Personality 1 Flashcards
personality
the unique way in which each individual thinks, acts, and feels throughout life
character
the value judgements made about a person’s morals or ethical behavior
temperament
the enduring characteristics with which each person is born, such as irritability or adaptability
based in biology
basis upon which larger personality built
personality combination of
temperaments, personal history of family, culture, time which person grew up
psychodynamic perspective
freud
focuses on role of unconscious mind in development of personality
heavily focused on biological causes of personality differences
behaviorist perspective
based on theories of learning
focuses on effect of environment on behavior and includes aspects of social cognitive theory in that interactions with others and personal thought processes also influence learning and personality
humanistic perspective
reaction against psychoanalytic and behaviorist
focuses on role of each person’s conscious life experiences and choices in personality development
trait perspective
concerned with end result, characteristics themselves
some but not all assume traits biologically determined
difference between psychodynamic, behaviorist, and humanistic and trait perspective
psych, bx, and human all seek to explain process that causes personality to form into unique characteristics
trait more concerned with end result
unconscious mind
part of mind hidden at all times, surfacing only in symbolic form in dreams and in some of bx people engage in without knowing why they have done so
most important determining factor in human bx and personality
three parts of mind freud
preconscious, conscious, unconscious
three parts of personality freud
id, ego, superego
id
first and most primitive part
completely unconscious, pleasure-seeking, amoral part of personality
exists at birth
contains all of basic biological drives
want needs satisfied immediately, don’t care about others,
pleasure principle
pleasure principle
desire for immediate gratification of needs with no regard for the consequences
if it feels good, do it
ego
develops to deal with reality
mostly conscious
more rational, logical, and cunning than id
reality principle
sometimes decides to deny id its desires bc consequences would be too painful/unpleasant
reality principle
need to satisfy demands of id only in ways that will not lead to negative consequences
if it feels good, do it, but only if you can get away with it
superego
third and final part
moral center of personality
develops as preschool kid learns rules, customs, and expectations of society
conscience
conscience
the part of the personality that makes people feel guilt when they do the wrong thing
not until this develops that kids have sense of right and wrong
moral anxiety
guilt
conflict
id makes demands, superego restricts demands, ego has to satisfy both
id or superego doesn’t get way, anxiety for ego
constant state of conflict results in disordered bx if too much
psychological defense mechanisms
ways of dealing with anxiety through unconsciously distorting one’s perception of reality
important tool for dealing with anxiety
psychosexual stages
freud
personality development occurs in a series of these
determined by developing sexuality of child
erogenous zone for age becomes important and can become source of conflicts
erogenous zone
area of the body that produces pleasurable feelings
fixation
conflicts that aren’t fully resolved
getting stuck to some degree in a stage of development
child grows into adult but will still carry emotional and psychological baggage from earlier fixated stage
oral stage
first 18 months
erogenous zone is mouth
conflict: weaning
too soon or too late weaning = orally fixated adult personality
overindulged: too dependent and optimistic
oral needs denied: too aggressive and pessimistic
anal stage
18 months to 3 years
erogenous zone is anus
conflict: toilet training
invasion of reality, stimulates development of ego
fixation: child openly refuses to go in toilet and translates into anal expulsive, or child refuse to go at all, anal retentive
anal expulsive personality
someone who sees messiness as a statement of personal control and who is somewhat destructive and hostile
anal retentive personality
stingy, stubborn, and excessively neat
phallic stage
3 to 6 years
erogenous zone is genitals
awakening of sexual curiosity and interest in genitals
boys have castration anxiety, girls have penis envy
conflict: awakening sexual feelings of kid
oedipus and electra complex
castration anxiety
boy fear of losing penis
penis envy
girl desire to have penis
oedipus complex
boys develop sexual attraction to mothers and jealousy of fathers, anxiety and fears that dad might cut off penis
to deal with anxiety boy repress sexual feelings for mom and identify with dad, try to be exactly like dad
electra complex
girls develop sexual attraction to dad, mother is rival, result similar to boy
result of identification oedipus/electra
development of superego, internalized moral values of same sex parent
fixation phallic stage
if don’t have same sex parent to identify with or if opposite sex parent encourages sexual attraction
immature sexual attitude as adult
promiscuous, vain, vanity cover up for low self worth bc can’t resolve complex, promiscuous bc no identify and no form superego well
men = mama’s boys, women = look for older father figures to marry
latency stage
6 years to puberty
kids push sexual feelings for opposite sex into unconscious in repression
hidden (latent) sexual feelings
kids grow and develop intellectually, physically, and socially but not sexually
boys play w boys, girls w girls
genital stage
puberty on
bodies changing, sexual urges, can’t repress feelings anymore
parents not targets anymore
focus of sexual curiosity and attraction will become other adolescents, celebrities
final stage
entry into adult social and sexual bx
