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Personality Theories Flashcards

1
Q

Alfred Adler

A

Psychodynamic theorist best known for the concept of the inferiority complex. Thought that striving towards superiority drives personality (good = when striving is socially oriented, bad = when striving is selfish)

Also studied the effect of birth order on personality

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2
Q

Gordon Allport

A

Trait theorist best known for the concept of functional autonomy

Determined three basic types of traits:

  1. Cardinal (traits around which a person organizes his/her life)
  2. Central (major characteristics that are easy to infer)
  3. Secondary (more personal traits, limited in occurence)

Also distinguished between idiographic (individual case studies) and nomothetic (groups, commonalities) approaches to personality

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3
Q

Albert Bandura

A

Behaviorist known for his social learning theory. Did modeling experiment using Bobo dolls to come up with theory of vicarious reinforcement

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4
Q

Sandra Bem

A

Suggested that masculinity and femininity were two separate dimensions

Linked with the concept of androgyny

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5
Q

Raymond Cattell

A

Trait theorist who used factor analysis to study personality and determined 16 basic traits as the building blocks of personality (continuous in all of us)

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6
Q

John Dollard and Neil Miller

A

Behaviorist theorists who attempted to study psychoanalytic concepts within a behaviorist framework

Also known for work on approach-avoidance conflicts

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7
Q

Erik Erikson

A

Ego psychologist whose psychosocial stages of development encompass the entire lifespan

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8
Q

Hans Eysenck

A

Trait theorist who proposed two main dimensions on which human personalities differ (“Two-Factor System”):

  1. Introversion-extroversion
  2. Emotional stability-Neuroticism
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9
Q

Anna Freud

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Founder of ego psychology - studied the conscious ego’s relation to the world, the unconscious, and the superego

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10
Q

Sigmund Freud

A

Originator of the psychodynamic approach to personality

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11
Q

Karen Horney

A

Psychodynamic theorist who focused o the role of unconscious anxiety. Suggested there were three ways to relate to others:
1. Moving toward
2. Moving away
3. Moving against
Theorized that neurosis was related to using only one of these strategies rigidly

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12
Q

Carl Jung

A

Psychodynamic theorist who broke with Freud over the concept of libido

Suggested the unconscious could be divided into the personal unconscious and the collective unconscious, with archetypes being in the collective unconscious

Also proposed two attitudes towards life: introversion and extroversion (individuals have both, but one is dominant)

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13
Q

George Kelly

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Based personality theory on the notion of “individual as a scientist” who hypothesized the behavior of important people in one’s life based on knowledge, perception, and relationship with the person

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14
Q

Otto Kernberg

A

Object-relations theorist

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15
Q

Melanie Klein

A

Object-relations theorist

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16
Q

Kurt Lewin

A

Phenomenological personality theorist who developed field theory

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17
Q

Margaret Mahler

A

Object-relations theorist

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18
Q

Abraham Maslow

A

Phenomenological personality theorist known for developing a hierarchy of needs and for the concept of self-actualization

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19
Q

David McClelland

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Studied need for achievement

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20
Q

Walter Mischel

A

Critic of trait theories of personality who asserted that behavior is determined by the situation more than personality (Person-Situation Debate)

Also studied will power/delayed gratification with the marshmallow test

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21
Q

Carl Rogers

A

Phenomenological personality theorist

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22
Q

Julian Rotter

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Studied locus of control

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23
Q

William Sheldon

A

Attempted to relate somatotype to personality type

24
Q

D. W. Winnicot

A

Object-relations theorist

25
Herman Witkin
Studied field-dependence (highly influenced by others and the environment) and field-independence (less influenced by others and the environment) using the rod-and-frame test
26
Somatotypes
William Sheldon 1. Endomorph: soft and spherical; pleasure-seeking, social 2. Ectomorph: thin, fragile; inhibited, intellectual 3. Mesomorph: muscular, athletic; energetic, aggressive
27
Dorothea Dix
Reformed asylums in the US
28
Personality Theories
1. Psychodynamic 2. Behaviorist 3. Phenomenological 4. Trait/type
29
Defense Mechanisms
1. Repression (unconscious forgetting) 2. Suppression (conscious forgetting) 3. Projection (attribute to others) 4. Reaction formation (opposite behavior) 5. Rationalization 6. Regression (earlier stage of development) 7. Sublimation (transform into acceptable behavior) 8. Displacement (taking out on something else)
30
Persona
Archetype that is a mask for social demands
31
Anima/Animus
Archetype: femininity in males and masculinity in females
32
Shadow
Archetype: relating to instincts and socially unacceptable desires
33
Self (archetype)
Striving for unity - is the intersection between the personal and collective unconscious
34
Object Relations Theory
Melanie Klein, D. W. Winnicott Margaret Mahler Otto Kernberg The process of developing a psyche in relation to others in the environment during childhood.
35
Psychoanalytic Treatments
Psychoanalysis = uncovering repressed material and resolving conflicts from psychosexual development - Free association - Dream interpretation - Resistance - Transference (and be aware of counter transference)
36
Martin Seligman
Studied learned helplessness theory of depression by shocking dogs (related to external locus of control)
37
Behavioral Therapy
Belief that the symptoms are the disorders (not resulting from underlying issue). Maladjustment and abnormal behaviors are learned through interactions with others and the environment (faulty coping patterns are reinforced)
38
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Try to change disordered/irrational thoughts - Beck's cognitive therapy for depression - Albert Ellis' rational emotive therapy
39
Humanists
``` AKA phenomenological theory Emphasize internal processes and what distinguishes us from animals - Kurt Lewin - Maslow - George Kelly - Carl Rogers - Victor Frankl ```
40
Field Theory
Kurt Lewin Personality divided into systems - under optimal conditions the systems are well articulated and function in an integrated fashion.
41
Hierarchy of Needs
Maslow ``` Physiological needs Safety Love Esteem Self-actualization ```
42
Humanist/Existential Therapies
Find meaning in life by making one's own choices. Belief that disorders stem from depersonalization, loneliness, lack of meaningful existence. Includes empathy, unconditional positive regard, affirmation, exploration of thoughts and feelings because people inherently strive towards self-actualization
43
Client-Centered Therapy
Carl Rogers Non-directive therapy focusing on finding congruence between ideal self and real self ("self-concept"). Includes: - unconditional positive regard - freedom to choose own bx
44
Victor Frankl
Belief that mental illness stems from lack of meaning in life
45
Trait/Type Personality Theories
Trait: Ascertain fundamental dimensions of personality/stable characteristics Type: Characterize people according to types of personality
46
Type A vs Type B Personality
Type A: Competitive and compulsive | Type B: Laid back and relaxed
47
Functional Autonomy
Gordon Allport A behavior may become an end goal itself regardless of its original purpose (i.e. hunting)
48
Locus of Control
Julian Rotter A cognitive factor that affects learning and personality development. Related to the beliefs about the power we have over our own lives Internal vs external, related to self-esteem (attribute success to internal locus, failures to external)
49
Machiavellianism
A personality trait: someone who is manipulative and deceitful
50
Androgyny
Sandra Bem State of being both very masculine and very feminine
51
Archetype
Carl Jung A pattern that exists in the collective unconscious across cultures and societies
52
Reciprocal Determinism
Social-Cognitive Theory Environment alone does not determine behavior. The environment, behavior, and cognitive processes all interact and influence each other
53
Self-Efficacy
Social-Cognitive Theory Our level of confidence in our own abilities. Is developed through our social experiences
54
Temperament
Biologically based - regards how a person reacts to the world. Includes two dimensions: 1. Reactivity (how we respond to new/challenging stimuli) 2. Self-regulation (how well we control that response)
55
Paul Costa and Robert McCrae
Five Factor Model (big five) = most popular theory in personality today
56
Big Five Personality Traits
Costa and McCrae Stable over lifespan. Shown to exist across cultures. Thought to have a substantial biological component ``` OCEAN: Openness to experience Conscientiousness Extroversion Agreeableness Neuroticism ```

Psychology GRE (10 decks)

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