Chapter One Flashcards
1
Q
What do personality theorists study?
A
The forces and factors that shape personality.
2
Q
List Cattel’s 16 personality factors
A
- cool and reserved or warm and easygoing
- easily upset or calm and stable
- sober and serious or happy-go-lucky
- practical or imaginative
- self assured or apprehensive
- conservative or experimenting
- undisciplined or self-disciplined
- relaxed or tense and driven
3
Q
when you study the conscious aspects of personality, you are studying …
A
Only those aspects of personality that can be observed and scientifically tested.
4
Q
when you study the unconscious aspects of personality, you are studying …
A
the whole person - both the unconscious and the conscious elements of the psyche.
5
Q
the study of the unconscious emerged from …
A
Freud’s psychoanalytic movement in the 1880’s
6
Q
The study of the conscious mind emerged from …
A
Wilhelm Wundt’s creation of the first experimental psychology lab
7
Q
provide a brief overview of the academic psychology approach to the study of personality.
A
- Uncovering general principles of personality through research methods such as correlations and experiments
- Conducted in an academic setting
- Precursor: Wilhelm Wundt
8
Q
What was the precursor to the academic psychology approach to the study of personality?
A
Wilhelm Wundt’s establishment of the first experimental lab
9
Q
Provide a brief overview of the clinical practice approach to the study of personality.
A
- study of individual personality through case histories
- conducted in a psychotheraputic, or clinical, environment
- Precursor: Freud
10
Q
What was the precursor to the clinical practice approach to the study of personality?
A
Freud’s psychoanalytic theory
11
Q
What is the practical purpose of the evaluation of personality?
A
Diagnosis, education, counselling, research, etc.
12
Q
What are the two principles of measurement in the study of personality?
A
reliability and validity
13
Q
validity
A
measure what it is intended to measure
14
Q
reliability
A
consistency of response
15
Q
What are the six assessment methods in the study of personality that we discussed in class?
A
- Self report inventories
- Online test administration
- projective tests
- clinical interviews
- behavioral assessment
- thought and experience samples
16
Q
Name the two objective self report inventories
A
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and the California Psychological Inventory (CPI)
17
Q
List some advantages and disadvantages of self report inventories
A
Advantages:
- Objective scoring
- Low cost
- Test-takers report greater privacy and a sense of anonymity when revealing personal information.
Disadvantages:
- Reading level confound - inaccessible to those who struggle with English
- Social desirability confound - may answer in a way which participant perceives as being socially desirable (esp when taking tests for employment)
- minor changes in the wording of such tests can lead to major changes in the results
18
Q
Describe online test administration in the study of personality
A
Computerized versions of self report inventories which participants can fill out in the comfort of their own homes.
19
Q
List some advantages and disadvantages of online test administration / the virtual research method of personality research
A
Advantages
- less time consuming
- accepted by the younger generation
- Less costly
Disadvantages
- May reveal private and embarrassing information which participants will later regret
- unrepresentative samples
20
Q
List four projective tests used in the study of personaliity
A
- Rorschach Inkblot Technique
- Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
- Word association
- Sentance completion
21
Q
List some advantages and disadvantages of projective tests in the study of personality
A
Advantages
- Unique scientific value (? - debatable)
Disadvantages:
- Low reliability and validity
- subjective scoring
22
Q
In a clinical interview, what does the therapist ask the client about?
A
- past and present life experiences
- social and family relationships
- reasons for seeking psychological help
23
Q
List some advantages and disadvantages of clinical interviews
A
Advantages:
- focus assessment at the beginning
Disadvantages:
- subjective
24
Q
Where do behavioral assessments take place?
A
Either within a clinical interview or within a relevant situation.
25
List some advantages and disadvantages of behavioral assessments
Advantages:
- gain valuable insights
Disadvantages:
- less systematic
26
List some advantages and disadvantages of thought and experience sampling
Advantages
- Determine how impacted by context
Disadvantages
- forgetting
- failure to respond
27
Describe the problem of gender and ethnicity which has emerged from historical theories of personality
- White male theorists dominated the field of personality research
- they generally ignored gender and ethnicity - samples were unrepresentative
- personality theorists would imply that their scientific findings concerning personality were valid for all people, regardless of gender, race, or ethnic origin.
- Does not even seem valid to generalize across an ethnic or cultural group - differ tremendously within
- Cross cultural psychology has shown that gender and ethnic differences impact personality
28
Describe the impact of ethnicity and culture on personality development
Influences our view of human nature, which in turn has an impact on our subjective sense of well-being, self efficacy, parenting, level of self enhancement, etc.
Individualism verses collectivism
29
Individualism:
focus on personal freedom
30
Collectivism:
focus on group norms and values
31
According to cross cultural psychology, ______ are high in depression and social concern, and low in depression
women
32
according to cross cultural psychology, ________ are high in collectivism, and low in assertiveness, optimism, and seeking mental health treatment.
Asians
33
According to cross cultural psychology, __________ are high on depression and low on trust and hopelessness
African Americans
34
According to cross cultural psychology, ___________ are high in collectivism and PTSD symptoms following injuries, and low in seeking mental health treatment
Hispanics
35
List four personality research methods
- Clinical method
- Experimental method
- Virtual research method
- Correlational method
36
Describe the clinical method of personality research
detailed history of an individual which contains information from a variety of sources (eg. tests, interviews, dream analysis)
37
List some advantages and disadvantages of using the clinical method of personality research
Advantages:
- depth of information
'- creates a picture of the person rather than just numbers
Disadvantages:
- Subjective
- Less precision
- may reflect clinician's personal biases
38
Describe the experimental method of personality research
Determine the effects of variables or events on behavior. Independent / dependent variable; control / experimental group
39
List some advantages and disadvantages of using the experimental method of personality research
Advantages:
- Well controlled and systematic
- Duplication and verification
Disadvantages
- Limited aspects possible in lab
- Participant awareness of observation - may be less likely to act naturally
40
Describe the correlational method of personality research
Measures the degree of a relationship between two variables but does not measure causation (domain of the experimental method). Correlation coefficient ranges from -1.00 - +1.00.
41
List some advantages and disadvantages of using the correlational method of personality research
Advantages
- Prediction in real world
Disadvantages:
- correlation does not imply causation
42
What was Freud's psychoanalytic theory based on?
Psychoanalysis was based on his clinical observations of his patient’s feelings and past experiences, which he creatively interpreted. Biographical element.
43
In the 1930s, ___________ formalized and systematized the study of personality in American psychology.
Gordon Allport
44
Define personality
Difficult to define. A definition could be, "an enduring and unique cluster of (external and external) characteristics that may change in response to different situations.
45
Standardization:
consistency or uniformity of conditions and procedures for administering a test.
46
List the methods used to determine reliability of a test
- Test-retest method
- Equivalent forms method
- Split-halves method
47
Discuss the test-retest method for determining the reliability of a test
giving a subject the same test twice over a period of time to see if the two sets of scores on the tests are highly correlated.
48
Discuss the equivalent forms method for determining the reliability of a test
consists of two comparable forms of a test.
49
Discuss the split-halves method for determining the reliability of a test
Test is administered once and then the scores of half the test are compared with the scores of the other half.
50
Predictive validity
Predictive validity is a prediction, (before the test is given) on how well future behavior can be predicted by the test scores.
51
Content validity
Content validity refers to the test’s individual items or questions, and whether or not they describe behavior accurately like we want them to do.
52
Construct validity
a test’s ability to measure a construct, such as a question concerning behavior, like a trait or motive.
53
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)
The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) is the most widely used (self-report) psychological test. A true-false test consisting of 567 statements for assessing personality issues, this test is a valid measure that can discriminate between neurotics and psychotics and between emotionally healthy and emotionally disturbed persons
54
California Psychological Inventory (CPI)
California Psychological Inventory (CPI) provides 17 personality dimensions. These self-report measures are objective in their scoring and have led to the widespread use of automated personality assessment programs on a computer.
55
Why were projective techniques developed?
to probe the unconscious
56
Projective techniques were inspired by _________'s work?
Freud
57
Explain how projective techniques work
present a stimulus, such as an inkblot or a picture which can then be interpreted, especially with those who may be emotionally disturbed.
58
The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
consists of 20 vague pictures. The subject is asked to make up a story about what they perceive in the pictures. The interpreter subjectively scores the TAT and these scores are used to measure specific aspects of personality, such as the needs for achievement, affiliation and power.
59
Rorschach Inkblot Technique
is a test with 10 cards of black and sometimes colored ink. The subject is asked what they perceive in the inkblots. Responses are interpreted by the examiner. Several interpretation systems are available for scoring the Rorschach but it is a less valid test than the MMPI.
60
What do clinical interviews measure?
effects of past and present life experiences, general appearance, behavior, degree of self-insight and contact with reality.
61
Thought sampling
Example of behavioral assessment. Thought sampling involves a person recording the experience of a target thought or behavior. A beeper would sound to indicate that the person needs to record their feelings. The therapist and client would then review the patterns of the client’s thought.
62
Which clinical method of assessment is used in personality research?
Case study
63
The reliability and validity of assessment devices are typically determined through the __________ method.
correlational
64
correlation coefficient
Statistical measure used to compare variables in the correlational method. The relationship of the variables could be positive or negative, with a perfect correlation having a correlation coefficient of +1.00 or -1.00. The stronger the relationship, the more confident we become in making predictions about one variable to another.
65
Theory
Theories are sets of principles used to explain a particular class of phenomena, such as behaviors and experiences relating to personality. Framework for simplifying and describing data in a meaningful way. Researchers must be able to conduct experiments to determine whether aspects of the theory should be accepted or rejected.
66
Formal theories
Formal theories are based on data from observations of large numbers of persons. We can generalize from formal theories more effectively to explain and predict the behavior of more kinds of people. Objective.
67
Personal theories
Personal theories are based on our perception and evaluation of ourselves and others. With personal theories, we tend to evaluate our reactions to people we study with our own personal thoughts and feelings. Subjective.
68
The first stage in constructing a theory may be based on _________, which is later modified and refined by the theorist’s knowledge and experience.
Intuition to describe personality. People choose the ones that best describe themselves.
69
Historical determinism
The view that past events, such as experiences in early childhood, shape our personalities to the point that is critical for personality development
70
the adjective checklist
personality test that employs 300 adjectives
71
Describe Wundt's approach to psychology
The scientific analysis of conscious experience into its elemental parts.
72
Was Watson's behaviorism more or less devoted to a natural science approach than Wundt's experimental psychology?
MORE devoted to a natural science approach
73
Who was the founder of behaviorism?
Watson
74
Wnat was Watson's opinion of the study of consciousness?
Cannot be seen or experimented upon, so it is irrelevant to science.
75
What did Watson consider personality to be?
The accumulation of learned responses / a habit system.
76
The lifespan approach to the study of personality
Personality continues to develop throughout the course of a life
77
Trait approach to the study of personality
Much of our personality is inherited
78
Humanistic approach to the study of personality
Emphasizes human strengths, virtues, aspirations, and the fulfillment of our potential.
79
Cognitive approach to the study of personality
Conscious mental activities
80
Do social networking sites convey accurate depictions of our personalities?
Yes - at least as accurate as face to face interviews do.
