Chapter 1

Question 1

What is a trait?

Answer 1

characteristics that describe ways in which people are different from each other; describe the average tendencies of a person

Question 2

How is state different from trait when describing personality?

Answer 2

State is based on day-to-day emotions, whereas traits are used to describe average tendencies

Question 3

What are the 4 questions that personality research asks?

Answer 3

1. how many traits are there?
2. how are the traits organized?
3. what are the origins of traits?
4. what are the correlations and consequences of traits?

Question 4

what is a psychological mechanism?

Answer 4

the processes of personality; how traits interact with the environment; traits in action

Question 5

Is personality stable?

Answer 5

personality is consistent across situations & will predict how you will act on average

Question 6

person-environment interacts with situations include what 4 items?

Answer 6

perceptions, selections, evocations, & manipulations

Question 7

Define evocation

Answer 7

the reactions we produce in others unintentionally

Question 8

What is the difference between evocations and manipulation?

Answer 8

evocations are reactions we produce unintentionally and manipulations are reactions we produce intentionally in others (usually to influence them)

Question 9

Is personality adaptive?

Answer 9

personality is adaptive as it helps us cope with problems, accomplish goals, adjust to changes, and deal with challenges

Question 10

what are the 3 main types of environments?

Answer 10

physical, social, and intrapsychic

Question 11

what is the relationship between the intrapsychic environment and personality?

Answer 11

our personality shapes and is shaped by our memories and environment

Question 12

What are the 3 levels of personality analysis?

Answer 12

1. every human is like all others (human nature)
2. like some others (individual & group differences)
3. like no others (individual uniqueness)

Question 13

What is researched in the dispositional domain?

Answer 13

the ways in which individuals differ from one another – what are the fundamental traits that exist?

Question 14

What is the focus of the biological domain?

Answer 14

personality is based in biology. Genetics, psychophysiology, and evolution are the areas of research

Question 15

What is the general idea of the intrapsychic domain?

Answer 15

FREUD; mental mechanisms are outside of awareness; defence mechanisms, sex & aggression, big 3 motives (nAch, nPow, nInt)

Question 16

What is part of the cognitive-experiential domain?

Answer 16

cognition and subjective experiences; self & self-concepts, goals, emotional experiences; conscious awareness of personality