Unit 4 - Social Psychology (Part 2)

Personality

An individual's characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting.

Psychoanalysis

Freud's Theory: Attributes thoughts and actions to unconscious drives, needs, and conflicts.

Free Association

A method where a patient relaxes and speaks whatever comes to mind, regardless of how trivial or embarrassing.

The Unconscious

Freud's View: A reservoir of unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings, and memories.

Modern Psychology View

Information processing that occurs outside of our conscious awareness.

Freudian Slip

An unintentional error believed to reveal subconscious feelings.

Projective Test

A test where ambiguous stimuli (words, images, situations) are presented, and responses are analyzed to uncover unconscious personality expressions.

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

Telling a story based on a picture.

Rorschach Inkblot Test

A test using 10 inkblots to assess personality, emotional functioning, and cognitive style.

Temperament

An individual's typical behavioral style and way of responding to others and situations.

Inhibited Temperament

Apprehensive and shyness when faced with new experiences/people.

Uninhibited Temperament

Sociable and outgoing when exposed to new situations.

Consciousness

Conscious: thoughts + beliefs of which we're aware of.

Preconscious

Contains memory + stored info.

Id

The driving force that pushes us to act on our impulses.

Superego

Acts as a moral conscience, pushing a person to 'do the right thing.'

Ego

Operates on the reality principle, attempting to satisfy the Id within socially acceptable boundaries set by the Superego.

Eros

General instinctual drive.

Libido

Instinctual drive/desire for sexual activity.

Thanatos

Death drive that accounts for aggressive and self-destructive thoughts and behaviors.

Ego Defense Mechanisms

Ego’s protective methods of reducing anixiety by distorting reality

Denial

Unconsciously refusing to believe painful realities.

Repression

Unconscious forgetting of a painful event.

Displacement

Unconsciously deflecting impulses away from the original target to a less threatening one.

Sublimation

Unconsciously seeking a socially acceptable substitute for some undesirable impulse.

Projection

Unconsciously attributing our own unacceptable thoughts/actions to someone else.

Rationalization

Unconscious excuse making for negative behaviors to justify behavior.

Reaction Formation

Unconsciously behaving in ways that are opposite to one's true feelings.

Regression

Unconsciously reverting to an earlier, safer time by facing a situation that's causing feelings of guilt/anxiety, engaging in child-like behaviors.

Oral Stage

The first stage of psychosexual development from birth to 18 months, where pleasure is derived from oral activities.

Conflict (Oral Stage)

Weaning, becoming gradually independent from breastfeeding.

Oral Fixations

Result from weaning too early or too late, manifesting in adulthood as smoking, drinking, overeating, dependence, and anxiety.

Anal Stage

The second stage of psychosexual development from 18 months to 3 years, where pleasure is related to bowel control and potty training.

Conflict (Anal Stage)

Learning to control bodily functions and developing independence.

Anal Fixations

Related to issues of control, orderliness, and cleanliness.

Phallic Stage

The third stage of psychosexual development from 3 to 6 years, where awareness of genitals and exploration of sexual differences occurs.

Oedipus Complex

Unconscious romantic attraction to the mother and rivalry with the father (Boys).

Penis Envy

Feeling of inferiority and jealousy towards boys for having a penis (Girls).

Electra Complex

Unconscious competition with the mother for the father's affection (Girls).

Latency Stage

The fourth stage of psychosexual development from 7 to 11 years, where sexual urges are repressed and sublimated into socially acceptable activities.

Genital Stage

The fifth stage of psychosexual development from early adolescence onward, focusing on maturation of sexual interests and development of intimate relationships.

Pleasure Principle

The drive for immediate gratification of desires and impulses (Id).

Reality Principle

The ability to delay gratification until an appropriate time and outlet is found (Ego).

Person-Centered Approach

Focuses on individual human potential and capacity for growth, emphasizing positive aspects of human nature.

Self-Fulfillment

Highlights the importance of achieving one's full potential, arising as a 'third force' in psychology.

Self-Actualization

The process of achieving one's full potential, involving intellectual, social, and personal growth.

Unconditional Positive Regard (UPR)

Accepting and supporting a person regardless of their actions, not judging based on past behaviors or current circumstances.

Conditions of Worth

Requirements imposed by others for love and acceptance, where 'love' is given only if certain conditions are met.

Self-Concept

An individual's perception and evaluation of their own identity, beliefs, and characteristics.

Ideal Self

The person one aspires to be.

Real Self

An individual's authentic and core identity, encompassing their true thoughts, feelings, values, and aspirations.

Congruence

Alignment between a person's self-concept and their actual experiences/behaviors.

Incongruence

A mismatch between different aspects of an individual's self.