Exam 1 Study Guide: Personality Psychology Topics

Personality

Enduring patterns of thoughts, feelings, behaviors.

Nomothetic Perspective

Focuses on general laws of personality.

Idiographic Perspective

Focuses on individual uniqueness in personality.

Trait Approach

Personality defined by stable characteristics.

Biological Approach

Personality influenced by genetic factors.

Psychodynamic Approach

Emphasizes unconscious motives and conflicts.

Phenomenological Approach

Focuses on subjective experience and self-actualization.

Learning Approach

Personality shaped by environmental interactions.

Self-Report Data

Information provided by individuals about themselves.

Informant-Report Data

Information provided by others about an individual.

Life Outcome Data

Objective outcomes reflecting personality traits.

Behavioral Data

Direct observation of behavior in various contexts.

Objective Tests

Standardized assessments with clear scoring criteria.

Projective Tests

Ambiguous stimuli used to reveal personality.

Face Validity

Extent to which a test appears effective.

Factor Analysis

Statistical method to identify underlying variables.

Empirical Construction

Test development based on observed data.

Psychometrics

Field studying measurement of psychological attributes.

Reliability

Consistency of measurement across time and contexts.

Validity

Accuracy of a test in measuring what it claims.

Generalizability

Applicability of findings to broader populations.

Effect Size

Magnitude of a relationship in research findings.

Realistic Accuracy Model

Framework explaining accuracy in personality judgments.

Big Five Model

Dominant model categorizing personality into five traits.