Western Governors University
MAXE • 465D
✦ ✦
WGU College of Health Professions · Department of Psychology
A NEW KIND OF U. · AFFORDABLE, ACCREDITED, ONLINE.
EST. 1997
D564 — Theories of Personality
CO M P R E H E N S I V E P R A C T I C E E X A M I N AT I O N · 2 0 2 5 U P D AT E
INSTITUTION Western Governors University (WGU) COURSE CODE D564
PROGRAM Bachelor of Science in Psychology ACADEMIC YEAR
EXAM TITLE Theories of Personality — Practice Exam TOTAL QUESTIONS 25 Questions
COURSE TITLE Theories of Personality FORMAT Multiple Choice / True-False / Fill-in-the-Blank
EXAMINATION INSTRUCTIONS
▸ This is a comprehensive practice examination covering major personality theories.
▸ Psychoanalytic, humanistic, trait, behaviorist, and social cognitive theories are all testable.
▸ Questions include multiple-choice, true/false, and fill-in-the-blank formats.
▸ Correct answers and detailed rationales appear below each question for board and course review.
▸ Refer to the course textbook and WGU learning resources for complete theoretical frameworks.
SECTION I — PSYCHOANALYTIC, TRAIT, HUMANISTIC & BEHAVIORAL THEORIES Questions 1 – 25
1. Which theory of personality is most concerned with the role of the unconscious?
A. Trait theory
B. Behaviorism
C. Psychoanalytic theory
D. Humanistic theory
CORRECT ANSWER C — Psychoanalytic theory
RATIONALE Psychoanalytic theory, developed by Sigmund Freud, is fundamentally concerned with the role of the unconscious mind in shaping personality and behavior.
Freud proposed that unconscious conflicts, repressed memories, and instinctual drives (id, ego, superego) are the primary determinants of personality. Trait
theory focuses on measurable, stable personality characteristics. Behaviorism emphasizes observable behaviors and environmental influences. Humanistic
theory centers on self-actualization and conscious experience.
2. True/False: The humanistic perspective views personality as being primarily influenced by external factors.
A. True
B. False
CORRECT ANSWER False
RATIONALE The humanistic perspective (Rogers, Maslow) views personality as being primarily influenced by internal factors — the innate drive toward self-actualization,
personal growth, and the subjective conscious experience. External factors are secondary to the individual's internal frame of reference. Behaviorism, by contrast,
views personality as primarily shaped by external environmental factors and reinforcement contingencies. This distinction between internal (humanistic) and
external (behaviorist) determinants is a core theoretical divide in personality psychology.
3. Fill-in-the-Blank: ___________ is a statistical method often used in trait theory to identify clusters of behaviors that are correlated with one another.
A. Meta-analysis
B. Factor analysis
C. Regression analysis
D. Chi-square test
CORRECT ANSWER B — Factor analysis
RATIONALE Factor analysis is a statistical method used in trait theory to identify clusters of behaviors that are correlated with one another. Raymond Cattell used factor
analysis to derive his 16 personality factors, and this same method underlies the development of the Big Five (Five-Factor Model). Factor analysis reduces large
numbers of correlated variables into smaller, underlying dimensions or factors. Meta-analysis aggregates results across studies. Regression predicts relationships
between variables. Chi-square tests categorical associations.
4. Which of the following is not a key component of Bandura's social cognitive theory?
A. Reciprocal determinism
B. Self-efficacy
C. Collective unconscious
D. Observational learning
CORRECT ANSWER C — Collective unconscious
RATIONALE The collective unconscious is a concept from Carl Jung's analytical psychology — it refers to the inherited, universal archetypes shared by all humans across
cultures. It is NOT a component of Bandura's social cognitive theory. Bandura's theory emphasizes reciprocal determinism (interaction between personal,
behavioral, and environmental factors), self-efficacy (belief in one's ability to succeed), and observational learning (learning by watching others). These three
concepts are central to understanding how personality develops through social modeling and cognitive processes.
, 5. True/False: The Big Five personality traits are openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.
A. True
B. False
CORRECT ANSWER True
RATIONALE The Big Five personality traits (Five-Factor Model) are accurately listed as Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism — easily
remembered by the acronym OCEAN. These five broad domains represent the highest level of the trait hierarchy and have been validated across cultures and
assessment methods. Openness involves imagination and curiosity; Conscientiousness involves organization and dependability; Extraversion involves sociability
and assertiveness; Agreeableness involves cooperation and compassion; Neuroticism involves emotional instability and anxiety.
6. Fill-in-the-Blank: The ___________ complex is a concept in psychoanalytic theory that refers to a child's feelings of desire for the opposite-sex parent and jealousy
toward the same-sex parent.
A. Electra
B. Oedipus
C. Inferiority
D. Castration
CORRECT ANSWER B — Oedipus
RATIONALE The Oedipus complex is a psychoanalytic concept describing a child's unconscious feelings of desire for the opposite-sex parent and rivalry/jealousy toward the
same-sex parent, occurring during the phallic stage (ages 3–6). Freud derived the term from the Greek myth of Oedipus. The Electra complex (a term actually
introduced by Jung, not Freud) describes the female equivalent. The inferiority complex is an Adlerian concept. Understanding the Oedipus complex is essential to
grasping Freud's psychosexual stages and his theory of unconscious conflict in personality formation.
7. Which personality assessment tool is based on the projective hypothesis?
A. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)
B. Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
C. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
D. 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF)
CORRECT ANSWER B — Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
RATIONALE The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) is based on the projective hypothesis — the idea that when presented with ambiguous stimuli, individuals will project their
unconscious needs, motives, and conflicts onto their interpretations. The TAT presents ambiguous pictures and asks the person to tell a story. The MMPI and 16PF
are objective (self-report) inventories with standardized scoring. The MBTI is a typology based on Jungian preferences. Projective tests like the TAT and Rorschach
inkblot test are designed to bypass conscious defenses.
8. True/False: According to Erikson's stages of psychosocial development, trust versus mistrust is the stage that occurs during adolescence.
A. True
B. False
CORRECT ANSWER False
RATIONALE Trust versus mistrust is the FIRST stage of Erikson's psychosocial theory and occurs during infancy (birth to approximately 18 months), NOT adolescence. The
adolescent stage is identity versus role confusion (or identity vs. confusion). Erikson's eight stages span the entire lifespan: (1) Trust vs. Mistrust (infancy), (2)
Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt (early childhood), (3) Initiative vs. Guilt (preschool), (4) Industry vs. Inferiority (school age), (5) Identity vs. Role Confusion
(adolescence), (6) Intimacy vs. Isolation (young adulthood), (7) Generativity vs. Stagnation (middle adulthood), (8) Integrity vs. Despair (late adulthood).
9. Fill-in-the-Blank: The term ___________ refers to the mask or persona that a person presents to the outside world, in Jungian psychology.
A. Shadow
B. Anima
C. Persona
D. Self
CORRECT ANSWER C — Persona
RATIONALE In Jungian psychology, the persona is the mask or public face that a person presents to the outside world. It represents the social role one plays and the
impression one wants to make. The persona is one of several Jungian archetypes. The shadow contains repressed or unacceptable aspects of the self. The anima
(in men) or animus (in women) represents the unconscious feminine or masculine qualities. The self is the central archetype representing wholeness and
integration. Individuation involves integrating all these aspects, including the persona.
10. Which of the following is not a defense mechanism identified by Freud?
A. Repression
B. Sublimation
C. Transference
D. Self-actualization
CORRECT ANSWER D — Self-actualization
RATIONALE Self-actualization is NOT a Freudian defense mechanism — it is a concept from humanistic psychology (Maslow and Rogers) referring to the innate drive to realize
one's full potential. Repression (pushing unacceptable thoughts into the unconscious) and sublimation (channeling unacceptable impulses into socially
acceptable activities) are classic Freudian defense mechanisms. Transference is a psychoanalytic phenomenon where patients project feelings about significant
others onto the therapist — it is a clinical process, not technically a defense mechanism, but it operates unconsciously. Self-actualization belongs to an entirely
different theoretical framework.
MAXE • 465D
✦ ✦
WGU College of Health Professions · Department of Psychology
A NEW KIND OF U. · AFFORDABLE, ACCREDITED, ONLINE.
EST. 1997
D564 — Theories of Personality
CO M P R E H E N S I V E P R A C T I C E E X A M I N AT I O N · 2 0 2 5 U P D AT E
INSTITUTION Western Governors University (WGU) COURSE CODE D564
PROGRAM Bachelor of Science in Psychology ACADEMIC YEAR
EXAM TITLE Theories of Personality — Practice Exam TOTAL QUESTIONS 25 Questions
COURSE TITLE Theories of Personality FORMAT Multiple Choice / True-False / Fill-in-the-Blank
EXAMINATION INSTRUCTIONS
▸ This is a comprehensive practice examination covering major personality theories.
▸ Psychoanalytic, humanistic, trait, behaviorist, and social cognitive theories are all testable.
▸ Questions include multiple-choice, true/false, and fill-in-the-blank formats.
▸ Correct answers and detailed rationales appear below each question for board and course review.
▸ Refer to the course textbook and WGU learning resources for complete theoretical frameworks.
SECTION I — PSYCHOANALYTIC, TRAIT, HUMANISTIC & BEHAVIORAL THEORIES Questions 1 – 25
1. Which theory of personality is most concerned with the role of the unconscious?
A. Trait theory
B. Behaviorism
C. Psychoanalytic theory
D. Humanistic theory
CORRECT ANSWER C — Psychoanalytic theory
RATIONALE Psychoanalytic theory, developed by Sigmund Freud, is fundamentally concerned with the role of the unconscious mind in shaping personality and behavior.
Freud proposed that unconscious conflicts, repressed memories, and instinctual drives (id, ego, superego) are the primary determinants of personality. Trait
theory focuses on measurable, stable personality characteristics. Behaviorism emphasizes observable behaviors and environmental influences. Humanistic
theory centers on self-actualization and conscious experience.
2. True/False: The humanistic perspective views personality as being primarily influenced by external factors.
A. True
B. False
CORRECT ANSWER False
RATIONALE The humanistic perspective (Rogers, Maslow) views personality as being primarily influenced by internal factors — the innate drive toward self-actualization,
personal growth, and the subjective conscious experience. External factors are secondary to the individual's internal frame of reference. Behaviorism, by contrast,
views personality as primarily shaped by external environmental factors and reinforcement contingencies. This distinction between internal (humanistic) and
external (behaviorist) determinants is a core theoretical divide in personality psychology.
3. Fill-in-the-Blank: ___________ is a statistical method often used in trait theory to identify clusters of behaviors that are correlated with one another.
A. Meta-analysis
B. Factor analysis
C. Regression analysis
D. Chi-square test
CORRECT ANSWER B — Factor analysis
RATIONALE Factor analysis is a statistical method used in trait theory to identify clusters of behaviors that are correlated with one another. Raymond Cattell used factor
analysis to derive his 16 personality factors, and this same method underlies the development of the Big Five (Five-Factor Model). Factor analysis reduces large
numbers of correlated variables into smaller, underlying dimensions or factors. Meta-analysis aggregates results across studies. Regression predicts relationships
between variables. Chi-square tests categorical associations.
4. Which of the following is not a key component of Bandura's social cognitive theory?
A. Reciprocal determinism
B. Self-efficacy
C. Collective unconscious
D. Observational learning
CORRECT ANSWER C — Collective unconscious
RATIONALE The collective unconscious is a concept from Carl Jung's analytical psychology — it refers to the inherited, universal archetypes shared by all humans across
cultures. It is NOT a component of Bandura's social cognitive theory. Bandura's theory emphasizes reciprocal determinism (interaction between personal,
behavioral, and environmental factors), self-efficacy (belief in one's ability to succeed), and observational learning (learning by watching others). These three
concepts are central to understanding how personality develops through social modeling and cognitive processes.
, 5. True/False: The Big Five personality traits are openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.
A. True
B. False
CORRECT ANSWER True
RATIONALE The Big Five personality traits (Five-Factor Model) are accurately listed as Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism — easily
remembered by the acronym OCEAN. These five broad domains represent the highest level of the trait hierarchy and have been validated across cultures and
assessment methods. Openness involves imagination and curiosity; Conscientiousness involves organization and dependability; Extraversion involves sociability
and assertiveness; Agreeableness involves cooperation and compassion; Neuroticism involves emotional instability and anxiety.
6. Fill-in-the-Blank: The ___________ complex is a concept in psychoanalytic theory that refers to a child's feelings of desire for the opposite-sex parent and jealousy
toward the same-sex parent.
A. Electra
B. Oedipus
C. Inferiority
D. Castration
CORRECT ANSWER B — Oedipus
RATIONALE The Oedipus complex is a psychoanalytic concept describing a child's unconscious feelings of desire for the opposite-sex parent and rivalry/jealousy toward the
same-sex parent, occurring during the phallic stage (ages 3–6). Freud derived the term from the Greek myth of Oedipus. The Electra complex (a term actually
introduced by Jung, not Freud) describes the female equivalent. The inferiority complex is an Adlerian concept. Understanding the Oedipus complex is essential to
grasping Freud's psychosexual stages and his theory of unconscious conflict in personality formation.
7. Which personality assessment tool is based on the projective hypothesis?
A. Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)
B. Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
C. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
D. 16 Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF)
CORRECT ANSWER B — Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
RATIONALE The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) is based on the projective hypothesis — the idea that when presented with ambiguous stimuli, individuals will project their
unconscious needs, motives, and conflicts onto their interpretations. The TAT presents ambiguous pictures and asks the person to tell a story. The MMPI and 16PF
are objective (self-report) inventories with standardized scoring. The MBTI is a typology based on Jungian preferences. Projective tests like the TAT and Rorschach
inkblot test are designed to bypass conscious defenses.
8. True/False: According to Erikson's stages of psychosocial development, trust versus mistrust is the stage that occurs during adolescence.
A. True
B. False
CORRECT ANSWER False
RATIONALE Trust versus mistrust is the FIRST stage of Erikson's psychosocial theory and occurs during infancy (birth to approximately 18 months), NOT adolescence. The
adolescent stage is identity versus role confusion (or identity vs. confusion). Erikson's eight stages span the entire lifespan: (1) Trust vs. Mistrust (infancy), (2)
Autonomy vs. Shame/Doubt (early childhood), (3) Initiative vs. Guilt (preschool), (4) Industry vs. Inferiority (school age), (5) Identity vs. Role Confusion
(adolescence), (6) Intimacy vs. Isolation (young adulthood), (7) Generativity vs. Stagnation (middle adulthood), (8) Integrity vs. Despair (late adulthood).
9. Fill-in-the-Blank: The term ___________ refers to the mask or persona that a person presents to the outside world, in Jungian psychology.
A. Shadow
B. Anima
C. Persona
D. Self
CORRECT ANSWER C — Persona
RATIONALE In Jungian psychology, the persona is the mask or public face that a person presents to the outside world. It represents the social role one plays and the
impression one wants to make. The persona is one of several Jungian archetypes. The shadow contains repressed or unacceptable aspects of the self. The anima
(in men) or animus (in women) represents the unconscious feminine or masculine qualities. The self is the central archetype representing wholeness and
integration. Individuation involves integrating all these aspects, including the persona.
10. Which of the following is not a defense mechanism identified by Freud?
A. Repression
B. Sublimation
C. Transference
D. Self-actualization
CORRECT ANSWER D — Self-actualization
RATIONALE Self-actualization is NOT a Freudian defense mechanism — it is a concept from humanistic psychology (Maslow and Rogers) referring to the innate drive to realize
one's full potential. Repression (pushing unacceptable thoughts into the unconscious) and sublimation (channeling unacceptable impulses into socially
acceptable activities) are classic Freudian defense mechanisms. Transference is a psychoanalytic phenomenon where patients project feelings about significant
others onto the therapist — it is a clinical process, not technically a defense mechanism, but it operates unconsciously. Self-actualization belongs to an entirely
different theoretical framework.
