Personality, Motivation, Attitudes, and Psychological Disorders Flashcards
what are the main theories/perspectives on personality? (6)
psychoanalytic perspective humanistic perspective behaviourist perspective social cognitive perspective trait perspective biological perspectives
what are the types of therapies used to treat personality disorders?
psychoanalytic therapy, humanistic/person-based therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy
psychoanalytic theory
personality is shaped by a person’s unconscious thoughts, feelings and memories, associated with Sigmund Freud, two instinctual drives motivate human behaviour (libido/life instinct and death instinct)
psychoanalytic perspective believes psychic energy is distributed among what 3 personality components?
id (the unconscious source of energy and instincts, ruled by pleasure principles), the ego (ruled by the reality principle, uses logical thinking and planning to control consciousness and the id), the superego (inhibits the id and influences the ego to follow moralistic and idealistic goals)
ego defence mechanisms
unconscious denials or distortions of reality in order to cope with anxiety (from awareness of repressed feelings/memories/desires/experiences) and to protect the ego
what are some ego defence mechanisms?
repression, denial, reaction formation, projection, displacement, rationalization, regression, sublimation
repression
lack of recall of an emotionally painful memory
denial
forceful refusal to acknowledge an emotionally painful memory
reaction formation
expressing the opposite of what one really feels, when it would feel too dangerous to express the real feeling
projection
attributing one’s own unacceptable thoughts or feelings to another person
displacement
redirecting aggressive or sexual impulses from a forbidden action or action onto a less dangerous when
rationalization
explaining and intellectually justifying one’s impulsive behaviour
regression
reverting to an earlier, less sophisticated behaviour
sublimation
channeling aggressive or sexual energy into positive, constructive activities
Freud’s psychosexual developmental theory (5 stages, sexual energy is present from infancy)
oral stage, anal stage (pleasure through control of elimination), phallic stage (seeks sensual pleasure through the genitals-Oedipus and Electra complex, penis envy), latency stages (sexual interests subside and are replaced by interests in other areas), genital stage (sexual themes resurface and person’s life/sexual energy fuels other activities in life), saw the first 3 stages as most important and determining of adult personality, can lead to psychological fixation in one of the early stages
Erik Erikson’s psychosocial developmental stages (8)
- trust vs. mistrust (birth to 1)
- autonomy vs shame/doubt (1-3)
- initiative vs. guilt (3-6)
- industry vs. inferiority (6-12)
- identity vs. role confusion (12-18)
- intimacy vs. isolation (18-35)
- generativity vs. stagnation (35-60)
- integrity vs. despair (60+)
psychoanalytic therapy
uses various methods to help a patient become aware of his or her unconscious motives and to gain insight into the emotional issues and conflicts that are presenting difficulties
humanistic theory
focuses on healthy personality development, humans are seen as inherently good and as having free will (rather than having their behaviour determined by their early relationships), motive of all people is the actualizing tendency, associated with Carl Rogers
actualizing tendency
innate drive to maintain and enhance the organism
self-actualization
realizing his or her human potential
self-concept
the child’s conscious, subjective perceptions and beliefs about themselves, will choose behaviour consistent with self-concepts
according to humanistic perspective, what is the root of psychopathology?
discrepancy between conscious introjected values and unconscious true values
humanistic therapy (person-centered therapy)
to provide an environment that will help clients trust and accept themselves and their emotional reactions, so they can learn and grow from their experiences
behaviourist perspective
personality is a result of learned behaviour patterns based on a person’s environment, behaviourism is deterministic and proposes that people begin as blank slates but environmental reinforcement and punishment (learning by classical and operant conditioning) completely determine an individual’s subsequent behaviour and personalities
classical conditioning is also called
associational learning
operant conditioning is when behaviour is influenced by:
the consequences that follow them (reinforcement, punishment)
behavioural therapy
uses conditioning to shape a client’s behaviours in the desired direction (ABC model for assessment - antecedent, behaviour, consequences, therapy proceeds by changing antecedents and consequences)
social cognitive perspective
personality is formed by a reciprocal interaction among behavioural (classical, operant, observational learning), cognitive (mental processes involved in observational learning and other cognitive processes), and environmental factors (situational influences such as opportunities, rewards, and punishments)
cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
behavioural therapy combined with a cognitive approach: where the person’s feelings and behaviours are seen as reactions to the person’s thought about events, rather than the actual events themselves, goal is to help the client become aware of irrational or dysfunctional thoughts and beliefs and to substitute with more rational or accurate beliefs and thoughts
personality trait
a generally stable predisposition toward a certain behaviour, each trait is a continuum
surface traits
evident from a person’s behaviour
source traits
factors underlying human personality and behaviour
Big Five-Factor Personality model
5 source traits: extroversion, neuroticism, openness to experience, agreeableness, conscientiousness
Cattell’s Personality Factors
5 global factors (extroversion, anxiety, receptivity, accommodation, self-control)
biological perspective
much of what we call personality is at least partly due to innate biological differences among people, i.e. due to heritability of basic personality traits as well as correlations between personality traits and certain aspects of brain structure and function
person-situation controversy (trait vs. state controversy)
considers the degree to which a person’s reaction in a given situation is due to their personality (trait) or is due to the situation itself (state)
traits are internal, stable, enduring aspects of personality, states are situational aspects of personality influenced by the environment
instinct
behaviours that are unlearned and present in fixed patterns throughout species, represent the contribution of genes which predispose species to a particular behaviours
drive
urge originating from a physiological discomfort such as hunger, thirst, or sleepiness
drive reduction therapy
drives are physiological states of discomfort, motivated to reduce these drives. the greater the physiological need, the greater the physiological drive, an aroused, motivated state
incentives
external stimuli, objects, and events in the environment that either help induce or discourage certain behaviours
psychological disorders
a set of behavioural and/or psychological symptoms that are not in keeping with cultural norms, and that are severe enough to cause significant personal distress and/or significant impairment to social, occupational, or personal functioning
what is a psychological disorder diagnosis based on?
symptom quantity, severity, impact on functioning
anxiety disorders
characterized by excessive fear (of specific real things or more generally) and/or anxiety (of real or imagined future things or events) with both physiological and psychological symptoms
obsessive-compulsive and related disorders
involve a pattern of obsessive thoughts or urges that are coupled with maladaptive behavioural compulsions; the compulsions are experienced as a necessary/urgent response to the obsessive thoughts/urges, creating rigid, anxiety filled routines
trauma- and stressor-related disorders
involve unhealthy or pathological responses to one or more harmful or life-threatening events, including witnessing such an event. subsequent symptoms include patterns of anxiety, depression, depersonalization, nightmares, insomnia, and/or a heightened startle responses
somatic symptom disorders
characterized by symptoms that cannot be explained by a medical condition or substance use, and are not attributable to another psychological disorder, but that nonetheless cause emotional distress
bipolar and related disorders
involve mood swings or cycles (called episodes) ranging from manic to depressive, in which manic episodes tend to be followed by depressive episodes and vice versa
depressive disorders
characterized by a disturbance in mood or effect, specific symptoms include difficulties in sleep, concentration, and/or appetite; fatigue; and inability to experience pleasure (anhedonia)
schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders
characterized by a general “loss of contact with reality” which can include “positive” symptoms such as delusions and hallucinations and/or “negative” symptoms such as flattened affect
dissociative disorders
characterized by disruptions in memory, awareness, identity, or perception. many dissociative orders are thought to be caused by psychological trauma
personality disorders
personality disorders are characterized by enduring maladaptive patterns of behaviour and cognition that depart from social norms, present across a variety of contexts, and cause significant dysfunction and distress. these patterns permeate the broader personality of the person and typically solidify during late adolescence or early adulthood
feeding and eating disorders
characterized by disruptive emotional and behavioural patterns around feeding and/or eating that negatively impact physical and mental health
neurocognitive disorders
characterized by cognitive abnormalities or general decline in memory, problem solving, and/or perception
sleep-wake disorders
characterized by excessive or deficient sleep patterns, abnormalities in circadian rhythm, and/or interruptions to normal sleep
substance-related and addictive disorders
characterized by psychological and/or physiological dependence on or addiction to, one or more substances and behaviours. symptoms often include tolerance and withdrawal and are generally related to maladaptation of, or damage to, the brain’s reward system
panic disorder
has suffered at least one panic attack and is worried about having more of them (anxiety disorder)
generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
feels tense or anxious much of the time about many issues, but does not experience panic attacks (anxiety disorder)
conversion disorder
(somatic disorder & related) experiences a change in sensory or motor function that has no discernible physical or physiological cause and that seems to be significantly affected by psychological factors (emotion or anxiety is converted into a physical symptom)
factitious disorder imposed on self
a person has not just fabricated an illness but has gone the further step of either falsifying evidence or symptoms of the illness or inflicting harm to him- or herself to induce injury or illness without obvious benefit (somatic disorder & related)
manic episode
for at least one week, a person has experienced an abnormal euphoric, unrestrained, or irritable mood, and a marked increase in either goal-directed activity or in psychomotor agitation
bipolar I disorder
diagnosed only if there has been a spontaneous manic episode not triggered by treatment for depression or caused by another medical condition or medication, ie. has had at least one manic or mixed episode
mixed episode
a person has met the symptoms for both major depressive and manic episodes nearly every day for at least a week, and the symptoms are severe enough to cause psychotic features, hospitalization, or impaired work, social, or personal functioning
cyclothymic disorder
similar to bipolar disorder but the moods are less extreme, with the symptoms not meeting the criteria for either a manic or a major depressive episode, cyclic moods for at least 2 years and mood swings have never been absent for more than two months
affect
person’s observable emotion in the moment
mood
a person’s sustained internal emotion that colours his or her view of life
major depressive disorder (MDD)
has suffered one or more major depressive episodes
persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia, dysthymic disorder) (PDD)
less intense, but typically more chronic form of depression, has experienced milder symptoms of depression most days for at least two years, with symptoms never absent for more than two months, but without a major depressive episode
premenstrual dysphoric disorder
only diagnosed in women, many of the symptoms of a major depressive episode are present, and intensify in the final week before the onset of menses and then improve and in many cases disappear in the week after menstruation has ended (distinguishing symptoms: specific food cravings, muscle pain, swelling in breasts, bloating)
delusion
a false belief that is not due to culture and is not relinquished despite evidence that it is false
delusional disorder
one or more delusions have been present for at least a month, and counter evidence is generally distorted or denied to keep the delusion intact
brief psychotic disorder
when any of the positive symptoms (delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech/behaviour) are present for at least a day but less than a month and no negative symptoms (decreased emotional expression, speech, or motivation)
hallucination
a false sensory perception that occurs while a person is conscious, that occur in the absence of related sensory stimuli
schizophreniform disorder
middle of schizophrenia spectrum, the person experiences at least one positive symptoms, but can also experience one or more negative symptom, and does for 1-6 months
schizophrenia
at the end of the spectrum, when someone has been experiencing positive and sometimes negative symptoms for longer than 6 months, chronic disorder
schizoaffective disorder
combines mood and psychotic symptoms, both the symptoms of schizophrenia and a major depressive, manic, or mixed episode are experienced for at least one month, the person experiences delusions/hallucinations in the absence of mood symptoms as well as during major mood episodes. like chronic psychotic disorder with an overlapping bipolar or depressive disorder in which the mood symptoms will fully remit for at least two weeks at a time
dissociative identity disorder
alternates among two or more distinct personality states, only one of which interacts with other people at a given time
dissociative amnesia
has had at least one episode of forgetting some important personal information, creating gaps in memory that are usually related to severe stress or trauma
depersonalization disorder
a recurring or persistent feeling of being cut off or detached from his or her body or mental processes, as if observing themselves from the outside
derealization disorder
a person experiences a feeling that people or objects in the external world are unreal
cluster A personality disorder
paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal personality disorder, associated with irrational, withdrawn, cold, or suspicious behaviours
cluster B personality disorder
antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic personality disorders associated with emotional, dramatic, attention-seeking behaviours and intense interpersonal conflict
cluster C personality disorder
avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders, associated with tense, anxious, over-controlled behaviours
paranoid personality disorder
mistrusts and misinterprets others motives and actions without sufficient cause, suspecting them of deceiving, harming, betraying, or attacking him or her
schizoid personality disorder
a loner with little interest or involvement in close relationships, even those with family members
schizotypal personality disorder
several traits that cause problems interpersonally, including limited or inappropriate effect; magical or paranoid thinking, and odd beliefs, speech, behaviour, appearance, or perceptions
antisocial personality disorder
a history of serious behaviour problems beginning as a young teen, including significant aggression against people or animals; deliberate property destruction; lying or theft; and serious rule violation
borderline personality disorder
suffers from enduring or recurrent instability in his or her impulse control, mood, and image of self and others
histrionic personality disorder
strongly desires to be the centre of attention, and often seeks to attract attention through personal appearance and seductive behaviour
narcissistic personality disorder
feels grandiosely self-important with fantasies of beauty, brilliance, and power
avoidant personality disorder
feels inadequate, inferior, and undesirable, and is preoccupied with fears of criticism and conflict
dependent personality disorder
feels a need to be taken care of by others and an unrealistic fear of being unable to take care of him/herself
obsessive-compulse personality disorder
may not have any true obsessions or compulsions, but may instead accumulate money or worthless objects
stress-diathesis theory
suggests that while genetic inheritance provides biological predisposition for schizophrenia, stressors elicit the onset of the disease
dopamine hypothesis
suggests that the pathway for the neurotransmitter dopamine is hyperactive in people with schizophrenia
dementia
a term for a severe loss of cognitive ability beyond what would be expected from normal aging, ex. Alzheimer’s
anterograde amnesia
the inability to form new memories
retrograde amnesia
more recent memories degrade first, the last memories to fade are typically the oldest
neural basis of Alzheimer’s disease
formation of neuritic plaques, hard formations of beta-amyloid protein and neurofibrillary tangles (clumps of tau protein), abnormalities of acetylcholine in hippocampus
neural basis of Parkinson’s disease
movement disorder caused by the death of cells that generate dopamine in the basal ganglia and substantia nigra
attitude
a person’s feelings and beliefs about other people or events around them + their tendency to react behaviourally based on those underlying evaluations
what are the components of attitudes?
ABC (affect-emotion, behavioural tendencies, cognition/thought)
cognitive dissonance theory
tension whenever one holds two thoughts or beliefs that are incompatible or when attitudes and behaviours don’t match
door in the face effect
when individuals reject a large demand placed on them, they will be more likely to comply with a smaller subsequent demand
incentive theory of motivation
includes factors outside of the individual, where external stimuli, objects, and events in the environment either help induce or discourage certain behaviours(community values, aspects of culture)
drive theory of motivation
based on physiological need
humanistic theory of motivation
based on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (towards self actualization)
psychoanalytic theory of motivation
driven by two instincts:
libido/life instinct drives behaviours focused on survival, growth, creativity, pain avoidance, pleasure
death instinct drives aggressive behaviours fuelled by an unconscious wish to die or to hurt oneself and others
the ventromedial hypothalamus (i.e. the nucleus of the hypothalamus) is associated with:
feelings of fullness
