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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. External and internal locus of control






2. Personality changes little after age 30






3. Studied Type A personality






4. Muscular - athletic means energetic - aggressive






5. 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)






6. Cognitive training against learned helplessness






7. Somatotypes personality theory






8. Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)






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






10. Belief that one can effectively perform a task






11. People who emphasize internal determinants of behavior






12. Found few sex differences existed that could not be explained by simple social learning; - most consistent difference that seems independent of social influence is that females have greater verbal ability and males have greater visual/spatial ability






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






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






15. 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






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






17. Used factor analysis in data reduction of Allport'S 5000 traits; identified 16 bipolar source traits (e.g. relaxed-tense) that seemed to underlie all; 16 personality factors tested in personality questionnaire






18. Skinny - fragile means inhibited - intellectual






19. Organized categorization systems - by statistical techniques for personality






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






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






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






23. 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-






24. Critical of personality trait theory






25. 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






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






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






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






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






30. Studies androgyny; created Bem Sex Role Inventory






31. Focuses on individual'S unique self and experiences






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






33. Suggested females shun masculine-type successes not because of fear or failure or lack of interest - but they fear success and its negative repercussions (i.e. resentment and rejection)






34. Superfactors - 5 dimensions that encompass all of personality; superordinate traits or facets; O-dimension (openness to experience - intellectual curiosity) - C-dimension (conscientiousness) - E-dimension (extroversion - enthusiasm) - A-dimension (ag






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






36. 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






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






38. 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






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






40. Cognitive prototype approach






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






42. Knowing you are worthwhile and in touch with strengths; 50% perceive selves accurately - 35% narcissistically






43. Tendency to agree with and accept provided personality interpretations






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






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






46. 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






47. Personal constructs determine personality and behaviour






48. Conscious ideas about the self - others and situations






49. Fundamental attribution error; 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)






50. Capture individual'S unique - defining characteristics