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personality
our unique and persistent patterns - of thinking, feeling, and behaving.
*note: other Units have covered: Biological influences on personality, Development of personality across the lifespan, how personality relates to learning, motivation, emotion, and health, Social influences and Disorders of personality!
psychodynamic theories
theories that view personality with a focus on the unconscious and the importance of childhood experiences.
psychoanalysis
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.
unconscious mind
according to Freud, a reservoir of mostly unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings, and memories.
**According to contemporary psychologists, information processing of which we are unaware.
free association (psychoanalysis)
in psychoanalysis, a method of exploring the unconscious in which the person relaxes and says whatever comes to mind, no matter how trivial (insignificant; foolish) or embarassing
iceberg of mind components
conscious mind (the part of the iceberg that floats above the surface)
preconscious mind (where they are stored for retrieval into awareness)
unconscious mind (the larger part beneath this awareness w/its thoughts, wishes, feelings, and memories)
id
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.
ego
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.
superego
the partly conscious voice of our moral compass (conscience) and how we ought to behave that, according to Freud, forces the ego to consider not only the real but also the ideal.
**it strives for perfection, judging actions and producing positive feelings of pride or negative feelings of guilt.
defense mechanisms
in psychoanalytic theory, the ego's protective methods of reducing anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality (7 will be explained later in the Quizlet)
**an unconscious process employed to avoid anxiety-arousing thoughts or feelings)
repression
an anxiety reducing defense mechanism; pushing unwanted memories into the unconscious.
* forgetting about a major deadline that is approaching.
*note: according to Freud: repression underlies all the other defense mechanisms.
regression
psychoanalytic defense mechanism in which an individual faced with anxiety retreats and resorts to an earlier stage of development.
*ie) curls up with an old stuffed animal and watches cratoons for comfort.
*ie) Coach Sawatski stomps his feet and yells when his team is losing.
reaction formation
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.
*ie) Janet is upset with Sue, but treats her with a lot of kindness.
*ie) Feeling the urge to cry with disappointment, instead declares loudly that "getting cut from the soccer team was the best thing that ever happened to me"
Projection
defense mechanism; attributing unacceptable impulses onto someone else.
*ie) Iris got fired and talks about how mad her parents are at her boss.
Rationalization
defense mechanism; giving a logical reason to justify unacceptable behavior. AKA: offering self-justifying explanations
*ie) Dillon was OK cheating on a test because everyone else was too.
*ie) having been cut from the team, they say I didn't even try my best and if I did I would have made the team
displacement
defense mechanism; refusing to believe or even perceive painful realities
*ie) If I did not make the team, there must be an error on the team list..I'll ask the coach
*ie) after a relationship ends, thinking you'll get back together
displacement
defense mechanism; shifting tension toward/to a less threatening target (object or person)
*ie) Kim yells at her friends when she is upset with her teacher.
*ie) after not making the team, yells at her brother for no reason
sublimation
defense mechanism; aggressive drives are channeled/transferred into something acceptable (socially valued motives)
*ie) Elane takes a Yoga class when she is stressed and upset.
*ie) after not making the team; feels the urge to yell at the coach but instead offers to teach his little brother to play soccer that day.
manifest content
according to Freud, the remembered story line or remembered content of a dream
latent content
according to Freud, the underlying meaning of a dream -- the hidden or symbolic meaning
*note: in his Dream Analysis, Freud searched for patient;s inner conflict.
Inferiority Complex (Adler)
individuals sense of incompleteness, imperfection, and inferiority both physically and socially
*Alfred Adler - believed that much of our behavior is driven by efforts to conquer childhood inferiority feelings that trigger our strivings for superiority and power.
Karen Horney
neo-Freudian, psychodynamic; criticized Freud for saying women have weak superegos and suffer "penis envy"; stated that personality is molded by current fears and impulses, rather than being determined solely by childhood experiences and instincts, neurotic trends; concept of "basic anxiety: childhood anxiety triggers our desire for love and security.
Carl Jung
#Forever; neo-Freudian; Freud's disciple-turned dissenter; believed unconscious does exert a powerful influence.
* But to him...the unconscious contains more than our repressed thoughts and feelings.
* We also have a collective unconscious: a common reservoir of images or archetypes.
* Explains WHY, for many people, spiritual concerns are deeply rooted and why people in diff. cultures share certain myths and images.
terror management theory (TMT)
a theory of death-related anxiety; explores people's emotional and behavioral responses to reminders of their impending death. #Level-up and MakeTheMost
Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
a projective test in which people express their inner feelings and interests through the stories they make up about ambiguous scenes
projective test
a personality test, such as the Rorschach or TAT, that provides ambiguous stimuli designed to trigger projection of one's inner dynamics AND explore the preconscious and unconscious mind.
Rorschach inkblot test
the most widely used projective test, a set of 10 inkblots, designed by Hermann ___________; seeks to identify people's inner feelings by analyzing their interpretations of the blots
validity
making sure a test or experiment measures what it is supposed to measure. #Module 0.3
reliability
the extent to which findings can be replicated #Module 0.3
humanistic theories
theories that view personality with a focus on the potential for healthy personal growth
hierarchy of needs
Maslow's levels of human needs, beginning at the base with physiological needs. Often visualized as a pyramid, with needs nearer the base taking priority until they are satisfied.
self-actualization
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-transcendence
according to Maslow, the striving for identity, meaning, and purpose beyond the self
unconditional positive regard
a caring, accepting, nonjudgmental attitude, which Carl Rogers believed would help clients to develop self-awareness and self-acceptance
