Theories of Personality

Flashcards generated from lecture notes on personality theories.

What is motivation in the context of personality?

The stimuli that encourage one to start or stop a particular behavior.

Which model studies the components of personality in individuals one at a time?

The idiographic approach

Which statement describes a case study as a tool in personality research?

It involves intensive and direct investigations of single individuals.

What are innate tendencies toward some aspects of personality called?

Temperament

Which term describes a group who display common personality characteristics?

A type

Which important criterion does this theory lack if its basic tenets cannot be demonstrated as false using scientific approaches?

Verifiability

Which fundamental aspect of personality focuses on the motivation of a person's behavior?

Dynamics

Which personality functions did Jung refer to as “rational functions”?

Thinking and feeling

What are Freud’s three levels of consciousness?

Conscious, preconscious, unconscious

Who proposed the concept of the inferiority complex?

Adler

Which person suggested that men have womb envy because of their inability to give birth?

Horney

Which of the five psychosexual stages is associated with the development of orderliness?

Anal

Which theory of psychodynamics used psychological conflict and defense mechanisms to explain psychological problems in adjustment?

Classical psychoanalysis

How does Adler's theory address the theoretical issue of individual differences?

Individuals differ in the goals they have and in how they attempt to achieve those goals based on their "style of life."

A theory of personality states that social interest, rather than selfishness, is required for health, which involves love, work, and social interaction. Whose theory is this?

Adler

How does Adler's theory address the theoretical issue of culture?

Society—especially through schools—influences people through social roles, including gender roles.

What is an example of a male person embracing anima traits, according to Jung?

Integrating emotional and nurturing characteristics

How is Jung’s theory of personal unconsciousness used to explain behavior?

Through involving the anima/animus, the shadow, family conflicts, and past experiences that shape behavior

What is an example of an experience stimulating a child’s social interests and first memories?

An individual who grew up in a supportive community, remembers making friends during their first day of school.

Which psychoanalytic theorist proposed the fundamental motive described in the scenario where an individual felt inferior to friends in childhood when playing sports, and as an adult, the person prioritizes a lifestyle of athleticism and exercise to have a sense of strength?

Adler

A person is always seeking love and minimizing selfish needs that could interfere with being loved. Which psychoanalytic theorist proposed that this type of behavior demonstrates the self-effacing solution to neurotic conflict?

Horney

A parent almost always gives in to the demands of their child, catering to their needs. Which psychoanalytic theorist was specifically critical of this parenting style?

Adler

What is one of the three pillars of positive psychology?

Positive institutions

Who described personality as the product of heredity and the environment?

Gordon Allport

Which personality aspect was proposed as an evolved psychological mechanism by David Buss?

Behavioral imitation

Why is it challenging to evaluate the validity of concepts in Rogers’s theories of personality?

They exist within an individual and are not directly observable.

What is the purpose of prizing in client-centered therapies?

It allows a therapist to withhold judgment about someone’s behavior and help them accept themselves.

How does Rogers's actualizing tendency contrast with Freud's perspective on human motivation?

Rogers's humanistic view is more positive than Freud's psychoanalytic view.

What is true regarding similarity among people’s needs?

People have similar level-one needs but different level-five needs.

How are different levels of needs satisfied, according to Maslow?

Needs are satisfied differently across individuals because people’s needs are satisfied by different events.

Who described types of traits as abilities, temperaments, and dynamics?

Raymond Cattell

How does Maslow's hierarchy of needs lead to happiness and serenity?

By easing stagnation through striving toward new levels

Which statement describes how the theoretical issue of biological influences is addressed by the personological approach to personality?

All behavior is influenced by heredity in some form.

How would a store use Maslow’s hierarchy of needs to sell high-end luxury products?

Focus on mid-level esteem needs.

Which individual is engaged in intrinsic striving?

Someone who works hard because they enjoy the work they are doing

A therapist conducts research on resiliency and active coping of people following a natural disaster. Which perspective of psychology is included in their study?

Positive psychology

Which therapeutic action fosters feelings of acceptance by the client, according to Rogers?

The therapist demonstrates unconditional positive regard for the client.

A person is loud and outgoing when at home with their family. When the person is at work or with friends, they are much quieter and reserved. What is the theoretical perspective of personality that would focus on how the person learned to respond differently in the two settings?

Behavioral

Which factor has been linked to difficulty with impulse control, according to Mischel?

High stress levels

What did the personality coefficient suggest to Mischel about the relationship between personality and behavior?

Personality does not predict variability in behavior.

What information does a stimulus-outcome expectancy provide?

What could occur in a given environment

What important information was revealed by Mischel’s delay of gratification study?

Successful impulse control is based on the maturity of frontal lobe function.

How is the consistency paradox useful in describing behavior based on personality traits?

By noting that despite the stability of a person’s personality, traits do not predict their behavior in all situations

Which statement describes a component of the social-cognitive view of delayed gratification?

In order to delay gratification, cognition overcomes an emotional system.

Which statement identifies an important concept of cognitive social learning theory when examining differences in personality?

People vary in their stimulus-outcome expectancies.

What is an important concept in the study of personality that is associated with the social-cognitive perspective?

A person's emotions are an important factor in determining behavior.

What do efficacy expectancies determine in the observational learning process?

Whether a person is able to perform the watched behavior

How do cognitive person variables affect one’s behavior, according to Mischel?

They allow a person to unconsciously adapt their behavior to a situation in a way that adheres to societal norms.

What is a major tenet of Bandura’s theory of reciprocal determinism?

The environment is a cause and effect of behavior.

How do efficacy expectations differ from outcome expectations?

Efficacy expectations refer to what behaviors will occur, while outcome expectations refer to what the result of behaviors will be.

Which theorist claimed that individuals differ in cognitive processes because of learning?

Walter Mischel

Which statement describes how the theoretical issue of biological influences is addressed by Albert Bandura's theory?

Biology has prepared humans for learning.

A student who is extroverted and social works hard to throw big parties with friends. How does Mischel’s subjective stimulus value explain this behavior?

The student is putting forth effort for a desirable goal.

Which trait of intelligence is the innate ability to learn, according to Cattell?

Fluid intelligence

What characterizes the HEXACO model of personality?

It adds a sixth factor related to modesty to the Five-Factor Model.

What is the importance of Allport's functional autonomy of motivation view in the study of trait development?

It reveals general stability of personality traits across the lifespan.

Which statement describes an aspect of the personality theory developed by Carl Rogers?

A person progresses through levels of needs on the way to self-actualization.

How can assessment tools based on the Big Five factors be useful for team-building or recruitment?

They can be used to identify like-minded employees to work together.

What is the importance of Allport's functional autonomy of motivation view in the study of trait development?

It proposes that traits move away from early influences and become more independent.

Which statement identifies an important concept of the humanistic perspective when examining personality?

The fundamental motivation that drives personality is growth.

Which type of trait has the highest impact on an individual’s personality, according to Allport?

A cardinal trait such as being chauvinistic

Which type of dynamic trait is demonstrated by a person who values higher education, according to Cattell?

Metaerg

Which Five-Factor Model trait does a person score low in when they unreasonably suspect their roommate of stealing?

Agreeableness

Which Five-Favor Model trait is low in an individual when they avoid conflict because they do not want to engage in an argument?

Extraversion

What characterizes Cattell’s trait model of personality?

It is a model of traits encompassing multiple domains of personality.

Who proposed that changes in work settings can be made to improve happiness and healthy development?

Abraham Maslow

Which personality theorist proposed that children become alienated from internal growth forces if raised with conditions of worth?

Carl Rogers

Which example represents the theory of“principal raw materials” of personality, according to Allport?

A person inheriting a genetic predisposition for muscularity

Which example illustrates Kagan’s theory of uninhibited temperament type?

A child asks their parent if they can join a new basketball team.

A company wants to increase worker effectiveness by helping meet the lower-order needs of employees when possible. What is the perspective of psychology that supports this style of business?

Humanistic

An employee always had the goal of becoming a shift manager. After receiving a promotion to become a shift manager, the employee set a new goal of becoming a plant manager. Which term did Carl Rogers develop to describe this behavior?

Actualizing tendency