Ch. 7

Question 1

r = 0.6-0.9
- partially determined by genetics
- birth order
- early experience (adverse/positive experiences)
- physical/environmental factors

Answer 1

causes for personality stability

Question 2

person seeks out compatible environments and avoids incompatible ones ex. aggressive person goes to bar where fights are frequent and introvert avoids social gathering

Answer 2

active person-environment transaction

Question 3

different people respond differently to the same situation. ex. extravert finds party enjoyable; introvert finds same party unbearable

Answer 3

reactive person-environment transaction

Question 4

the aspect of an individual’s personality leads to behaviour that changes the situations they experience ex. a conscientious person tells group, “it’s time to work” disagreeable person starts an argument over minor matter

Answer 4

evocative person-environment transaction

Question 5

personality tends to be more stable over time

Answer 5

cumulative continuity principle

Question 6

people of different ages may have differences in traits because of the social environment they grew up in

Answer 6

cohort effects

Question 7

the tendency of socially adaptive traits to increase with age

Answer 7

maturity principle

Question 8

• physical development/changes in strength
• increases in intelligence and linguistic abilities
• hormone - level changes
• changes in social roles and responsibilities

Answer 8

causes for personality development

Question 8

• physical development/changes in strength
• increases in intelligence and linguistic abilities
• hormone - level changes
• changes in social roles and responsibilities

Answer 8

causes for personality development

Question 9

places pressure on people to accomplish certain things by certain ages

Answer 9

the social clock

(women who followed either the feminine/masculine social clock reported higher contentment and satisfaction than those who followed neither)

Question 10

the story that you tell about your life and the trajectory it firs into your goals and dreams

Answer 10

narrative identity

Question 11

Actor: traits and roles
Agent: goals and values
Author: life narratives

Answer 11

three aspects of narrative identity

Question 12

Actor: traits and roles
Agent: goals and values
Author: life narratives

Answer 12

three aspects of narrative identity

Question 13

can produce long-term behaviour change
often combined with psychiatric drugs

Answer 13

psychotherapy

Question 14

reason for wanting change

Answer 14

make life better

Question 15

psychotherapy
general interventions
targeted interventions
life experiences

Answer 15

four potential methods of change

Question 16

desire for change in typical and usually in

Answer 16

the socially desirable direction

Question 17

• openness to experience
• tolerance for stress and defensiveness
• neuroticism
• narcissism
• self-control

Answer 17

Targeted Interventions: address certain personality traits

Question 18

Step 1: Identify what the person wants to change
Step 2: Do things outside of comfort zone until they become habits and automatic

Answer 18

Socioegenomic Trait Intervention Model
(trying to change lots of behaviours at the same time by changing a trait)

Question 19

Reasons for positive personality change: exercise, starting college or a job, beginning a serious relationship, travel, military training

Answer 19

Reasons for negative personality change: trying drugs, onset of chronic disease, becoming unemployed, negative life events

Question 20

obstacles to personality change

Answer 20

• not seeing a reason for the change
• takes effort
• blaming negative experiences and failures on external forces rather than their own personality
• people like consistency and predictability

Question 21

is personality change good or bad?

Answer 21

Answer: Both

Instability and inconsistency can cause problems. Most change is adaptive but slow.

Question 21

is personality change good or bad?

Answer 21

Answer: Both

Instability and inconsistency can cause problems. Most change is adaptive but slow.