UNIT 7 Flashcards
Instinct theory
physical and mental instincts such as curiosity and fearfulness
(cause us to act)
Drive reduction theory
focuses on internal states of tension (like hunger) that motivate us to pursue actions that reduce the tension and bring us back to homeostasis
Incentive theory
beyond the primary motives of food, drink, and sex that push us toward a goal
Arousal theory
each of us has an optimal level of arousal necessary to perform tasks which varies with the person and the activity
Affiliation motive
need to be with others
Intrinsic motivation
desire to perform an activity for its own sake
Overjustification effect
promising a reward for doing something we already like to do: results in us seeing the reward as the motivation for performing the task. (When the reward is taken away, the behavior tends to disappear)
Social conflict situations
involve being torn in different directions by opposing motives that block us from attaining a goal
Approach-approach conflicts
situations involving two positive options, only one of which we can have
Avoidance-avoidance conflicts
situations involving two negative options, one of which we must choose
Approach-avoidance conflicts
situations involving whether or not to choose an option that has both a positive and negative consequence or consequences.
Evolutionary theory
emotions developed because of their adaptive value
James-Lange theory
conscious experience of emotion results from one’s aware- ness of autonomic arousal
Cannon-Bard theory
thalamus sends information to the limbic cerebral cortex simultaneously so that conscious experience of emotion accompanies physiological processes
Opponent-process theory
following a strong emotion, an opposing emotion counters the first emotion, lessening the experience of that emotion
Schachter-Singer two-factor theory
we determine an emotion from our physiological arousal and then label that emotion according to our cognitive explanation for the arousal
Cognitive-appraisal theory
our emotional experience depends on our interpretation of the situation we are in
Alarm reaction
stressor triggers increased activity of the sympathetic nervous system
Resistance
raised temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration maintained
Type A personalities
high achievers, competitive, impatient, multitaskers, who walk, talk, and eat quickly
Type B personalities
relaxed and calm in their approach to life.
Idiographic methods
personality assessment techniques that look at the individual, (case studies, interviews, and naturalistic observations)
Nomothetic methods
personality assessment techniques such as tests, surveys, and observations that focus on variables at the group level, identifying universal trait dimensions or relationships between different aspects of personality
Biological approach
examines the extent to which heredity determines our personality
Psychoanalytic/psychodynamic approach
Sigmund Freud- who emphasized unconscious motivations and conflicts, and the importance of early childhood experiences
(Freuds three levels of the mind)
Id (Freud’s three major systems of personality)
(in unconscious) contains everything psychological that is inherited and psychic energy that powers all three systems
Ego (Freud’s three major systems of personality)
(partly conscious, partly unconscious) mediates between instinctual needs and conditions of the environment to maintain our life and ensure that our species lives on
Superego (Freud’s three major systems of personality)
(partly conscious, partly unconscious) is composed of the conscience that punishes us by making us feel guilty
Repression
the pushing away of threatening thoughts, feelings, and memories into the unconscious mind
Regression
retreating to an earlier level of development characterized by more immature, pleasurable behavior
Rationalization
offering socially acceptable reasons for our inappropriate behavior
Projection
attributing our own undesirable thoughts, feelings, or actions to others
Displacement
shifting unacceptable thoughts, feelings, or actions from a more threatening person or object to another less threatening person or object.
Reaction Formation
acting in a manner exactly opposite of our true feelings.
Sublimation
redirecting unacceptable sexual or aggressive impulses into more socially acceptable behaviors
Oral stage
pleasure from sucking
Anal stage
pleasure from holding in or letting go of feces
phallic stage
pleasure from self-stimulation of genitals
latency stage
suppressed sexuality
genital stage
adolescent to adulthood
archetypes
inherited memories or common themes found in all cultures
individualism
psychological process by which we become an individual
humanistic approach
Humans are born good and strive for positive personal growth
behavioral approach
According to Skinner: our history of reinforcement shapes our behavior= which is our personality
cognitive and social / social learning approach
Cognitive theories human nature is basically neutral and we are shaped by our perceptions of the world.
self-efficacy
is our belief that we can perform behaviors that are necessary to accom- plish tasks and that we are competent
collective efficacy
is our perception that with collaborative effort our group will obtain its desired outcome
trait theory
A trait is a relatively permanent characteristic of our personality that can be used to predict our behavior
cardinal trait
defining characteristic, in a small number of us, that dominates and shapes all of our behavior
central trait
between 5 and 10 of these shape much of our behavior
extroversion
measures our sociability and tendency to pay attention to the external environment
neuroticism
measures our level of instability-how moody, anxious, and unreliable we are as opposed to stability-how calm
psychoticism
measures our level of tough-mindedness-how hostile, ruthless, and insensitive we are-as opposed to tender-mindedness-how friendly, empathetic, and cooperative we are
self- concept
our overall view of our abilities, behavior, and personality
