personality and illness Flashcards
what is the definition of personality?
personality is made up of stable internal factors that are relatively constant over time and that count for individual differences in behaviour
what is the psychoanalytic theory of personality?
based on the assumption that all behaviours is driven by the unconscious mind ID- primitive instinctive component of personality that operates according to the pleasure principle Ego- the decision making component of personality that operates according to the reality principle super ego - the moral component of personality that incorporates social standards about what represents right and wrong
What is dynamic equilibrium ?
balance between our ID, ego, and super ego
What are the freudian defence mechanisms?
repression
regression
denial
displacement - diverting emotional feelings to a different target
rationalisation
reaction formation - behaving in a way that is exactly the opposite of one’s true feelings
sublimation - transforming a socially unacceptable impulse into an admired and socially valued goal
projection- unconscious attribution of our negative qualities onto others
intellectualisation- avoiding the emotions associated with anxiety provoking experiences by focusing on abstract impersonal thoughts
what are the strengths and weaknesses of the freudian theory?
strengths= highlighted importance of early development
-considers nature and nutrue aspects
weakness= largely untestable as a scientific theory
- circular logic
- theory based on an emotionally disturbed sample
Describe the Big Five theory of personality
either high or low scores in what?
extroversion
neuroticism
conscientiousness
agreeableness
openness
What is personality type A associated with risk wise?
it is associated with cornonary heart disease
Characterised by
- high levels of competitiveness and ambition
- chronic sense of time urgency
- strong achievement drive
- hostility and anger
- aggression
What is the personality type B characterised by?
- low levels of competitiveness
- low levels of time urgency
- low hostility
- no real studies into this personality type -
What is personality type C characterised by?
- cooperative and appeasing
- compliant and passive
- stoic
- exaggerated suppression of negative emotion
- attitude of helplessness/hoplessness
what health risk is associated with type C personality?
it is ‘loosely’ linked to cancer
What are the characteristics of the Type D personality?
- negative affectivity - tendency to experience negative emotions
- social inhibition - tendency to be inhibited in social interaction to avoid disaproval
What is the Type D personality associated with health wise?
Type D personaility is associated with a worse MI prognosis
- associated with an increased risk of depression, social alienation, higher number of reinfarctions, and higher mortality rates independent on established biomedical risk factors
