CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ON THEORIES OF PERSONALITY
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
The variety of personality theories now is due to
A.
the use of different terminology for the same basic concepts.
B.
the reluctance of psychologists to accept any theory except their
own.
C.
different translations of theories originally written in other
languages.
D.
the different personal and philosophical perspectives that each
theorist has of
human nature.
Personality theorists who adopt a teleological approach generally believe that people's behavior is a
function of
A. environment.
B. genetic makeup.
C. early childhood experiences.
D. people's expectations of future events.
Which of the following is NOT a dimension used to assess a theorist's concept of humanity?
A. conscious versus unconscious
B. order versus disorder
C. determinism versus free choice
D. pessimism versus optimism
What is the relationship between theory and observation?
A. Several theories make up an observation.
B. Several observations make up a theory.
C. There is a mutual and dynamic interaction between them.
D. They are mutually exclusive.
A researcher uses the number of times a person smiles at others as a measure of friendliness. This an
example of
A. parsimony.
B. internal consistency.
C. an operational definition.
D. hypothesis testing.
Which statement is most nearly true?
A. A good theory gives opposing answers to a single question.
B. A theory can be a practical guide for a psychotherapist.
C. Theory and practice are mutually exclusive.
D. Other things being equal, the more complex a theory. the better.
What is the proper place of theory within science?
A. Theories are tools used by scientists to give meaning to observations.
B. Theory building is the ultimate aim of science.
C. Theories play no role in scientific pursuits.
D. Theories enable scientists to know how they should live their lives.
Part of the internal consistency of a theory is
A. its empirical validity.
B. its agreement with older, more established theories.
C. a taxonomy.
D. a set of operational definitions.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Which statement best characterizes the relationship between a theory and a hypothesis?
A. A theory is directly verifiable, a hypothesis is not.
B. A theory is narrower than a hypothesis.
C. A theory may generate one or more hypotheses.
D. A theory is logically deduced from a specific hypothesis.
The ultimate value of any theory depends on its
A. reliability.
B. usefulness.
C. simplicity.
D. truthfulness.
Psychologists generally agree that personality
A. can be explained by several different theories.
B. is largely inherited.
C. can best be explained by a single theory.
D. refers mostly to surface traits.
According to the authors (Feist & Feist) of the text, personality theories
A. should not be open to falsification.
B. originate from the historical, social, and psychological world of their originators.
C. are former principles that have been proven true.
D. are useful tools of science to the extent that they are value free.
Which of these is NOT a function of a useful theory?
A. It will be consistent with one's philosophy of life.
B. It will generate research.
C. It organizes observations.
D. It serves as a guide to action.
A useful theory must be falsifiable, which means that
A. it must be either true or false.
B. it should be flexible enough to encompass opposing data into its framework.
C. it must be precise enough to suggest research that may either support or fail to support
its major tenets.
D. it will eventually be proven false.
The two MOST important functions of a theory are its
A. ability to be proven true and to become a doctrine.
B. logic and its consistency with established theories.
C. ability to generate research and organize observations.
D. internal consistency and accuracy.