Chapter 1 Vocab

Question 1

Personality

Answer 1

The underlying causes within the person of individual behavior and experience.

Question 2

Description

Answer 2

Theoretical task of identifying the units of personality, with particular emphasis on the differences between people.

Question 3

Dynamics

Answer 3

The motivational aspect of personality

Question 4

Development

Answer 4

Formation or change over time.

Question 5

Individual differences

Answer 5

Qualities that make one person different from another

Question 6

Type

Answer 6

A category of people with similar characteristics

Question 7

Quantitative measures

Answer 7

Measures that permit expression of various amounts of something such as a trait

Question 8

Trait

Answer 8

Personality characteristic that makes one person different from another and/or that describes an individual’s personality.

Question 9

Factor

Answer 9

A statistically derived, quantitative dimension of personality that is broader than most traits

Question 10

Nomothetic

Answer 10

Involving comparisons with other individuals; research based on groups of people

Question 11

Idiographic

Answer 11

Focusing on one individual

Question 12

Adaptation

Answer 12

Coping with the external world

Question 13

Temperament

Answer 13

Consistent styles of behavior and emotional reactions present from early life onward, presumably caused by biological factors.

Question 14

Scientific method

Answer 14

The method of knowing based on systematic observation

Question 15

Determinism

Answer 15

The assumption that phenomena have causes that can be discovered by empirical research

Question 16

Theory

Answer 16

A conceptual tool, consisting of systematically organized constructs and propositions for understanding certain specified phenomena

Question 17

Construct

Answer 17

A concept used in a theory

Question 18

Operational definition

Answer 18

Procedure for measuring a theoretical construct

Question 19

Theoretical proposition

Answer 19

Theoretical statement about relationships among theoretical constructs

Question 20

Hypothesis

Answer 20

A prediction to be tested

Question 21

Empirical

Answer 21

based on scientific observations

Question 22

Verifiable

Answer 22

The ability of a theory to be tested by empirical procedures, resulting in confirmation or disconfirmation

Question 23

Disconfirmation

Answer 23

Evidence against a theory; observations that contradict the predictions of a hypothesis

Question 24

Comprehensiveness

Answer 24

The ability of a theory to explain a broad variety of observations

Question 25

Applied value

Answer 25

The ability of a theory to guide practical use

Question 26

Applied research

Answer 26

Research intended for practical use

Question 27

Basic research

Answer 27

Research intended to develop theory

Question 28

Implicit theories of personality

Answer 28

Ideas about personality that are held by ordinary people (not based on formal theory)