Personality Theories Flashcards
Friendman & Rosenman Theory
That there are two personality types - A and B
Type A
People that live at a higher anxiety level, work hard, hate failure
Type B
People that live at a lower anxiety level, dont mind losing, laidback
Eysenck Theory
That genetics and upbringing determine your overall personality.
Traits
Stable characteristics that last for life.
States
Temporary behaviours based on ones current situation and motives at a particular time.
Humanistic
They believe that experiements do not give genuine insights into human behaviour.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a pyramid of things that one needs to be their best possible self.
Physiological
Air, water, food, shelter.
Safety Needs
Personal security, employment.
Love and Belonging
Friendship, family.
Esteem
Respect, freedom.
Self Actualisation
The desire to become everything one is capable of becoming.
The Psychodynamic Approach
The study of different kinds of mental processes
Psychosexual
The different phases and fixations throughout childhood.
Oral
(0 - 18 months)
Underfed - Oral passive
> Trusting, dependent.
Overfed - Oral aggressive
> Aggressive, dominating
Anal (Toilet training)
(18 - 36 months)
Harsh - Anal retentive
>Tidiness, obsessiveness.
Lax - Anal expulsive
> Untidiness, generosity.
Phallic
(3 - 6 years)
Family dynamic - Unusual
>Vanity, self-obsession.
Oedipus complex > Little boys want an exclusive relationship with their mother; girls with their father.
Latent
(6 - puberty)
Seems totally asexual, focused on social interactions.
Genital
(Puberty - adulthood)
Development of mature sexual and intimate adult relationships.
ID
The first to develop.
Instinct - seeking immediate satisfaction. > “I want that right now!”
Superego
Develops 3 - 5 years of age.
Balances the ‘untamed passions’ of the ID. > “Good people don’t think about those things.”
Ego
It needs to balance between the ID and Superego. > “Let’s figure out a way to work together.”
When the ego can’t satisfy the ID and the superego, it will employ a defence mechanism.
Defence mechanisms
Psychological strategies are unconsciously used to protect a person from anxiety caused by unacceptable thoughts or feelings.
Denial
Blocking external events from awareness. Refusing to experience something.
Projection
Projecting an unacceptable thought, feeling or motive to another person.
Denial e.g:
Smokers may refuse to admit that smoking is bad for their health.
Projection e.g:
You might hate someone but your superego tells you that such hatred is unacceptable. You can “solve” the problem by believing that they hate you.
P.E.N Theory
That a personality is comprised of three major dimensions: Psychoticism, Extraversion and Neuroticism.
Introverted Personality
Phlegmatic + Melancholic
Extraverted Personality
Choleric + Sanguine
Unstable Emotions (Neurotic)
Melancholic + Choleric
Stable emotions
Phlegmatic + Sanguine
