Question 1

Internal states of tension that activate action are called
A) traits.
B) goals.
C) drives.
D) beliefs.

Accepted Answer

Drives are internal states of tension that activate action. Traits are enduring personality characteristics, goals are desired outcomes, and beliefs are convictions or opinions about the world.

Question 2

The personality concept that refers to individual consistency and approximates the layperson's concepts to describe people is
A) response.
B) habit.
C) trait.
D) motive.

Accepted Answer

A trait is a relatively stable and consistent characteristic or pattern of behavior, thought, and emotion displayed by an individual across different situations and over time. This concept approximates the layperson's understanding of personality and is commonly used in personality research and assessment. Responses, habits, and motives are also important concepts in personality psychology, but they do not capture the same level of individual consistency and stability as traits.

Question 3

The text emphasizes that a big difference between intuitive theories about people and scientific theories of personality is that the personality scientist must
A) engage in scientific observation.
B) interrelate concepts about people systematically.
C) provide ideas that are testable.
D) all of the above.

Accepted Answer

The text states that personality scientists must engage in scientific observation, interrelate concepts systematically, and provide testable ideas. Therefore, all of the above choices are the correct answer.

Question 4

The text defines personality mainly in terms of
A) consistent patterns of behavior.
B) unconscious wishes.
C) traits.
D) all of the above.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The text defines personality mainly in terms...

Question 5

A clustering of traits is called a
A) unit of analysis.
B) type.
C) factor.
D) dimension.

Accepted Answer

A clustering of traits is referred to as a "type." This term is used in various fields, including psychology and sociology, to categorize individuals or phenomena into distinct groups based on shared characteristics or traits.

Question 6

Biologically-based personality tendencies evidence in early childhood are called
A) genetics.
B) temperament.
C) structures.
D) processes.

Accepted Answer

Biologically-based personality tendencies in early childhood are referred to as temperament. Genetics refers to the study of inheritance, structures refer to physical or anatomical components, and processes refer to ongoing activities within the body.

Question 7

A unique feature of a course in personality psychology is that, unlike other courses, the focus is on
A) motivation.
B) nervous system functioning.
C) the whole person.
D) social systems and culture.

Accepted Answer

Personality psychology focuses on the study of the whole person, including their thoughts, feelings, behaviors, traits, and experiences. Other courses may focus on more specific aspects of psychology, such as motivation or nervous system functioning, but personality psychology takes a broader approach to understanding human behavior and individual differences. While social systems and culture may be relevant to the study of personality, they are not the primary focus of this field.

Question 8

The more stable aspects of the person's functioning and the more fluid, changing aspects are covered by the concepts of
A) growth and development.
B) process and motive.
C) motive and development.
D) structure and process.

Accepted Answer

The stable aspects of a person's functioning are covered by the concept of structure, while the changing aspects are covered by the concept of process. Therefore, D) structure and process is the best choice.

Question 9

"Units of analysis" refer to
A) the basic variables of a given theory.
B) the original source of data for a given theory.
C) the research methods employed most frequently in a given theory.
D) the theoretical assumptions of a given theorist.

Accepted Answer

The answer of "Units of analysis" refer to
A) the basic...

Question 10

A problem with the "nature versus nurture" formulation is that
A) nature is not important to personality.
B) nurture is not important to personality.
C) neither nature nor nurture is important to personality.
D) the "versus" is the problem, i.e., nature and nurture are not opposing forces.

Accepted Answer

The problem with the "nature versus nurture" formulation is that it presents nature and nurture as opposing forces, when in reality both factors interact and work together to shape personality. Therefore, the best choice is D, which acknowledges that the "versus" in the formulation is the problem.

Question 11

The phrase "nature versus nurture" refers to the study of
A) genetic versus environmental influences.
B) unconscious versus conscious influences.
C) family versus peer influences.
D) processes versus structures.

Accepted Answer

The phrase "nature versus nurture" refers to the debate or study of whether genetic (nature) or environmental (nurture) factors have a greater influence on development and behavior in individuals.

Question 12

"Why" type questions are those that address
A) the determinants of personality.
B) structural factors.
C) organization of characteristics.
D) motivational characteristics.

Accepted Answer

"Why" type questions usually address the motivational characteristics of a person, trying to understand the reasons or motivations behind their behavior.

Question 13

Goals, drives, and motives have been particularly central to _____ aspect of personality theories.
A) structure
B) process
C) developmental
D) all of the above

Accepted Answer

Goals, drives, and motives are related to the process aspect of personality theories, which involves the various ways in which personality operates and develops over time. The other options (structure and developmental) are not as closely linked to goals, drives, and motives.

Question 14

In general terms, the text suggests that the science of personality
A) is the study of how individuals differ in their perceptions and how these differences relate to their total functioning.
B) attempts to understand how people are alike while recognizing that individuals are different in some ways.
C) attempts to develop strategies for further research.
D) all of the above.

Accepted Answer

The science of personality encompasses understanding individual differences, recognizing commonalities, and developing research strategies, thus all options are correct.

Question 15

When entities are organized in such a manner that one entity is seen as an example of another, or as serving a purpose of the other, one calls this specific overall organization a
A) structure.
B) hierarchy.
C) process.
D) system.

Accepted Answer

A hierarchy is a specific type of organization in which entities are ranked or ordered based on their level of importance or authority, with one entity being at the top and others following below. This ranking allows for a clear understanding of how the entities relate to one another and their roles within the hierarchy.

Question 16

Concepts such as trait and type fall into which of the following areas?
A) structure.
B) process.
C) growth and development.
D) psychopathology.

Accepted Answer

Trait and type are both related to the structure of personality, as they describe stable, enduring characteristics of an individual.

Question 17

A "system"
A) has many parts
B) has interconnections among its parts
C) displays behavior that reflects its overall organization
D) all of the above

Accepted Answer

A system is composed of many parts that are interconnected and work together to produce behavior that reflects the overall organization of the system. Therefore, all of the above options are correct.

Question 18

Relative to one another in terms of level of organization and degree of abstraction, the following statement is true about the concepts of trait and type.
A) They are at the same level of organization and abstraction.
B) The concept of trait suggests more organization and more abstraction than the concept of type.
C) The concept of type suggests more organization and more abstraction than the concept of trait.
D) No general tendency can be found in relation to the two concepts.

Accepted Answer

The concept of type suggests more organization and more abstraction than the concept of trait. Traits refer to specific characteristics or attributes that an individual possesses, whereas types refer to broader categorical groupings based on shared characteristics. Therefore, types suggest a higher level of organization and abstraction than traits.

Question 19

Which of the following are emphasized as central to the study of personality?
A) individual differences and consistent patterns of functioning.
B) individual differences and the operation of conscious processes.
C) patterns of organization and the operation of conscious processes.
D) all of the above.

Accepted Answer

The study of personality emphasizes individual differences and consistent patterns of functioning. While conscious processes may be a part of personality, they are not central to the field overall. Patterns of organization may also be studied to some extent, but are not as central as individual differences and consistent patterns of functioning. Therefore, option A is the best choice.

Question 20

Structural concepts refer to
A) stable aspects of personality.
B) dynamic aspects of personality.
C) parts of the body.
D) all of the above.

Accepted Answer

Structural concepts in psychology typically refer to stable aspects of personality, such as traits or characteristics that remain consistent over time and across situations.

Quiz 1: Personality Theory: From Everyday Observations to Systematic Theories

Internal states of tension that activate action are called

The personality concept that refers to individual consistency and approximates the layperson's concepts to describe people is

The text emphasizes that a big difference between intuitive theories about people and scientific theories of personality is that the personality scientist must

The text defines personality mainly in terms of

A clustering of traits is called a

Biologically-based personality tendencies evidence in early childhood are called

A unique feature of a course in personality psychology is that, unlike other courses, the focus is on

The more stable aspects of the person's functioning and the more fluid, changing aspects are covered by the concepts of

"Units of analysis" refer to

A problem with the "nature versus nurture" formulation is that

The phrase "nature versus nurture" refers to the study of

"Why" type questions are those that address

Goals, drives, and motives have been particularly central to _____ aspect of personality theories.

In general terms, the text suggests that the science of personality

When entities are organized in such a manner that one entity is seen as an example of another, or as serving a purpose of the other, one calls this specific overall organization a

Concepts such as trait and type fall into which of the following areas?

A "system"

Relative to one another in terms of level of organization and degree of abstraction, the following statement is true about the concepts of trait and type.

Which of the following are emphasized as central to the study of personality?

Structural concepts refer to