AP Psych 4.4 - 4.5 🧠💡

Psychodynamic Theory

(Sigmund Freud) human behavior, personality, and emotional disorders are driven by unconscious motivations, inner conflicts, and early childhood experiences

Unconscious Mind

Thoughts, memories, and desires outside awareness that still affect behavior

Ego Defense Mechanisms

Unconscious ways the mind protects itself from stress or anxiety

Denial

Refusing to accept reality because it is uncomfortable

Displacement

defense mechanism in which a person redirects an emotional reaction from the rightful recipient onto another person or object

Projection

Putting your own unwanted feelings onto someone else

Rationalization

Making excuses to justify behavior instead of the real reason

Reaction Formation

Acting the opposite of your true feelings

Regression

Returning to childish behavior under stress

Repression

Pushing painful thoughts out of awareness

Sublimation

Turning negative impulses into positive actions

Projective Tests

Tests that reveal unconscious thoughts using unclear images (ink blot)

Rorschach Inkblot Test

Interpreting inkblots to uncover hidden feelings

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

Making up stories about images to reveal thoughts and motives

Humanistic Theory

Focuses on growth, free will, and reaching full potential (Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers)

Unconditional Positive Regard

Accepting someone without conditions

Self-Actualizing Tendency

The drive to reach your full potential

Social-Cognitive Theory

Personality is shaped by thoughts, behavior, and environment

Reciprocal Determinism

Behavior, thoughts, and environment all influence each other

Self-Concept

How you see yourself

Self-Efficacy

Belief in your ability to succeed

Self-Esteem

Your overall sense of self-worth

Trait Theories

Focus on stable personality characteristics

Traits

Consistent patterns of behavior

Big Five Theory

Personality made up of five main traits

Agreeableness

Being kind and cooperative

Openness to Experience

Being open to new ideas and experiences

Extraversion

Being outgoing and social

Conscientiousness

Being organized and responsible

Emotional Stability (Neuroticism)

How calm or anxious a person is

Measurement (Personality)

Using tests to measure personality traits

Factor Analysis

A method used to group traits based on patterns