Personality Theories and Assessment — HS Psychology practice questions

The Big Five trait describing organized, dependable behavior is:

1. agreeableness
2. conscientiousness
3. openness
4. extraversion

Answer: B — conscientiousness

B) Correct — It reflects self-discipline, care and reliability. A) Is warmth and cooperativeness. C) Is curiosity and interest in new experiences. D) Is sociability and energy.

Carl Rogers argued that healthy growth requires:

1. strict conditions of worth
2. unconditional positive regard
3. resolving the Oedipus complex
4. strong reinforcement for good behavior

Answer: B — unconditional positive regard

B) Correct — Acceptance without conditions lets people develop a healthy self-concept. A) Rogers said these block growth. C) Is Freud's idea. D) Is a behaviorist approach.

In Freud's theory, the part of personality driven by the pleasure principle is the:

1. ego
2. id
3. superego
4. preconscious

Answer: B — id

B) Correct — The id seeks immediate gratification of basic drives. A) Follows the reality principle. C) Holds moral standards. D) Is a level of awareness, not a part of personality.

The MMPI is BEST described as:

1. a self-report personality inventory
2. a projective test
3. an intelligence test
4. a measure of reaction time

Answer: A — a self-report personality inventory

A) Correct — It uses hundreds of true/false items to assess personality and disorders. B) Projective tests use ambiguous images or stories. C) Measures cognitive ability, not personality. D) Isn't what it measures.

A common criticism of trait theories is that they:

1. can't be measured reliably
2. describe behavior more than explain it
3. rely on unconscious drives
4. ignore the stability of personality

Answer: B — describe behavior more than explain it

B) Correct — Saying someone is extraverted doesn't say why. A) Big Five measures are fairly reliable. C) Is a criticism of psychoanalysis. D) They emphasize stability.

Believing that your own efforts control what happens to you reflects an:

1. external locus of control
2. learned helplessness
3. internal locus of control
4. self-serving bias

Answer: C — internal locus of control

C) Correct — Rotter contrasted this with believing fate or others decide outcomes. A) Is believing outside forces decide outcomes. B) Is giving up after repeated uncontrollable failure. D) Is crediting successes to yourself and blaming failures on circumstance.

Someone who dislikes a coworker insists that the coworker dislikes them. This is:

1. displacement
2. rationalization
3. sublimation
4. projection

Answer: D — projection

D) Correct — One's own unacceptable feeling is seen in someone else. A) Redirects a feeling to a safer target. B) Makes up acceptable excuses for behavior. C) Channels urges into acceptable activities.

In collectivist cultures, self-concept tends to be defined more by:

1. personal goals and uniqueness
2. group membership and relationships
3. inherited traits
4. occupation alone

Answer: B — group membership and relationships

B) Correct — Identity is tied to family, community and social roles. A) Is typical of individualist cultures. C) Isn't the cultural contrast being described. D) Is too narrow.

Freud's structure of personality?

Id (instincts), Ego (reality), Superego (morals).

MMPI?

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory: a self-report test of hundreds of true/false items, widely used to assess personality and psychological disorders.

Trait vs state?

Trait: stable characteristic. State: temporary condition.

Projective personality tests?

Tests like the Rorschach inkblots and the Thematic Apperception Test use ambiguous images and assume people project hidden feelings onto them. They are criticized for low reliability and validity.