PSY 352 END OF COURSE EXAM 2025/2026 QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+ TIP
✔✔directionality - ✔✔limitation of correlational research where it is impossible to
determine which variable causes change in the other
✔✔third-variable problem - ✔✔where a seemingly correlation between two variables is
actually caused by an outside third variable
✔✔three main research designs in personality - ✔✔case studies, correlational studies,
experimental methods
✔✔advantages of case studies - ✔✔great detail, one insight= more general theories, in-
depth knowledge about individual
✔✔disadvantages of case studies - ✔✔cannot be generalized to others
✔✔advantages of correlational studies - ✔✔establish connections between variables
through correlation method
✔✔disadvantages of correlational studies - ✔✔can't infer causality from 3rd variable
problem/ directionality issue
✔✔advantages of experimental methods - ✔✔can infer causality
✔✔disadvantages of experimental methods - ✔✔can't always manipulate variables or
ensure random assignment; experiments need to be artificial in order to allow for the
manipulation of variables in a very controlled way
✔✔measuring personality traits in a category - ✔✔set in stone- have to be completely
one or the other
✔✔measuring personality traits on a continuum - ✔✔better because it is more flexible
✔✔what are the Big Five personality traits - ✔✔openness, conscientiousness,
extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism
✔✔person high in openness - ✔✔imaginative, variety, independent
✔✔person low in openness - ✔✔routine, value status quo, politically conservative,
traditional/ conventional
✔✔person high in conscientiousness - ✔✔high willpower, organized, academic/
professional success, work hard toward goals, good mental/physical health
, ✔✔person low in conscientiousness - ✔✔impulsive, give up, unorganized, easily
distracted, drug abuse, crime, gambling
✔✔person high in extraversion - ✔✔prefer to be with people, leaders, active, more
happiness and hoy, seek stimulation/ excitement
✔✔person low in extraversion - ✔✔prefer quiet/ solitude, rather family/ close friend
interactions
✔✔person high in agreeableness - ✔✔trusting/ sympathetic, cooperation > competition,
caring romantic partners/ good friends, honest, humble, compliant, self-effacing,
forthright
✔✔person low in agreeableness - ✔✔skeptical, cynical, dishonest, aggressive,
manipulative, egocentric, more likely to be involved in crime/ risky sex/ drug abuse
✔✔person high in neuroticism - ✔✔frequent/ intense negative emotions (anger,
depression, anxiety, shame), prone to mental/ physical health issues- turn to drugs,
alcohol, medication for improved mood
✔✔person low in neuroticism - ✔✔calm, secure, self-satisfied
✔✔difference between the Big Five and HEXACO models - ✔✔honesty-humility
addition to the Big Five
✔✔lexical approach to personality - ✔✔trait terms- important individual difference have
become encoded in natural language
✔✔statistical approach to personality - ✔✔starts with large diverse personality items-
identify major dimensions of personality
✔✔factor analysis - ✔✔analyzing responses and correlations omg items that people
responded to as if they mean the same thing (part of statistical approach to personality)
✔✔historical events that led to the person-situation debate - ✔✔Civil rights, women's
movement, social justice
✔✔fundamental attribution error - ✔✔attribute behavior to personality when it was
actually the situation that caused it
✔✔problem with fundamental attribution error - ✔✔over-rely on personality when the
situation is what is causing behavior - pay too much attention to personality
AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+ TIP
✔✔directionality - ✔✔limitation of correlational research where it is impossible to
determine which variable causes change in the other
✔✔third-variable problem - ✔✔where a seemingly correlation between two variables is
actually caused by an outside third variable
✔✔three main research designs in personality - ✔✔case studies, correlational studies,
experimental methods
✔✔advantages of case studies - ✔✔great detail, one insight= more general theories, in-
depth knowledge about individual
✔✔disadvantages of case studies - ✔✔cannot be generalized to others
✔✔advantages of correlational studies - ✔✔establish connections between variables
through correlation method
✔✔disadvantages of correlational studies - ✔✔can't infer causality from 3rd variable
problem/ directionality issue
✔✔advantages of experimental methods - ✔✔can infer causality
✔✔disadvantages of experimental methods - ✔✔can't always manipulate variables or
ensure random assignment; experiments need to be artificial in order to allow for the
manipulation of variables in a very controlled way
✔✔measuring personality traits in a category - ✔✔set in stone- have to be completely
one or the other
✔✔measuring personality traits on a continuum - ✔✔better because it is more flexible
✔✔what are the Big Five personality traits - ✔✔openness, conscientiousness,
extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism
✔✔person high in openness - ✔✔imaginative, variety, independent
✔✔person low in openness - ✔✔routine, value status quo, politically conservative,
traditional/ conventional
✔✔person high in conscientiousness - ✔✔high willpower, organized, academic/
professional success, work hard toward goals, good mental/physical health
, ✔✔person low in conscientiousness - ✔✔impulsive, give up, unorganized, easily
distracted, drug abuse, crime, gambling
✔✔person high in extraversion - ✔✔prefer to be with people, leaders, active, more
happiness and hoy, seek stimulation/ excitement
✔✔person low in extraversion - ✔✔prefer quiet/ solitude, rather family/ close friend
interactions
✔✔person high in agreeableness - ✔✔trusting/ sympathetic, cooperation > competition,
caring romantic partners/ good friends, honest, humble, compliant, self-effacing,
forthright
✔✔person low in agreeableness - ✔✔skeptical, cynical, dishonest, aggressive,
manipulative, egocentric, more likely to be involved in crime/ risky sex/ drug abuse
✔✔person high in neuroticism - ✔✔frequent/ intense negative emotions (anger,
depression, anxiety, shame), prone to mental/ physical health issues- turn to drugs,
alcohol, medication for improved mood
✔✔person low in neuroticism - ✔✔calm, secure, self-satisfied
✔✔difference between the Big Five and HEXACO models - ✔✔honesty-humility
addition to the Big Five
✔✔lexical approach to personality - ✔✔trait terms- important individual difference have
become encoded in natural language
✔✔statistical approach to personality - ✔✔starts with large diverse personality items-
identify major dimensions of personality
✔✔factor analysis - ✔✔analyzing responses and correlations omg items that people
responded to as if they mean the same thing (part of statistical approach to personality)
✔✔historical events that led to the person-situation debate - ✔✔Civil rights, women's
movement, social justice
✔✔fundamental attribution error - ✔✔attribute behavior to personality when it was
actually the situation that caused it
✔✔problem with fundamental attribution error - ✔✔over-rely on personality when the
situation is what is causing behavior - pay too much attention to personality
