AP Psychology Unit 10: Personality Flashcards
Personality
An individual’s characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting
Psychodynamic Theories
Theories that view personality with a focus on the unconscious and the importance of childhood experiences
Psychoanalysis
Freud’s theory of personality that attributes thoughts and actions to unconscious motives and conflicts; the techniques used in treating psychological disorders by seeking to expose and interpret unconscious tensions
Unconscious
According to Freud, a reservoir of mostly unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings, and memories. According to contemporary psychologists, information processing of which we are unaware
Free Association
In psychoanalysis, a method of exploring the unconscious in which the person relaxes and says whatever comes to mind, no matter how trivial or embarrassing. Freud believed that he could trace this line of thoughts and access the unconscious, where he could retrieve, review, and release painful unconscious memories.
Preconscious Mind
Latent parts of the brain that are readily available to the conscious mind, although not currently in use.
Id
A reservoir of unconscious psychic energy that, according to Freud, strives to satisfy basic sexual and aggressive drives. The id operates on the pleasure principle, demanding immediate gratification.
Ego
The largely conscious, “executive” part of personality that, according to Freud, mediates among the demands of the id, superego, and reality. The ego operates on the reality principle, satisfying the id’s desires in ways that will realistically bring pleasure rather than pain
Superego
The part of personality that, according to Freud, represents internalized ideals and provides standards for judgment (the conscience) and for future aspirations. Its demands often oppose the demands of the id
Psychosexual Stages
The childhood stages of development (oral, anal, phallic, latency, genital) during which, according to Freud, the id’s pleasure-seeking energies focus on distinct erogenous zones
Erogenous Zones
Distinct pleasure-sensitive areas on the body. During Freud’s psychosexual stages, pleasure-seeking energies focus on different erogenous zones
Oedipus Complex
According to Freud, a boy’s sexual desires toward his mother and feelings of jealousy and hatred for the rival father
Electra Complex
According to Freud, a girl’s sexual desires toward her father and feelings of jealousy and hatred for the rival mother
Psychosexual Stages: Oral
0-1.5 years
Pleasure centers on the mouth - sucking, biting, chewing
Psychosexual Stages: Anal
1.5-3 years
Pleasure focuses on bowel and bladder elimination; coping with demands for control
Psychosexual Stages: Phallic
3-6 years
Pleasure zone is in the genitals; coping with incestuous sexual feelings
Psychosexual Stages: Latency
6-puberty
A phase of dormant sexual feelings
Psychosexual Stages: Genital
Puberty on
Maturation of sexual interests
Identification
The process by which, according to Freud, children incorporate their parents’ values into their developing superegos. Oftentimes, this process provided people with their gender identity
Fixation
In psychoanalytic theory, according to Freud, a lingering focus of pleasure-seeking energies at an earlier psychosexual stage, in which conflicts were unresolved
Defense Mechanisms
In psychoanalytic theory, the ego’s protective methods of reducing anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality. All defense mechanisms function indirectly and unconsciously
Repression
In psychoanalytic theory, the basic defense mechanism that banishes from consciousness anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories. It is often incomplete, so urges may appear as symbols in dreams or as slips in casual conversation
Freudian Slips
An unintentional error in speech regarded as revealing subconscious feelings
Regression
Relating to an earlier psychosexual stage, where some psychic energy remains fixated
Reaction Formation
Switching unacceptable impulses into their opposites
Projection
Disguising one’s own threatening impulses by attributing them to others
Rationalization
Offering self-justifying explanations in place of the real, more threatening unconscious reasons for one’s actions
Displacement
Shifting sexual or aggressive impulses toward a more acceptable or less threatening object or person
Sublimination
Transferring of unacceptable impulses into socially valued motives
Denial
Refusing to believe or even perceive painful realities
Neo-Freudians
A group of psychoanalysts who adopted Freud’s techniques (interviews) and accepted his personality structures (id, ego, and superego). They broke off from Freud in two ways:
1. They placed more emphasis on the conscious mind’s role in interpreting experience and in coping with the environment
2. They doubted sex and aggression were all-consuming motivations, trying to emphasize loftier motives and social interactions
Collective Unconscious
Carl Jung’s concept of a shared, inherited reservoir of memory traced from our species’ history. Modern psychologists doubt that experiences are inherited but they believe that shared evolutionary history shaped universal dispositions and that experience can leave epigenetic marks affecting gene expression.
Projective Tests
A personality test, such as the Rorschach, that provides ambiguous images designed to trigger the projection of one’s inner dynamics
Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
A projective test in which people express their inner feelings and interests through stories they make up about ambiguous scenes
Rorschach Inkblot Test
The most widely used projective test; a set of 10 inkblots, designed by Hermann Rorschach; seeks to identify people’s inner feelings by analyzing their interpretations of the blots
Rorschach Inkblot Test
The most widely used projective test; a set of 10 inkblots, designed by Hermann Rorschach; seeks to identify people’s inner feelings by analyzing their interpretations of the blots
False Consensus Effect
The tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and behaviors. This confirms Freud’s theory of projection, though it is less motivated by unconscious sexual drives and more motivated by the need to protect our self-image
Terror-Management Theory
A theory of death-related anxiety; explores people’s emotional and behavioral responses to reminders of their impending death. Supports Freud’s idea that we unconsciously defend ourselves against anxiety
Humanistic Theories
Theories that view personality with a focus on the potential for healthy personal growth
Hierarchy of Needs
Maslow’s pyramid of human needs, beginning at the base with physiological needs that must first be satisfied before higher-level safety needs and then psychological needs become active
Self-Actualization
According to Maslow, one of the ultimate psychological needs that arises after basic physical and psychological needs are met and self-esteem is achieved; the motivation to fulfill one’s potential
Self-Transcendence
According to Maslow, the striving for identity, meaning, and purpose beyond the self
Person-Centered Perspective
Rogers’ and Maslow’s idea that people are basically good and are endowed with self-actualizing tendencies.
Growth-Promoting Environments
Rogers believes that growth-promoting environments include:
1. Acceptance
2. Genuineness
3. Empathy
Unconditional Positive Regard
A caring, accepting, nonjudgmental attitude, which Carl Rogers believed would help people develop self-awareness and self-acceptance
Self-Concept
All of our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in answer to the question, “Who am I.” A positive self-concept allows us to act and perceive the world positively, and vice-versa
Life Story Approach
A humanistic psychologist’s preference to engage in deep conversation with their clients to collect a rich narrative detailing their life history
Trait
A characteristic pattern of behavior or a disposition to feel and act in certain ways, as assessed by self-report inventories and peer reports
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
A popular personality test that sorts people into one of Carl Jung’s personality types. Even though most people agree with the personality they are classified as, a National Research Council report noted that the test’s use has outrun its validity as a job performance predictor
Factor Analysis
A statistical procedure that identifies clusters (factors) of test items that tap basic components of a trait
Eysenck Personality Questionnaire
A test composed by Hans and Sybil Eysenck that measured personality on two dimensions: extraversion-introversion and emotional stability-instability
Personality Inventory
A questionnaire (often with true-false or agree-disagree items) on which people respond to items designed to gauge a wide range of feelings and behaviors; used to assess selected personality traits
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)
The most widely researched and clinically used of all personality tests. Originally developed to identify emotional disorders (still considered its most appropriate use), this test is now used for many other screening purposes
Empirically Derived Test
A test (such as the MMPI) created by selecting from a pool of items those that discriminate between groups
The Big Five Factors
Five major aspects of the personality as defined by Robert McCrae and Paul Costa
Conscientiousness
Agreeableness
Neuroticism (emotional stability vs. instability)
Openness
Extraversion
Conscientiousness
Disorganized, careless, impulsive –> organized, careful, disciplined
Agreeableness
Ruthless, suspicious, uncooperative –> soft-hearted, trusting, helpful
Neuroticism
Calm, secure, self-satisfied –> anxious, insecure, self-pitying
Openness
Practical, prefers routine, conforming –> Imaginative, prefers variety, independent
Extraversion
Retiring, sober, reserved –> sociable, fun-loving, affectionate
Maturity Principle
As we age, we become more conscientious and agreeable and less neurotic
Person-Situation Controversy
the question of which is more important in predicting behavior: one’s personality traits or their situations?
Social-Cognitive Perspective
Views behavior as influenced by the interaction between people’s traits (including their thinking) and their social context
Behavioral Approach
Focuses on the effects of learning on our personality development
Reciprocal Determinism
Interacting influences of behavior, internal condition, and environment
Self
In contemporary psychology, assumed to be the center of personality the organizer of our thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Possible Selves
Your visions of the self you dream of becoming (rich, loved, admired) and of the self you fear becoming (unemployed, lonely, hated). Possible selves motivate our behavior and cause us to lay out specific goals
Spotlight Effect
Ovrtestimsting others’ noticing and evaluating our appearance, performance, and blunders (as if we presume a spotlight shines on us).
Self-Esteem
One’s feelings of high or low self-worth
Self-Efficacy
One’s sense of competence and effectiveness
Dunning Krueger Effect
The principle that those who are most incompetent tend to perceive themselves as the most competent
Self-Serving Bias
A readiness to perceive oneself favorably
Narcissism
Excessive self-love and self-absorption
Purposes of Self-Disparagement
- Sometimes self-directed put-downs are subtly strategic, eliciting reassuring strokes
- They may prepare a person for failure
- They help us learn from our mistakes
- It frequently pertains to one’s old self
Defensive Self-Esteem
A fragile type of self-esteem that focuses on sustaining itself, making failure or criticism threatening. Defensive people respond to threats with aggression or anger
Secure Self-Esteem
A less fragile form of self-esteem that is less contingent on external evaluations and focuses on one’s internal characeristics
Individualism
Giving priority to one’s own goals over group goals and defining one’s identity in terms of personal attributed rather than group identifications
Collectivism
Giving priority to the goals of one’s group (often one’s extended family or work group) and defining one’s identity accordingly
Individualism vs. Collectivism: The Self
Individualists: View the self as independent and derived from individual traits
Collectivists: Viewed the self as interdependent and derived from their group
Individualism vs. Collectivism: Life Task
Individualists: To discover and express one’s uniqueness
Collectivists: To maintain connections, fit in, and perform a role
Individualism vs. Collectivism: What Matters
Individualists: “Me;” personal achievement and fulfillment, rights and liberties, self-esteem
Collectivists: “Us;” group goals and solidarity, social responsibilities and relationships, and family duty
Individualism vs. Collectivism: Coping Methods
Individualists: To change reality
Collectivists: To accommodate to reality
Individualism vs. Collectivism: Morality
Individualists: Defined by the individual (self-based)
Collectivists: Defined by social networks (duty-based)
Individualism vs. Collectivism: Relationships
Individualists: Many, often temporary or casual. Confrontation is acceptable
Collectivists: Few, close and enduring. Harmony is valued
