Psych Ch 12.5-12.8 Flashcards
For Midterm 2
What does the ARAS (ascending reticular activating system) do?
It’s a network of structures in the midbrain that acts as a filter, is responsible for regulating arousal in the brain, and is LINKED with INTROVERT vs EXTROVERT.
What are the 3 Biological Perspectives of Personality?
(and a brief description)
1: Behavioral genetics perspective:
–> What extent to genetics affect personality?
–>TWIN studies are common for testing this.
2: Neurological Perspective:
–>What affect do brain processes and hormones have on personality?
3: Evolutionary Perspective:
–>Idea that personality traits are ADAPTIVE for survival.
–> The two traits are: (1)conscientiousness (health promotong acticities)
(2)Optimism(allows for faster recovery from medical concerns)
Jack and Jill are twins but look nothing alike, which makes them what type of twins?
a
secondary
b
second-order
c
dizygotic
d
monozygotic
e
identical
dizygotic.
Dizygotic means two fertilized eggs—”di” for two and “zygotic” for the union of an egg and a sperm. Because the twins come from two different eggs, they can be different sexes and are no more similar genetically than siblings born years apart.
According to Eysenck, which of the following are associated with an overly active ascending reticular activating system (ARAS)?
a
high sensation-seekers
b
extraverts
c
low sensation-seekers
d
introverts
introverts.
Introverts have more arousal in the ARAS, and they want to minimize the additional ARAS stimulation that occurs when being around others.
Males with high fertility rates tend to (Select both answers that apply)
Multiple answers are accepted for this question
a
be low risk takers and optimistic
b
be extraverted and socially assertive
c
score low on sex-guilt and high on thrill-seeking measures
d
be introverts and have many friends
b: be extraverted and socially assertive
c: score low on sex-guilt and high on thrill-seeking measures
Extroverts prefer to be around and interacting with others just as men with higher fertility rates approach more potential mates. People with less sex guilt and who take risks are also those people who have more sex and could potentially have more offspring, even from those risky encounters.
Describe the Trait Perspective of personality.
We assume personality to be made up of traits, that are consistent across all situations. (used to describe ourselves and others)
What are the 3 factors in Eysenck’s Trait Theory: The Three-Factor Theory?
1: Extraversion-introversion
2: Neuroticism-emotional stability
–>{High Neurotism = restless, moody, anxious}.
3: Psychoticism-impulse control.
–>{High Psychoticism = impulsive, cold, aggressive, unconcered abt others, antisocial}.
What are the 5 factors in the The Five-Factor Model?
Hint: {OCEAN}
1: Openness
High: artistic, insightful, and intelligent
Low: common-place and shallow and having narrow interests
2: Conscientiousness
High: deliberate, efficient, and precise
Low: careless, frivolous, and irresponsible
3: Extraversion/sociability
High: adventurous, assertive, dominant, and sociable
Low: quiet, reserved, retiring, and shy
4: Agreeableness
High: cooperative, generous, and sympathetic
Low: cruel, quarrelsome, and unfriendly
5: Neuroticism
High: anxious, self-pitying, and temperamental
Low: calm, contented, and stable
Francis is characterized as being restless, moody, touchy, and relatively unstable. According to Eysenck, she would probably score high on which personality dimension?
a
introversion
b
extraversion
c
neuroticism
d
psychoticism
e
ectomorphism
c
neuroticism
High levels of the hormone testosterone and low levels of the inhibitory neurotransmitter MAO are the biological basis for which trait dimension in Eysenck’s Trait Theory?
a
extraversion-introversion
b
psychoticism-impulse control
c
neuroticism-emotional stability
d
endomorphism-ectomorphism
b
psychoticism-impulse control
Explanation
High testosterone and low MAO is characteristic of psychoticism. People with high levels of psychoticism are impulsive, withdrawn, aggressive, and apathetic.
The factor beginning with “N” of the Big Five classification of traits stands for which of the following terms?
a
negativism
b
novelty-seeking
c
neuroticism
d
non-cognitive
c
neuroticism
Neuroticism is the only “n” personality trait we’ve covered.
What is Personality Assessment, and what’s it’s goal?
Personality assessment is the use of measurement instruments to examine personality, with the GOAL of helping people better understand themselves and others and be better able to make decisions.
What is RELIABILITY of a test, and what is VALIDITY?
-Reliability is the consistency of a measure.
{Test-retest reliability involves the administration of a personality measure to a group at least twice, where scores at time 1 are correlated with scores at time 2; when the correlation between the two administrations is at least r = .70, then the test is said to be stable over time.}
-The validity of a measure represents the measure’s accuracy.
–>So with the multiplying number’s example, if Brandy can multiply two numbers together in 30 seconds consistently, that’s high reliability, BUT the validity is only high if Brandy is multiplying them correctly.
A measurement instrument yielded consistent answers across time. Does this mean that it reflects an accurate assessment of personality?
Select an answer and submit. For keyboard navigation, use the up/down arrow keys to select an answer.
a
Yes
b
No
c
It is impossible to tell based on this finding.
b
No
Reliability or getting the same measurement data multiple times tells you nothing about accuracy or validity. We might know that it consistently takes Brady 30 seconds to multiply two two-digit numbers (reliability), but we don’t know that he has learned how to multiply numbers together correctly (validity).
Out of the Big Five personality traits, which one is a valid predictor of quality employees for many jobs?
Conscientiousness.
Predictive Validity vs Concurrent Validity?
Predictive validity: predictive implies forecasting into the future. So it’s the validity of a test, to predict an outcome.
Concurrent Validity: The word concurrent reflects simultaneous assessment.
Which of the following is an individual who specializes in the administration, scoring, and interpretation of personality tests and other techniques of psychological assessment?
a
psychometrician
b
psychomotor manager
c
psycholinguist
d
psychoanalyst
e
psychosocial psychologist
a
psychometrician
A psychometrician would administer and assess standardized tests. Psycholinguists study language and cognition. There is no such thing as a psychomotor manager. A psychoanalyst is a Freudian psychologist. A psychosocial psychologist would be an Erik Erikson descendant.
A sales manager uses overall sales at the end of the year for each new sales trainee to assess the extent to which the test he uses to select trainees has any validity. The sales manager’s approach represents an emphasis on which type of validity?
a
predictive
b
promotional
c
proactive
d
concurrent
a
predictive
The sales manager wants the beginning screening test to predict the future performance of how many sales the employees will make.
What is the Premise behind Personal interviews and what’s the downside?
Premise: what you say reveals information about the nature of your personality.
Downside: Relying on self-reported responses, and the person might not be truthful.
What are the 3 Observational Assesment Techniques?
1: Behavioral observation: recording someone’s behaviors as they occur.
2: Self-monitoring techniques: individual records the frequency of which they engage in certain behaviours.
3:Thought sampling techniques: A person records the their own thoughts.
How to Objective Self-Report Techniques work?
Objective self-report techniques measure personality by linking the responses individuals provide to a series of standardized items contained in personality tests.
Advantages of single dimension Personality tests (under the category of Objective self-report techniques.)?
they tend to be relatively short and allow the testing professional to focus on the specific dimension of interest, such as shyness, creativity, locus of control, hostility, or sensation-seeking.
What is the MMPI? (under category of Objective self-report techniques?)
–>What are the 10 major clinical subscales of it?
The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
-{The most researched multi- dimensional personality test.}
-10 major subscales:
1: Hypochondriasis (HS)
2: Depression (D)
3: Hysteria (Hy)
4: Psychopathic Deviate (Pd)
5: Masculinity-Femininity(Mf)
6: Paranoia (Pa)
7: Psychasthenia (Pt)
8: Schizophrenia (Sc)
9: Hypomania (Ma)
10: Social Introversion (Si)
The owner of outdoor adventures company Kiss the Sky, which specializes in extreme parasailing, asks the five candidates who applied for the position of parasailing instructor to describe their personality. This is an example of which method of personality assessment?
a
personal interview
b
fixed-format
c
standardized-protocol
d
objective-self-report
a
personal interview
Because interviewees are asked to describe their personality in open-ended questions, the interviewers can compare answers across applicants. It’s a personal interview.
A personality psychologist studies empathy by watching children interact in a classroom and counting the number of times each child offers to help a classmate while they are doing an arithmetic lesson. Which assessment technique is this researcher using to measure personality?
a
projective-rating
b
semi-structural
c
observational
d
role-playing
c
observational
The personality psychologist is watching the children interact in a classroom (natural and controlled setting) and recording objective measures of behavior. The psychologist’s recording technique would be observational.
How many clinical dimensions of personality does the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory assess?
10!
(we went over them on another cue card).
A favorable characteristic feature of objective self-report techniques of personality assessment includes which of the following?
a
the freedom of response options allowed to test-takers
b
the standardization of the response options allowed to test-takers
c
an emphasis on the test-takers to provide truthful answers
b
the standardization of the response options allowed to test-takers.
The OBJECTIVE self-report techniques standardize the responses, and that’s how they’re considered objective.
What are Projective Test Techniques?
–>What is the main criticism of these tests?
They involve asking an individual to respond to ambiguous test items, and then we asses their subconscious feelings based on their responses.
–>The main criticism of these tests is that they have LOW RELIABILITY.
What are Association Techniques?
–> What is Rorschach inkblot test?
—>What’s the downside to this test?
Association Techniques present a test stimulus to an individual and then ask them to respond with the first word, thought, or feeling that comes to mind.
–> A test where people are shown inkblots and asked to report what they believe the inkblot to be.
(it’s a popular association technique).
—>Downside is LOW RELIABILITY and VALIDITY!
What are Construction Techniques?
–> What is Thematic Apperception Test?
—>Issue with it?
Usually involve individual creating something, such as a story, from the test stimuli.
–> Thematic Apperception Test is when the individual is shown a series of 17 cards containing an ambiguous photograph and asked to complete a story for each photograph.
(Popular construction Technique.)
—>Issue is low reliability in interpretation of the responses.
