Question 1

The social-cognitive perspective emphasizes the interactive influences of traits and

Accepted Answer

The social-cognitive perspective emphasizes the interactive influences of traits and situations. This means that both individual traits and external factors, such as the situation or environment, interact to shape behavior and personality. This perspective also highlights the importance of personal beliefs, self-concepts, and cognitive processes in shaping behavior. Therefore, it is the best choice among the given options.

Question 2

Personality is fruitfully studied at multiple levels of analysis because people are best understood as

Accepted Answer

Personality can be studied at multiple levels, including the biological, psychological and social levels, hence the term biopsychosocial organism. This acknowledges the different factors that can influence personality and how they interact with each other.

Question 3

People's scores on a test of extraversion are likely to be most strongly correlated with the number of social conversations they initiate during the course of a single

Accepted Answer

The answer of People's scores on a test of extraversion...

Question 4

An integrated understanding of Tara's consistent cheerfulness in terms of her supportive peer relationships, her calm temperament, and her optimistic expectations best illustrates

Accepted Answer

The integrated understanding of Tara's consistent cheerfulness involves her supportive peer relationships (social factors), her calm temperament (psychological factors), and her optimistic expectations (cognitive factors). This approach considers the biological, psychological, and social factors that contribute to Tara's personality and behavior, which is consistent with the biopsychosocial approach. Therefore, C is the best answer choice. Factoring analysis is a statistical method used to identify underlying factors in data, self-serving bias pertains to a cognitive bias, and a humanistic perspective is a theoretical approach to psychology that emphasizes human potential and self-actualization.

Question 5

Which perspective most clearly emphasizes that our personalities help create the situations to which we react?

Accepted Answer

The social-cognitive perspective emphasizes that our personalities are shaped by our thoughts, behaviors, and social cues in our environment. This perspective also emphasizes that our personalities help create the situations to which we react, as we actively seek out and interpret information in ways that confirm our beliefs and expectations.

Question 6

According to Bandura, reciprocal determinism involves multidirectional influences among

Accepted Answer

Bandura's theory of reciprocal determinism suggests that behavior, internal personal factors (such as thoughts and emotions), and environmental events all interact and influence each other in a multidirectional manner. Option A may be a component of internal personal factors in Bandura's theory, but it does not capture the full extent of reciprocal determinism. Options C and D are not relevant to Bandura's theory.

Question 7

Contemporary psychologists are most likely to consider ________ to be of pivotal importance to personality.

Accepted Answer

Contemporary psychologists place great importance on the sense of self or self-concept in shaping personality. This includes factors such as one's self-esteem, self-identity, and self-awareness, as well as how individuals perceive themselves in relation to others and the world around them. The other options listed, such as the superego and collective unconscious, are more closely associated with psychoanalytic or Jungian theories of personality, which are less commonly emphasized in contemporary psychology. Unconditional positive regard, while important in humanistic psychology, is not typically considered the most pivotal factor in shaping personality.

Question 8

In contemporary psychology, the self is considered to be the

Accepted Answer

In contemporary psychology, the self is seen as the organizer of our thoughts, feelings, and actions. It is the part of our psyche that provides coherence and consistency to our behavior and experiences. It helps us make sense of ourselves and the world around us.

Question 9

Randy's substandard academic performance is both a result and a cause of his feelings of academic inferiority. This best illustrates the importance of

Accepted Answer

Reciprocal determinism refers to the interactive influences of behavior, personal factors, and environment on each other. Randy's substandard academic performance affects his feelings of academic inferiority, while at the same time, his feelings of academic inferiority impact his academic performance. This is an example of reciprocal determinism.

Question 10

Unlike country, pop, and religious music lovers, those who prefer classical, jazz, blues, and folk music tend to score high on the Big Five trait dimension known as

Accepted Answer

Those who prefer classical, jazz, blues, and folk music tend to score high on the Big Five trait dimension known as openness. People high in openness tend to be creative, open-minded, and appreciative of art and beauty. This trait is often associated with a preference for more complex and unconventional music genres.

Question 11

Because Greta is an extravert, she frequently goes to parties where she is encouraged to laugh and socialize with her friends. Because Jim is an introvert, he frequently spends weekends in the library where it's easy to quietly reflect and study. Greta and Jim best illustrate what is meant by

Accepted Answer

Greta and Jim's behaviors are influenced by both their personality traits (extraversion and introversion) and their environment (parties vs library). This illustrates reciprocal determinism, which suggests that behavior is a product of both the person and their environment. The other options (spotlight effect, self-serving bias, and Barnum effect) are not relevant to the scenario described.

Question 12

People's scores on a test of extraversion are ________ predictors of how extraverted they will act in one particular situation. Their scores are ________ predictors of how extraverted they will act on average over many different situations.

Accepted Answer

Scores on a test of extraversion are poor predictors of behavior in a single situation due to situational variability, but they are good predictors of average behavior across many situations due to the consistency of personality traits over time.

Question 13

Because Mr. Maloney trusts his employees, he treats them kindly. His kindness leads them to work diligently on his behalf, which in turn increases his trust in them. This pattern of trust, kindness, diligence, and increasing trust illustrates what is meant by

Accepted Answer

The pattern described in the scenario reflects reciprocal determinism. Reciprocal determinism posits that behavior is shaped by the interplay between personal factors, environmental factors, and behavior itself. In this case, Mr. Maloney's trust in his employees (personal factor) leads him to treat them kindly (behavior), which encourages them to work diligently (environmental factor). As a result, his trust in them increases, reinforcing this cycle.

Question 14

Larry studies diligently because he is haunted by an image of himself being unable to get a job after graduation. Larry's diligence best illustrates the motivational impact of

Accepted Answer

Possible selves refer to the future-oriented representations of a person's ideal self and feared self. Larry's fear of not getting a job after graduation is an example of a feared self, which motivates him to study diligently in order to avoid this potential outcome.

Question 15

In assessing candidates for spy missions during World War II, U.S. Army psychologists subjected them to simulated undercover conditions. This best illustrates the use of an assessment strategy favored by ________ theories.

Accepted Answer

The use of simulated undercover conditions to assess candidates reflects the social-cognitive theory, which emphasizes the importance of observational learning, situational influences, and cognitive processes in understanding behavior.

Question 16

The humanistic perspective is to Maslow as the social-cognitive perspective is to

Accepted Answer

The social-cognitive perspective is associated with the work of Albert Bandura, who emphasized the role of both cognitive (thinking) processes and social factors in shaping human behavior. Similarly, Maslow's humanistic perspective emphasized the importance of individual experiences and the innate drive towards self-actualization. While Allport, Rogers, and Adler all made important contributions to the field of psychology, they are not specifically associated with the social-cognitive perspective.

Question 17

Social-cognitive theories are LEAST likely to be criticized for neglecting the importance of

Accepted Answer

The answer of Social-cognitive theories are LEAST likely to be...

Question 18

Social-cognitive theorists would suggest that the best way to predict a political candidate's performance effectiveness after election is to assess that individual's

Accepted Answer

Social-cognitive theorists suggest that past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior. Therefore, past performance in similar situations would be the most relevant factor to consider when predicting a political candidate's performance effectiveness after an election. Self-esteem, specific political goals, and general feelings of optimism may also be important factors, but they are less relevant to performance prediction compared to past performance.

Question 19

Sheen is usually animated and talkative when he is with his girlfriend, but he is often quiet and reserved at home. He actively participates in many class discussions but frequently seems reluctant to talk with friends at the campus coffee shop. Sheen's behavior should make us more cautious about overemphasizing the impact of ________ on behavior.

Accepted Answer

Sheen's behavior suggests that his personality traits are not the only factor influencing his behavior. Other situational factors, such as the company he is with or the setting, may also play a role in how he behaves. Therefore, we should be cautious about overemphasizing the impact of personality traits on behavior.

Question 20

Social cues are especially likely to influence our behavior in ______ settings, and personality traits are especially likely to influence our behavior in ______ situations.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Social cues are especially likely to influence...

Quiz 12: Social Psychology