Edinburgh Psych 2A Exam questions with
answers
Traits - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔Characteristics
possessed by individuals that are stable over time and
can be used to distinguish one individual from another.
We infer their existence because they influence other
things.
Characteristics of good measures - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✔✔Criterion validity, internal consistency,
restest reliability, freedom from bias, and measurement
invariance
Intelligence measures - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔- IQ
tests (Stanford-Binet IQ, Wechsler's Adult Intelligence
Scale (WAIS))
- Aptitude tests (Scholastic Aptitude test (SAT))
- Ability tests
Bias in IQ testing - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔Some items
are more easily answered by one group despite there
,being no IQ difference. Group differences are larger than
they should be if the tests are 'culture free'. IQ tests
better predict performance measures in one group than
another.
Types of personality tests - CORRECT ANSWERS
✔✔Projective or objective (empirical, theoretical/ factor
analytic)
Projective personality tests - CORRECT ANSWERS
✔✔Participants project their feelings on something, and
that projection can be used to reveal aspects of their
personality. (ex. Ink Blot test, picture interpretation,
Sigmund Freud)
Objective empirical personality tests - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✔✔Match groups that differ in a crucial way
(ex. one with a psychiatric disorder, one without) and
administer a test to both; see if you can see a difference
Objective theoretical/factor analytic personality tests -
CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔Start with an idea of what traits
are out there and devise a questionnaire containing
markers of these traits (ex. adjectives). Then use factor
analysis and related methods to identify underlying
domains (ex. the Big Five Inventory or Eysenck
Personality traits)
,Are theoretical personality tests good measures? -
CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔There is a lot of evidence that
personality tests are very good measures because they
have high re-test stability, self-and-rater reports agree,
different measures of the same dimensions are
correlated, and the perception of personality traits is
based on cues related to personality.
The NEO (case study) - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔Traits
of Extraversion, Neuroticism, and Openness were
developed using analysis of the 16PF test (1976). Costa
and McCrae added Agreeableness and Conscientiousness
in 1983 then measures of them were added to the other
NEO measures soon after.
How do MMPI questions differ from questions from
theoretically devised scales? Is this a 'feature' or a 'bug'?
- CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔MMPI questions (ex. do you
feel as if you are being watched?) are more sneaky than
theoretically devised questions (ex. are you nervous?)
Nomothetic - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔Approach that
helps us make sense of 'stuff'. Involves categorization
using theory or observations and analyzing the data to
see what happens
, Data reduction - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔Statistical
analysis used to reduce a lot of independent variables
into a smaller set (ex. principal components analysis and
factor analysis)
Factor g vs. multiple intelligences - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✔✔All measures of cognitive ability are g-
loaded vs. there are many different 'kinds' of intelligence
Thurstone's primary mental abilities theory - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✔✔our intelligence may be broken down into
7 factors: word fluency, verbal comprehension, spatial
ability, perceptual speed, numerical ability, inductive
reasoning, and memory
Sternberg's Triarchic Theory - CORRECT ANSWERS
✔✔our intelligence is best classified into three areas that
predict real-world success: analytical, creative, and
practical. This theory was disproven because analytical
ability alone predicts 75% of the overall score compared
to other intelligences like creativity.
Gardner's Multiple Intelligences theory - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✔✔8 types of intelligence:
Logical-mathematical, linguistic musical, spatial,
naturalist, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal.
answers
Traits - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔Characteristics
possessed by individuals that are stable over time and
can be used to distinguish one individual from another.
We infer their existence because they influence other
things.
Characteristics of good measures - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✔✔Criterion validity, internal consistency,
restest reliability, freedom from bias, and measurement
invariance
Intelligence measures - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔- IQ
tests (Stanford-Binet IQ, Wechsler's Adult Intelligence
Scale (WAIS))
- Aptitude tests (Scholastic Aptitude test (SAT))
- Ability tests
Bias in IQ testing - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔Some items
are more easily answered by one group despite there
,being no IQ difference. Group differences are larger than
they should be if the tests are 'culture free'. IQ tests
better predict performance measures in one group than
another.
Types of personality tests - CORRECT ANSWERS
✔✔Projective or objective (empirical, theoretical/ factor
analytic)
Projective personality tests - CORRECT ANSWERS
✔✔Participants project their feelings on something, and
that projection can be used to reveal aspects of their
personality. (ex. Ink Blot test, picture interpretation,
Sigmund Freud)
Objective empirical personality tests - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✔✔Match groups that differ in a crucial way
(ex. one with a psychiatric disorder, one without) and
administer a test to both; see if you can see a difference
Objective theoretical/factor analytic personality tests -
CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔Start with an idea of what traits
are out there and devise a questionnaire containing
markers of these traits (ex. adjectives). Then use factor
analysis and related methods to identify underlying
domains (ex. the Big Five Inventory or Eysenck
Personality traits)
,Are theoretical personality tests good measures? -
CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔There is a lot of evidence that
personality tests are very good measures because they
have high re-test stability, self-and-rater reports agree,
different measures of the same dimensions are
correlated, and the perception of personality traits is
based on cues related to personality.
The NEO (case study) - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔Traits
of Extraversion, Neuroticism, and Openness were
developed using analysis of the 16PF test (1976). Costa
and McCrae added Agreeableness and Conscientiousness
in 1983 then measures of them were added to the other
NEO measures soon after.
How do MMPI questions differ from questions from
theoretically devised scales? Is this a 'feature' or a 'bug'?
- CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔MMPI questions (ex. do you
feel as if you are being watched?) are more sneaky than
theoretically devised questions (ex. are you nervous?)
Nomothetic - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔Approach that
helps us make sense of 'stuff'. Involves categorization
using theory or observations and analyzing the data to
see what happens
, Data reduction - CORRECT ANSWERS ✔✔Statistical
analysis used to reduce a lot of independent variables
into a smaller set (ex. principal components analysis and
factor analysis)
Factor g vs. multiple intelligences - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✔✔All measures of cognitive ability are g-
loaded vs. there are many different 'kinds' of intelligence
Thurstone's primary mental abilities theory - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✔✔our intelligence may be broken down into
7 factors: word fluency, verbal comprehension, spatial
ability, perceptual speed, numerical ability, inductive
reasoning, and memory
Sternberg's Triarchic Theory - CORRECT ANSWERS
✔✔our intelligence is best classified into three areas that
predict real-world success: analytical, creative, and
practical. This theory was disproven because analytical
ability alone predicts 75% of the overall score compared
to other intelligences like creativity.
Gardner's Multiple Intelligences theory - CORRECT
ANSWERS ✔✔8 types of intelligence:
Logical-mathematical, linguistic musical, spatial,
naturalist, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal.
