Personality

Psychoanalytic Theory

Freud’s theory that personality is shaped by unconscious motives, childhood experiences, and conflicts between different parts of the mind.

Sigmund Freud

The founder of psychoanalysis who developed theories about the unconscious mind, psychosexual development, and defense mechanisms.

Free Association

A method used in psychoanalysis where a person says whatever comes to mind to uncover unconscious thoughts.

Unconscious

The part of the mind that holds thoughts, memories, and desires that are not in conscious awareness but still influence behavior.

Id

The primitive part of personality that seeks immediate gratification of basic drives, operating on the pleasure principle.

Ego

The rational part of personality that mediates between the id, superego, and reality, operating on the reality principle.

Superego

The moral part of personality that represents internalized ideals and provides standards for judgment.

Psychosexual Stages of Development

Freud’s theory that personality develops through stages based on different pleasure-seeking focuses.

Oral Stage

The first stage (0-18 months), where pleasure is focused on the mouth (e.g., sucking, biting).

Anal Stage

The second stage (18-36 months), where pleasure is focused on bowel and bladder control.

Phallic Stage

The third stage (3-6 years), where pleasure is focused on the genitals and children develop unconscious desires for the opposite-sex parent.

Oedipus Complex

A boy’s unconscious desire for his mother and rivalry with his father, occurring in the phallic stage.

Latency Stage

The fourth stage (6-puberty), where sexual impulses are dormant, and children focus on social interactions.

Genital Stage

The final stage (puberty onward), where sexual interests mature and focus on relationships outside the family.

Defense Mechanisms

The unconscious strategies the ego uses to reduce anxiety by distorting reality.

Repression

Blocking anxiety-provoking thoughts from conscious awareness.

Projection

Attributing one’s own unacceptable thoughts or feelings to someone else.

Rationalization

Justifying behaviors or thoughts with logical but false reasons.

Sublimation

Redirecting unacceptable impulses into positive behaviors (e.g., channeling aggression into sports).

Regression

Reverting to an earlier stage of development when faced with stress (e.g., a stressed adult sucking their thumb).

Reaction Formation

Acting in the opposite way of one’s true feelings (e.g., pretending to dislike someone you actually admire).

Displacement

Shifting aggressive or sexual impulses toward a less threatening object or person.

Denial

Refusing to acknowledge painful realities.

Psychodynamic Theory

The modern adaptation of Freud’s ideas, emphasizing unconscious motives but placing less focus on sexual drives.

Neofreudians

Psychologists who modified Freud’s theories, focusing more on social and cultural influences.

Carl Jung

A Neofreudian who introduced the concept of the collective unconscious and archetypes.

Collective Unconscious

Jung’s idea that humans share inherited memories and instincts from ancestral experiences.

Archetypes

Universal symbols and themes found in myths, stories, and dreams across different cultures.

Alfred Adler

A Neofreudian who emphasized the importance of social relationships and overcoming feelings of inferiority.

Inferiority Complex

Adler’s concept that people strive to overcome childhood feelings of weakness or inadequacy.

Karen Horney

A Neofreudian who countered Freud’s male-centered theories and emphasized the role of childhood anxiety.

Childhood Anxiety

Horney’s belief that insecurity in childhood leads to neurosis in adulthood.

Projective Tests

Personality tests that use ambiguous stimuli to uncover unconscious thoughts.

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

A projective test where people make up stories about ambiguous pictures.

Rorschach Inkblot Test

A projective test where people describe what they see in inkblots to reveal unconscious thoughts.

False Consensus Effect

The tendency to overestimate how much others share our beliefs and behaviors.

Terror-Management Theory

The idea that fear of death influences human thoughts and behaviors.

Traditional Birth Order Theory

The outdated idea that birth order affects personality.

First Born

Thought to be responsible and achievement-oriented.

Middle Born

Thought to be peacemakers and socially skilled.

Last Born

Thought to be attention-seeking and outgoing.

Only Child

Thought to be independent and mature for their age.

Humanistic Theory

A perspective that focuses on free will, personal growth, and self-fulfillment.

Self-Concept

A person’s overall sense of who they are.

Ideal Self

The person one strives to be.

Actual Self

The person one currently is.

Carl Rogers' Person-Centered Perspective

A theory emphasizing that personal growth requires an environment of genuineness, acceptance, and empathy.

Genuineness

Being open and honest with oneself and others.

Acceptance

Being valued unconditionally by others.

Unconditional Positive Regard

Loving and accepting someone without conditions.

Empathy

Understanding and sharing another’s feelings.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

A motivational theory outlining a progression of human needs.

Physiological

Basic survival needs (e.g., food, water, sleep).

Safety

The need for security and stability.

Love and Belonging

The need for relationships and social connection.

Esteem

The need for self-respect and recognition from others.

Self-Actualization

The need to reach one’s full potential.

Self-Transcendence

The need to go beyond oneself and contribute to a greater purpose.

Criticisms of Humanistic Theory

It is seen as overly optimistic, vague, and lacking scientific basis.

Trait Theory

A perspective that personality is made up of stable, measurable traits.

Personality Inventories

Questionnaires used to assess personality traits.

Minnesota Multiphasic Inventory (MMPI)

A widely used personality test that measures psychological disorders.

Conscientiousness

Being organized, responsible, and dependable.

Agreeableness

Being kind, cooperative, and compassionate.

Neuroticism

Being anxious, moody, and emotionally unstable.

Openness to Experience

Being curious, imaginative, and open to new ideas.

Extraversion

Being outgoing, energetic, and social.

Social-Cognitive Theory

A perspective that personality is shaped by interactions between thoughts, behaviors, and the environment.

Albert Bandura

A psychologist who developed social-cognitive theory and studied observational learning.

Reciprocal Determinism

The idea that personality is influenced by the interaction of behavior, personal factors, and the environment.

Self-Efficacy

A person’s belief in their ability to succeed.

Locus of Control

The degree to which people believe they control their own fate.

Learned Helplessness

A sense of powerlessness that develops after repeated failures or negative experiences.

Optimism vs. Pessimism

A person’s general tendency to expect positive or negative outcomes.