Question 1

Kamal is shown a series of ambiguous pictures and asked to tell a story about what is going on between the people in the picture.Which test is Kamal taking?

Accepted Answer

Kamal is taking the TAT (Thematic Apperception Test), which involves presenting ambiguous pictures to the individual and asking them to make up a story about what is going on between the people in the picture. The test is designed to reveal unconscious thoughts, motives, and attitudes. The Rorschach test involves presenting inkblots and asking the individual to describe what they see, while the NEO-PI-R and MMPI are personality tests that assess various traits and characteristics of the individual.

Question 2

What does a heritability coefficient of.50 mean?

Accepted Answer

A heritability coefficient of .50 means that 50% of the variance in personality scores in a population is due to genetics. It does not refer to the percentage of genetic vs environmental influence on the trait, nor does it necessarily mean that the trait is normally distributed or that half the population scores above average.

Question 3

The idea that personality could be determined by examining bumps on a person's skull was called

Accepted Answer

The idea that personality could be determined by examining bumps on a person's skull was called phrenology.

Question 4

The main difference between the MMPI and the NEO-PI-R is that the MMPI ___ while the NEO-PI-R ___.

Accepted Answer

The MMPI is known for not asking intuitively obvious questions, while the NEO-PI-R is known for doing so. The other options are not accurate distinctions between the two tests.

Question 5

The Rorschach test measures personality by

Accepted Answer

The Rorschach test asks the person to explain what they see in a set of inkblots, which is meant to reveal their unconscious thoughts and feelings and therefore measure aspects of their personality.

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT a type of personality inventory?

Accepted Answer

The TAT (Thematic Apperception Test) is a projective test, not a personality inventory.

Question 7

Jane is taking a personality test that is asking her questions that are obviously assessing her on five key factors of personality.For instance,she's sure that the question "Do you seek out the company of others?" is measuring extroversion.What test is she most likely taking?

Accepted Answer

The NEO-PI-R is a personality test that assesses individuals on five key factors of personality, commonly referred to as the "Big Five." These factors include openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. The question Jane is given clearly relates to the extraversion factor, one of the key five factors assessed by the NEO-PI-R.

Question 8

Noah and Joffrey are identical twins.On which of the following will they be least similar?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Noah and Joffrey are identical twins.On which...

Question 9

While some clinicians rely on the use of projective tests to assess personality,a remaining issue pointed out by many others is that

Accepted Answer

Many clinicians have criticized the validity and reliability of projective tests, suggesting that they lack a standardized scoring system and produce inconsistent results. While projective tests may uncover repressed conflicts, they are also prone to subjective interpretation and unreliable scoring, leading many clinicians to rely on other methods of personality assessment. While self-reports are not always accurate, this issue is not specific to projective tests and can be addressed through careful evaluation and monitoring of the individual's responses.

Question 10

The Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart found that

Accepted Answer

The Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart found that genetics were more important than family environment in predicting psychological similarity. This study compared identical twins that were separated at birth and found that despite growing up in different environments, they still had many similar traits and behaviors. This suggests that genetic factors play a significant role in determining psychological characteristics.

Question 11

To assess the degree to which a participant is likely to answer a question in a socially-desirable way,researchers

Accepted Answer

Including validity items on a questionnaire can help assess the degree to which a participant is answering questions in a socially-desirable way. Validity items are statements or questions that evaluate whether a participant is responding truthfully or accurately. By comparing responses to validity items with responses to other questions, researchers can determine if a participant is distorting their answers to present themselves in a more favorable light.

Question 12

Which of the following theorists' philosophies would best support using the Rorschach test?

Accepted Answer

Freud's psychoanalytic theory places a heavy emphasis on the importance of the unconscious mind and the interpretation of ambiguous stimuli, such as the inkblots in the Rorschach test. The Rorschach test is often used by psychoanalytic clinicians to gain insight into a patient's unconscious thoughts, feelings, and conflicts.

Question 13

Which of the following individuals is taking the MMPI?

Accepted Answer

The MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory) is known for its lengthy questionnaire consisting of 567 true or false questions, which often do not seem intuitively related to the assessment's objectives. This description matches the experience of Roman.

Question 14

Jack joins an online dating site and must specify some personal details in his profile.Although technically he doesn't have his university degree because he ended up getting a job right before he finished his last term,he writes that he has his degree.He also says that he owns his own home,even though he pays rent to stay in his parents' basement.What issue about testing does Jack's answer demonstrate?

Accepted Answer

Jack's response demonstrates socially-desirable responding, as he is providing information that he thinks will make him more attractive on the dating site, rather than being completely honest about his current situation.

Question 15

All the following are characteristics of projective tests EXCEPT that

Accepted Answer

Projective tests, such as the Rorschach and the TAT, rely on the clinician's subjective judgment for analysis and are known to have problems with reliability. While they do not have a validity scale built into them, they are designed to elicit responses that are believed to reveal the test-taker's unconscious thoughts and feelings.

Question 16

Based on twin data,what is the heritability coefficient for the openness superfactor?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Based on twin data,what is the heritability...

Question 17

Miranda has an appointment with a new doctor.She is surprised when he runs his hands over her skull and then comments,"I can tell by this bump on your skull that you are a perfectionist." Miranda is likely seeing a doctor who practices ___.

Accepted Answer

Phrenology is a pseudoscientific study of the bumps on a person's skull to determine their personality traits and mental abilities. It has long been discredited and is not a valid practice in modern medicine. Neuropsychology, neurology, and psychology are all valid fields of study in modern medicine but do not rely on examining bumps on the skull to determine personality traits.

Question 18

Hamish is taking a personality test that is presenting him with inkblot drawings and he has to provide a label for each one as quickly as possible.What test is Hamish most likely taking?

Accepted Answer

The Rorschach test involves showing individuals a series of inkblot drawings and asking them to provide labels for them. This test is used to assess personality characteristics and is commonly used in clinical psychology. The MMPI and NEO-PI-R are personality tests that use self-report questionnaires, and the TAT (Thematic Apperception Test) involves individuals interpreting ambiguous pictures.

Question 19

Olivier was invested in making others view him positively.So,when he took the MMPI-2,he responded to items in a way that would create a good impression.What is this testing phenomenon called?

Accepted Answer

The phenomenon described is known as social desirability, which refers to the tendency of individuals to respond to items on personality tests in a way that they believe would create a favorable impression of themselves.

Question 20

Which of the following traits was found to have the greatest heritability,according to twin studies?

Accepted Answer

Openness to experience has consistently been found to have the highest heritability in twin studies, with estimates ranging from 40%-60%. Agreeableness, warmth, and excitement have lower heritability estimates.

Quiz 12: Personality