Deck 1: Introduction to Personality Theory

Question 1

The word "theory" is most closely associated with

A)philosophy.
B)science.
C)armchair speculation.
D)taxonomy.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

What is the relationship between theory and each of the following terms:
(a) philosophy, (b) speculation, (c) hypothesis,and (d) taxonomy?

Answer 2

A.A theory is a set of related assumptions capable of generating hypotheses.As such,it is narrower than a philosophy and more general than a hypothesis.
B.Philosophy deals with what should be,whereas theories are built on scientific evidence.Theory relates to a branch of philosophy called epistemology,or the nature of knowledge,because theory is an essential tool of science,an important means of gaining knowledge.
C.Although theories are built partially on speculation,they do not stem from baseless speculation.Theorists combine scientifically derived data with thoughtful speculation to construct theories that will lead to further scientific experimentation.
D.A useful theory is capable of generating multiple hypotheses,or educated guesses.Scientists can test hypotheses through scientific experimentation,whereas theories are not directly testable.
E.Theories should include a careful taxonomy,or classification system.A taxonomy is merely part of a useful theory.Unlike a theory,a taxonomy is not dynamic; that is,it is not capable of generating hypotheses.

Question 3

A theory may be set aside when it

A)generates testable hypotheses.
B)explains a set of observations.
C)is proven by experimentation.
D)loses its usefulness.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The personalities,cognitive processes,developmental histories,and social experiences of personality theorists help shape their theories.The discipline that deals with these factors is called

A)personology.
B)psychology.
C)sociology.
D)the psychology of science.
E)psychobiology.

Question 5

List and briefly discuss six criteria for a useful theory.

Question 6

The basic data of science are

A)observations.
B)facts.
C)theories.
D)hypotheses.

Question 7

Statements formed in an if-then framework are most likely

A)taxonomies.
B)philosophies.
C)theories.
D)definitions of personality.

Question 8

The ultimate value of any theory depends on its

A)usefulness.
B)truthfulness.
C)reliability.
D)simplicity.

Question 9

Psychologists generally agree that personality

A)refers mostly to surface traits.
B)is largely inherited.
C)can be explained by several different theories.
D)can best be explained by a single theory.

Question 10

Which statement best characterizes the relationship between a theory and a hypothesis?

A)A theory is narrower than a hypothesis.
B)A theory is directly verifiable,a hypothesis is not.
C)A theory is logically deduced from a specific hypothesis.
D)A theory may generate one or more hypotheses.

Question 11

The word personality comes from the Latin word "persona",meaning

A)that which one truly is.
B)the evil side of people.
C)theatrical mask.
D)soul.

Question 12

According to the authors of the text,personality theories

A)are former principles that have been proven true.
B)originate from the historical,social,and psychological world of their originators.
C)are useful tools of science to the extent that they are value free.
D)should not be open to falsification.

Question 13

What is the relationship between theory and observation?

Question 14

A taxonomy is best defined as

A)an educated guess.
B)a set of if-then statements.
C)the study of the nature of reality.
D)a classification system.

Question 15

Theories are built primarily on

A)scientific observations.
B)philosophical speculation.
C)unique definitions of terms.
D)sociological models.

Question 16

An educated guess that can be scientifically tested is a definition of

A)theory.
B)hypothesis.
C)philosophy.
D)taxonomy.

Question 17

What is the proper place of theory within science?

A)Theories enable scientists to know how they should live their lives.
B)Theories are tools used by scientists to give meaning to observations.
C)Theory building is the ultimate aim of science.
D)Theories play no role in scientific pursuits.

Question 18

A set of related assumptions from which,by logical deductive reasoning,testable hypotheses can be drawn is

A)a philosophy.
B)the definition of theory.
C)the definition of taxonomy.
D)an armchair speculation.

Question 19

What is the relationship between theory and observation?

A)They are mutually exclusive.
B)Several theories make up an observation.
C)Several observations make up a theory.
D)There is a mutual and dynamic interaction between them.

Question 20

Descriptive research

A)is designed to test hypotheses.
B)contributes to expanding a theory.
C)is that which uses an experimental design.
D)is expressed by if-then statements.

Question 21

A researcher uses the number of times a person smiles at others as a measure of friendliness.This an example of

A)an operational definition.
B)hypothesis testing.
C)parsimony.
D)internal consistency.

Question 22

Personality theorists have evolved different systems because

A)they have different conceptions as to the nature of humanity.
B)they have had a variety of childhood and professional experiences.
C)they begin with different assumptions concerning personality.
D)Any or all the above are correct.

Question 23

The two MOST important functions of a theory are its

A)internal consistency and accuracy.
B)logic and its consistency with established theories.
C)ability to generate research and organize observations.
D)ability to be proven true and to become a doctrine.

Question 24

Which of the following is NOT a dimension used by the authors to assess a theorist's concept of humanity?

A)determinism versus free choice
B)order versus disorder
C)pessimism versus optimism
D)conscious versus unconscious

Question 25

A reliable test

A)is always valid.
B)measures what it purports to measure.
C)correlates positively with its validity.
D)yields consistent results.

Question 26

A useful theory should be parsimonious,meaning that it should be

A)based on empirical research.
B)complex.
C)simple.
D)verifiable.

Question 27

Which statement is most nearly true?

A)A theory can be a practical guide for a psychotherapist.
B)Theory and practice are mutually exclusive.
C)Other things being equal,the more complex a theory.the better.
D)A good theory gives opposing answers to a single question.

Question 28

The variety of personality theories now is due to

A)the different personal and philosophical perspectives that each theorist has of human nature.
B)the use of different terminology for the same basic concepts.
C)different translations of theories originally written in other languages.
D)the reluctance of psychologists to accept any theory except their own.

Question 29

If scores on an instrument that measures introversion correlate highly with a number of other measures of introversion-for example,shyness and inhibition-then that instrument is said to have

A)discriminant validity.
B)convergent validity.
C)divergent validity.
D)test-retest reliability.
E)concurrent reliability.

Question 30

Personality theorists who adopt a teleological approach generally believe that people's behavior is a function of

A)early childhood experiences.
B)genetic makeup.
C)environment.
D)people's expectations of future events.
E)a and c

Question 31

Part of the internal consistency of a theory is

A)a taxonomy.
B)a set of operational definitions.
C)its agreement with older,more established theories.
D)its empirical validity.

Question 32

A test that can accurately divide extraverts from introverts is said to have

A)test-retest reliability.
B)internal consistency.
C)divergent validity.
D)convergent validity.
E)discriminant validity.

Question 33

A useful theory must be falsifiable,which means that

A)it will eventually be proven false.
B)it must be precise enough to suggest research that may either support or fail to support its major tenets.
C)it should be flexible enough to encompass opposing data into its framework.
D)it must be either true or false.

Question 34

Which of these is NOT a function of a useful theory?

A)It will generate research.
B)It will be consistent with one's philosophy of life.
C)It organizes observations.
D)It serves as a guide to action.

Question 35

Any test that correlates with future behaviors is said to have

A)test-retest reliability.
B)predictive validity.
C)divergent validity.
D)internal consistency.