Unit 1

Question 1

personality psychology

Answer 1

Is the scientific study of what makes us who we are. The study of individual differences: identifying ways in which people are both similar and different and explaining how they became that way.

Question 2

8 building blocks of personality

Answer 2

traits, genetics, neuroscience, self and identity, intrapsychic foundations of personality, regulation and motivation, self determination theory, cognitive foundations

Question 3

intregration

Answer 3

we combine the building blocks of personality into a whole person
when it comes to personality, the whole is greater than the mere sum of parts.

Question 4

traits

Answer 4

a person’s typical way of thinking, feeling and acting in various situations, at different times

Question 5

genetics

Answer 5

The study of how genes and environment affect personality and behaviour.

• Personality starts with our genetic makeup that we have inherited from our birth parents.
• even though many variables have a genetic component, every one of them has an environmental component as well.

Question 6

neuroscience

Answer 6

is the study of how our brain and nervous system affect personality and behaviour through the study of bodily responses, brain structure, brain activity and biochemical activity.
-extroversion, neuroticism, and impulsivity are related to psychological and neurological differences which may be present at birth, or develop soon after. (part of who we are is built in our neurology).

Question 7

self and identity

Answer 7

encompasses our own sense of who we are including our self-concept, self-esteem and social identity.

• we have a sense of who we are: self-concept. And we have an opinion about that: self-esteem.
• we may present ourselves in certain ways or embrace what others think about us: social identity.
• dolphins and chimpanzees are similar in this regard.

Question 8

intrapsychc foundations of personality

Answer 8

with this sense of self, we can look within our-selves (intra) to our own conscious and unconscious thoughts and feelings (psychic) that also make up our personality (intrapsychic).
-A complete understanding of our personality must take into account our unconscious motivations, including our defence mechanisms and important attachments, starting with our caregivers and continuing with our intimate relationship.

Question 9

regulation and motivation

Answer 9

is concerned with how people adjust their responses to the environment, both consciously and unconsciously.

Question 10

self determination theory

Answer 10

when people feel free to choose, are competent at what they do, and are connected to people around them, they will be motivated and self-directed to for the task at hand.

Question 11

cognitive foundations

Answer 11

describes how people perceive and think about information about themselves and the world.

Question 12

scientific method

Answer 12

describes how to make and test observations about the world in order to draw conclusions while minimizing error or bias.

Question 13

How do psychologists use the Scientific Method to study personality?

Answer 13

1. Scientific methods starts with the identification of basic facts about the worldthen, using this collection of facts, scientists build theories
   - theories help scientists ask new questions and suggest where to look for answers and what kind of answers they might find.
2. Then scientists make predictions and test predictions based on their theories using controlled methods.
3. Finally, scientists make their results public by publishing them in journals, on the Internet, or by presenting their results at conferences.
   - They do this to seek out independent verification from other researchers.

Question 14

observational studies

Answer 14

observe what people do, to understand a certain phenomenon.
-based on these observations researchers might make an educated guess or generate a hypothesis to explain their findings.

Question 15

personality questionnaires

Answer 15

are tests in which people answer questions about themselves that identify certain aspects of their personality.
-like how talkative, outgoing, and sociable they are

Question 16

correlation

Answer 16

means the measure of the extent to which two variables are related.

• can be small (+.0 to .3 or -.0 to -.3), medium (+.3 to .5 or -.3 to -.5), and large (+.5 to .9 or -.5 to -.9).
• researchers generally report the significance level of any correlations they calculate.
• Correlational design could be used in twin and adoption studies

Question 17

correlation coefficient

Answer 17

An estimate of the co-relation between two variables. Correlations can be positive or negative depending on the type of relationship.

• if two variables increase or decrease at the same time= positive correlation
• if one variable increases as the other decreases or vice-versa, decreasing as the other increases= negative correlation

Question 18

When two variables are related, there are always at least three possible explanations for the findings:

Answer 18

It is possible the first variable causes the second
It is possible the second variable causes the first one
Also possible that some third variable causes both of the variables.

Question 19

correlational studies

Answer 19

researchers generally don’t manipulate variables, but instead measure two variables to see how they are related.

Question 20

correlational designs benefits

Answer 20

Correlation allows the researcher to investigate naturally occurring variables that maybe unethical or impractical to test experimentally.
Correlation allows the researcher to clearly and easily see if there is a relationship between variables.

Question 21

correlational design limitations

Answer 21

Correlation is not and cannot be taken to imply causation. Even if there is a very strong association between two variables we cannot assume that one causes the other. 

Correlation does not allow us to go beyond the data that is given.

Question 22

experiment

Answer 22

placing people in carefully controlled situation and measuring their responses

Question 23

experiment steps

Answer 23

1. researchers decide what variable they wish to study, then decide design at least two conditions which differ in this variable: experimental condition, control condition
2. then researchers must use random assignment to assign participants to one condition or the other.

Question 24

experimental condition

Answer 24

participants experience one treatment

Question 25

control condition

Answer 25

1. participants experience a different treatment of no treatment at all
2. researchers will go to great lengths to ensure that the entire experimental procedure is exactly alike for all participants except for this one difference in the variable being studied.

Question 26

random assignment

Answer 26

every participant in the experiment has an equal chance of experiencing each of the conditions

Question 27

experimental design benefits

Answer 27

By having experimental control: All aspects of the same except for the variable being studied, and random assignment, researchers are able to conclude that a difference in reactions of participants must have been due to the variable that was manipulated
-This is the logic of a true experiment

Question 28

true experiment

Answer 28

allows researchers to conclude that what they manipulated caused a difference in the outcome they measured.

Question 29

independent variable

Answer 29

variable that the researchers manipulate

Question 30

dependent variable

Answer 30

variable that researchers measure, the response of the participants

Question 31

experimental design limiations

Answer 31

when it comes to research there is a lot of variables we cannot manipulate because it is impossible, impractical or unethical to do so

Question 32

neuroticism

Answer 32

a personality trait that describes how anxious and vulnerable to negative emotions a person is

Question 33

types of data

Answer 33

self report data (S data)
observation data (O data)
test data (T data)

Question 34

self report data (S data)

Answer 34

They include any information people respond to directly (objective personality tests, interviews, narratives, life stories and survey questions).

Question 35

Observation Data (O Data)

Answer 35

include information given by friend, family teachers, trained raters, or others based on watching how people behave in laboratory or in their daily lives.

Question 36

test data (T data)

Answer 36

include information about people’s reactions to a structured situation, such as experimental procedures, intelligence tests, performance tests and projective tests.

Question 37

According to the Belmont report, research with humans must adhere to to four ethical principles:

Answer 37

1. respect for persons
2. beneficence
3. justice
4. common rule

Question 38

respect for persons

Answer 38

• Informed Consent: allowing people to choose for themselves whether they wish to participate or not, by giving their consent after they have been informed about the procedures and possible risks of the study.
• researcher must give extra protection to people who have limited autonomy, or limited physical or mental capacity to give their informed consent.

Question 39

beneficence

Answer 39

First and foremost, researchers should do no harm to their participants. -Includes using the best research methods and materials, having trained personnel interact with research participants, and minimizing possible harm and maximizing possible benefits of research participation.

Question 40

justice

Answer 40

• suggests that the benefits and burdens of research must be shared equitably among potential research populations (researchers must treat all participants fairly and equally, avoiding samples of convenience, exploitation of vulnerable populations, and not involving persons from groups unlikely to benefit from the research).
• also suggests that participants should receive some benefit or value for being in the study direct and concrete or more general for society.

Question 41

common rule

Answer 41

mandates that institutions that conduct research must establish and maintain an institutional review board (IRB) to review all research to ensure that it upholds these standards
-These boards must include researchers, an ethicist, and members of the community who discuss all research proposals, often making suggestions to ensure that participants are protected
-Common Rule establishes procedure for obtaining informed consent from potential research participants and for explaining all experimental procedures.
 Common Rule after these three principles was the last to be adopted by all federal agencies