted Answer

Comparing identical twins raised together with those raised apart highlights the environmental influences on personality traits because both sets of twins have the same genetic makeup. Differences in their personalities can thus be attributed to the different environments in which they were raised.

Question 2

An infant's temperament refers most directly to its

Accepted Answer

Temperament refers to an infant's natural and inherent level of emotional excitability and reactivity. It includes their general mood, adaptability, and response to stimuli. It is not related to their ability to learn, shared family environment, or physical health.

Question 3

Differences between men and women in personality traits that are highly heritable cannot necessarily be attributed to genetic differences between the two groups because

Accepted Answer

Heritable traits can be influenced by environmental factors, meaning that even traits that are highly heritable may have environmental factors that play a role in their expression. Therefore, differences between men and women in personality traits cannot be solely attributed to genetic differences between the sexes.

Question 4

A child's temperament is likely to be

Accepted Answer

Research suggests that a child's temperament is stable over time and tends to persist into adulthood.

Question 5

Carlie is the proud mother of two children.Her oldest is 2 years old and the youngest is now 6 months old.Both are girls.Carlie is amazed at how different they are.The oldest is reserved and quiet.Her youngest is outgoing and happy most of the time.These differences can be attributed to

Accepted Answer

The differences in temperament between the two children suggest that they have different innate dispositions or behavioral styles, which is known as temperament. This is influenced by genetic factors and can result in differences in behavior, emotional reactions, and social interactions even from a very young age. Parenting style can also play a role in shaping children's behavior and personality, but it is unlikely to fully explain the observed differences. The fact that both children share a genome rules out option B as an explanation.

Question 6

Professor Stapley's study of a large group of individuals indicates that 45 percent of person-to-person differences in neuroticism among the group members can be attributed to their differing genes.The 45-percent figure represents an estimate of

Accepted Answer

The 45-percent figure represents an estimate of heritability, which is the proportion of variability in a trait that can be attributed to genetic differences among individuals in a population.

Question 7

Jason and Alex are biologically unrelated adolescents who were adopted as infants and raised together.For which of the following are Jason and Alex LEAST likely to resemble each other any more than they resemble a genetically unrelated adolescent from another home in their neighborhood?

Accepted Answer

Extraversion is a personality trait that is significantly influenced by genetics. Since Jason and Alex are biologically unrelated and were adopted, their levels of extraversion are more likely to be influenced by their genetic backgrounds rather than their shared environment, making them least likely to resemble each other in this aspect compared to learned behaviors or attitudes such as religious beliefs, table manners, and political attitudes, which can be influenced by the environment and upbringing.

Question 8

Compared with fraternal twins,identical twins are ________ similar in physical appearance.Compared with unrelated look-alike pairs of individuals,identical twins report ________ similar personalities.

Accepted Answer

Identical twins are more similar in physical appearance because they share the same genetic makeup. Additionally, identical twins are more similar in personalities compared with unrelated look-alike pairs of individuals since genetics plays a role in shaping personality.

Question 9

Children in adoptive homes are ________ likely than average to experience parental neglect and abuse.They have typically grown up to be ________ altruistic than average.

Accepted Answer

Children in adoptive homes are generally less likely to experience parental neglect and abuse because adoptive parents go through a rigorous process to adopt a child. Additionally, these children have often been shown to grow up to be more altruistic than average, possibly due to their own life experiences and the care they received from their adoptive families.

Question 10

Cathy is an emotionally intense infant and unpredictable in her sleeping schedule.Christine is a very relaxed infant and predictable in her sleeping schedule.The two children most clearly differ in

Accepted Answer

The two children differ in temperament, which encompasses emotional intensity and predictability of behaviors such as sleeping patterns. Option A (epigenetic marks) may play a role in development and individual differences, but it is not directly related to the differences between Cathy and Christine. Option B (heritability) refers to the extent to which differences in a trait can be attributed to genetic factors, but it is not clear from the information provided whether this is a significant factor in this case. Option D (extraversion) is not relevant to the description of the infants' temperament and sleeping schedule.

Question 11

To estimate trait heritability,behavior geneticists are most likely to make use of

Accepted Answer

Behavior geneticists use twin studies to estimate trait heritability by comparing the similarities of traits between identical twins (who share all their genes) and fraternal twins (who share only 50% of their genes on average). If traits are more similar in identical twins, it suggests a higher genetic influence on that trait.

Question 12

The heritability of a specific trait will be greatest among

Accepted Answer

The answer of The heritability of a specific trait will...

Question 13

Babies with an intense and highly reactive temperament tend to be

Accepted Answer

Babies with an intense and highly reactive temperament tend to be unpredictable, meaning their behavior is often difficult to anticipate or plan for.

Question 14

Our biologically rooted temperament is most clearly an aspect of our enduring

Accepted Answer

Our temperament, which refers to our innate, biologically-based patterns of emotional reactivity and other behavioral tendencies, is considered to be a key aspect of our personality. While temperament is influenced by genetics and other biological factors, it can also be shaped and modified by environmental experience and socialization. Nonetheless, it is considered to be relatively stable and enduring across the lifespan.

Question 15

Juan and Alonzo are fraternal twin brothers,whereas Jake and Alex are identical twin brothers.The similarities between Jake and Alex with respect to ________ are likely to be greater than the similarities between Juan and Alonzo.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Juan and Alonzo are fraternal twin brothers,whereas...

Question 16

Identical twins have been shown to have some amazing psychological similarities.But we should be cautious about attributing these similarities to shared genes because

Accepted Answer

The answer of Identical twins have been shown to have...

Question 17

Who are likely to show the greatest similarity in temperament?

Accepted Answer

Identical twins share 100% of their genetic material, making them the most similar in terms of temperament.

Question 18

Sarah is an emotionally reactive newborn.What can be expected as she grows older?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Sarah is an emotionally reactive newborn.What can...

Question 19

The personalities of adopted children

Accepted Answer

Research in psychology suggests that the personalities of adopted children are more influenced by their genetic makeup than by the environment provided by their adoptive parents. This means that adopted children's personalities are not very similar to those of their adoptive parents, highlighting the role of genetics over the environment in personality development.

Question 20

The home environment most clearly has a greater influence on children's ________ than on their ________.

Accepted Answer

The home environment has a greater influence on children's religious beliefs, which are often directly taught or modeled by family members, than on their inherent personality traits, which are influenced by a combination of genetic factors and broader environmental factors beyond just the home.

Quiz 10: Adolescence