Psych 3 Flashcards
What is Personality
An Individual’s characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting.
What does Personality do?
Distinguishes us, Endures, Dynamic and adaptive, Psychophysical
Theory of personality arose from?
Patient interactions, Personal Experience, Discussions with colleagues
Psychoanalytic Theory
The mind is like an iceberg,
Conscious mind (small)
Preconscious mind (bigger but still small, not aware of)
Unconscious mind (Much bigger but not aware of)
What is Frued’s Iceberg?
contains ID, Superego, and Ego
What is ID (Frued)
Essentially your base animal instincts, Operates on the Pleasure principle (selfish)
What is Superego (Frued)
Your conception on what is right and wrong, Operates on the Morality Principle
What is Ego (Frued)
Tries to help manage between Superego and ID, Operates on the Reality Principle
What is the reality principle (Frued)
The ability of the mind to assess the reality of the external world, and to act upon it accordingly, as opposed to acting according to the pleasure principle.
Conflicts between ID and Superego lead to…
Defense Mechanisms,
Prompted by unpleasant unconscious thoughts and desires.
Name a few Defense Mechanisms
Repression, Displacement, Rationalization
Repression (Defense Mechanisms)
Suppressing unwanted desires/memories
Displacement (Defense Mechanisms)
Redirecting sexual/aggressive energy at “safer” targets
Rationalization (Defense Mechanisms)
Developing an alternative explanation or excuse for undesired behavior
Why do we still talk about Frued?
Highlighted the possibility of nonbiological causes for neuroses. Our unconscious mind really is important. Culturally, he drew attention to psychology.
What is Humanistic Theory
Meant to complement Psychoanalysis, Believed people are fundamentally good, Emphasized personal growth, Encouraged UNCONDITIONAL POSITIVE REGARD
What is the order of Hierarchy of Needs
(this goes from top to bottom)
5 self-actualization
4 Esteem needs
3 Belongingness and love needs
2 Safety needs
1 Physiological needs
What is self-actualization (Hierarchy of Needs)
5
Achieving one’s full potential, including creative activities
What is Esteem needs (Hierarchy of Needs)
4
Prestige and feeling of accomplishment
What is Belongingness and love needs (Hierarchy of Needs)
3
Intimate relationships, friends
What is Safety needs (Hierarchy of Needs)
2
Security, safety
What is Physiological needs (Hierarchy of Needs)
1 food, water, warmth, rest
What are the criticisms of Humanism?
Not scientific; largely philosophical,
Concepts are vague and subjective,
Are people fundamentally good?
this is not testable, humans have always lived with rules
Approach to measurement
Idiographic approach,
Nomothetic approach
Idiographic approach to measurement
Attempt to understand the individual as an individual, case studies
Nomothetic approach to measurement
Attempt to understand how an individual compares to others, trait theory approach
Trait theory
Traits = stable characteristic patterns of behavior,
Traits along a continuum, — Some at the endpoints but most in the middle
The Big Five (Personality)
Conscientiousness,
Extraversion,
Neuroticism,
Agreeableness,
Openness to new experiences
Conscientiousness (The Big Five)
High: Organize, careful, and self-disciplined
Low: Disorganized, careless, impulsive
Extraversion v. Introversion (The Big Five)
Ext: Social, reward/excitement seeking
Int: Withdrawn, seek peaceful contexts
Neuroticism v Emotionally stable (The Big Five)
Neurotic: Worried, insecure, failure avoidant
Stable: Calm, secure, self-satisfied
Agreeableness (The Big Five)
High: Soft-hearted, trusting, compromising
Low: Ruthless, suspicious, antagonistic
Openness to new experiences (The Big Five)
High: Imaginative, variety seeking, independent
Low: Conventional, routine, conforming
Biological Basis of Personality
BIS/BAS
Behavioral Inhibition System (Right PFC)
Strongly associated with Neuroticism
Behavioral Activation System (Left PFC)
Strongly associated with extraversion