PERSONALITY Flashcards
what is personality?
the relative stable characteristics that differentiate one person from another, demonstrated in the consistent and predictable way in which people behave in situations over extended periods of time
what is Freud’s psychoanalytical theory of personality?
that human behaviour as the result of the interactions between the id, ego and superego
what did Freud think were the 3 levels of awareness?
conscious mind (everyone sees this), the preconscious mind (things you can bring to the conscious mind if you wanted) and the unconscious mind
what is the ‘id’?
the thing you want to do that gives pleasure and avoids pain
what is the ‘ego’?
the balance of the id and the superego. its rationality and considers consequences of behaviour
what is the ‘superego’?
the morality comas that stops us from gratifying every whim because they can be immoral
when does Freud suggest that defence mechanisms appear?
when there is tension between the id and the superego
what are some examples of defence mechanisms?
regression projection denial reaction formation displacement sublimation regression
what is regression?
removing threatening thoughts from awareness, psychologically going back in time to a period where the person felt safer
what is projection?
an attribution of unacceptable impulses to others
what is denial?
refusing to recognise a threatening situation or thought
what is reaction formation?
expressing the opposite of the disturbing ideas
what is displacement?
redirecting a negative emotion from its original source to a less threatening recipient
what is sublimation?
channelling of impulses to socially acceptable outlets
what is regression?
returning to a less mature, anxiety-reducing behaviour
How did Freud believe personality developed?
during the first few years of life and its rooted in unresolved conflicts of early childhood
what criticism did freud get about personality development theory?
lack of scientific data
Jung said it focussed too much on childhood and it can also be developed by attitudes towards the future
Alfred Adler also built off Freuds work
How did Jung contribute to the personality development theory?
he suggested people are extroverts or introverts
he also suggested there is a level of conscious which is genetically inherited called the collective unconscious
how did Alfred Adler contribute to the personality development theory?
he believed we have an innate drive for self-improvement and superiorly so we build ourselves as a result of wanting to be more like others
How did Maslow and Rogers contribute to the personality theory?
they believed people have free will and want to do good so actually what has happened to you shapes personality less than the perception of what has happened.
What did Carl rogers suggest that ‘self-concept’ was?
our own perception of ourselves and comprises of self-image, self-esteem and ideal self
describe Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
he suggested that self actualisation is the realisation of a persons potential and we can only reach it if our basic needs are met (physiologically, safety, love/belonging) and then we can develop self-esteem and then self-actualisation
what is the humanistic theory of personality?
a perspective that emphasizes looking at the whole individual and stresses concepts such as free will, self-efficacy, and self-actualization. Rather than concentrating on dysfunction
what are trait theories?
Theories which try to identify the most basic enduring dimensions in which people differ from one another