Personality - Psychology 2e

This set of flashcards covers key concepts in the psychology of personality, including definitions, theories, and notable figures in the field.

Personality

The long-standing traits and patterns that propel individuals to consistently think, feel, and behave in specific ways.

Temperament

The inherent personality traits that are evident from early childhood, suggesting a biological basis for personality.

Id

The part of the personality that consists of primitive urges and operates on the pleasure principle.

Ego

The rational part of personality that attempts to balance the demands of the id and the superego.

Superego

The moral component of personality that develops through interactions with others and strives for perfection.

Defense Mechanisms

Unconscious protective behaviors that work to reduce anxiety by restoring balance between the id and superego.

Psychosexual Development

Freud’s theory proposing that childhood experiences shape adult personality through five stages focused on erogenous zones.

Inferiority Complex

A person's feelings that they lack worth and don’t measure up to the standards of others or society.

Self-Efficacy

The degree to which individuals believe in their capability to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments.

Reciprocal Determinism

Bandura’s theory that behavior, cognitive processes, and situational context all influence each other.

Locus of Control

The belief about the extent to which outcomes are under one's control, which can be internal or external.

Oedipus Complex

Freud's theory that a child feels desire for the opposite-sex parent and jealousy toward the same-sex parent.

Ectomorph

According to Sheldon’s somatotypes, a body type characterized by being anxious, self-conscious, artistic, and thoughtful.

Big Five Personality Traits

A model proposing five broad traits (OCEAN) that define personality: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extroversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism.

Cultural Personality

The influence of cultural beliefs, customs, and traditions on individual personality traits and behaviors.

Projective Tests

Personality assessment tools that use ambiguous stimuli to prompt responses that reveal personal feelings and thoughts.

Likert Scale

A type of survey response scale used to measure attitudes or opinions, typically in self-report inventories.