Final Exam Flashcards
What is the basic approach?
The basic approach (also called a paradigm) is all of the different approaches together; biological, trait, psychoanalytic, phenomenological, learning and cognitive
What is the trait approach?
- The trait approach focuses on personality traits, such as extroverted versus introverted and openness
- Conceptualization of individual differences
- Measurement of individual differences
What is the biological approach?
The biological approach addresses different biological mechanisms
What is the psychoanalytic approach?
The psychoanalytic approach focuses on the unconscious mind and internal mental conflict
What are the elements of phenomenological approach?
- Conscious awareness and experience
- Humanistic psychology
- Cross-cultural psychology
What are the elements of learning and cognitive approaches?
- Behaviorism
- Social learning theory
- Cognitive personality psychology
What are the different types of data?
- Self-report data
- Informant data
- Life outcomes data
- Behavioral data
What are the elements of self-report data?
- Use questionnaires or surveys
- Based on a large amount of information
What are some advantages of self-report data?
- High face validity
- Unique perspective
- Gives access to thoughts, feelings, and intentions
- Gives data that is true by definition
- Such as self-esteem
- Gives causal force
- Efficacy expectations
- Self-verifications
- Tests are simple and easy
What are some disadvantages to self-report data?
- Some things the participant won’t be able to tell you
- Some things the participants won’t want to tell you
- The test can be too simple and too easy, then become overused
What are elements of informant data?
- In informant is asked about the person in question and they give you information
- An informant could be an acquaintance or someone very close to the individual in question
- The information given by the informant is based on their judgments
What are some advantages of informant data?
- Large amounts of information
- Real world basis, because the information comes from real-world observations
- Information is given using common sense
- Some data, like likability, is true by definition
- Causal force
What are some disadvantages of informant data?
- Limited information behavior, because the informant cannot be with the participant at all times
- Lack of access to private experience
- Can have errors
- Can have bias
What is life outcomes data?
Life data is verifiable, concrete, and real-life facts that may have psychological significance
What are some advantages of life outcomes data?
- Objective and verifiable
- Intrinsic importance, because the information constitutes exactly what the psychologist needs to know
- Psychological relevance
What are some disadvantages to life outcome data?
- Multi determination
- Life data may have many causes, so trying to figure out the direct connection between specific attributes of personality and life outcomes is difficult
- Possible lack of psychological relevance
What is behavioral data?
Behavioral data is the observation of a person’s behavior either in daily life or in the laboratory
What are some advantages of behavioral data collection?
- A wide range of context, both real and contrived
- Appearance of objectivity
What are some disadvantages of behavioral data?
- Can be difficult and expensive
- Can also have uncertain interpretations
What are projective tests?
Projective tests try to answer subconscious mind. The theory is that if someone is asked to describe or interpret a meaningless or ambiguous stimulus, their answer cannot come from the stimulus itself, because the stimulus doesn’t actually look like anything.
What are some examples of projective tests?
- Rorschach test
- Thematic apperception test
- Draw a person test
What is an objective test?
An objective test has questions that can be answered yes or no, true or false, or on a numeric scale
