PYC2601/201/1/2021
Tutorial letter 201/1/2021
Personality Theories
PYC2601
Assignment 01 Feedback
Department of Psychology
Feedback on Assignment 01
, PYC2601/201
CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................02
2 THE ANSWERING OF MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS .........................................................02
3 FEEDBACK ON ASSIGNMENT 01 ............................................................................................. 03
4 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................... 12
Dear Student
1 INTRODUCTION
In this tutorial letter, we will discuss the following:
The answering of multiple-choice questions
Feedback on Assignment 01.
2 THE ANSWERING OF MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
We hope that the following will help you to answer the multiple-choice questions in this module.
Our aim in using the multiple-choice question approach is to examine how well you have
understood the personality theories. While it is important for you to be able to study the facts
of each theory and recall them in the exam, it is equally vital that you are able to understand
what these facts mean. Hence, you need to be able to apply your understanding of the facts
of each theory to everyday life. Multiple-choice questions therefore require as much insight,
recall and understanding as paragraph questions. Do not be fooled into believing that this is
an easier, or for that matter, more difficult way, to be examined.
In addition to factually oriented questions, you will notice that we also frequently use stories
in order to test your understanding of the theories. It is our experience that students need to
apply both their knowledge and understanding of a particular theory, in order to answer the
question within the context of the story.
We do not simply write a story for the story’s sake. Rather, a story is written with a particular
theory in mind. For example, some of the stories written with Freud’s theory in mind might
centre on the inevitable and on-going conflict between the forbidden drives of the id and the
societal expectations internalised in the superego. Stories written within the context of
Bandura’s theory might focus on its interactional nature, and the three types of learning and
their corresponding reinforcements or punishments, for example.
The story may test your knowledge and understanding of a particular aspect of a theory, that
is the view of the person underlying the theory; the structure, dynamics, and development of
personality; optimal and pathological functioning; psychotherapy; and the interpretation and
handling of aggression; or test your integrated understanding of more than one section.
2
, PYC2601/201
A useful strategy that you may apply in order to get into ‘multiple-choice question’ mode, is to
observe what is going on around you and discuss with a friend how you think the different
theorists would explain or interpret that observation. In addition, as you study each section of
the theory, experiment with formulating your own multiple-choice question/s on that section.
The secret is to try to see through the eyes of that theorist.
Another important element to bear in mind is that you should read the stem of a multiple-
choice question carefully. By the stem, we mean that section in which the story is laid out
and/or the question that requires answering is posed. The answer that you select should be
correct in terms of the information required in the stem.
For each multiple-choice question therefore, you are provided with 4 alternative
answers/unless otherwise specified. The answer you select should fit with the stem and not
the theory in general. An alternative may for example contain correct information about the
theory, but not answer the particular question. Additional advice that we can share with you
on selecting the correct alternative is that sometimes the alternatives contain some correct
information and some incorrect information. On other occasions, the alternative may only
contain a part truth. You can immediately rule out such alternatives, as an answer cannot be
half-correct and half-incorrect! It has to be completely correct. In addition, information, such
as the concepts used in a particular question, may actually fit better with a theory other than
the one on which the question is based. Look carefully at the terminology. For example, drive
satisfaction, belongs to Freud’s theory and would be incorrect if used as an alternative in one
of the questions based on one of the other prescribed theories.
3 FEEDBACK ON ASSIGNMENT 01
1. General comments on Assignment 01
We were pleased that most students submitted Assignment 01. Assignment 01 contributes 50%
towards your year mark. Assignment 02 further contributes 50% towards your year mark. The
aim of Assignment 01 was to help students to work through the first three theories of the syllabus.
Students who submitted Assignment 01 will receive a computer printout containing the following
information:
(a) The correct answers
(b) Your own answers and
(c) The mark you obtained.
PLEASE NOTE THAT QUESTIONS 1, 9 AND 14 WERE REMOVED FROM THE MARKING
BECAUSE THEY WERE ERRONEOUS.
If you submitted your assignment on time and have not yet received such a printout, please
contact our Assignment Section by email them at or send a sms to 43584.
You will find a summary of the correct answers of Assignment 01 in Table 1.
3
Tutorial letter 201/1/2021
Personality Theories
PYC2601
Assignment 01 Feedback
Department of Psychology
Feedback on Assignment 01
, PYC2601/201
CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................02
2 THE ANSWERING OF MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS .........................................................02
3 FEEDBACK ON ASSIGNMENT 01 ............................................................................................. 03
4 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................... 12
Dear Student
1 INTRODUCTION
In this tutorial letter, we will discuss the following:
The answering of multiple-choice questions
Feedback on Assignment 01.
2 THE ANSWERING OF MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
We hope that the following will help you to answer the multiple-choice questions in this module.
Our aim in using the multiple-choice question approach is to examine how well you have
understood the personality theories. While it is important for you to be able to study the facts
of each theory and recall them in the exam, it is equally vital that you are able to understand
what these facts mean. Hence, you need to be able to apply your understanding of the facts
of each theory to everyday life. Multiple-choice questions therefore require as much insight,
recall and understanding as paragraph questions. Do not be fooled into believing that this is
an easier, or for that matter, more difficult way, to be examined.
In addition to factually oriented questions, you will notice that we also frequently use stories
in order to test your understanding of the theories. It is our experience that students need to
apply both their knowledge and understanding of a particular theory, in order to answer the
question within the context of the story.
We do not simply write a story for the story’s sake. Rather, a story is written with a particular
theory in mind. For example, some of the stories written with Freud’s theory in mind might
centre on the inevitable and on-going conflict between the forbidden drives of the id and the
societal expectations internalised in the superego. Stories written within the context of
Bandura’s theory might focus on its interactional nature, and the three types of learning and
their corresponding reinforcements or punishments, for example.
The story may test your knowledge and understanding of a particular aspect of a theory, that
is the view of the person underlying the theory; the structure, dynamics, and development of
personality; optimal and pathological functioning; psychotherapy; and the interpretation and
handling of aggression; or test your integrated understanding of more than one section.
2
, PYC2601/201
A useful strategy that you may apply in order to get into ‘multiple-choice question’ mode, is to
observe what is going on around you and discuss with a friend how you think the different
theorists would explain or interpret that observation. In addition, as you study each section of
the theory, experiment with formulating your own multiple-choice question/s on that section.
The secret is to try to see through the eyes of that theorist.
Another important element to bear in mind is that you should read the stem of a multiple-
choice question carefully. By the stem, we mean that section in which the story is laid out
and/or the question that requires answering is posed. The answer that you select should be
correct in terms of the information required in the stem.
For each multiple-choice question therefore, you are provided with 4 alternative
answers/unless otherwise specified. The answer you select should fit with the stem and not
the theory in general. An alternative may for example contain correct information about the
theory, but not answer the particular question. Additional advice that we can share with you
on selecting the correct alternative is that sometimes the alternatives contain some correct
information and some incorrect information. On other occasions, the alternative may only
contain a part truth. You can immediately rule out such alternatives, as an answer cannot be
half-correct and half-incorrect! It has to be completely correct. In addition, information, such
as the concepts used in a particular question, may actually fit better with a theory other than
the one on which the question is based. Look carefully at the terminology. For example, drive
satisfaction, belongs to Freud’s theory and would be incorrect if used as an alternative in one
of the questions based on one of the other prescribed theories.
3 FEEDBACK ON ASSIGNMENT 01
1. General comments on Assignment 01
We were pleased that most students submitted Assignment 01. Assignment 01 contributes 50%
towards your year mark. Assignment 02 further contributes 50% towards your year mark. The
aim of Assignment 01 was to help students to work through the first three theories of the syllabus.
Students who submitted Assignment 01 will receive a computer printout containing the following
information:
(a) The correct answers
(b) Your own answers and
(c) The mark you obtained.
PLEASE NOTE THAT QUESTIONS 1, 9 AND 14 WERE REMOVED FROM THE MARKING
BECAUSE THEY WERE ERRONEOUS.
If you submitted your assignment on time and have not yet received such a printout, please
contact our Assignment Section by email them at or send a sms to 43584.
You will find a summary of the correct answers of Assignment 01 in Table 1.
3
