Unit 4 Vocab: Personality & Motivation

Psychodynamic view of personality

the theory that personality is shaped by unconscious conflicts and early childhood experiences

Role of the unconscious

the idea that much of behavior is influenced by thoughts and desires outside of awareness

Ego defense mechanisms

unconscious strategies used to reduce anxiety by distorting reality

Denial

refusing to accept reality

Projection

attributing one’s own unacceptable thoughts to others

Rationalization

justifying behavior with logical but false reasons

Regression

reverting to earlier developmental behaviors

Repression

unconsciously pushing distressing thoughts out of awareness

Sublimation

channeling unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable activities

Humanistic psychology

the perspective that emphasizes personal growth and self-fulfillment

Unconditional positive regard

accepting and valuing a person without conditions

Self-actualizing tendency

the drive to reach one’s full potential

Social-cognitive view of personality

the theory that personality is shaped by interactions between behavior, cognition, and environment

Reciprocal determinism

the mutual influence of behavior, personal factors, and environment

Self-efficacy

belief in one’s ability to succeed

Self-concept

overall perception of oneself

Self-esteem

one’s sense of self-worth

Trait view of personality

the theory that personality is composed of stable traits

Big Five theory

model identifying five broad personality traits

Openness

trait characterized by curiosity and creativity

Conscientiousness

trait characterized by organization and responsibility

Extraversion

trait characterized by sociability and energy

Agreeableness

trait characterized by kindness and cooperation

Emotional stability

trait characterized by calmness and low anxiety

Drive-reduction theory

motivation to reduce physical discomfort and maintain homeostasis

Homeostasis

the body’s tendency to maintain internal balance

Arousal theory

motivation to maintain an optimal level of alertness

Yerkes-Dodson law

performance increases with arousal up to an optimal point then decreases

Self-determination theory

motivation influenced by need for autonomy, competence, and relatedness

Intrinsic motivation

engaging in behavior for its own sake

Extrinsic motivation

engaging in behavior for external rewards

Incentive theory

behavior is motivated by external rewards and punishments

Approach-approach conflict

choosing between two desirable options

Approach-avoidance conflict

one option has both positive and negative aspects

Avoidance-avoidance conflict

choosing between two undesirable options

Ghrelin

hormone that increases hunger

Leptin

hormone that signals satiety

Hypothalamus

brain structure that regulates hunger and body weight

Facial-feedback hypothesis

facial expressions influence emotional experience

Universality of emotional expression

the idea that basic emotions are expressed similarly across cultures

Health psychology

study of how psychological factors affect health and illness

Stressors

events that cause stress

General adaptation syndrome

three-stage response to stress including alarm, resistance, and exhaustion

Fight-flight-or-freeze response

physiological reaction to threat preparing the body for action

Problem-focused coping

dealing directly with the source of stress

Emotion-focused coping

reducing emotional distress rather than solving the proble