Unit 10 vocab Flashcards
in psychoanalysis, a method of exploring th eunconscious in which the person relaxes and says whatever comes to mind, no matter how trivial or embarrassing
free association
an individual’s characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling and acting
personality
Freud’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
psychoanalysis
according to Freud a reservoir of mostly unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings and memories. According to contemporary psychologists info processing of which we are unaware
unconscious
a reservoir of unconscious psychic energy that according to Freud strives to satisfy basic sexual and aggresive drives. This operates on the pleasure principle, demanding immediate gratification
id
the largely conscious, “executive” part of personality that, according to Freud, mediates among the demands of the id, superego and reality. Operates on the reality principle, satisfying the id’s desires in ways that will realisically bring pleasure rather than pain
ego
the part of personality that according to Freud represents internalized ideals and provides standards for judgment (the conscious) and for future aspirations
superego
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
psychosexual stages
according to Freud a boy’s sexual desires toward his mother and feelings of jealousy and hatred for the rival father
Oedipus complex
the process by which according to Freud children incorporate their parents’ values into their developing superegos
identification
according to Freud, a lingering focus of pleasure-seeing energies at an earlier psychosexual stage, in which conflicts were unresolved
fixation
in psychoanalytic theory, the ego’s protective methods of reducing anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality
defense mechanisms
in psychoanalytic theory, the basic defense mechanism that banishes anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings and memories from consciousness
repression
psychoanalytic defense mechanism in which an individual faced with anxiety retreats to a more infantile psychosexual stage, where some psychic energy remains fixated
regression
psychoanalytic defense mechanism by which the ego unconsciously switches unacceptable impulses into their opposites. Thus people may express feelings that are the opposite of their anxiety-arousing unconscious feelings
reaction formation
psychoanalystic defense mechanism by which ppl disguise their own threatening impulses by attributing them to others
projection
psychoanalytic defense mechanism that offers self-justifying explanations in place of the real more threatening unconscious reasons for one’s actions
rationaliation
psychoanalytic defense mechanism that shifts sexual or aggresive impulses toward a more acceptable or less threatening object or person, as when redirecting anger toward a safer outlet
displacement
psychoanalytic defense mechanism by which people re-chaneel their unacceptable impulses into socially approved activities
sublimation
psychoalaytic defense mechanism by which people refuse to believe or even to perceive painful realities
denial
Carl Jung’s concept of a shared, inherited reservoir of memory traces from our species’ history
collective unconscious
a personality test such as the Rorschach or TAT that provides ambiguous stimuli designed to trigger projection of one’s inner dynamics
projective test
a projective test in which people express their inner feelings and interests through the stories they make up about ambiguous scene
Thematic Appercetion Test TAT
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
Rorschach inkblot test
a theory of death-related anxiety; explores people’s emotional and behavioral responses to reminders of their impending death
terror-management theory
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
self-actualization
according to Rogers, an attitude of total acceptance toward another person
unconditional positive regard
all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in anser to the question Who am I?
self-concept
a characteristic pattern of behavior or a disposition to feel and act as assessed by self report inventories and peer reports
trait
a questionnaire (often with true-false or agree-disagree items) on which ppl respond to items designed to gauge a wide range of feelings and behaviors; used to assess selected personality traits
personality inventory
the most widely researched and clinically used of all personality tests. Originally developed to identify emotional disorders (still considered it most appropriate use), this test is now used for many other screening purposes
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory MMPI
a test developed by testing a pool of items and then selecting those that discriminate between groups
empirically derived test
views behavior as influenced by the interaction between people’s traits (including their thinking) and their social context
social-cognitive perspective
the interacting influences of behavior, internal cognition and environment
reciprocal determinism
the extent to which ppl perceive control over their environment rather than feeling helpless
personal control
the perception that chance or outside forces beyond your personal control determine your fate
external locus of control
the perception that you control your own fate
internal locus of control
the scientific study of optimal human functioning; aims to discover and promote strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive
positive psychology
in contemporary psychology, assumed to be the center of personality, the organizer of our thoughts, feelings and actions
self
overestimating others’ noticing and evaluating our appearance, performance and blunders (as if we presume a spotlight shines on us)
spotlight effect
one’s feelings of high or low self-worth
self-esteem
a readiness to perceive oneself favorably
self-serving bias
giving priority to one’s own goals over group goals defining one’s identity in terms of personal attributes rather than group identifications
individualism
giving priority to the goals of one’s group (often one’s extended family or work group) and defining one’s identity accordingly
collectivism
