Module 47 - Contemporary Research on Personality

Question 1

Personality:

Answer 1

An individual’s unique constellation of traits.

Question 2

Trait:

Answer 2

A characteristic pattern or a disposition to feel and act a certain way.

Question 3

Factor Analysis:
Used to evaluate relationships among the immense list of
personality traits.

Answer 3

d

Question 4

Traits that tend to group together are called factors or trait dimensions (Extrovert-Introvert).

Answer 4

d

Question 5

Hans and Sybil Eysenck (based on studying people in 35 countries) suggested that personality could be reduced to two factors or dimensions, extraversion-introversion and emotional stability-instability.

Answer 5

d

Question 6

Extroverts:
Lower levels of arousal in brain, especially frontal lobe.
Brain-imaging procedures show that extraverts seek stimulation because their normal brain arousal is relatively low.

Answer 6

d

Question 7

Introverts:
Higher ANS reactivity in social situations (more likely to be anxious)
May avoid stimulation.

Answer 7

d

Question 8

Personality Inventories
Personality inventories are questionnaires (often with true- false or agree-disagree items) designed to gauge a wide range of traits at once.

Answer 8

d

Question 9

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) is the most widely researched and clinically used of all personality tests.

Answer 9

d

Question 10

Empirical Approach: Started with clinical groups (depressed, anxious) and normal group.

Answer 10

d

Question 11

The Big Five Factors
Today’s trait researchers believe that earlier trait dimensions, such as the Eysencks’ personality dimensions, fail to tell the whole story. So, an expanded range (five factors) of traits does a better job of assessment (CANOE)
Conscientiousness
Agreeableness
Neuroticism
Openness
Extraversion

Answer 11

d

Question 12

How well do traits predict behavior?

Traits may be weak predictors of specific behaviors (extraverts may not talk to every stranger)

Answer 12

d

Question 13

raits predict:

1) success in school. High conscientiousness predicts better grades.
2) Success in marriage: Similarities in agreeableness, emotional stability and openness predict stability of marriage (and sexual satisfaction)
3) Music preference. Open to experience more likely to like Jazz, blues, and folk music

Answer 13

d

Question 14

Bandura (1986, 2001, 2005): personality is result of the interaction between person and social context.

Answer 14

dd

Question 15

Reciprocal Determinism
3 way interaction between: internal factors (thoughts and feelings), behavior, and environmental factors (social situations)

Answer 15

d

Question 16

3 ways Individuals and Environments Interact:
1. Different people choose different environments
Music you listen to,TV you watch, friends you have, career path (job) you choose etc.
The environment in turn, then affects (shapes) you
2. Our personality determines how we react to situations.
Anxious people react differently than relaxed people to situations (approaching stranger)
3. Our personalities shape situations.
Our personality could affect the way other people treat us (reap what we sow, intentionally or not)

Answer 16

d

Question 17

Social Cognitive Perspective

Behavior emerges from an interplay of external and internal influences.

Answer 17

d

Question 18

Personal control: Whether we (think we) control the environment or the environment controls us.
Major topic in social-cognitive perspective
Do you think success in life results from hard work or by chance (fate).

Answer 18

d

Question 19

External locus of control refers to the perception that chance or outside forces beyond our personal control determine our fate.

Answer 19

d

Question 20

Internal locus of control refers to the perception that we can control our own fate.

Answer 20

d

Question 21

People with Internal locus of control:
achieve more in school, act independently, have better health (generally), less likely to be depressed, cope with stress better.

Answer 21

d

Question 22

Learned Helplessness: Feelings of helplessness, hopelessness and depression following exposure to repeated situations over which you have no control.

Answer 22

d

Question 23

Learned Helplessness

When unable to avoid repeated adverse events an animal or human learns helplessness.

Answer 23

d

Question 24

Gaining Control: Extremely important for sense of well being.

Answer 24

d