Personality Flashcards
Psychoanalysis
Freud’s theory of personality that attributes thoughts and actions to unconscious motives and conflicts the techniques used in treating psychological disorders by seeking to expose and interpret unconscious tensions
Unconscious
According to Freud, a reservoir of mostly unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings, and memories. Information processing of which we are unaware
Id
A reservoir of unconscious psychic energy that, according to Freud, strives to satisfy basic sexual and aggressive drives. The id operates on the pleasure principle, demanding immediate gratification
Ego
The largely conscious, “executive” part of personality that, according to Freud, mediated among the demands of the id, superego, and reality. Operates on he reality principle, satisfying the id’s desires in ways that will realistically bring pleasure rather than pain
Superego
The part of personality that, according to Freud, represents internalized ideals and provides standards standards for judgment (the conscience) and for future aspirations
Psychosexual stages
The childhood stages of development (oral, anal, phallic, latency, genital) during which, according to freud, the id’s pleasure-seeking energies focus on distinct erogenous zones
Oedipus complex
A boys sexual desires toward his mother and feelings of jealousy and hatred for the rival father
Identification
The process by which, children incorporate their parents’ values into their developing superegos
Fixation
A lingering focus of pleasure-seeking energies at an earlier psychosexual stage, in which conflicts were unresolved
Defense mechanisms
In psychoanalytic theory, the ego’s protective methods of reducing anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality
Repression
In psychoanalytic theory, the basic defense mechanism that banishes from consciousness anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories
Psychodynamic theories
Modern day approaches that view personality with a focus on the unconscious and the importance of childhood experiences
Collective unconscious
Carl Jung’s concept of a shared, inherited reservoir of memory traces from our species’ history
Projective test
A personality test, such as Rorschach, that provides ambiguous stimuli designed to trigger projection of one’s inner dynamics
Thematic apperception test
A proven move test in which people express their inner feelings and interests through the stories they make up about ambiguous scenes
Rorschach ink blot test
The most widely used projective test, a set of 10 inkblots, designed by Hermann Rorschach; seeks to identify people’s inner feelings by analyzing their interpretations of the blots
False consensus effect
The tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and our behaviors
Terror-management theory
A theory of death related anxiety; explores people’s emotional and behavioral responses to reminders of their impending death
Humanistic theories
View personality with a focus on the potential for healthy personal growth
Self-actualization
According to Maslow, one of the ultimate psychological needs that arises after basic physical and psychological needs are met and self-esteem is achieved; the motivation to fulfill one’s potential
Unconditional positive regard
According to Rogers, an attitude of total acceptance toward another person
Self concept
All our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in answer to the question, “who am I?”
Trait
A characteristic pattern of behavior or a disposition to feel and act, as assessed by self-report inventories and peer reports
Personality inventory
A questionnaire on which people respond to items designed to gauge a wide range of feelings and behaviors; used to assess selected personality traits
