TEST BANK
PERSONALITY THEORY AND RESEARCH
15TH EDITION
CHAPTER NO. 01: PERSONALITY THEORY: FROM OBSERVATION TO
SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The text emphasizes that a big difference between intuitive theories about people and
scientific theories of personality is that the personality scientist must
a. engage in scientific observation.
b. interrelate concepts about people systematically.
c. provide ideas that are testable.
d. all of the above.
Answer: d
2. A unique feature of a course in personality psychology is that, unlike other courses, the
focus is on
a. motivation.
b. nervous system functioning.
c. the whole person.
d. social systems and culture.
Answer: d
3. The text defines personality mainly in terms of
a. consistent patterns of behavior.
b. unconscious wishes.
c. traits.
d. all of the above.
Answer: a
4. In general terms, the text suggests that the science of personality
a. all of the above.
b. is the study of how individuals differ in their perceptions and how
c. these differences relate to their total functioning.
d. attempts to understand how people are alike while recognizing that individuals are
different in some ways.
,e. attempts to develop strategies for further research.
Answer: d
5. Which of the following are emphasized as central to the study of personality?
a. individual differences and consistent patterns of functioning.
b. individual differences and the operation of conscious processes.
c. patterns of organization and the operation of conscious processes.
d. all of the above.
Answer: a
6. Structural concepts refer to
a. stable aspects of personality.
b. dynamic aspects of personality.
c. parts of the body.
d. all of the above.
Answer: a
7. “Units of analysis” refer to
a. the basic variables of a given theory.
b. the original source of data for a given theory.
c. the research methods employed most frequently in a given theory.
d. the theoretical assumptions of a given theorist.
Answer: d
8. The personality concept that refers to individual consistency and approximates the lay
person’s concepts to describe people is
a. response.
b. habit.
c. trait.
d. motive.
Answer: c
9. A clustering of traits is called a
a. unit of analysis.
b. type.
c. factor.
d. dimension.
,Answer: b
10. Concepts such as trait and type fall into which of the following areas?
a. structure.
b. process.
c. growth and development.
d. psychopathology.
Answer: a
11. Relative to one another in terms of level of organization and degree of abstraction, the
following statement is true about the concepts of trait and type.
a. They are at the same level of organization and abstraction.
b. The concept of trait suggests more organization and more abstraction than the concept of
type.
c. The concept of type suggests more organization and more abstraction than the concept of
trait.
d. No general tendency can be found in relation to the two concepts.
Answer: c
12. A “system”
a. has many parts
b. has interconnections among its parts
c. displays behavior that reflects its overall organization
d. all of the above
Answer: d
13. "Why" type questions are those that address
a. the determinants of personality.
b. structural factors.
c. organization of characteristics.
d. motivational characteristics.
Answer: d
14. When entities are organized in such a manner that one entity is seen as an example of
another, or as serving a purpose of the other, one calls this specific overall organization a
a. structure.
, b. hierarchy.
c. process.
d. system.
Answer: b
15. The more stable aspects of the person's functioning and the more fluid, changing aspects
are covered by the concepts of
a. growth and development.
b. process and motive.
c. motive and development.
d. structure and process.
Answer: d
16. Internal states of tension that activate action are called
a. traits.
b. goals.
c. drives.
d. beliefs .
Answer: c
17. Goals, drives, and motives have been particularly central to _____ aspect of personality
theories.
a. structure
b. process
c. developmental
d. all of the above
Answer: b
18. The phrase “nature versus nurture” refers to the study of
a. genetic versus environmental influences.
b. unconscious versus conscious influences.
c. family versus peer influences.
d. processes versus structures.
Answer: a
PERSONALITY THEORY AND RESEARCH
15TH EDITION
CHAPTER NO. 01: PERSONALITY THEORY: FROM OBSERVATION TO
SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The text emphasizes that a big difference between intuitive theories about people and
scientific theories of personality is that the personality scientist must
a. engage in scientific observation.
b. interrelate concepts about people systematically.
c. provide ideas that are testable.
d. all of the above.
Answer: d
2. A unique feature of a course in personality psychology is that, unlike other courses, the
focus is on
a. motivation.
b. nervous system functioning.
c. the whole person.
d. social systems and culture.
Answer: d
3. The text defines personality mainly in terms of
a. consistent patterns of behavior.
b. unconscious wishes.
c. traits.
d. all of the above.
Answer: a
4. In general terms, the text suggests that the science of personality
a. all of the above.
b. is the study of how individuals differ in their perceptions and how
c. these differences relate to their total functioning.
d. attempts to understand how people are alike while recognizing that individuals are
different in some ways.
,e. attempts to develop strategies for further research.
Answer: d
5. Which of the following are emphasized as central to the study of personality?
a. individual differences and consistent patterns of functioning.
b. individual differences and the operation of conscious processes.
c. patterns of organization and the operation of conscious processes.
d. all of the above.
Answer: a
6. Structural concepts refer to
a. stable aspects of personality.
b. dynamic aspects of personality.
c. parts of the body.
d. all of the above.
Answer: a
7. “Units of analysis” refer to
a. the basic variables of a given theory.
b. the original source of data for a given theory.
c. the research methods employed most frequently in a given theory.
d. the theoretical assumptions of a given theorist.
Answer: d
8. The personality concept that refers to individual consistency and approximates the lay
person’s concepts to describe people is
a. response.
b. habit.
c. trait.
d. motive.
Answer: c
9. A clustering of traits is called a
a. unit of analysis.
b. type.
c. factor.
d. dimension.
,Answer: b
10. Concepts such as trait and type fall into which of the following areas?
a. structure.
b. process.
c. growth and development.
d. psychopathology.
Answer: a
11. Relative to one another in terms of level of organization and degree of abstraction, the
following statement is true about the concepts of trait and type.
a. They are at the same level of organization and abstraction.
b. The concept of trait suggests more organization and more abstraction than the concept of
type.
c. The concept of type suggests more organization and more abstraction than the concept of
trait.
d. No general tendency can be found in relation to the two concepts.
Answer: c
12. A “system”
a. has many parts
b. has interconnections among its parts
c. displays behavior that reflects its overall organization
d. all of the above
Answer: d
13. "Why" type questions are those that address
a. the determinants of personality.
b. structural factors.
c. organization of characteristics.
d. motivational characteristics.
Answer: d
14. When entities are organized in such a manner that one entity is seen as an example of
another, or as serving a purpose of the other, one calls this specific overall organization a
a. structure.
, b. hierarchy.
c. process.
d. system.
Answer: b
15. The more stable aspects of the person's functioning and the more fluid, changing aspects
are covered by the concepts of
a. growth and development.
b. process and motive.
c. motive and development.
d. structure and process.
Answer: d
16. Internal states of tension that activate action are called
a. traits.
b. goals.
c. drives.
d. beliefs .
Answer: c
17. Goals, drives, and motives have been particularly central to _____ aspect of personality
theories.
a. structure
b. process
c. developmental
d. all of the above
Answer: b
18. The phrase “nature versus nurture” refers to the study of
a. genetic versus environmental influences.
b. unconscious versus conscious influences.
c. family versus peer influences.
d. processes versus structures.
Answer: a
