Behavioral Sciences 6: Identity and Personality Flashcards
Self-schema
self-given label that carries with it a set of qualities
self-concept
the sum of the ways in which we describe ourselves
who we are in the present, who we used to be, and who we might be in the future
Identity
individual components of our self-concept related to the groups to which we belong
Gender identity
describes a person’s appraisal of him- of herself on scales of masculinity and femininity
is usually well established by age three, but can morph and change over time
Androgyny
state of being simultaneously very masculine and very feminine
Undifferentiated (identity)
low scores on both scales of masculinity and femininity
gender schema
theory that holds that key components of gender identity are transmitted through cultural and societal means
Ethnic identity
one’s ethnic group, in which members typically share a common ancestry, cultural heritage, and language
Nationality
result of shared history, media, cuisine, and national symbols such as a country’s flag
Hierarchy of salience
dictates which identity holds the most importance for us at any given moment
the more salient (noticeable) our identity, the more we conform to the role expectations of the identity
Self-discrepancy theory
maintains that each of us has three selves; actual self, ideal self, and ought self
Actual self
the way we see ourselves as we currently are
Ideal self
the person we would like to be
Ought self
our representation of the way others think we should be
self-esteem
self-worth; a measure of how we feel about ourselves
the closer our three selves (actual, ideal, ought) are to each other, the higher our self-worth
Self-efficacy
our belief in our ability to succeed
Locus of control
the way we characterize the influences in our lives
can be internal (self-control) or external
Freud’s five stages of psychosexual development
Freud’s theory that children are faced with a conflict between societal demands and the desire to reduce the libidinal tension associated with different erogenous zones of the body
- oral stage
- anal stage
- phallic stage
- latency stage
- genital stage
Fixation
failure during Freud’s psychosexual stages of development to release libidinal energy
occurs when a child is overindulged or overly frustrated during a stage of development
Neurosis
relatively mild mental illness that is not caused by organic disease, involving symptoms of stress (depression, anxiety, obsessive behavior, hypochondria) but not a radical loss of touch with reality
formed in response to the anxiety caused by fixation
Oral Stage
first stage of psychosexual development
0 to 1 year
gratification is obtained primarily through putting objects into the mouth, biting, and sucking
Anal Stage
second stage of psychosexual development
1 to 3 years
libido is centered on the anus and gratification is gained through the elimination and retention of waste materials
Phallic (Oedipal) stage
third stage of psychosexualdevelopment
3 to 5 years
male: Oedipal conflict - child envies his father’s intimate relationship with his mother and fears castration at his father’s hands; resolved by sublimation - child largely de-eroticizes his feelings for his mother and begins to identify with his father
female: Electra conflict - also resolved by sublimation; have penis envy, may act masculine; may be less morally developed
latency stage
fourth stage of psychosexual development
libido is sublimated until puberty
Genital stage
fifth stage of psychosexual development
beginning in puberty and lasting through adulthood
if prior development occurred, the person should enter a healthy heterosexual relationship
if sexual trauma of childhood occurred/has not been resolved, the person may become a homosexual, asexual, or develop a fetish
Erik Erikson
developed stages of personality development based on a series of crises that derive from conflicts between needs and social demands
Erikson’s psychosocial development
- Trust vs. mistrust
- autonomy vs. shame and doubt
- initiative vs. guilt
- industry vs. inferiority
- identity vs. role confusion
- intimacy vs. isolation
- generativity vs. stagnation
- integrity vs. despair
Trust vs. mistrust
first conflict of Erikson psychosocial development
0 to 1 year
child will come to trust his environment as well as himself
if not, the child will often be suspicious of the world
Can I trust the world?
Autonomy vs. shame and doubt
second conflict of psychosocial development
1 to 3 years
the child feels that he is able to exert control over the world and to exercise choice as well as self-restraint
if not, a sense of doubt and a persistent external locus of control
Is it okay to be me?
Initiative vs. guilt
third conflict of psychosocial development
3 to 6 years
the child has a sense of purpose, the ability to initiate activities, and the ability to enjoy accomplishment
if not, the child will be overcome by the fear of punishment and may either unduly restrict himself or may overcompensate by showing off
Is it okay for me to do, move, and act?
Industry vs. inferiority
fourth conflict of psychosocial development
6 to 12 years
the child will feel competent, be able to exercise his or her abilities and intelligence in the world, and be able to affect the world in the way that the child desires
if not, a sense of inadequacy, a sense of inability to act in a competent manner, and low self-esteem
Can I make it in the world of people and things?
Identity vs. role confusion
fifth stage of psychosocial development
12 to 20 years
physiological revolution; the child/adult is able to practice fidelity, the ability to see oneself as a unique and integrated person with sustained loyalties
if not, child experiences confusion about his/her identity and an amorphous personality that shifts from day to day
Who am I? What can I be?
Intimacy vs. Isolation
sixth conflict of psychosocial development
20 to 40 years
the adult is able to love, has the ability to have intimate relationships with others, and the ability to commit oneself to another person and to one’s own goals
if not, there will be an avoidance of commitment, alienation, and distancing of oneself from others and one’s ideals
Can I love?
Generativity vs. stagnation
seventh conflict of psychosocial development
40 to 65 years
the person is capable of being a productive, caring, and contributing member of society
if not, a sense of stagnation and may become self-indulgent, bored, and self-centered with little care for others
Can I make my life count?
Integrity vs. despair
eighth conflict of psychosocial development
above 65 years
the person will have wisdom, assurance in the meaning of life, dignity, and an acceptance with death
if not, the person will have feelings of bitterness about one’s life, a feeling that life has been worthless, and fear over one’s own impending death
Is it okay to have been me?
Kohlberg’s moral reasoning
theory of personality development that focuses on the development of moral thinking
-
preconventional morality
- obedience
- self-interest
-
conventional morality
- conformity
- law and order
-
postconventional morality
- social contract
- universal human ethics
thought of it as a progression in which each stage is adopted and then abandoned for the next as the individual progresses
Preconventional morality
first phase of moral reasoning
typical of preadolescent thinking and places an emphasis on the consequences of the moral choice
stage one is obedience - avoiding punishment
stage two is self-interest - gaining rewards
also called the instrumental relativist stage because its based on the concepts of reciprocity and sharing
Conventional morality
second phase of moral reasoning
begins to develop in early adolescence when individuals begin to see themselves in terms of their relationships to others; based on understanding and accepting social rules
stage three is conformity - obedience to social norms
places emphasis on the “good boy, nice girl” orientation in which a person seeks the approval of others
stage four is law and order - maintains the social order in the highest regard
Postconventional morality
third phase of moral reasoning
describes a level of reasoning that Kohlberg claimed not everyone was capable of and is based on social mores
stage five is social contract - views moral rules as conventions that are designed to ensure the greater good, with reasoning focused on individual rights
stage six is universal human ethics - reasons that decisions should be made in consideration of abstract principles
Vygotsky’s cultural and biosocial development
engine driving cognitive development was the child’s internalization of various aspects of the culture: rules, symbols, language
Zone of Proximal Development
Vygotsky;
skills and abilities that a child has not yet fully developed but are in the process of development and require a more knowledgeable other to acquire
Theory of mind
ability to sense how another’s mind works
ex. understanding how a person is interpreting a story while you tell it
Looking-glass self
the process wherein individuals base their sense of self on how they believe others view them
relies on others reflecting our selves back to ourselves
Id
consists of all the basic, primal, inborn urges to survive and reproduce
functions according to the pleasure principle
Superego
personality’s perfectionist, judging our actions, and responding with pride at our accomplishments and guilt at our failures
desires are refined and focused on the ideal self
Preconscious
thoughts that we aren’t currently aware of
