Personality Theories and Assessment: Psychoanalytic and Trait Perspectives

What is personality?

Personality refers to the individual differences in characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving.

What are the three components of the psyche according to Psychoanalytic Theory?

Ego, Superego, and Id.

What does the Reality Principle represent in Psychoanalytic Theory?

The Reality Principle governs the Ego, guiding it to satisfy the Id's desires in realistic and socially appropriate ways.

What is the role of the Superego?

The Superego acts as a moral compass, representing internalized ideals and standards for judgment.

What is the Pleasure Principle?

The Pleasure Principle drives the Id to seek immediate gratification of desires and needs.

What are the Psychosexual Stages of Development?

Stages through which personality develops, each characterized by a focus on a specific erogenous zone.

Name one Ego Defense Mechanism.

Examples include Reaction Formation, Projection, Regression, Denial, Rationalization, and Displacement.

Who proposed the concept of the Inferiority Complex?

Alfred Adler.

Which psychologist emphasized the importance of social relationships in personality development?

Karen Horney.

What is the focus of Trait Theory?

Trait Theory focuses on identifying and measuring individual personality characteristics.

What is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)?

The MMPI is an empirically-derived test used to assess personality traits and psychopathology.

What has research not supported in Psychoanalytic Theory?

Research has not supported the validity of Defense Mechanisms and Unconscious Processes.

What is the purpose of assessing traits in Trait Theory?

To evaluate and quantify individual differences in personality.