Lecture 6 Flashcards
What is Flow as defined by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi?
A feature of conscious experience characterized by:
* A perceived match between personal skills and environmental challenge
* A high level of focused attention
* Involvement in an activity such that time seems to fly by
* A sense of intrinsic enjoyment in the activity
* A temporary loss of self-consciousness
What did Wrzesniewski and colleagues investigate regarding motives?
They asked whether internal motives (intrinsic) or external motives (extrinsic) produce better outcomes, and if a combination of both is optimal.
What was the outcome of the study conducted at West Point Military Academy?
Cadets with strong internal motives were more likely to graduate and receive early promotion recommendations compared to those with strong instrumental motives.
True or False: Cadets with both strong internal and instrumental motives performed better than those with only strong internal motives.
False
What are the two caveats mentioned about Self-Determination Theory?
- Principles of motivation may be culturally specific
- The importance lies in why the goal is pursued, not just the goal itself
According to Deci and Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory, what are the three inherent psychological needs?
- Autonomy
- Competence
- Relatedness
What is the relationship between intrinsic motives and self-actualization?
Endorsement of intrinsic reasons for a goal is associated with self-actualization, unlike endorsement of extrinsic reasons.
What cultural differences were found in intrinsic motivation related to choices made by authority figures?
Anglo-American children showed more intrinsic motivation when they made their own choices, while Asian-American children showed greater intrinsic motivation when choices were made for them by trusted authority figures.
How does self-concept differ between Western and Eastern cultures according to Zhu et al. (2007)?
In Western cultures, the self is distinct from others, while in Eastern cultures, the self is closely intertwined with others, such as family.
What is the effect of self-criticism in Japanese culture?
It motivates self-improvement that can benefit both the individual and society.
What is the Personality Systems Interaction (PSI) Theory?
It identifies different types of mental systems with distinct functional properties, including analytical thinking, holistic thinking, intuitive behavior control, and discrepancy detection.
What did Crocker et al. find about students who base self-esteem on academic performance?
Their self-esteem fluctuated significantly based on academic acceptances and rejections.
What does Terror Management Theory (TMT) examine?
The consequences of people’s awareness of death and their desire to live.
What is one of the implications of TMT regarding mortality salience?
Increased mortality salience results in a greater need to defend cultural worldviews.
What did Higgins’s theory suggest about discrepancies between the actual self and ideal self?
They lead to dejection-related emotions such as disappointment, sadness, or depression.
Fill in the blank: According to Rogers, psychological pathology results from discrepancies between self-concept and _______.
[actual experience]
What are the four functionally distinct personality systems identified in PSI?
- Analytical Thinking System
- Holistic Thinking-and-Feeling System
- Intuitive Behavior Control System
- Discrepancy Detection System
What does research suggest about people pursuing self-determined, intrinsic goals?
They show greater effort and persistence compared to those pursuing externally pushed goals.
What is a central feature of human experience according to existential psychology?
Thoughts of death.
What did Crocker and Wolfe’s research on contingencies of self-worth reveal?
Self-esteem may fluctuate significantly based on positive and negative events.
What are the emotional experiences linked to discrepancies between the actual self and ought self according to Higgins?
Agitation-related emotions such as fear, threat, or anxiety.
What is the significance of the medical prefrontal cortex (MPFC) in cultural self-concept research?
It shows different activation patterns during self-judgments and judgments about others based on cultural background.
What does the concept of authenticity relate to in personality research?
It is associated with being a more fully functioning person.
True or False: Self-esteem is found to serve as an anxiety-buffering effect in relation to death anxiety.
True
