Unit 4-6 Flashcards
psychological construct
a mental concept that influences behaviour via the mind-body interaction, even though it is not directly observable.
Gordon Alport definition of personality 1961
a dynamic organisation, inside the person, of pschophysical systems that create the person’s characteristic patterns of behaviour, thoughts and feelings
idiographic (approach to personality study)
the idiographic approach focuses on the individual and describes the personality variables within that individual. The term comes from the ancient Greek idios, meaning ‘private’ or ‘personal’. Focuses on studying individuals one at a time, and seeing each person as having a unique personality structure. viewing differences as greater than similarities with infinite possible differences. Usually uses single case studies: interviews, diaries, therapeutic sessions or narratives to collect data.
personality
the pattern of psychological and behavioral characteristics by which each person can be compared and contrasted with other people
psychoanalytic theory
Freud’s view that human behaviour and personality are determined largely by psychological factors, many of which are unconscious
psychodynamic approach
a view developed by Freud that emphasizes unconscious mental processes in explaining human thought, feelings and behaviour
id
according to Freud, a personality component containing basic instincts, desires, and impulses with which all people are born
pleasure principle
the operating principle of the id, which guides people toward whatever feels good.
ego
According to Freud, the part of the personality that makes compromises and mediates conflicts between and among the demands of the id, the superego, and the real world
superego
According to Freud, the component of personality that tells people what they should and should not do
defense mechanisms
Unconscious tactics that either prevent threatening material from surfacing or disguise it when it does
psychosexual development
periods of personality development in which, according to Freud, internal and external conflicts focus on particular issues
oral stage
the first of Freud’s psychosexual stages, in which the mouth is the centre of pleasure
anal stage
the second of Freud’s psychosexual stages, in which the focus of pleasure shifts from the mouth to the anus
phallic stage
the third of Freud’s psychosexual stages, in which the focus of pleasure shifts to the genital area
Oedipal complex
the notion that young boys’ impulses involve sexual feelings for the mother and the desisre to eliminate the father
Electra complex
the notion that young girls develop an attachment to the father and compete with the mother for the father’s attention
latency period
The fourth of Freud’s psychosexual stages, in which sexual impulses become dormant and the child focuses on education and other matters
genital stage
the fifth and last of Freud’s psychosexual stages, when sexual impulses reappear at the conscious level during adolescence
Sigmund Freud
a physician in Vienna, Austria, during the 1890’s, specialized in treating “neurotic” disorders, those with physical manifestations but no physical cause. Freud argued psychic determinism (the idea that personality and behaviour are largely determined by psychological factors) and an unconscious portion of personality. This led to Freud creating psychoanalytic theory, which became the basis of his psychodynamic approach to personality.
