Chapter 10: Personality - Module 33

Question 1

What does trait theory seek to explain?

Answer 1

Consistencies in individuals’ behaviours.

Traits are consistent personality characteristics displayed in different situations. (p. 389)

Question 2

T/F: Trait theorists assume some people have certain traits while others do not.

Answer 2

FALSE. They propose people possess certain traits to different degrees. (p. 390)

Question 3

PA: Which trait theorist did something dramatically similar to what I did in high school?

Answer 3

Gordon Allport (p. 390)

Question 4

What are Allports levels of traits?

Answer 4

1. Cardinal (a single characteristic directing most of a person’s activities)
2. Central Traits (normally 5-10 major characteristics of an individual)
3. Secondary Traits (affecting behaviour in fewer situations and less influential, eg. reliuctance to eat meat, or modern art)

Question 5

What statistical technique was developed by Cattel and Eysenck?

Answer 5

Factor analysis (p. 390)

Question 6

What three major dimensions did Eysenck conceptualize?

Answer 6

Extraversion, Neuroticism, and Psychoticism. (p. 391)

Question 7

What are the Big Five Personality Traits?

Answer 7

Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism. (p. 391-392)

Question 8

T/F: People tend to make instantaneous judgement of character based on appearance.

Answer 8

True (“Judged At First Sight” box p. 392-393)

Question 9

Which approaches focus on the inner person versus the outer person?

Answer 9

Inner person: psychodynamic.

Outer person: Learning approaches; “personality a sum of learned responses to external environment” (p. 393)

Question 10

B.F. Skinner, who carried out pioneering work in operant conditioning, saw behavior as what?

Answer 10

A collection of learned behaviours due to patterns of reinforcement for social behaviours, not because of inner wish-fulfilling. (p. 393)

Question 11

Are strict learning theorists more interested in consistencies in behaviour, or ways of modifying behaviour?

Answer 11

Ways of modifying behaviour. (p. 393)

Question 12

What do you call a less strict approach that emphasizes the influence of cognition as well as observation of others’ behaviour, on personality?

Answer 12

Social cognitive approaches to personality. (p. 393, 394)
Eg. The Bobo doll experiment (Chapter 5, Module 17).

Question 13

What is Bandura’s self-efficacy?

Answer 13

Belief in one’s personal capabilities. (p. 394)

Eg. developed when you try snowboarding and your first attempt looks promising, you’re more likely to try again.

Question 14

What approaches to personality suggest it is inherited?

Answer 14

Biological and Evolutionary Approaches (p. 394)

Question 15

T/F: Case studies of identical twins separated at bird support Biological and Evolutionary Approaches.

Answer 15

True. (p. 394, 395)

Question 16

T/F: It is likely that traits are linked to single genes.

Answer 16

Probably false. (p. 395, 396)

Question 17

What approach emphasized inherent goodness and tendency to grow to higher levels of functioning?

Answer 17

Humanistic. (p. 396)

Question 18

Carl Rogers maintains that all people have a fundamental need for what?

Answer 18

Self-actualization: a state of self-fulfillment in which people realize their highest potential in their own unique way. (p. 397)

He further suggests that people develop a need for positive regard and to be loved and respected. (p. 397, 398)

Question 19

What are self-concepts, according to Carl Rogers?

Answer 19

The set of beleifs people hold about what they are like as individuals. (p. 397)

If there is great discrepancy between the “true self” and “ideal self” we may experience anxiety and dissatisfaction.

Question 20

What is unconditional positive regard, and what can it help with?

Answer 20

An attitude of acceptance and respect on the part of an observer, no matter what the person says or does.

This can help overcome discrepancy between experience and self-concept. (p. 397)

Question 21

What does conditional positive regard depend on?

Answer 21

Your behaviour. (p.398)

Question 22

T/F: There is one personality theory that is most accurate.

Answer 22

False, because they focus on different thigns from different perspectives. (chart on p. 398 for comparisons)