Emotions, Self-Esteem, and Personality Flashcards
Define
Personality
The behaviors, attitudes, feelings, and thoughts that define and individual.
Identify:
The five central traits researchers use to descibe how people behave, relate to others, and react to change.
- Extroversion
- Agreeableness
- Conscientiousness
- Emotional stability
- Openess to experiences
Explain:
Extroversion/Introversion
Extroverts are often sociable, outgoing, and talkative. They are mostly comfortable in groups of people.
Introverts are likely to be reserved, shy, and quiet. They prefer spending time alone or in small groups.
Explain:
Agreeableness
Agreeable people are often cooperative, relate in friendly ways with others, and are good-natured and forgiving. They are trustworthy of other people.
Disagreeable people, however, are hostile and distrustful of other people and are always assuming that others are exploitatives and unreliable.
Explain:
Conscientiousness
Conscientious people are self disciplined and responsible and can be relied upon for wise decision-making. Their approach to tasks is through, deliberate, and organized. In contrast, some people make decisions quickly, without thinking things through and are easily distracted from their tasks. Such individuals can lost interest in a task before completion.
Explain:
Emotional stability
Emotionally stable people are often relaxed, secure, and think positively even during difficult situations.
Emotionally unstable people are often angry, fearful, and worries, often thinking the worst in every situation.
Explain:
Openness to experience
Characteristics of openminded people includes curiosity, creativity, and imagination. Such individuals are less predictable and have many interests.
Those who are less open-minded are more predictable and less independent in which case they are more likely to imitate other people’s actions.
Explain:
Nature and Nurture
Personality traits are influenced by a combination of heredity and environment.
Our personalities are shaped by nature and nurture.
Nature is a collection of traits inherited from our environment.
Nurture refers to the surroundings and experiences in which one is born and raised.
This trait describes how responsible and self-disciplined you are.
Conscientiousness
This psychologist proposed that “personality develops throughout life as people meet a series of challenges.”
Erik Erikson
The eight stages of life proposed by Erik Erikson.
- Develop trust
- Learn to be independent
- Take initiative
- Develop skills
- Search for identity
- Establish intimacy
- Create and nurture
- Look back with acceptance
Explain:
Stage 1
(The eight stages of life proposed by Erik Erikson)
Develop trust
An infant learns to trust people when the people it depends on are able to provide them with affection, clean diapers, and food. Over time, failure to meet these basic needs can lead to mistrust and withdrawal from people.
Explain:
Stage 2
(The eight stages of life proposed by Erik Erikson)
Learn to be independent
At this phase, young children learn to do tasks independently.
Examples include using the toilet or walking. Inability to learn these taks creates self-doubt. Ridicule of these inibilities can create shame in the developing child.
Explain:
Stage 3
(The eight stages of life proposed by Erik Erikson)
Take initiative
During this stage, children start to plan their own activities. Through imitating others and through fantasy play, they begin to develop a sense of right and wrong. If children are harshly scolded for poor choices, they may feel unworthy, guilty, or resentful.
Explain:
Stage 4
Develop skills
Children acquire skills, such as co-existing with other people, understaking household chores, and excelling in school, which will be vital for adulthood.
Success makes them feel competent enought to attain their goals, whereas never experienciung success can create feelings of failure.
Explain:
Stage 5
(The eight stages of life proposed by Erik Erikson)
Search for identity
Erikson notes that the main challenge in the teenage years is to establish their identity, or a sense of self, by understanding who you are and your ambitions in life.
It may compel other teens into new experiences and behaviors that contradict family teachings. Other teenagers may adjust their identities to comply with cultural or family standards.
Explain:
Stage 6
(The eight stages of life proposed by Erik Erikson)
Establish intimacy
Young adults grapple with establishing and sustaining close bonds with other people. Commiting to other people will earn you their support in challenging times.
Explain:
Stage 7
(The eight stages of life proposed by Erik Erikson)
Create and nurture
This challenge usually arises in middle adulthood where the focus is on staying creative and productive in all spheres of life. Success comes from mentoring younger people to become better.
Explain:
Stage 8
(The eight stages of life proposed by Erik Erikson)
Look back with acceptance
Older adulthood is a stage for reflection during which you embrace the choices made while regretting the opportunities that may have been missed.
Define:
Self-esteem
The amount of respect and admiration you have for yourself.
Explain:
Benefits of high self-esteem
High self-esteem is characterized by self-acceptance, including personal strengths and weaknesses.
Such individuals maintain a positive attitude even in the face of dissapointments. They respect and value themselves and, therefore, can establish close relationships with people who treat them the same way.
According to research, those who feel good about themselves are likely to avoid risky behaviors, exercise consistently, and get over dissapointments quickly.
Explain:
Risks of low self-esteem
Low self-esteem is characterized by low self-respect, harsh judgement on oneself, and worrying about other people’s perceptions of them.
Individuals with low self-esteem conceal their insecurities by acting out in public, there they are often afraid of trying new things for fear of ridicule or failure.
In their opinion, they can only succeed through luck rather than hard work.
Teens with low self-esteem are suceptible to early pregnancy, eating disorders, drug abuse, and dropping out of school. Some of them could engage in self-destructive or violent behaviors.
How does self-esteem develop?
Self-esteem constantly fluctuates in the course of interactions with various people.
On average, self-esteem drops in early adolecense, increases gradually during adulthood, and decreases again toward the end of life.
List a few ways to help boost your self-esteem.
- make a list of your strengths and weaknesses
- set ambitious, but realistic goals for yourself
- do not be too hard on yourself
- rely on your values
- learn to accept compliments
- look beyond your own concerns
- do not focus too much on appearance
Identify:
The process in which people desire to reach their full potential.
self-actualization
Proposed by psychologist Abraham Maslow
Identify:
Before people can achieve self-actualization, their basic needs must be met. These needs are physical needs, the need to feel safe, the need to belong, and the need for esteem.
Hierarchy of needs
Explain:
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
- Physical needs: food, sleep, and water
- Safety: shelter from violence, cold, rain, and heat
- Belonging: to boost emotional health, people need to feel loved and accepted by connecting with other people
- Esteem: the need for esteem inclused the need for self-esteem and the need for the approval of others
Identify:
Primary emotions
Happiness, sadness, anger, and fear
Define:
Emotion
A reaction to situations involving your heavior, mind, and body.
Identify:
Learned emotions
(alt. social emotions)
Love, guilt, and shame
Define and Explain:
Coping strategy
A coping strategy is a method for handling unbearable or uncomfortable situations and feelings.
Coping strategies are helpful when they improve a situation or allow a person to handle a situation in a better way. Coping strategies are harmful when they make a situation worse, or a person is less able to handle a situation.
Define and Explain:
Defrense mechanisms
Defence mechanisms are coping strategies that people use to safeguard themselves from difficult feelings.
Defence mechanisms are unconscious in that you may not even be aware that you are using them.
Examples of defence mechanisms include:
* Denial
* Compensation
* Rationalization
* Reaction formation
* Projection
* Regression
What are some helpful ways of coping?
- Confronting the situation and undertaking actions to improve it
- Reducing tense feelings through hosuehold chores, exercise, or other productive activities
- Taking time out by reading books, journal writing, listening to music, taking walks, or just relaxing
- Confide in a family member, counselor, friend, or any other close acquaintance. Sometimes pouring your heart out can help you see things in a positive and fresh perspective.
