Self and Personality - Practice Question Answers
Ch 2 - Self and Personality: Practice Question Answers
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Q1. Define: (2 marks each - 40 to 60 words, 2-3 points)
a) Personal identity
- Refers to attributes that make a person different from others such as name, qualities, capabilities, and
beliefs.
- It defines a person's uniqueness at an individual level.
- Personal identity is disclosed when a person mentions their qualities, beliefs, or personal attributes (e.g., "I
am honest").
b) Personality
- Personality is a unique and relatively stable pattern of behaviour, thoughts, and emotions.
- It characterises an individual across situations and time.
- It has both physical and psychological components and is dynamic and adaptive to situations.
c) Reaction formation
- It is a defence mechanism where a person defends against anxiety by adopting behaviours opposite to their
true feelings.
- For example, someone with strong sexual urges may become religiously fervent.
- It distorts reality to reduce anxiety.
d) Projection
Self and Personality - Practice Question Answers
- A defence mechanism where a person attributes their own unacceptable thoughts or traits to others.
- For instance, someone with aggressive tendencies may see others as overly aggressive.
- It helps in reducing anxiety by misattributing feelings.
e) Type A personality
- Individuals show high motivation, impatience, and a sense of urgency.
- They are workaholics and find it hard to relax.
- More prone to coronary heart disease and stress-related issues.
f) Self-efficacy
- Belief in one's ability to perform tasks and control life events.
- People with high self-efficacy take on more risks and feel less fearful.
- It is based on Bandura's social learning theory.
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Q2. 'Self-esteem shows a strong relationship with our everyday behavior'. Justify with an example. (3 marks -
80 to 100 words)
- Self-esteem is a person's judgment of their own value or worth.
- Children with high academic self-esteem perform better in school compared to those with low self-esteem.
- High social self-esteem makes children more liked by peers.
- Those with low self-esteem in all areas are prone to anxiety, depression, and antisocial behaviour.
- Warm and positive parenting helps in developing high self-esteem.
- Children with overly controlling parents often suffer from low self-esteem as they feel less accepted and less
competent.
Self and Personality - Practice Question Answers
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Q3. Discuss the personality type given by Sheldon. (3 marks - 80 to 100 words)
- Sheldon proposed a personality typology based on body build and temperament.
- Endomorphic: Fat, soft, and round; temperamentally relaxed and sociable.
- Mesomorphic: Strong muscles and rectangular body; energetic and courageous.
- Ectomorphic: Thin and fragile; brainy, artistic, and introverted.
- These types link body structure with behaviour traits.
- Though simple and stereotype-like, this typology highlights behavioural tendencies and provides insight into
personality differences.
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Q4. What is meant by delay of gratification? State the techniques of self-control. (4 marks - around 120
words)
- Delay of gratification means deferring immediate pleasure to achieve long-term goals.
- It is a key aspect of self-control and willpower.
- Indian culture promotes self-control through practices like fasting and non-attachment.
- Techniques of self-control:
1. Self-observation: Monitoring one's own behaviour to gather information and make changes.
2. Self-instruction: Guiding oneself through verbal cues to act appropriately.
3. Self-reinforcement: Rewarding oneself for achieving specific goals (e.g., watching a movie after doing
well in exams).
- These techniques help modify behaviour and support long-term achievement.
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Self and Personality - Practice Question Answers
Q5. Enumerate the key features of the trait approach in the understanding of personality. Explain any two of
the trait approaches in detail. (6 marks - around 200 words)
Key Features of Trait Approach:
1. Traits are relatively stable over time and consistent across situations.
2. They include a wide range of behaviours activated by situational demands.
3. Their strengths and combinations vary across individuals.
1. Allport's Trait Theory:
- Proposed by Gordon Allport, who believed individuals possess dynamic traits.
- Classified into:
- Cardinal traits: Dominant characteristics shaping a person's entire behaviour (e.g., Gandhian
non-violence).
- Central traits: General traits like warm, sincere, and diligent, commonly used in references.
- Secondary traits: Less consistent traits, like preferences (e.g., liking mangoes).
- Traits act as intervening variables between stimulus and response.
2. Cattell's Theory:
- Used factor analysis to identify basic traits.
- Proposed 16 source traits that form the building blocks of personality.
- Distinguished between source traits (core) and surface traits (resulting from interaction).
- Developed the 16PF Questionnaire to assess personality.
These approaches provide a structured way to study personality and explain individual differences.
Self and Personality - Practice Question Answers
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Objective Type Questions:
1. Freud referred to this level of awareness as lying in the ______.
Answer: b. Preconscious
2. Identify the defence mechanism used by Aanya.
Answer: d. Rationalization
