Chapter 6: Identity and Personality Flashcards
Define self-concept.
Describes the sum of all the phrases that come to mind when we think of who we are, who we used to be, and who we may become in the future
Define identity.
Describes a set of behaviors and labels we take on when in a specific group
What is a self-schema?
Self-given label that carries with it a set of qualities
Can we have multiple self-concepts or identities?
- Only one self-concept
- Multiple identities that define who we are and how we should behave within any given context
Define gender identity.
Describes a person’s appraisal of him or herself on scales of masculinity and femininity
What is androgyny?
The state of being simultaneously very masculine and very feminine
What is being undifferentiated?
Those who achieve low scores on both masculine and feminine scales
Define ethnic identity.
Refers to one’s ethnic group, in which members typically share a common ancestry, cultural heritage, and language
What three factors contribute to a person’s ethnic identity? How are these factors different from those that determine national identity?
- Common ancestry, cultural heritage and language
- National identity is determined by the political borders of where one lives, and the cultural identity of that nation
How are our hierarchies organized?
- Hierarchy of salience
- The situation dictates which identity holds the most importance for us at any given moment
What does the self-discrepancy theory state?
Each of us has three selves
What are the three selves of the self-discrepancy theory?
1) Actual self: the way we see ourselves as we currently are
2) Ideal self: the person we would like to be
3) Ought self: our representation of the way others think we should be
How does the self-discrepancy theory relate to self-esteem?
The closer our three selves are to one another, the higher our self-esteem or self-worth will be
Define self-efficacy.
- Our belief in our ability to succeed; which can vary by activity
- Self-efficacy can be depressed past the point of recovery
What can lead us to take on tasks we are not ready for, which leads to frustration and humiliation?
Overconfidence
Define learned helplessness. It is used as a model for what?
State of hopelessness and resignation resulting from being unable to avoid repeated negative stimuli; often used as a model for depression
Define locus of control.
Refers to the way we characterize the influences in our lives
Compare internal locus of control and external locus on control.
Internal: view themselves as controlling their own fate
External: feel that events in their lives are caused by luck or outside influences
According to Freud, when does the libido develop?
The libido is present at birth
According to Freud, what were the underlying dynamic forces that accounted for human psychological processes?
Libidinal energy and the drive to reduce libidinal tension
In each of Freud’s distinct stages of psychosexual development, what conflict are the children faced with?
A conflict between societal demands and the desire to reduce the libidinal tension associated with different erogenous zones of the body
How do the stages of Freud’s psychosexual development differ?
Differs in the manner in which libidinal energy is manifested and the way in which libidinal drive is met
When does fixation occur?
When a child is overindulged or overly frustrated during a stage of development
What does a child do in response to the anxiety caused by fixation? What is this called?
- Child forms a personality pattern based on that particular stage, which persists into adulthood as a functional mental disorder known as neurosis