Midterm 1

1
1 29 09

• Midterm 1
• Tuesday
• 36 multiple choice (x 1 each)
• 8 short answer (x 3 each)
• Online Learning Center for text
• Chapter outlines
• Learning objectives
• Multiple-choice true-false quizzes
• www.mhhe.com/larsen3
• Some example questions

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Midterm 1

• (Ch 1)
• Personality traits best describe the _____
  tendencies of the individual. (text)
• a. unusual
• b. average
• c. behavioral
• d. hidden

3
Midterm 1

• (Ch 3)
• The primary dimensions in Learys circumplex
  model are warmth and _____. (text)
• a. neuroticism
• b. agreeableness
• c. dominance
• d. hate

4
Midterm 1

• (class)
• Age of death would be considered an example of
  _____ data. (class)
• a. S
• b. L
• c. T
• d. O

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Midterm 1

• (class)
• Who named his traits A, B, C, etc.? (class or
  text)
• a. Wiggins
• b. Cattell
• c. Eysenck
• d. McCrae

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Midterm 1

• Short answer questions
• What is the actometer? What is it designed to
  measure? (class or text)

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1 29 09

• Ch 4
• 1.
• 2. Situational Challenge to Traits
• 3. Trait Psychology Responds
• 4. Reconciling Trait Situational Views
• 5.

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Longitudinal Consistency (Conley)

• Stability of three individual differences
• Intelligence
• Personality traits
• Self-opinions (e.g., self-esteem, attitudes)
• Discuss
• Which should be most stable? Why?
• Which least stable? Why?

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Longitudinal Consistency (Conley)

• Estimated test-retest coefficients (based on
  meta-analysis)
• .99 .95 .90 .82 .74 .67
• .98 .90 .82 .67 .55 .45
• .94 .73 .54 .29 .16 .08

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Types of consistency

• Types of consistency
• 1. Over time?
• Conleys meta-analysis
• 2.
• More controversial

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Cross-Situational Consistency

• Issue Are People Consistent?
• Hartshorne May (1929) -
• Cheating in class (teacher leaves)
• Lying to get cookie

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Cross-Situational Consistency

• Mischel (1968)
• Behavior too
• E.g., talkative with peers, not counselors
• Farber (1964) I look forward to the day when
  personality theories are regarded as historical
  curiosities.
• perhaps personality within context?

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Cervone Shoda (1999)Stability Within Context

• Issue Are People Consistent in Their Behavior?

Jeff
Cindy
Party Class
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Cervone Shoda (1999)Stability Within Context

• Who is more extraverted?
• Are Jeff and Cindy

Jeff
Cindy
Party Class
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Cervone Shoda (1999)Stability Within Context

• Stability as
• Jeff
• Jeff
• Cindy
• Cindy
• Personality psychology responds
• (to several criticisms)

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Personality-situation controversy 20 years later
(Kenrick Funder)

• Is personality solely in the eye of the beholder?
• 41 due to person being rated
• 17 due to rater

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Personality-situation controversy 20 years later
(Kenrick Funder)

• Is agreement due to discussion between observers?
• E.g., boss spouse
• E.g. parents peers
• E.g. peers in high school college

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Personality-situation controversy 20 years later
(Kenrick Funder)

• Is agreement due to seeing target in same
  setting?
• No
• Diff sits

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Personality-situation controversy 20 years later
(Kenrick Funder)

• Are traits important?
• Mischel (1968) trait specific behavior, max r
  
• But, trait aggregated behavior,
• Also social experiments,

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Personality-situation controversy 20 years later
(Kenrick Funder)

• Effects on personality psychology
• 1. Predicting
• 2. Person x sit interactions (e.g.,
  
• 3. Some situations gt traits (e.g.,

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Klein Hierarchical Nature of Self-Knowledge

• Costa McCrae
• r .6-.8
• Cervone Shoda
• Talkative at party, not class
• Klein reconcile

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Klein Hierarchical Nature of Self-Knowledge

• Mid
• A on test fun with Suzie call mom tonight
• Lazy on paper quiet at party me brother fight
• Confusing lecture Alex is a jerk go home for
  Thanksgiving

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Klein Hierarchical Nature of Self-Knowledge

• Do specific experiences affect mid-level?
• Fight with brother -
• Grades improving -
• Do specific experiences affect traits?
• Trait self-concept

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Klein Hierarchical Nature of Self-Knowledge

• General self untouched by specifics
• cannot remember a single behavior/experience
• Trait self-knowledge independent of specific
  experiences

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Klein Hierarchical Nature of Self-Knowledge

• Hypothesis
• General self-concept not based on relevant
  behaviors, memories
• Specific (here, college) self-concept based on
  relevant behaviors, memories

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Klein Hierarchical Nature of Self-Knowledge

• Method
• RT priming paradigm
• Trait presented (e.g., assertive)
• Prime task
• Target task
• Recall relevant behavior

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Klein Hierarchical Nature of Self-Knowledge

• Method
• Priming logic
• If judgment made by recalling behavior
• Then recall faster
• 2 selves
• Self in general
• Self at college

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Klein Hierarchical Nature of Self-Knowledge

• Method
• Recall, self in general
• Define
• Judge
• Recall, self in college
• Define
• Judge

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Klein Hierarchical Nature of Self-Knowledge

• Conclusions
• 1. College-specific self is
• 2. General self is
• 3. General self - especially stable
• Because insulated?
• Are there 2 types of selves?
• Might this be functional?

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Klein Hierarchical Nature of Self-Knowledge

• Functionality
• Contextual self
• Positive
• Negative
• Decontextual self
• Positive
• Negative

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Ch 4 Measurement Issues

• Four threats to SR validity
• 1. Careless responding
• 2. Faking
• 3. Response sets
• 4. Social desirability

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Ch 4 Measurement Issues in Trait Psychology

• E.g.,
• Missing response, then off on rest of scantron
• In a rush

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Ch 4 Measurement Issues in Trait Psychology

• (Careless Responding)
• I make all my own clothes and shoes
• Whenever I walk upstairs, I always do so on my
  hands
• Personality Research Form (Jackson)

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Ch 4 Measurement Issues in Trait Psychology

• Faking
• Seeking job,
• Seeking compensation for mental anguish
• No perfect way to detect
• However, ordinarily, perhaps minimal role

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Ch 4 Measurement Issues in Trait Psychology

• Response Sets
• Responding to item
• E.g., yea-saying
• E.g., extreme responding
• Solution
• Balanced scales

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Ch 4 Measurement Issues in Trait Psychology

• Good, attractive, happy
• yes,
• Socially desirable
• Self motivated to think this way

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Ch 4 Measurement Issues in Trait Psychology

• (Social Desirability)
• 2 views
• 1.
• They undermine validity
• They should be detected, eliminated
• 2.

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Ch 4 Measurement Issues in Trait Psychology

• Social desirability as a trait
• Predicts
• Or might social desirability really contribute to
  these outcomes?

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Ch 4 Measurement Issues in Trait Psychology

• Minimizing Social Desirability Influences
• 1. Using scale to
• Is whats left over more valid?
• 2. Items that do not correlate
• 3. Forced choice, equally desirable (stingy vs.
  wasteful)