TEST BANK FOR PERSPECTIVES ON
PERSONALITY, 8TH EDITION, CHARLES S.
CARVER, MICHAEL F. SCHEIER
, CHAPTER 1
WHAT IS PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY?
CHAPTER OUTLINE
Introduction: What is Personality Psychology?
Defining Personality
Why Use the Word Personality as a Concept?
A Working Definition
Two Fundamental Themes in Personality Psychology
Theory in Personality Psychology
What Do Theories Do?
The Role of Research in Evaluating Theories
What Else Makes a Theory Good?
Perspectives on Personality
Perspectives to Be Examined Here
Perspectives Reconsidered
Organization within Chapters
Assessment
Problems in Behavior, and Behavior Change
Summary: What is Personality Psychology?
CHAPTER SUMMARY
Personality is a hard concept to define. Thinking about how people use the concept, however,
suggests three reasons for its use. People use it to convey a sense of consistency or continuity
within
a person, to convey the sense that the person is the origin of behavior, and to convey the sense
that the essence of a person can be summarized or captured in a few salient qualities.
The field of personality addresses two fundamental themes. One is the existence of differences
among people. The other is how best to conceptualize intrapersonal functioning—the processes
that take place within all persons, giving form and continuity to behavior.
Much of this book deals with theories. Theories are summary statements, sets of principles that
pertain to certain classes of events. Theories have two purposes: to explain things that are known
and to predict possibilities that haven’t yet been examined. One way to evaluate the worth of a
theory is to ask whether research supports its predictions. Scientific psychology has a continuing
cycle between theory and research, as theories are tested, modified on the basis of results, and
tested again.
Theories can be evaluated on grounds other than research, though. For example, a theory
shouldn’t be based on a single kind of information. Theories benefit from being parsimonious—
having relatively few fewer assumptions (or concepts). People also tend to favor theories that fit
https://www.stuvia.com/
, well with their intuitions and personal world view.
The theories described in this book derive from several perspectives, or viewpoints, on human
nature. Each theory chapter focuses on assumptions about the nature of personality within a
particular theoretical framework. Also included are a discussion of assessment from the
viewpoint of the theory under discussion, and a discussion of problems in behavior and how they
can be remedied.
KEY TERMS
Individual differences: Differences in personality from one person to another.
Intrapersonal functioning: Psychological processes that take place within the person.
Parsimony: The quality of requiring few assumptions; simplicity.
Personality: A dynamic organization inside the person of psychophysical systems that create the
person’s characteristic patterns of behavior, thoughts, and feelings.
Theory: A summary statement, a principle or set of principles about a class of events.
TEST ITEMS
Multiple Choice
1. When laypersons use the term personality, they generally refer to _________, whereas when
personality psychologists use the term, they generally refer to
a. generic ideas about things everyone has in common; specific traits of particular people.
b. specific traits of particular people; concrete concepts about personality.
c. concrete concepts about personality; specific traits of particular people.
d. specific traits of particular people; abstract concepts about personality
Answer: D
Topic/Concept: Defining Personality
LO #/Text: 1.1: Identify three reasons for using the concept of personality
Skill Level: Understand
Difficulty Level: Moderate
2. The term personality conveys a sense of _________ about an individual’s qualities.
a. diversity
b. consistency
c. complexity
https://www.stuvia.com/
PERSONALITY, 8TH EDITION, CHARLES S.
CARVER, MICHAEL F. SCHEIER
, CHAPTER 1
WHAT IS PERSONALITY PSYCHOLOGY?
CHAPTER OUTLINE
Introduction: What is Personality Psychology?
Defining Personality
Why Use the Word Personality as a Concept?
A Working Definition
Two Fundamental Themes in Personality Psychology
Theory in Personality Psychology
What Do Theories Do?
The Role of Research in Evaluating Theories
What Else Makes a Theory Good?
Perspectives on Personality
Perspectives to Be Examined Here
Perspectives Reconsidered
Organization within Chapters
Assessment
Problems in Behavior, and Behavior Change
Summary: What is Personality Psychology?
CHAPTER SUMMARY
Personality is a hard concept to define. Thinking about how people use the concept, however,
suggests three reasons for its use. People use it to convey a sense of consistency or continuity
within
a person, to convey the sense that the person is the origin of behavior, and to convey the sense
that the essence of a person can be summarized or captured in a few salient qualities.
The field of personality addresses two fundamental themes. One is the existence of differences
among people. The other is how best to conceptualize intrapersonal functioning—the processes
that take place within all persons, giving form and continuity to behavior.
Much of this book deals with theories. Theories are summary statements, sets of principles that
pertain to certain classes of events. Theories have two purposes: to explain things that are known
and to predict possibilities that haven’t yet been examined. One way to evaluate the worth of a
theory is to ask whether research supports its predictions. Scientific psychology has a continuing
cycle between theory and research, as theories are tested, modified on the basis of results, and
tested again.
Theories can be evaluated on grounds other than research, though. For example, a theory
shouldn’t be based on a single kind of information. Theories benefit from being parsimonious—
having relatively few fewer assumptions (or concepts). People also tend to favor theories that fit
https://www.stuvia.com/
, well with their intuitions and personal world view.
The theories described in this book derive from several perspectives, or viewpoints, on human
nature. Each theory chapter focuses on assumptions about the nature of personality within a
particular theoretical framework. Also included are a discussion of assessment from the
viewpoint of the theory under discussion, and a discussion of problems in behavior and how they
can be remedied.
KEY TERMS
Individual differences: Differences in personality from one person to another.
Intrapersonal functioning: Psychological processes that take place within the person.
Parsimony: The quality of requiring few assumptions; simplicity.
Personality: A dynamic organization inside the person of psychophysical systems that create the
person’s characteristic patterns of behavior, thoughts, and feelings.
Theory: A summary statement, a principle or set of principles about a class of events.
TEST ITEMS
Multiple Choice
1. When laypersons use the term personality, they generally refer to _________, whereas when
personality psychologists use the term, they generally refer to
a. generic ideas about things everyone has in common; specific traits of particular people.
b. specific traits of particular people; concrete concepts about personality.
c. concrete concepts about personality; specific traits of particular people.
d. specific traits of particular people; abstract concepts about personality
Answer: D
Topic/Concept: Defining Personality
LO #/Text: 1.1: Identify three reasons for using the concept of personality
Skill Level: Understand
Difficulty Level: Moderate
2. The term personality conveys a sense of _________ about an individual’s qualities.
a. diversity
b. consistency
c. complexity
https://www.stuvia.com/
