Personality Questions

Question 1

What are the personality data types?

Answer 1

Self report
Observer report data
Test data
Life - outcome data

Question 2

What is a self report

Answer 2

Questionnaire type

Can be structured or unstructured (yes/no or open-ended questions)

Question 3

What’s the advantages and disadvantages of a self report

Answer 3

Adv

• lots of information gathered
• available anywhere/anytime

Disadv

• responders do not cooperate
• interpretation incorrectly

Question 4

What is an observer report data?

Answer 4

Reported by people who know/don’t know them
Setting might be artificial or naturalistic
Uncontrolled situation

Question 5

Advantages and disadvantages of observer report data

Answer 5

Adv

• external behaviour assessed
• variety of personality can be observed

Disadv

• costly
• potentially biased

Question 6

What is test data?

Answer 6

Based in a lab

Tasks constructed to see certain personality traits in person

Question 7

What are the advantages and disadvantages of test data?

Answer 7

Adv

• unique information can be obtained
• Controlled environment easy to measure
• tech based

Disadv

• participants modify behaviour
• researcher could influence participants during interaction
• interpretation could be problematic

Question 8

What is life outcome data ?

Answer 8

Public records

Social activity

Question 9

Advantages and disadvantages of life outcome data

Answer 9

Adv
- public records easy to obtain

Disadv
- many factors can affect the life outcome

Question 10

What are the different approaches to studying traits?

Answer 10

Lexical approach
Statistical approach
Theoretical approach

Question 11

Define lexical approach

Answer 11

Words describing individual differences

Question 12

Define statistical approach

Answer 12

Using statistics to group words into clusters

Question 13

Define theoretical approach

Answer 13

Theories provide investigation for selective characteristics

Question 14

What is Situational consistency ?

Answer 14

Interaction between traits and between traits and situations

Question 15

What is temporal consistency ?

Answer 15

Consistency over time

From infancy to adolescence some traits can be more consistent over time than others

Question 16

What is cattells 16 personality factors?

Answer 16

Factor analysis (lexical approach) used to identify 16 basic behaviour factors

Question 17

What is Eysencks pen model?

Answer 17

Based on theoretical and statistical approach 
Individuals vary on three dimensions 
- extraversion 
- neuroticism 
- psychoticism

Question 18

What is wiggins circumplex model

Answer 18

Focus on how individuals differ
Provides detailed definition of interpersonal behaviour
Specified relationships between all traits

Question 19

What is the big 5 model

Answer 19

Lexical and statistical approach

• surgency
• agreeableness
• conscientiousness
• emotional stability
• Intellect

Question 20

What’s the relationship between genes and behaviour

Answer 20

Genes don’t directly cause behaviour 
Genes work through biological system to influence behaviour 
- brain structure
- neural pathways
- transmitters / hormones

Question 21

What is selective breeding

Answer 21

Desired traits are bred

Question 22

What is family studies?

Answer 22

Based on knowledge of shared genes between family members

Question 23

What is objective anxiety

Answer 23

Dangers in external world

Question 24

What is neurotic anxiety

Answer 24

Danger from within

Conflict with ID and ego

Question 25

What is moral anxiety

Answer 25

Danger from within between ego and superego

Question 26

What are defence mechanisms

Answer 26

Egos attempt to control anxiety