Unit 10: Personality

Question 1

Personality

Answer 1

An individual’s characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting.

Question 2

In psychoanalysis, a method of exploring the unconscious in which the person relaxes and says whatever comes to mind, no matter how trivial or embarrassing.

Answer 2

Free Association

Question 3

Frued’s theory of personality that attributes thoughts and actions to unconscious motives and conflicts; the techniques used in treating psychological disorders by seeking to expose and interpret unconscious tensions.

Answer 3

Psychoanalysis

Question 4

According to Freud, a reservoir of mostly unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings, and memories. According to contemporary psychologists, information processing of which we are unaware.

Answer 4

Unconscious

Question 5

A reservoir of unconscious psychic energy that, according to Freud, strives to satisfy basic sexual and aggressive drives. Demands immediate gratification.

Answer 5

id

Question 6

The largely conscious, “executive” part of personality that, according to Freud, mediates among the demands of the id, superego, and reality. Satisfied the id’s desires in ways that will realistically bring pleasure rather than pain.

Answer 6

ego

Question 7

The part of personality that, according to Freud, represents internalized ideals and provides standards for judgement (the conscience) and for future aspirations.

Answer 7

superego

Question 8

The childhood stages of development (oral, anal, phallic, latency, genital) during which, according to Freud, the id’s pleasure-seeking energies focus on distinct erogenous zones.

Answer 8

Psychosexual Stages

Question 9

According to Freud, a boy’s sexual desires towards his mother and feelings of jealousy and hatred for the rival father.

Answer 9

Oedipus Complex

Question 10

The process by which, according to Freud, children incorporate their parents’ values into their developing superegos.

Answer 10

Identification

Question 11

According to Freud, a lingering focus of pleasure-seeking energies at an earlier psychosexual stage, in which conflicts were unresolved.

Answer 11

Fixation

Question 12

In psycho-analytic theory, the ego’s protective methods of reducing anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality.

Answer 12

Defense Mechanisms

Question 13

In psychoanalytic theory, the basic defense mechanism that banishes from consciousness anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories.

Answer 13

Repression

Question 14

Modern-day approaches that view personality with a focus on the unconscious and the importance of childhood experiences.

Answer 14

Psychodynamic Theories

Question 15

Carl Jung’s concept of a shared, inherited reservoir of memory traces from our species’ history.

Answer 15

Collective Unconscious

Question 16

A personality test, such as the Rorschach, that provides ambiguous stimuli designed to trigger projection of one’s inner dynamics.

Answer 16

Projective Test

Question 17

A projective test in which people express their inner feelings and interests through the stories they make up about ambiguous scenes.

Answer 17

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

Question 18

The most widely used projective test, a set of 10 inkblots, designed by Hermann Rorschach; seeks to identify people’s inner feelings by analyzing their interpretations of the blots.

Answer 18

Rorschach Inkblot Test

Question 19

The tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and our behaviors.

Answer 19

False Consensus Effect

Question 20

A theory of death-related anxiety; explores people’s emotional and behavioral responses to reminders of their impending death.

Answer 20

Terror-Management Theory

Question 21

View personality with a focus on the potential for healthy personal growth.

Answer 21

Humanistic Theories

Question 22

According to Maslow, one of the ultimate psychological needs that arises after basic physical and psychological needs are met and self-esteem is achieved; the motivation to fulfill one’s potential.

Answer 22

Self-Actualization

Question 23

According to Rogers, an attitude of total acceptance toward another person.

Answer 23

Unconditional Positive Regard

Question 24

All our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in answer to the question, “Who am I?”

Answer 24

Self-concept

Question 25

A characteristic pattern of behavior or a disposition to feel and act, as assessed by self-report inventories and peer reports.

Answer 25

Trait

Question 26

a questionnaire (often with true-false or agree-disagree items) on which people respond to items designed to gauge a wide range of feelings and behaviors; used to assess selected personality traits.

Answer 26

Personality Inventory

Question 27

the most widely researched and clinically used of all personality tests. Originally developed to identify emotional disorders (still considered its most appropriate use), this test is now used for many other screening purposes.

Answer 27

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)

Question 28

A test (such as the MMPI) developed by testing a pool items and then selecting those that discriminate between groups.

Answer 28

Empirically Derived Test

Question 29

Views behavior as influenced by the interaction between people’s traits (including their thinking) and their social context.

Answer 29

social-cognitive perspective

Question 30

In personality theory, this perspective focuses on the effects of learning on our personality development.

Answer 30

behavioral approach

Question 31

The interacting influences of behavior, internal cognition, and environment

Answer 31

Reciprocal Determinism

Question 32

The scientific study of optimal human functioning; aims to discover and promote strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive.

Answer 32

Positive Psychology

Question 33

In contemporary psychology, assumed to be the center of personality, the organizer of our thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Answer 33

Self

Question 34

Overestimating others’ noticing and evaluating our appearance, performance, and blunders (as if we presume a spotlight shines on us).

Answer 34

Spotlight Effect

Question 35

One’s feelings of high or low self-worth

Answer 35

Self-esteem

Question 36

One’s sense of competence and effectiveness

Answer 36

Self-efficacy

Question 37

A readiness to perceive oneself favorably

Answer 37

Self-serving Bias

Question 38

Excessive self-love and self-absorption

Answer 38

Narcissism

Question 39

Giving priority to one’s own goals over groups goals and defining one’s identity in terms or personal attributes rather than group identifications

Answer 39

Individualism

Question 40

Giving priority to the goals of one’s group (often one’s extended family or work group) and defining one’s identity accordingly.

Answer 40

Collectivism