Question

Prior research has shown that people high in _____ are particularly averse to feelings of _____, and as a result, they engage in distraction, denial, or focus on the positive to avoid thinking about related topics.

a) anxiety; happiness
b) neuroticism; negativity
c) conscientiousness; responsibility
d) extroversion; loneliness

Answer 1

Answer b) neuroticism; negativity is correct. Individuals high in neuroticism tend to be averse to negative emotions and may use coping strategies like distraction and denial to avoid these feelings.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question you've asked pertains to personality traits and their relation to coping strategies. Specifically, the research mentioned is referring to individuals high in neuroticism being averse to feelings of negativity. Such individuals tend to avoid negative thinking by engaging in behaviors like distraction, denial, or focusing on positive aspects to avert their attention from negative feelings. This implies that the correct answer is b) neuroticism; negativity. Neuroticism is one of the five personality traits in the Big Five personality trait theory, often associated with negative emotions such as anxiety, fear, moodiness, worry, envy, frustration, jealousy, and loneliness.