Question 1

According to Daniel Nettle,which personality trait would have,in particular,conferred a survival advantage through avoidance of danger and therefore would have been selected for in our ancestral environment

Accepted Answer

Neuroticism refers to the tendency to experience negative emotions such as anxiety, fear, and sadness. In our ancestral environment, individuals who were highly neurotic may have been more cautious and vigilant, thus avoiding danger and increasing their chances of survival. This trait would have been selected for over time, leading to its prevalence in contemporary humans.

Question 2

Adler's own feelings of inferiority in childhood had a large impact on the development of his personality theory.Which unifying theme in psychology does this illustrate

Accepted Answer

Adler's personal experiences and feelings of inferiority influenced his theoretical contributions, illustrating how psychology evolves within a sociohistorical context, as theories can be shaped by personal and historical factors.

Question 3

What develops in children as a result of exposure to a typical Asian cultural concept of self

Accepted Answer

Exposure to a typical Asian cultural concept of self often leads to the development of an interdependent view of the self, where individuals define themselves in terms of the groups they belong to, such as family, community, and society. This is in contrast to the Western cultural concept of an independent self, where individuals define themselves in terms of personal attributes and achievements. Research has shown that exposure to this interdependent cultural concept can shape children's development of social skills, empathy, and cooperation.

Question 4

Allison is really full of herself.She expects other people to pay attention to her most of the time,and she also expects them to do things for her and give in to her whims.If someone criticizes her she gets very angry,and tries to "get even." Which term describes Allison's personality

Accepted Answer

Allison's behavior matches the traits of narcissistic personality disorder, which include having an inflated sense of self-importance, expecting special treatment, react negatively to criticism, having lack of empathy towards the perspective of others. Allison's behavior is not necessarily indicative of extraversion, neuroticism or antisocial behavior.

Question 5

Marcy is outgoing and impulsive and has a wide circle of friends and acquaintances.According to recent evidence,which areas of Marcy's brain are likely to be large compared to the brain of someone who is shyer and inhibited

Accepted Answer

The likely areas in Marcy's brain that are larger compared to someone who is shyer and inhibited are those associated with reward, such as the striatum and amygdala. Marcy's outgoing and impulsive nature may drive her to seek out pleasurable experiences, which activate these areas of the brain involved in processing reward and motivation. Shyer and more inhibited individuals may have less active reward systems and therefore smaller reward-related brain areas.

Question 6

Behaviourists traditionally were not so interested in the study of personality.Who was responsible for a surge of interest in personality by behaviourists

Accepted Answer

Dollard and Miller were responsible for a surge of interest in personality by behaviorists through their work on psychoanalytic theory and learning theory, which helped bridge the gap between the two fields and integrate personality into behaviorism. Maslow and Bandura were not behaviorists, and Bandura and May did not specifically contribute to a surge of interest in personality by behaviorists.

Question 7

What develops in children as a result of a typical North American cultural concept of self

Accepted Answer

The typical North American cultural concept of self emphasizes individualism, leading to an independent view of the self and defining oneself in terms of personal attributes rather than group membership. This individualistic cultural orientation is thought to promote a sense of self that prioritizes personal goals and achievements, in contrast to more collectivist cultures where group harmony and the needs of the community are emphasized. Therefore, option C - an independent view of the self and defining themselves in terms of personal attributes - is the best choice.

Question 8

Which approach to personality suggests that the Big Five personality traits have significant adaptive implications

Accepted Answer

The evolutionary approach suggests that the Big Five personality traits have significant adaptive implications, as they may have evolved over time to enhance survival and reproduction. This approach views personality as a result of natural selection, and traits that help individuals adapt to their environment are more likely to be passed down to future generations.

Question 9

Who did NOT emphasize the influence of childhood experiences on adult personality

Accepted Answer

Abraham Maslow did not emphasize the influence of childhood experiences on adult personality. Instead, he focused on the present and future experiences and the role of self-actualization in human behavior.

Question 10

What does cross-cultural research suggest about the Big Five personality traits

Accepted Answer

Cross-cultural research suggests that the Big Five personality traits are fairly consistent across cultures, with some slight variations in the relative importance of each trait in different cultures.

Question 11

Whenever Peter updates his status on Facebook,he is usually seeking attention.Sometimes he brags about how great he is at sports,or the number of phone numbers he solicited at the bar.Other times he will write about how tough it is to be taken seriously because he's too good looking.Many of his friends started out finding Peter charming and fun,but now most of them are tired of his selfishness.Which personality type matches this description of Peter

Accepted Answer

Peter's behavior is characterized by an excessive focus on himself and a need for attention, which are typical traits of individuals with narcissistic personality disorder. The other options, extraverted, neurotic, and introverted, do not fully capture the selfishness and attention-seeking behavior described in the scenario.

Question 12

The humanistic perspective's emphasis on humans' potential for personal growth is most similar to which other personality theorist's belief concerning humans' primary motivation

Accepted Answer

Alfred Adler believed that humans are primarily motivated by their desire for personal growth and to overcome feelings of inferiority. This is similar to the humanistic perspective's emphasis on the potential for personal growth.

Question 13

The psychoanalytic,behavioural,humanistic and biological perspectives on personality each provide a different way of looking at traits and are supported by different types of evidence.Which unifying theme in psychology is illustrated by this fact

Accepted Answer

The fact that different perspectives provide different ways of looking at personality traits illustrates the theoretical diversity in psychology.

Question 14

According to evidence from behavioural genetics,what impact does the family environment shared by children growing up together have on personality

Accepted Answer

Behavioural genetics research shows that genetic factors have a much greater impact on personality traits than shared family environment. However, family environment does have some impact on personality, but it is relatively small compared to genetic factors. Therefore, the best choice would be B, which indicates that shared family environment has little impact on personality.

Question 15

What is a primary criticism of the biological perspective of personality

Accepted Answer

The biological perspective of personality focuses on genetic, hormonal, and neurochemical explanations for behavior, often underemphasizing the role of environmental factors and experiences ("nurture") in shaping personality.

Question 16

Which term refers to personality tests that ask individuals to answer a series of questions about their characteristic behaviour

Accepted Answer

Self-report inventories ask individuals to answer a series of questions about their behaviour, thoughts, and feelings, and are a type of personality test that is commonly used in psychological research and clinical settings. Examples of self-report inventories include the MMPI and the Big Five Inventory.

Question 17

What did Skinner argue is responsible for the behaviours that people engage in that form a significant portion of their personality

Accepted Answer

Skinner's theory of operant conditioning suggests that behaviors are shaped and reinforced by consequences, such as rewards or punishments. As people repeat certain behaviors that are positively reinforced, these actions become a part of their personality. Thus, the most responsible factor for the behaviors that people engage in as a significant portion of their personality is reinforcement.

Question 18

If you were to administer a Big Five test in a behaviour genetics study of personality,which pair of individuals would you expect to have the most similar scores

Accepted Answer

Identical twins share 100% of their genes and therefore have the highest genetic similarity. They also share similar environmental influences as they are often raised in the same household. As the Big Five traits are partially determined by genetics, identical twins would likely have the most similar scores on these traits.

Question 19

Which trait is valued in cultures that put personal goals ahead of group goals and define identity in terms of personal attributes rather than group memberships

Accepted Answer

The trait valued in cultures that put personal goals ahead of group goals and define identity in terms of personal attributes rather than group memberships is individualism. This cultural value emphasizes the importance of self-reliance, independence, and autonomy, which are valued over the needs and goals of the group. Therefore, individualistic cultures prioritize personal success and achievement, whereas collectivistic cultures prioritize the well-being and success of the group as a whole. Self-efficacy and self-worth may be important in both collectivistic and individualistic cultures, but they are not defining traits of either culture.

Question 20

Which of the following does NOT pair the theorist with his personality perspective

Accepted Answer

Alfred Adler is associated with the individual psychology perspective, not humanistic.

Quiz 12: B: Personality: Theory, Research, and Assessment