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PSYC 331, Personality (Final) > Module 1: Defining and Measuring Personality > Flashcards

Module 1: Defining and Measuring Personality Flashcards

1
Q

The textbook defines personality as…

A

the set of psychological traits and mechanisms within the individual that are organized and relatively enduring and that influence the individual’s interactions and adaptations to the environment

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2
Q

What are the 6 domains of personality functioning?

A
  1. Dispositional
  2. Biological
  3. Intrapsychic
  4. Cognitive-experiential
  5. Social and cultural
  6. Adjustment
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3
Q

Correlational studies establish…

A

associations among variables

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4
Q

A correlation coefficient is a type of statistic that reflects…

A

the strength and direction of an association among variables

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5
Q

Pearson’s correlation coefficient is denoted with what letter?

A

r

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6
Q

Pearson’s r captures the association between…

A

two continuous variables

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7
Q

Random assignment is used for __________-subjects designs

A

between

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8
Q

Counterbalancing is used for ___________-subjects designs

A

within

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9
Q

What are 3 strengths of correlational studies?

A
  1. Higher degree of ecological validity (no manipulation, measuring things as they are)
  2. More flexible (easier to apply in a variety of settings)
  3. Allow researchers to investigate questions where variables cannot be manipulated
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10
Q

What is one major weakness of correlational studies?

A

Correlation does not equal causation

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11
Q

What are 3 strengths of experimental studies?

A
  1. Can test causal theories
  2. Greater control to rule out alternative explanations
  3. Better able to replicate
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12
Q

What are 2 weaknesses of experimental studies?

A
  1. Cannot manipulate all variables
  2. More difficult to achieve ecological validity
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13
Q

Psychological traits

A

Characteristics that describe ways in which people are different from each other

i.e., shy; talkative

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14
Q

Psychological traits describe the ____________ _______________ of a person

A

average tendencies

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15
Q

Psychological mechanisms

A

Refer to the process of personality

i.e., the psychological mechanism of extraversion would be that they look for and notice opportunities to interact with other people

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16
Q

Psychological mechanisms typically have 3 essential ingredients:

A
  1. inputs
    - info from environment
  2. decision rules
    - think about certain options
  3. outputs
    - behaviour or action
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17
Q

What are the 3 levels of personality analysis?

A
  1. Human nature level
    - universal traits
    - i.e., need to belong
  2. Individual & group differences level
    - i.e., some people have a stronger need to belong than others
    - i.e., males (one group) are more aggressive than females (another group)
  3. Individual uniqueness level
18
Q

Nomothetic versus idiographic research

A

Nomothetic:
- statistical comparisons

Idiographic:
- focus on single subject

19
Q

Most of the grand theories of personality address what level of personality analysis?

A

The human nature level

i.e., Freud emphasized universal instincts of sex and aggression

20
Q

Most empirical research in contemporary personality addresses what level of personality analysis?

A

The individual/group differences level

i.e., research on extraversion and introversion; anxiety and neuroticism; self-esteem; individualistic versus collectivist cultures

21
Q

Briefly describe the dispositional domain

A

Wants to understand the traits people are born with, how they develop/ are maintained over time, and how people differ from one another because of these fundamental trait dispositions.

22
Q

Briefly describe the biological domain

A

Aims to understand the genetic, psychophysiological, and evolutionary underpinnings of personality.

23
Q

Briefly describe the intrapsychic domain

A

Deals with mental mechanisms of personality (many of which operate outside of conscious awareness)

24
Q

Briefly describe the cognitive-experiential domain

A

Focuses on cognition and subjective experience (conscious thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and desires)

25
Q

Briefly describe the social and cultural domain

A

Understands personality as being affected by the social and cultural context

26
Q

Briefly describe the adjustment domain

A

Focuses on how personality plays a key role in how we cope, adapt, and adjust to life

27
Q

What are the 5 scientific standards for evaluating personality theories?

A
  1. Comprehensiveness
    - explains all the facts
  2. Heuristic value
    - guide to new knowledge
  3. Testability
    - has precise predictions that can be tested empirically
  4. Parsimony
    - few premises and assumptions
  5. Compatibility & integration across domains and levels
28
Q

The field of biology has a grand theory (i.e., theory of evolution), does the field of personality?

A

No

29
Q

What are the 4 sources of personality data?

A
  1. Self-report data
  2. Observer-report data
  3. Test data
  4. Life-outcome data
30
Q

What source of personality data is the most common method for measuring personality?

A

Self-report data

31
Q

An advantage of observer-report data is that it allows researchers to use multiple observers and this allows researchers to evaluate the degree of agreement among observers - which is known as…

A

inter-rater reliability

32
Q

What are some different forms of test data?

A
  1. Mechanical recording devices (i.e., actometer)
  2. Physiological data (i.e., fMRI)
  3. Projective techniques (i.e., ink-blots)
33
Q

Personality psychologists often use self-report data and observer-report data to predict…

A

life-outcome data

34
Q

What are the 3 standards used to evaluate personality measures?

A
  1. Reliability
  2. Validity
  3. Generalizability
35
Q

What are 3 ways to estimate reliability?

A
  1. Repeated measurement
    - test-retest reliability
  2. Examine relationship among items
    - internal consistency reliability
  3. Obtain measurements from multiple observers (only applicable with observer-report data)
    - inter-rater reliability
36
Q

What are 3 ways to approach the problem of socially desirable responses?

A
  1. Remove them statistically
  2. Use/ develop questionnaires less susceptible to this responding
  3. Use a forced-questionnaire format
37
Q

What are the 5 types of validity?

A
  1. Face
  2. Predictive
  3. Convergent
  4. Discriminant
  5. Construct
38
Q

Face validity

A

Whether the test appears to measure what it is supposed to

i.e., a scale measuring manipulativeness might include items such as “I made a friend just to obtain a favour” - most people would agree that this act is manipulative thus it is face-valid

39
Q

Predictive validity

A

Whether the test predicts criteria external to the test

Sometimes called criterion validity

i.e., a scale intended to measure sensation-seeking should predict which individuals actually take risks to obtain enjoyment

40
Q

Convergent validity

A

Whether a test correlates with other measures that it should correlate with

i.e., if a self-report measure of tolerance corresponds well with peer judgements of tolerance then the scale has high convergent validity

41
Q

Discriminant validity

A

Refers to what a measure should NOT correlate with (opposite of convergent validity)

42
Q

Construct validity

A

Broadest type of validity that subsumes all other forms of validity

PSYC 331, Personality (Final) (12 decks)

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