Unit4.3Key Concepts in Humanistic and Social-Cognitive Theories

Self-Actualization

Being the best person you are capable of being.

Self-Concept

A person's understanding and evaluation of who they believe they are.

Incongruence

Mismatch between self-concept and actual behavior.

Conditions of Worth

Feeling valued only when meeting others' expectations.

Unconditional Positive Regard

Being accepted and loved regardless of your actions.

Social-Cognitive Theories

Theories stating that personality is shaped by cognitive processes and social interactions.

Self-Efficacy

Belief in your own ability to succeed at a task.

(Big Five) Openness

Willingness to try new experiences and ideas.

(Big Five) Conscientiousness

Being organized, responsible, and detail-oriented.

(Big Five) Extraversion

Gaining energy from interacting with others.

(Big Five) Agreeableness

Being compassionate and cooperative.

(Big Five) Neuroticism

Tendency to experience negative emotions like anxiety.

Nomothetic Analysis

Study of traits that are universal to all people.

Idiographic Analysis

Study of traits unique to the individual.

Cardinal Traits

Traits that dominate and define a person's life.

Central Traits

Major characteristics of personality.

Secondary Traits

Traits that appear in specific situations.

16 Source Traits

Core personality traits identified by Raymond Cattell.

Surface Traits

Traits easily observed in everyday behavior.

Persuasion

Changing someone's attitudes or behaviors through communication.

Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM)

Theory that explains two main ways of processing persuasive messages: central and peripheral.

Central Route (ELM)

Using logic and evidence to persuade.

Peripheral Route (ELM)

Using superficial cues to persuade.

Conformity

Changing behavior to match group norms.

Obedience

Following orders from an authority figure.

Compliance

Agreeing to a request, especially from a peer, even without obligation.

Collectivist Culture

Values group harmony over individual goals.

Individualist Culture

Values personal goals and independence.

Groupthink

Poor group decisions due to desire for harmony over critical analysis.

Mindguard

A group member who blocks dissent to maintain consensus.