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






2. 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-






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






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






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


6. 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






7. Muscular - athletic means energetic - aggressive






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






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






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






11. 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






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






13. Critical of personality trait theory






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






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






16. Conscious ideas about the self - others and situations






17. 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)






18. 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






19. Focuses on individual'S unique self and experiences






20. Belief that one can effectively perform a task






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. Personal constructs determine personality and behaviour






23. Skinny - fragile means inhibited - intellectual






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






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






27. 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






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






29. 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)






30. External and internal locus of control






31. People who emphasize internal determinants of behavior






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






33. Somatotypes personality theory






34. 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






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






36. Cognitive training against learned helplessness






37. 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






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






39. 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






40. Cognitive prototype approach






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






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






43. 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






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






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






46. Tendency to agree with and accept provided personality interpretations






47. 1) dispositionist 2) situationist 3) interactionists






48. Personality changes little after age 30






49. Learned helplessness






50. Picking all possible traits out of dictionary