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GRE Psychology: Personality

Subjects : gre, psychology
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
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  • 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. 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






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






3. Focuses on individual'S unique self and experiences






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






5. Muscular - athletic means energetic - aggressive






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






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






8. 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






9. A state; temporary condition of being aware of how you are thinking - feeling or doing






10. Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)






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






12. Capture individual'S unique - defining characteristics






13. 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






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






15. Learned helplessness






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






17. 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






18. 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-






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






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






21. 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






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






23. 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






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






25. 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






26. Only circumstances determine behavior






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






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






29. Personality changes little after age 30






30. 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)






31. 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






32. 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)






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






34. Sheldon; personality based on body types - three physiques and corresponding personality types: endomorph - mesomorph - ectomorph


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






36. Organized categorization systems - by statistical techniques for personality






37. Critical of personality trait theory






38. 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






39. Have a great need for arousal






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






41. External and internal locus of control






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






43. Tendency to agree with and accept provided personality interpretations






44. Studies androgyny; created Bem Sex Role Inventory






45. Skinny - fragile means inhibited - intellectual






46. The study of why people act the way that they do and why different people act differently






47. 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






48. Belief that one can effectively perform a task






49. Personal constructs determine personality and behaviour






50. Somatotypes personality theory