Unit 4: Personality Flashcards
an individual’s characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting
personality
theories that view personality with a focus on the unconscious and the importance of childhood experiences
psychodynamic theories
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, information processing of which we are unaware.
unconscious
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
free association
a reservoir of unconscious psychic energy that, according to Freud, strives to satisfy basic sexual and aggressive drives. The id operates on the pleasure principle, demanding immediate gratification.
id
the partly conscious, “executive” part of personality that, according to Freud, mediates among the demands of the id, the superego, and reality. The ego operates on the reality principle, satisfying the id’s desires in ways that will realistically bring pleasure rather than pain.
ego
the part of personality that, according to Freud, represents internalized ideals and provides standards for judgment (the conscience) and for future aspirations
superego
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 from consciousness anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories
repression
Carl Jung’s concept of a shared, inherited reservoir of memory traces from our species’ history
collective unconscious
a theory of death-related anxiety; explores people’s emotional and behavioral responses to reminders of their impending death
terror management theory
a projective test in which people express their inner feelings and interests through the stories they make up about ambiguous scenes
Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
personality assessments that present ambiguous visual stimuli to the client and ask the client to respond with whatever comes to mind
projective tests
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
view personality with a focus on the potential for healthy personal growth
humanistic theory(CARL ROGERS)
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 Maslow, the striving for identity, meaning, and purpose beyond the self
self-transcendence
a caring, accepting, nonjudgmental attitude, which Carl Rogers believed would help clients to develop self-awareness and self-acceptance
unconditional positive regard
all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in answer 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 people 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 its most appropriate use), this test is now used for many other screening purposes.
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)
a test (such as the MMPI) developed by testing a pool of items and then selecting those that discriminate between groups
empirically derived test
openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism
Big Five Factors(OCEAN)
views behavior as influenced by the interaction between people’s traits (including their thinking) and their social context.
social-cognitive perspective
focuses on the effects of learning on our personality development
behavioral approach
the interacting influences of behavior, internal cognition, and environment
reciprocal determinism
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
one’s sense of competence and effectiveness(belief in our own abilities
self-efficacy
a readiness to perceive oneself favorably
self-serving bias
excessive self-love and self-absorption
narcissism
a cultural pattern that emphasizes people’s own goals over goals and defines identity mainly in terms of unique personal attributes
individualism
a cultural pattern that prioritizes the goals of important groups (often one’s extended family or work group)
collectivism
avoiding thoughts by forcing them into the back of our mind
repression
refusing to perceive reality in order to protect ourselves from it
denial(motivated forgetting)
diverting sexual or aggressive impulses to a more acceptable person or object
displacement
disguising your own threatening impulses and attributing them to others
projection
creating logical explanations of our behavior in order to justify it
rationalization
make unacceptable impulses into their opposite, acceptable form
reaction formation
retreating to behavior or thinking like a child in order to avoid adult issues
regression
expending energy on prosocial activities in order to avoid undesired activities
sublimination
reducing anxiety by thinking about events in a cold, clinical way
intellectualization
