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GRE Psychology: Personality

Subjects : gre, psychology
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. The study of why people act the way that they do and why different people act differently






2. Skinny - fragile means inhibited - intellectual






3. Relatively stable characteristics of behavior that a person exhibits (trait is stable - state is more of temporary feeling or characteristics)






4. Picking all possible traits out of dictionary






5. Have a great need for arousal






6. Suggested personality typology based on personal activity and social interest; ruling-dominant type (choleric; high-low) - getting-learning type (phlegmatic; low-high) - avoiding type (melancholic; low-low) - and socially useful type (sanguine; high-






7. women'S success at 'male' tasks attributed to luck - - while men'S success attributed to skill; Suggesting - gender is a social construct that colours interpretations; - women attribute successes to luck more than men indicating they have lower self-






8. Women are twice as likely as men to become depressed






9. At the top a cardinal trait (always consistent) - then central traits - then secondary traits (may conflict)






10. Believing you are better than you are or look better than you do; unrealistic self-esteem






11. People often make assumptions about the dispositions of an individual based on the actions of that person






12. Studies androgyny; created Bem Sex Role Inventory






13. Linked Type A personality to heart disease and other health problems






14. Possibility that a person may behave inconsistently - presents problems for labelling people as one internal disposition






15. Somatotypes personality theory






16. Experience can change people'S personalities; after a series of events one feels helpless or out of control - negative or pessimistic explanatory style develops; gives up in general - exhibits helpless disposition; countered with learned optimism






17. Emphasized idiographic approach to personality theory - as opposed to nomothetic; conscious motives governed by proprium or propriate function; lexical approach (5000 possible traits) - determined trait hierarchy of cardinal - central - secondary tra






18. Sheldon - Somatotypes' short - plump means pleasure-seeking - social






19. Personality characteristic - causes one to view events as outcome of own actions; too much breeds self-blame






20. Uses large numbers of people to study commonalities of personality






21. Personal constructs determine personality and behaviour






22. Used factor analysis to identify underlying traits of 2 personality-type dimensions (introversion-extraversion and stable-unstable [neuroticism]); - two dimensions formed a cross and four quadrants of phlegmatic - melancholic - choleric - sanguine






23. Scrutiny of own behaviour - motivation to act appropriately rather than honestly - ability to mask true feelings






24. Generally make people more self-aware; small mirror - not so self-aware since its common - large mirror - very self-aware since we see a view of ourselves as others see us






25. Shows heritability of personality about 40-50% - identical twins separated at birth; 'Jim' twins had wives and dogs with same name - and same habits; differences shows environmental impact






26. Originally dominated personality theory (Hippocrates) - many placed into type categories based on physical appearance; including using phrenology and somatotypes






27. Muscular - athletic means energetic - aggressive






28. Allport; his version of the ego - believed it acted relatively consistently based on traits developed through experience






29. Characterized by drive - competitiveness - aggressiveness - tension - hostility; found - most common in middle to upper class men






30. 1) dispositionist 2) situationist 3) interactionists






31. Possessing both male and female qualities






32. Criticized trait and type theories that both assume behaviour is stable across situations and people fail to take circumstances into account; - studies show that people often act different in different situations; consistency paradox






33. Personality characteristic - causes one to view events as result of luck or fate; too much breeds helplessness






34. To show personality traits exist in a person - show person exhibits those traits in a variety of situations; cognitive behaviour (e.g. formulation of and attention to prototypes) is examined in social situations; - consistency of behaviour is result






35. Many argue that there is no true gender differences - children are reinforced for stereotypical behaviors - prevailing pov -> interactionist






36. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and California Personality Inventory (CPI)






37. Organized categorization systems - by statistical techniques for personality






38. Focuses on individual'S unique self and experiences






39. The disposition to view the world as full of power relationships - measured by the F-scale (Fascism scale); - these individuals are either highly domineering (if top dog of situation) or submissive (as if they are in presence of a more powerfulfigure






40. A trait; how often one generally becomes self-aware; very - if you pay a lot of attention to your self






41. Cognitive prototype approach






42. Personality changes little after age 30






43. Androgynous individuals have higher self-esteem - lower anxiety - more adaptability than their highly masculine or feminine counterparts






44. Self-defeating behaviour that allows one to dismiss or excuse failure






45. Practice of examining head and skull shape to discern personality






46. Ambiguous story cards - people project own 'needs'






47. Cognitive training against learned helplessness






48. Dispositional attribution; tendency for others to think actions are caused more by personality than situation (e.g. lie because he is a liar - not because of the situation)






49. Found interaction between gender and social status - how easily an individual might be influenced






50. Critical of personality trait theory