PPE 3003 Exam 1 questions with
verified answers 2025/2026
Personality is the set of psychological _________ and _________. - correct answer ✔✔traits;
mechanisms
Define trait-descriptive adjectives and average tendencies and understand how these interplay
with psychological traits. - correct answer ✔✔Descriptive adjectives (about 20,000) are used to
describe certain traits that characterize an individual's average tendencies or behaviors.
True or false: Personality is stable over time and consistent over situations. - correct answer
✔✔true
Define psychological mechanisms, be able to describe and identify the three essential
ingredients of psychological mechanisms. - correct answer ✔✔3 ingredients: inputs, decision
rules and outputs.
Explain how certain personality traits are activated only under particular circumstances. -
correct answer ✔✔Some personality traits may be activated only under specific circumstances
such as courage:
-Inputs (environment) - danger (snake)
-Decision rules (options) - if courageous, face it; if not, run
-Outputs (behaviors) - run
Describe the four types of interactions with situations. (perceptions, selections, evocations and
manipulations) - correct answer ✔✔1. perceptions-how we see the world
2. selections- manner in which we choose situations to enter
3. evocations- reactions we produce in others
,4. manipulations- ways we intentionally attempt to influence other people
Give an example of how maladaptive traits may be functional - correct answer ✔✔Excessive
worrying can lead to a lot of support from others
Identify the types of questions that personality researchers ask. (4) - correct answer ✔✔1. How
many traits are there?
2. How are the traits organized?
3. What are the origins of traits?
4. What are the correlations and consequences of traits?
What are the 3 levels of personality analysis? - correct answer ✔✔1. human nature (universals)
2. individual and group differences (particulars)
3. individual uniqueness
Describe the human nature level of personality analysis. - correct answer ✔✔-How we are "like
all others"
-Traits and mechanisms of personality that are typical of our species and possessed by nearly
everyone
Give 2 examples of traits and mechanisms that are typical of our species. - correct answer ✔✔1.
language skills
2. need to belong
Describe the individual and group differences level of personality analysis. - correct answer ✔✔-
how we are "like some others"
-Individual differences:
, ways in which each person is like some other people (e.g., extraverts, sensations-seekers, high
self-esteem persons)
-Group differences:
ways in which the people of one group differ from people in another group (e.g., cultural
differences, age differences)
Describe the individual uniqueness level of personality analysis - correct answer ✔✔-how we
are "like no others"
-Every individual has personal and unique qualities not shared by any other person in the world
Differentiate idiographic and nomothetic approaches to personality research. - correct answer
✔✔Nomothetic- statistical comparisons of individuals or groups to identify human universals
Idiographic- single person used to identify uniqueness
Name the 6 domains of knowledge: - correct answer ✔✔Dispositional
Biological
Intrapsychic
Cognitive-Experiential
Social and Cultural
Adjustment
This primary goal of the __________ domain is to analyze individual differences. - correct
answer ✔✔dispositional
The primary goal of the ________ domain is to analyze the systematic link between the brain
and personality traits. - correct answer ✔✔biological
verified answers 2025/2026
Personality is the set of psychological _________ and _________. - correct answer ✔✔traits;
mechanisms
Define trait-descriptive adjectives and average tendencies and understand how these interplay
with psychological traits. - correct answer ✔✔Descriptive adjectives (about 20,000) are used to
describe certain traits that characterize an individual's average tendencies or behaviors.
True or false: Personality is stable over time and consistent over situations. - correct answer
✔✔true
Define psychological mechanisms, be able to describe and identify the three essential
ingredients of psychological mechanisms. - correct answer ✔✔3 ingredients: inputs, decision
rules and outputs.
Explain how certain personality traits are activated only under particular circumstances. -
correct answer ✔✔Some personality traits may be activated only under specific circumstances
such as courage:
-Inputs (environment) - danger (snake)
-Decision rules (options) - if courageous, face it; if not, run
-Outputs (behaviors) - run
Describe the four types of interactions with situations. (perceptions, selections, evocations and
manipulations) - correct answer ✔✔1. perceptions-how we see the world
2. selections- manner in which we choose situations to enter
3. evocations- reactions we produce in others
,4. manipulations- ways we intentionally attempt to influence other people
Give an example of how maladaptive traits may be functional - correct answer ✔✔Excessive
worrying can lead to a lot of support from others
Identify the types of questions that personality researchers ask. (4) - correct answer ✔✔1. How
many traits are there?
2. How are the traits organized?
3. What are the origins of traits?
4. What are the correlations and consequences of traits?
What are the 3 levels of personality analysis? - correct answer ✔✔1. human nature (universals)
2. individual and group differences (particulars)
3. individual uniqueness
Describe the human nature level of personality analysis. - correct answer ✔✔-How we are "like
all others"
-Traits and mechanisms of personality that are typical of our species and possessed by nearly
everyone
Give 2 examples of traits and mechanisms that are typical of our species. - correct answer ✔✔1.
language skills
2. need to belong
Describe the individual and group differences level of personality analysis. - correct answer ✔✔-
how we are "like some others"
-Individual differences:
, ways in which each person is like some other people (e.g., extraverts, sensations-seekers, high
self-esteem persons)
-Group differences:
ways in which the people of one group differ from people in another group (e.g., cultural
differences, age differences)
Describe the individual uniqueness level of personality analysis - correct answer ✔✔-how we
are "like no others"
-Every individual has personal and unique qualities not shared by any other person in the world
Differentiate idiographic and nomothetic approaches to personality research. - correct answer
✔✔Nomothetic- statistical comparisons of individuals or groups to identify human universals
Idiographic- single person used to identify uniqueness
Name the 6 domains of knowledge: - correct answer ✔✔Dispositional
Biological
Intrapsychic
Cognitive-Experiential
Social and Cultural
Adjustment
This primary goal of the __________ domain is to analyze individual differences. - correct
answer ✔✔dispositional
The primary goal of the ________ domain is to analyze the systematic link between the brain
and personality traits. - correct answer ✔✔biological
