Question 90

Dr. Arden is most likely to agree with the trait approach to personality.

Dr. Arden's belief in understanding her clients' personalities through a few specific, stable characteristics aligns closely with the trait approach to personality. This approach focuses on identifying and measuring individual personality traits that are consistent over time.

A) Social cognitive

The social cognitive approach emphasizes the role of social interactions and cognitive processes in shaping personality. It suggests that personality is learned through experiences and is not solely based on stable traits, making it inconsistent with Dr. Arden's view of personality as defined by a few stable characteristics.

B) Trait

The trait approach is centered on the idea that personality is composed of a set of stable characteristics that influence behavior. Dr. Arden's focus on understanding her clients through specific traits directly aligns with this approach, as it seeks to categorize and quantify these enduring characteristics.

C) Psychodynamic

The psychodynamic approach is rooted in the belief that unconscious processes and early childhood experiences shape personality. It focuses more on the underlying motives and conflicts rather than stable traits, which contradicts Dr. Arden's belief in a few specific characteristics as the basis for understanding personality.

D) Humanistic

The humanistic approach emphasizes personal growth and self-actualization, focusing on the individual's subjective experience. While it values personality, it does not primarily categorize it into stable traits, which is contrary to Dr. Arden's perspective of defining personality through specific characteristics.

E) Behavioral

The behavioral approach posits that personality is shaped by learned behaviors through interaction with the environment. It focuses on observable behavior rather than stable internal traits, which does not align with Dr. Arden's belief in understanding personality through specific characteristics.

Conclusion

The trait approach is the most fitting for Dr. Arden's perspective, as it directly involves the analysis of stable characteristics that define personality. All other options, including social cognitive, psychodynamic, humanistic, and behavioral approaches, emphasize different aspects of personality that do not align with her focus on specific, stable traits. This makes the trait approach the definitive answer in understanding Dr. Arden's beliefs.