Question 1

Part of Raymond Cattell's interest in finding a structure to the existence of personality traits was influenced by his early education in the field of
A) chemistry.
B) astronomy.
C) physics.
D) philosophy.

Accepted Answer

Raymond Cattell's early education in chemistry influenced his interest in finding a structure to the existence of personality traits, as he sought to apply a similar systematic and empirical approach to psychology.

Question 2

Which of the following is true about the five-factor model?
A) Few have criticized it for its lack of predictive value.
B) Hypotheses about the origin of the Big Five factors were generated after the results of the research were seen.
C) Trait theorists would be better off focusing their research on the five main traits.
D) It provides the most comprehensive model to explain personality currently in the field.

Accepted Answer

Hypotheses about the origin of the Big Five factors were generated after the results of the research were seen. This means that the Big Five factors were discovered through empirical research rather than being determined beforehand by trait theorists. The other options are incorrect: A is false because the Big Five factors have been found to have good predictive value, C is a matter of opinion, and D is false because there are other models that have been proposed to explain personality.

Question 3

Andrew has strong opinions and enjoys a good argument in which he can stand up for his beliefs. He prefers to work where he can compete with others, rather than an organization that stresses cooperation. Andrew would probably score low on a measure of which of the Big Five traits?
A) Conscientiousness
B) Agreeableness
C) Introversion
D) Openness

Accepted Answer

Andrew's preference for competition over cooperation and his enjoyment of arguments suggest low agreeableness, which relates to a person's tendency to be cooperative, empathetic, and kind towards others. The other options do not necessarily relate to Andrew's behavior and preferences.

Question 4

Murray referred to each environmental force that activates a need as a(n)
A) trigger.
B) repressor.
C) press.
D) itch.

Accepted Answer

Murray used the term "press" to refer to environmental forces that activate needs, suggesting how external circumstances can push individuals towards certain behaviors or actions.

Question 5

People who score high on a measure of the ___________trait are helpful, trusting, and sympathetic when interacting with others.
A) agreeableness
B) openness
C) conscientiousness
D) psychoticism

Accepted Answer

The trait described in the statement is agreeableness. People high in agreeableness tend to be cooperative, empathetic, and kind in their interactions with others.

Question 6

A psychologist examines six personality tests. She suspects that four of the tests are really measuring the same personality trait and that the other two measure another personality trait. What kind of research should the psychologist conduct to test her hypothesis?
A) A field study
B) A case study
C) Factor analysis
D) Idiographic research

Accepted Answer

Factor analysis is a statistical technique used to identify patterns in data and determine the underlying structure of a set of variables. In this case, the psychologist can use factor analysis to examine the correlations between the six personality tests and determine if there are any underlying factors or traits that are being measured. This can help her determine if her hypothesis is correct and if the tests are measuring the same or different personality traits. A field study, case study, or idiographic research would not be appropriate in this situation as they do not involve statistical analysis of the data.

Question 7

Personality psychologists use factor analysis to help them determine
A) a person's central traits.
B) which personality traits correlate with each other.
C) the stability of personality traits over time and situations.
D) the validity of personality trait measures.

Accepted Answer

Factor analysis is a statistical method that helps to identify which personality traits are related to each other, and which ones are not. Researchers can use this information to group related traits together into factors, which can help them better understand the structure of personality.

Question 8

Alicia has an active imagination and a strong intellectual curiosity. She likes new ideas and unconventional ways of looking at problems. Alicia is probably high in the Big Five trait called
A) agreeableness.
B) neuroticism.
C) conscientiousness.
D) openness.

Accepted Answer

The description of Alicia's characteristics matches the Big Five trait of openness, which includes facets such as imagination, intellectual curiosity, and a preference for unconventional ideas.

Question 9

Which of the following statements is true about research on the Big Five?
A) There are very few findings support general trends in Big Five scores over the lifespan.
B) Different findings may reflect differences in how broadly investigators conceive the personality structure.
C) All studies using factor analysis include the same kind of data.
D) Controversy surrounds the inconsistent findings for the Big Five over different populations.

Accepted Answer

Different findings in research on the Big Five personality traits can indeed reflect differences in how researchers conceptualize the structure of personality. This includes how broadly or narrowly they define the dimensions of personality, which can influence the outcomes of their studies.

Question 10

Why were pioneers in the study of personality traits limited in what they could discover?
A) There were not as many sophisticated statistical tests in those days.
B) They had to calculate the factor analyses by hand.
C) Their data sets were limited.
D) These are all correct answers.

Accepted Answer

Pioneers in the study of personality traits were limited in what they could discover because there were not as many sophisticated statistical tests in those days, they had to calculate the factor analyses by hand, and their data sets were limited.

Question 11

Tonya often becomes upset over daily stressors. More than most people, she experiences such emotions as sadness, anger, and anxiety. This description of Tonya is best accounted for by which of the factors in the Big Five model?
A) Agreeableness
B) Neuroticism
C) Extraversion
D) Openness

Accepted Answer

Neuroticism is a personality trait characterized by a tendency to experience negative emotions, such as anxiety, sadness, and anger, more frequently and intensely than other individuals. This description matches Tonya's behavior.

Question 12

Karen always approaches tasks in an organized, faithful manner. She persists at a difficult job longer than most people and generally accomplishes more. Karen is probably high in which of the Big Five traits?
A) Agreeableness
B) Openness
C) Conscientiousness
D) Extraversion

Accepted Answer

Karen's behavior of persisting at a difficult job longer than most people and approaching tasks in an organized and faithful manner is indicative of high conscientiousness. The other traits, such as agreeableness, openness, and extraversion, do not necessarily relate to her behavior as described in the scenario.

Question 13

Compared to most of us, individuals who score high on the trait of openness are more likely to
A) tell a stranger all about themselves.
B) change their self-concept on a regular basis.
C) make friends easily in different situations.
D) willingly consider new ideas.

Accepted Answer

Individuals who score high on the trait of openness are more willing to consider new ideas, experiences, and perspectives. They are curious and have a thirst for knowledge and exploration. While they may not necessarily tell a stranger all about themselves, change their self-concept on a regular basis, or make friends easily in different situations, they are more likely to be open-minded and receptive to new information and experiences.

Question 14

According to the "person by situation" approach,
A) personality is more important than the situation in determining behavior.
B) there is little evidence for cross-situational consistency.
C) behavior is determined by an interaction of personality and the situation.
D) personality researchers need to measure behavior in more than one way.

Accepted Answer

According to the "person by situation" approach, behavior is determined by an interaction of personality and the situation. This approach emphasizes that both traits and situation play a role in determining behavior, and that behavior can vary depending on the situation. Therefore, option C is the correct answer. Option A is incorrect because it suggests that personality is more important than the situation in determining behavior, which is not necessarily true. Option B is also incorrect because there is evidence for cross-situational consistency, although it is not perfect. Option D is partially correct, but not the best answer, as this approach is concerned with how traits interact with situations, rather than how to measure behavior in different ways.

Question 15

Recent research on the "Big Five" personality factors uses an approach to understanding personality similar to that advocated by
A) Gordon Allport.
B) Raymond Cattell.
C) Carl Jung.
D) Henry Murray.

Accepted Answer

Raymond Cattell's approach to understanding personality involved identifying a set of basic traits that could describe the full range of human personality. This is similar to the "Big Five" personality factors model, which identifies five broad dimensions of personality.

Question 16

In his quest to understand the basic structure of personality, Cattell relied heavily on
A) the idiographic approach.
B) factor analysis.
C) the examination of central traits.
D) case studies.

Accepted Answer

Cattell relied heavily on factor analysis in his quest to understand the basic structure of personality. Factor analysis is a statistical method used to identify underlying factors or dimensions that explain patterns of correlations within a set of data.

Question 17

Different teams of researchers examining human personality traits have independently found evidence that there may, in fact, only be___________ such traits.
A) 3
B) 5
C) 12
D) 16

Accepted Answer

The Five Factor Model (also known as the Big Five) is a widely accepted theory in psychology that identifies five broad dimensions of personality: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. This model has been supported by various studies and is considered to be one of the most comprehensive and reliable ways of describing personality traits. Therefore, the best choice is B, which suggests that there are five personality traits.

Question 18

According to critics of the five-factor model of personality,
A) knowing how sociable a person is allows for a better prediction of behavior than knowing how extraverted that person is.
B) researchers need to use factor analysis in order to determine the number of basic personality factors.
C) although Extraversion is a basic personality factor, there is no evidence that Neuroticism is.
D) factor analytic researchers should all use the same personality tests so that they can produce the same results.

Accepted Answer

Knowing how sociable a person is allows for a better prediction of behavior than knowing how extraverted that person is.

Question 19

Raymond Cattell argued that in their efforts to understanding the basic structure of personality, psychologists should
A) begin with a theory about the basic structure of personality.
B) examine personality characteristics shared by everyone as well as those found in only a few people.
C) allow empirical data analyses to describe the basic structure of personality to us.
D) examine only one type of personality data.

Accepted Answer

Raymond Cattell believed that empirical data analysis should be used to describe the basic structure of personality. He was a proponent of factor analysis, which involves analyzing large sets of data to identify underlying factors or dimensions that help us understand personality. This approach allows us to objectively identify commonalities and differences in personality traits among individuals, rather than relying solely on subjective theorizing or examining only one type of personality data.

Question 20

According to Cattell, which of the following traits ultimately constitutes the human personality?
A) Cardinal
B) Source
C) Secondary
D) Factor

Accepted Answer

Cattell's theory of personality focuses on identifying and measuring the source traits that he believed were the building blocks of personality. These traits are considered to underlie and determine an individual's behavior across different situations and over time.

Quiz 7: The Trait Approach: Theory, Application, and Assessment

Part of Raymond Cattell's interest in finding a structure to the existence of personality traits was influenced by his early education in the field of

Which of the following is true about the five-factor model?

Andrew has strong opinions and enjoys a good argument in which he can stand up for his beliefs. He prefers to work where he can compete with others, rather than an organization that stresses cooperation. Andrew would probably score low on a measure of which of the Big Five traits?

Murray referred to each environmental force that activates a need as a(n)

People who score high on a measure of the ___________trait are helpful, trusting, and sympathetic when interacting with others.

A psychologist examines six personality tests. She suspects that four of the tests are really measuring the same personality trait and that the other two measure another personality trait. What kind of research should the psychologist conduct to test her hypothesis?

Personality psychologists use factor analysis to help them determine

Alicia has an active imagination and a strong intellectual curiosity. She likes new ideas and unconventional ways of looking at problems. Alicia is probably high in the Big Five trait called

Which of the following statements is true about research on the Big Five?

Why were pioneers in the study of personality traits limited in what they could discover?

Tonya often becomes upset over daily stressors. More than most people, she experiences such emotions as sadness, anger, and anxiety. This description of Tonya is best accounted for by which of the factors in the Big Five model?

Karen always approaches tasks in an organized, faithful manner. She persists at a difficult job longer than most people and generally accomplishes more. Karen is probably high in which of the Big Five traits?

Compared to most of us, individuals who score high on the trait of openness are more likely to

According to the "person by situation" approach,

Recent research on the "Big Five" personality factors uses an approach to understanding personality similar to that advocated by

In his quest to understand the basic structure of personality, Cattell relied heavily on

Different teams of researchers examining human personality traits have independently found evidence that there may, in fact, only be___________ such traits.

According to critics of the five-factor model of personality,

Raymond Cattell argued that in their efforts to understanding the basic structure of personality, psychologists should

According to Cattell, which of the following traits ultimately constitutes the human personality?