Question 1

Contemporary psychodynamic theorists are most likely to emphasize the importance of

Accepted Answer

Contemporary psychodynamic theorists emphasize the importance of inner conflicts, such as those related to relationships, self-image, and unconscious thoughts and emotions. While sexual instincts and oral fixations were central to early psychoanalytic theory, they are not as prominent in contemporary psychodynamic approaches. Free association remains a technique used in psychodynamic therapy, but it is not emphasized to the same degree as the consideration of inner conflicts.

Question 2

Which personality theory emphasizes the importance of our capacity for healthy growth and self-realization?

Accepted Answer

The humanistic theory emphasizes the importance of our capacity for healthy growth and self-realization. It focuses on the idea that individuals have free will and the ability to make choices that enable them to reach their maximum potential or self-actualization. The theory emphasizes the importance of personal responsibility and self-awareness in achieving one's goals and fulfilling one's potential.

Question 3

Tests that present ambiguous stimuli designed to uncover hidden personality dynamics are called ________ tests.

Accepted Answer

Projective tests are designed to reveal unconscious or hidden personality processes by presenting ambiguous stimuli, such as inkblots or incomplete sentences, that elicit a range of possible responses. Empirically derived tests are developed through statistical analysis of objective responses to specific questions or items. Multiphasic personality tests assess a range of personality traits and features through a series of self-report questions. Factor analytic tests use statistical techniques to identify underlying factors and dimensions of personality based on objective responses to specific questions or items.

Question 4

Rona was asked by her psychotherapist to describe what she saw in 10 ambiguous inkblots. Rona was most likely responding to a(n) ________ test.

Accepted Answer

The use of inkblots to elicit responses that reveal aspects of an individual's personality is typical of projective tests, such as the Rorschach Inkblot Test. These tests are based on the assumption that individuals will reveal unconscious or repressed thoughts and feelings through their interpretations of ambiguous stimuli.

Question 5

Compared with Freud, contemporary research psychologists are LESS likely to think of unconscious mental dynamics as involving

Accepted Answer

Contemporary research psychologists are less likely to believe in repressive censoring as an explanation for unconscious mental dynamics compared to Freud. This is because Freud's theory of the unconscious heavily relied on the idea of repression, which is the act of pushing unacceptable thoughts or memories into the unconscious mind to keep them from conscious awareness. However, contemporary research has shown that memory suppression is not a common or effective strategy for regulating unwanted thoughts or emotions, and that other cognitive and emotional processes may be more responsible for unconscious mental dynamics. Therefore, contemporary psychologists are less likely to explain unconscious mental dynamics in terms of repressive censoring.

Question 6

Which neo-Freudian introduced the concept of an inferiority complex?

Accepted Answer

Alfred Adler introduced the concept of an inferiority complex, which describes an individual's sense of incompetence, particularly in relation to others. Adler believed that feelings of inferiority can motivate individuals to strive for success and achievement as a way to overcome their perceived shortcomings.

Question 7

Who proposed that we are motivated by a hierarchy of needs?

Accepted Answer

Abraham Maslow proposed the hierarchy of needs theory, which suggests that human beings have basic needs that must be fulfilled in a certain order, starting with physiological needs (e.g. food, water) and ending with self-actualization needs (e.g. personal growth, fulfillment).

Question 8

Both Karen Horney and Alfred Adler placed greater emphasis than did Freud on the role of ________ in personality development.

Accepted Answer

Both Karen Horney and Alfred Adler emphasized the role of social interactions in personality development. Horney believed that the social environment plays a significant role in shaping personality and that healthy development requires warmth, security, and affectionate human interactions. Adler similarly believed that personality is shaped by one's social environment and that a sense of inferiority motivates individuals to strive for success and achievement. Both theorists also placed less emphasis on Freud's concept of innate drives and instincts in personality development.

Question 9

Frank refuses to believe that he is addicted to drugs despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. He is most clearly demonstrating the defense mechanism of

Accepted Answer

Frank is in denial, meaning he is refusing to accept the reality of his addiction despite evidence to the contrary. This defense mechanism allows him to avoid the anxiety, guilt, and shame that may come with accepting the reality of his situation.

Question 10

Which of the following personality assessment tools has been the most harshly criticized for lacking validity?

Accepted Answer

The Rorschach inkblot test has been extensively criticized for lacking validity and reliability in personality assessment. Studies have shown that the interpretations of the inkblots can vary greatly among different clinicians and that the test has low predictive validity in terms of personality traits and behaviors. Additionally, the test has been criticized for its subjective scoring system and lack of standardized administration and interpretation procedures.

Question 11

Which theory has been most severely criticized for offering after-the-fact explanations without advancing testable predictions?

Accepted Answer

Psychoanalytic theory has been criticized for offering after-the-fact explanations without advancing testable predictions. Freud's theories in particular have been accused of lacking scientific rigor and empirical evidence.

Question 12

The implicit memories that operate even among those with amnesia best illustrate the importance of

Accepted Answer

Implicit memories are unconscious memories, which suggests the importance of unconscious thought.

Question 13

People who break speed limits tend to think that many others do the same. This best illustrates

Accepted Answer

The false consensus effect is the tendency for people to overestimate the extent to which others share their beliefs and behaviors. In this case, people who break speed limits may assume that many others also break speed limits, leading to the false consensus effect.

Question 14

According to Carl Jung, the collective unconscious

Accepted Answer

The collective unconscious, according to Jung, contains archetypes that are derived from our species' universal experiences. These archetypes are symbols or patterns that are common across cultures and are instinctual to the human psyche. The other options do not accurately describe the concept of the collective unconscious.

Question 15

Survivors of traumatic events, such as rape or torture, are often haunted by persistent and vivid memories of this experience. This most clearly serves to challenge Freud's concept of

Accepted Answer

Freud proposed the concept of repression, which suggests that individuals unconsciously block out traumatic experiences to protect themselves from the associated anxiety and distress. However, survivors of such events often experience persistent and vivid memories, indicating that repression may not always occur or be effective.

Question 16

Which of the following Freudian ideas is most clearly contradicted by contemporary psychological theory and research?

Accepted Answer

While Freud's idea of repression was influential at the time, contemporary psychological research suggests that painful experiences are not commonly repressed as Freud believed. In fact, research has shown that people are more likely to remember, rather than repress, painful experiences. Therefore, option B is most clearly contradicted by contemporary psychological theory and research.

Question 17

Twelve-year-old Cawley demonstrates a strongly masculine sense of self-identity even though he was raised without a father or father substitute. This fact represents the most serious threat to ________ theory of personality.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Twelve-year-old Cawley demonstrates a strongly masculine sense...

Question 18

Celine recently had a vivid dream that was strikingly similar to an ancient religious myth. This coincidence would have been of particular interest to

Accepted Answer

Carl Jung is known for his theories on the collective unconscious, which proposes that certain symbols and archetypes are shared across cultures and time periods. He believed that dreams held important messages from the unconscious and that analyzing them could reveal subconscious patterns and conflicts. Therefore, Celine's dream and its similarity to an ancient religious myth would be of particular interest to Jung.

Question 19

Neo-Freudians placed greater emphasis than did Freud on the role of ________ in personality development.

Accepted Answer

Neo-Freudians, such as Carl Jung and Alfred Adler, believed that the conscious mind played a more significant role in personality development than Freud had recognized. They viewed the unconscious as important, but not the sole determinant of human behavior. Instead, they believed that conscious thoughts, feelings, and perceptions played a role in shaping personality.

Question 20

Neo-Freudians such as ________ were among the first to highlight a masculine bias in Freud's theories.

Accepted Answer

Karen Horney was one of the Neo-Freudians who criticized Freud's theories for their emphasis on male psychology and for excluding or minimizing women's experiences. Horney developed her own theory that highlighted the importance of cultural and environmental factors in shaping personality, as opposed to purely biological or instinctual influences.

Quiz 12: Social Psychology