PSYC 2530 Final Exam Study Guide
what is the person-situation debate? - ANSWER debate between the view that stable
personality traits predict behaviour vs the view that circumstances predict behaviour
t/f: an introvert is more likely to post about the book they most recently read - ANSWER
true
what do industrial psychologists study, in terms of personality? - ANSWER The
personality traits of those in the workforce; which jobs are most suitable, which
competencies they may have, etc.
t/f: George Herbert Mead argued that the effects of personality on one's behaviours
were too small to matter - ANSWER false; Walter Mischel argued this
During which decade did the person-situation debate cause the most crisis in the field of
psychology? - ANSWER 1960s
how does social psychology apply to the study of personality? - ANSWER Social
psychology looks at an individual's self-concept/-esteem, related to personality
development
T/f: if there are no pictures on your office walls, no extra chairs, or you have a very small
office space, you are likely an extravert - ANSWER false; this means you are highly
introverted
What is the benefit to understanding personality psychology? - ANSWER being able to
understand you own personality, as well as the personalities of your friends/family
If someone is posting online negatively, making complaints often, what personality trait
is associated with this? What does this mean for the person? - ANSWER High
neuroticism; they likely experience symptoms related to anxiety
t/f: one's personal spaces (bedroom, office) says little about their personality - ANSWER
false; it predicts personality dimensions quite accurately
define conscientiousness - ANSWER being neat, organized, and achievement oriented;
considering consequences before acting
What can you determine by measuring your own personality? - ANSWER Whether you
fall above/below average on certain traits
those high in neuroticism prefer ________ technology, opting for _________ of use. -
ANSWER simple; ease
T/f: personality traits predict behaviour much better than situational constraints -
ANSWER false; personality traits and situational constraints predict behaviour equally
,well
If you believe individuals do not display similar behaviours across situations, you are on
the ______ side of the person-situation debate - ANSWER situation
What is the assessment/measurement root of personality psychology? - ANSWER
Administering personality tests to large groups of people
Can social media posts, text messages, or computer preferences tell us anything about
personality? - ANSWER yes; they are behavioural indicators that may predict underlying
traits
T/f: the modern trait approach to personality began with the idea of Humours by
Hippocrates/Galen - ANSWER true
define introversion - ANSWER being shy/reserved, preferring to be by oneself
define extraversion - ANSWER being outgoing/assertive, preferring to be around others
t/f: personality traits within a situational context determine behaviour - ANSWER true
what are anchor points in terms of trait terms? - ANSWER contrasting qualities of a
personality dimension (ex: introversion vs extraversion)
What does it mean that personality psychology is a "hub" field? - ANSWER it is an area
of study linking/unifying other areas of study
Why is the self important to personality psychology? - ANSWER examines one's identity
if someone is high in conscientiousness, they will ________ be late to an event. - ANSWER
rarely
trait theorists are concerned with what? - ANSWER which core personality dimensions
determine individual differences
Bob and Bill were best friends in high school, and were considered twins due to their
similarities. However, after graduation they enrol at different universities. When they
hang out during winter break, Bill is much different than he was. What happened? -
ANSWER Bill's personality was impacted by the experience of attending a different
university
What is a self-report measure? - ANSWER Questionnaire asking respondents to report
on their own personalities, rating themselves on a list of adjectives/statements
define confounding variables - ANSWER third variable affecting the primary variables in
a study, making it appear as though the primary variables are causing one another
If someone responds at the extremities on a measure (ex: only choosing strongly
, disagree), the data will represent an _______ response set - ANSWER acquiescence
What does it mean to have a low score on the Marlow-Crowne questionnaire? - ANSWER
You have a lower need for approval than most people (lower social desirability)
what is the mode? - ANSWER the most common score in a set of measurements
what is the Barnum effect? - ANSWER tendency to believe a generalized statement that
could apply to anyone due to its vagueness
What is a projective test? give an example - ANSWER a personality test using ambiguous
imagery to elicit personality characteristics without directly asking; Thematic
Apperception Test (TAT)
Why use reverse coded items? - ANSWER Ensuring high scorers are not just those who
respond in agreement to every question
what is a normal distribution also referred to as? - ANSWER Bell curve
What is the median? - ANSWER the score that falls in the middle of all scores
If responses to items on a questionnaire all correlate consistently with one another,
there is evidence of ________ reliability - ANSWER internal
what is the mean? - ANSWER the average of all scores
What is personality assessment? - ANSWER Defining personality using a variety of
methods
Stable personality dimensions should greater __________ reliability than
what is the person-situation debate? - ANSWER debate between the view that stable
personality traits predict behaviour vs the view that circumstances predict behaviour
t/f: an introvert is more likely to post about the book they most recently read - ANSWER
true
what do industrial psychologists study, in terms of personality? - ANSWER The
personality traits of those in the workforce; which jobs are most suitable, which
competencies they may have, etc.
t/f: George Herbert Mead argued that the effects of personality on one's behaviours
were too small to matter - ANSWER false; Walter Mischel argued this
During which decade did the person-situation debate cause the most crisis in the field of
psychology? - ANSWER 1960s
how does social psychology apply to the study of personality? - ANSWER Social
psychology looks at an individual's self-concept/-esteem, related to personality
development
T/f: if there are no pictures on your office walls, no extra chairs, or you have a very small
office space, you are likely an extravert - ANSWER false; this means you are highly
introverted
What is the benefit to understanding personality psychology? - ANSWER being able to
understand you own personality, as well as the personalities of your friends/family
If someone is posting online negatively, making complaints often, what personality trait
is associated with this? What does this mean for the person? - ANSWER High
neuroticism; they likely experience symptoms related to anxiety
t/f: one's personal spaces (bedroom, office) says little about their personality - ANSWER
false; it predicts personality dimensions quite accurately
define conscientiousness - ANSWER being neat, organized, and achievement oriented;
considering consequences before acting
What can you determine by measuring your own personality? - ANSWER Whether you
fall above/below average on certain traits
those high in neuroticism prefer ________ technology, opting for _________ of use. -
ANSWER simple; ease
T/f: personality traits predict behaviour much better than situational constraints -
ANSWER false; personality traits and situational constraints predict behaviour equally
,well
If you believe individuals do not display similar behaviours across situations, you are on
the ______ side of the person-situation debate - ANSWER situation
What is the assessment/measurement root of personality psychology? - ANSWER
Administering personality tests to large groups of people
Can social media posts, text messages, or computer preferences tell us anything about
personality? - ANSWER yes; they are behavioural indicators that may predict underlying
traits
T/f: the modern trait approach to personality began with the idea of Humours by
Hippocrates/Galen - ANSWER true
define introversion - ANSWER being shy/reserved, preferring to be by oneself
define extraversion - ANSWER being outgoing/assertive, preferring to be around others
t/f: personality traits within a situational context determine behaviour - ANSWER true
what are anchor points in terms of trait terms? - ANSWER contrasting qualities of a
personality dimension (ex: introversion vs extraversion)
What does it mean that personality psychology is a "hub" field? - ANSWER it is an area
of study linking/unifying other areas of study
Why is the self important to personality psychology? - ANSWER examines one's identity
if someone is high in conscientiousness, they will ________ be late to an event. - ANSWER
rarely
trait theorists are concerned with what? - ANSWER which core personality dimensions
determine individual differences
Bob and Bill were best friends in high school, and were considered twins due to their
similarities. However, after graduation they enrol at different universities. When they
hang out during winter break, Bill is much different than he was. What happened? -
ANSWER Bill's personality was impacted by the experience of attending a different
university
What is a self-report measure? - ANSWER Questionnaire asking respondents to report
on their own personalities, rating themselves on a list of adjectives/statements
define confounding variables - ANSWER third variable affecting the primary variables in
a study, making it appear as though the primary variables are causing one another
If someone responds at the extremities on a measure (ex: only choosing strongly
, disagree), the data will represent an _______ response set - ANSWER acquiescence
What does it mean to have a low score on the Marlow-Crowne questionnaire? - ANSWER
You have a lower need for approval than most people (lower social desirability)
what is the mode? - ANSWER the most common score in a set of measurements
what is the Barnum effect? - ANSWER tendency to believe a generalized statement that
could apply to anyone due to its vagueness
What is a projective test? give an example - ANSWER a personality test using ambiguous
imagery to elicit personality characteristics without directly asking; Thematic
Apperception Test (TAT)
Why use reverse coded items? - ANSWER Ensuring high scorers are not just those who
respond in agreement to every question
what is a normal distribution also referred to as? - ANSWER Bell curve
What is the median? - ANSWER the score that falls in the middle of all scores
If responses to items on a questionnaire all correlate consistently with one another,
there is evidence of ________ reliability - ANSWER internal
what is the mean? - ANSWER the average of all scores
What is personality assessment? - ANSWER Defining personality using a variety of
methods
Stable personality dimensions should greater __________ reliability than
