Chapter 14 Flashcards
Personality
people’s typical ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving
trait
relatively enduring predisposition that influences our behavior across many situations
nomothetic approach
approach to personality that focuses on identifying general laws that govern the behavior of all individuals
idiographic approach
approach to personality that focuses on identifying the unique configuration of characteristics and life history experiences within an individual
molecular genetic study
investigation that allows researchers to pinpoint genes associated with specific characteristics, including personality traits
psychic determinism
the assumption that all psychological events have a cause
id
reservoir of our most primitive impulses, including sex and aggression
pleasure principle
tendency of the id to strive for immediate gratification
ego
psyche’s executive and principal decision maker
reality principle
tendency of the ego to postpone gratification until it can find an appropriate outlet
superego
our sense of morality
defense mechanisms
unconscious maneuvers intended to minimize anxiety
repression
motivated forgetting of emotionally threatening memories or impulses
denial
refusal to acknowledge current events in our lives
regression
the act of returning psychologically to a younger, and typically simpler and safer, age
reaction-formation
transformation of an anxiety-provoking emotion into its opposite
projection
unconscious attribution of our negative characteristics to others
displacement
directing an impulse from a socially unacceptable target onto a safer and more socially acceptable target
rationalization
providing a reasonable-sounding explanation for unreasonable behaviors or for failures
sublimation
transforming a socially unacceptable impulse into an admired goal
oral stage
psychosexual stage that focuses on the mouth
anal stage
psychosexual stage that focuses on toilet training
phallic stage
psychosexual stage that focuses on the genitals
Oedipus complex
conflict during the phallic stage in which boys supposedly love their mothers romantically and want to eliminate their fathers as rivals
latency stage
psychosexual stage in which sexual impulses are submerged into the unconscious
genital stage
psychosexual stage in which sexual impulses awaken and typically begin to mature into romantic attraction toward others
neo-Freudian theories
theories derived from Freud’s model but with less emphasis on sexuality as a driving force in personality and more optimism regarding the prospects for long term personality growth
style of life
according to Alfred Adler, each person’s distinctive way of achieving superiority
inferiority complex
feelings of low self-esteem that can lead to overcompensation for such feelings
collective unconscious
according to Carl Jung, our shared storehouse of memories that ancestors have passed down to us across generations
archetype
cross-culturally universal symbol
social learning theorists
theorists who emphasize thinking as a central cause of personality
reciprocal determinism
tendency for people to mutually influence each other’s behavior
locus of control
extent to which people believe that reinforcers and punishers lie inside or outside their control
self-actualization
drive to develop our innate potential to the fullest possible extent
conditions of worth
according to Carl Rogers, expectations we place on ourselves for appropriate and inappropriate behavior
incongruence
inconsistency between our personalities and innate dispositions
peak experience
transcendent moment of intense excitement and tranquility marked by a profound sense of connection to the world
factor analysis
statistical technique that analyzes the correlation among responses on personality inventories and other measures
Big Five
five traits that have surfaced repeatedly in factor analyses of personality measurements
lexical approach
assumption that the most crucial features of personality are embedded in our language
structured personality test
paper-and-pencil measure consisting of questions that respondents answer in one of a few fixed ways
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
widely used structured personality test designed to assess symptoms of mental disorders
empirical method of test construction
approach to building tests in which researchers begin with two or more criterion groups and examine which items best differentiate them
face validity
extent to which respondents can tell what the items are measuring
rational/theoretical method of test construction
approach to building tests that requires test developers to begin with a clear-cut conceptualization of a trait and then write item to assess that conceptualization
projective test
test consisting on ambiguous stimuli that examinees must interpret or make sense of
projective hypothesis
hypothesis that in the process of interpreting ambiguous stimuli, examinees project aspects of their personality onto the stimulus
Rorschach Inkblot tests
projective test consisting of 10 symmetrical inkblots
incremental validity
extent to which a test contributes information beyond other more easily collected measures
Thematic Apperception Test
projective test requiring examinees to tell a story in response to ambiguous pictures
graphology
psychological interpretation of handwriting
P.T. Barnum effect
tendency of people to accept descriptions that apply to almost everyone as applying specifically to them
