Personality Psychology Rutgers Exam 1 Questions
and Answers
What is personality psychology? - Answers-Personality psychology is a branch of
psychology that studies personality and its variation among individuals
.What is the basic evidence for the notion that personality is within the individual? -
Answers-because traits are:
-Relatively enduring
-Consistent across time
-Consistent across situations
.What is the person-situation debate? - Answers-the controversy concerning whether
the person or the situation is more influential in determining a person's behavior.
.What is S-data? - Answers-Self-report data
.Advantages and Disadvantages of S-data - Answers-Advantages:
-easy
-individual has best knowledge about personality
Disadvantages
-response set
-acquiescence response set
-social desirability bias
-extreme responding
-fish-out-of-water effect
.Structured and and unstructured measures - Answers-structured-closed ended
unstructured-open-ended
.Likert rating scale - Answers-typically 5 to 7 response alternatives with the end-points
labeled to define the extremes
.experience sampling - Answers-Participants provide data one or more times a day for
an extended period of time
.response set - Answers-pattern of individual responses to questions that is not related
to the content of the question
.acquiescence response set - Answers-tendency to agree with items regardless of
content
.social desirability bias - Answers-participants tend to say what they believe is expected
of them
, .extreme responding - Answers-tendency to give endpoint responses
.the "fish-and-water" effect - Answers-individuals may not be able to provide important
personality info because they don't really notice
.What is O-data? - Answers-Observers report on personality data
.Advantages and Disadvantages of O-data - Answers-Advantages
-Large amount of information
-Observation of behaviors in real world
-Common sense
Disadvantages
-can not measure "internal" emotions (like anxiety)
.What is T-data - Answers-Participants placed into standardized testing situation to elicit
behavior; responses to situation measured
Behavioral data - behaviors
Physiological data - physiological response
Projective tests (e.g., Rorschach)
.What is L-data - Answers-Events, activities, and outcomes in participant's life
.What is "snoopology" - Answers-(e.g., Gosling et al., 2002) - what private spaces say
about personality
.triangulation - Answers-examining results from two or more data sources
-Agreement between multiple data sources --> low to moderate
.Correlations - Answers-Used to describe strength and direction of linear relationship
Ranges between -1 and +1
0=no correlation, closer to -1 or +1=strong relationship
DOES NOT EQUAL CAUSATION
.positive correlation - Answers-variables change in the same direction
.negative correlation - Answers-variables change in opposite directions
.Third variable - Answers-leads to a mistaken causal relationship between two others
.statistical significance - Answers-probability that results are due to chance (random
error)
.Reliability - Answers-extent to which a test is consistent in its evaluation of the same
individuals
and Answers
What is personality psychology? - Answers-Personality psychology is a branch of
psychology that studies personality and its variation among individuals
.What is the basic evidence for the notion that personality is within the individual? -
Answers-because traits are:
-Relatively enduring
-Consistent across time
-Consistent across situations
.What is the person-situation debate? - Answers-the controversy concerning whether
the person or the situation is more influential in determining a person's behavior.
.What is S-data? - Answers-Self-report data
.Advantages and Disadvantages of S-data - Answers-Advantages:
-easy
-individual has best knowledge about personality
Disadvantages
-response set
-acquiescence response set
-social desirability bias
-extreme responding
-fish-out-of-water effect
.Structured and and unstructured measures - Answers-structured-closed ended
unstructured-open-ended
.Likert rating scale - Answers-typically 5 to 7 response alternatives with the end-points
labeled to define the extremes
.experience sampling - Answers-Participants provide data one or more times a day for
an extended period of time
.response set - Answers-pattern of individual responses to questions that is not related
to the content of the question
.acquiescence response set - Answers-tendency to agree with items regardless of
content
.social desirability bias - Answers-participants tend to say what they believe is expected
of them
, .extreme responding - Answers-tendency to give endpoint responses
.the "fish-and-water" effect - Answers-individuals may not be able to provide important
personality info because they don't really notice
.What is O-data? - Answers-Observers report on personality data
.Advantages and Disadvantages of O-data - Answers-Advantages
-Large amount of information
-Observation of behaviors in real world
-Common sense
Disadvantages
-can not measure "internal" emotions (like anxiety)
.What is T-data - Answers-Participants placed into standardized testing situation to elicit
behavior; responses to situation measured
Behavioral data - behaviors
Physiological data - physiological response
Projective tests (e.g., Rorschach)
.What is L-data - Answers-Events, activities, and outcomes in participant's life
.What is "snoopology" - Answers-(e.g., Gosling et al., 2002) - what private spaces say
about personality
.triangulation - Answers-examining results from two or more data sources
-Agreement between multiple data sources --> low to moderate
.Correlations - Answers-Used to describe strength and direction of linear relationship
Ranges between -1 and +1
0=no correlation, closer to -1 or +1=strong relationship
DOES NOT EQUAL CAUSATION
.positive correlation - Answers-variables change in the same direction
.negative correlation - Answers-variables change in opposite directions
.Third variable - Answers-leads to a mistaken causal relationship between two others
.statistical significance - Answers-probability that results are due to chance (random
error)
.Reliability - Answers-extent to which a test is consistent in its evaluation of the same
individuals
