Midterm 1

Question 1

What is personality?

Answer 1

dynamic organization
psycho-physical systems
persons characteristic patterns of behaviour, thoughts, feelings
consistent/pervasive

Question 2

Why study personality?

Answer 2

describe (characteristics)
explain (origins, development, behaviour)
predict (behaviour, thoughts, feelings)

Question 3

What is a construct?

Answer 3

unobservable

conceptual or hypothesized variable

Question 4

What is a theory?

Answer 4

proposed explanation/interpretation of relations among constructs (or things known to be true)

Question 5

criteria to evaluate theories

Answer 5

comprehensiveness
heuristic value
parsimony
testability/falsifiability

Question 6

define operationalize

Answer 6

translate a construct into a measurable variable

Question 7

How to measure reliability?

Answer 7

1. internal consistency (split-half reliability & cronbach’s alpha)
2. inter-rater reliability
3. test-retest reliability

Question 8

split-half reliability

Answer 8

splitting items in a measure in half and calculating correlation between scores

Question 9

How to measure validity?

Answer 9

1. face validity
2. criterion (predictive) validity
3. convergent/discriminant validity

Question 10

criterion validity

Answer 10

degree that measure correlates to a theoretically related behaviour

Question 11

convergent validity

Answer 11

degree that measure correlates with measures of conceptually related constructs

Question 12

discriminant validity

Answer 12

degree that measure does not correlate with measures of conceptually unrelated constructs

Question 13

what are traits?

Answer 13

descriptions of consistent, dispositions that make up personality
dimensional (measured continuously)

Question 14

nomothetic vs idiographic view

Answer 14

• all traits exist in the same way for everyone, personality made up of your combination as compared to others
• unique traits, individualized in importance/connotation, cannot compare people straight accross

Question 15

Eysenck’s taxonomy

Answer 15

based on hippocrates, galen
defined supertraits (made of other related traits)
combinations of supertraits make up 4 bodily humours
extroversion & neuroticism (later psychoticism)

Question 16

Wiggins’ taxonomy

Answer 16

core traits are interpersonal (love & dominance) resulting 8 personality types

Question 17

factor analysis

Answer 17

statistical method to identify highly inter-correlated traits

Question 18

5 factor model

Answer 18

Openness to experience
Conscientiousness
Extroversion
Agreeableness
Neuroticism

Question 19

criticisms of 5 factor model

Answer 19

1. too few traits (missing social evaluations, attractiveness)
2. too many traits (A,C,N = socialization, E,O = personal growth)
3. subjective, OCEAN can be described in many ways
4. does not explain personality (thoughts, feelings, behaviors, origins, dynamics etc)
5. based on circular reasoning

Question 20

Cluster A PD’s

Answer 20

Eccentric

1. Schizoid (inability to form attachments)
2. Schizotypal (strange thinking, perception)
3. Paranoid (suspicious, mistrustful)

Question 21

Cluster B PD’s

Answer 21

Erratic

1. Histrionic (attention seeking, extravagant, emphasize attractiveness)
2. Narcissistic (self-promoting, grandiose, attention seeking)
3. Antisocial (callous, deceitful, disregard & violation of others rights)
4. Borderline (emotional, impulsive, self harm, fear abandonment)

Question 22

Cluster C

Answer 22

Anxious
Avoidant (self-conscious/critical, hypersensitive, insecure, fearful, shy)
Dependent (indecisive, reassurance seeking, discomfort alone, submissive)
Obsessive-Compulsive (rigid, detail focused, lack warmth, high standards)

Question 23

Antisocial PD vs Psychopathy

Answer 23

ASPD broader category, more behavioural symptoms
Psychopathy personality structure, more affect/interpersonal features
(affect: lack remorse/empathy/guilt, interpersonal: glib/superficial charm, pathological lying, need stimulation)