APPSY Unit 7 - Personality, Motivation, and Emotion

Psychodynamic Theory

a branch of psychology that studies how unconscious drives and conflicts influence behavior and uses that information to treat people with psychological disorders. 

Yerkes Dodson

the principle that performance increases with arousal only up to a point, beyond which performance decreases. 

self actualization

according to Maslow, one of the ultimate psychological needs that arises after basic physical and psychological needs are met and self-esteem is achieved; the motivation to fulfill one’s potential.

approach avoidance

a situation involving a single goal or option that has both desirable and undesirable aspects or consequences. The closer an individual comes to the goal, the greater the anxiety 

facial feedback

the tendency of facial muscle states to trigger corresponding feelings such as fear, anger, or happiness

display rules

a socially learned standard that regulates the expression of emotion. May vary by culture; for example, the expression of anger may be considered appropriate in some cultures but not in others. 

avoidance avoidance

a situation involving a choice between two equally objectionable alternatives, for example, when an individual must choose between unemployment and a salary cut. 

cognitive label of emotion

is the process of identifying and assigning emotional meaning to physiological responses, allowing individuals to understand their feelings

emotional stability

one of the elements of the Big Five, characterized by predictability and consistency in emotional reactions, with absence of rapid mood changes

projection

in psychoanalytic and psychodynamic theories a defense mechanism, the process by which one attributes one’s own individual positive or negative characteristics, affects, and impulses to another person or group. 

projective test

a personality test, such as the Rorschach, that provides ambiguous images designed to trigger projection of one’s inner dynamics.

personality inventory

a questionnaire (often with true-false or agree-disagree items) on which people respond to items designed to gauge a wide range of feelings and behaviors; used to assess selected personality traits

preconscious

in the classical psychoanalytic theory of Sigmund Freud, the level of the psyche that contains thoughts, feelings, and impulses not presently in awareness but that can be more or less readily called into consciousness. 

rationalization

a defense mechanism in which apparently logical reasons are given to justify unacceptable behavior that is motivated by unconscious instinctual impulses.

avoidance avoidance

a situation involving a choice between two equally objectionable alternatives, for example, when an individual must choose between unemployment and a salary cut. 

sublimation

in classical psychoanalytic theory, a defense mechanism in which unacceptable sexual or aggressive drives are unconsciously channeled into socially acceptable modes of expression and redirected into new, learned behaviors, which indirectly provide some satisfaction for the original drives.

self esteem

one’s feelings of high or low self-worth.

openness

Big Five personality model that refers to individual differences in the tendency to be open to new aesthetic, cultural, or intellectual experiences

leptin

a protein, manufactured and secreted by fat cells, that may communicate to the brain the amount of body fat stored and may help to regulate food intake. receptors have been found in the hypothalamus, and, when they are stimulated, food intake is reduced.

agreeableness

the tendency to act in a cooperative, unselfish manner, construed as one end of a dimension of individual differences in the Big Five personality model 

intrinsic

a desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake

unconditional positive regard

a caring, accepting, nonjudgmental attitude, which Carl Rogers believed would help clients develop self-awareness and self-acceptance

arousal theory

the theory that the physical environment can affect arousal levels by stimulation and by stress created when psychological or physical needs are not met.

denial

defense mechanism in which unpleasant thoughts, feelings, wishes, or events are ignored or excluded from conscious awareness. It may take such forms as refusal to acknowledge the reality of a terminal illness, financial problem, substance use or other addiction, or partner’s infidelity.

conscious

in the classical psychoanalytic theory of Sigmund Freud, the region of the psyche that contains thoughts, feelings, perceptions, and other aspects of mental life currently present in awareness.

approach approach

a situation involving a choice between two equally desirable but incompatible alternatives.

boredom susceptibility

component of Sensation seeking involves an intolerance of repetitive experience of any kind, including routine work

broaden and build

describes the form and function of a subset of positive emotions, including joy, interest, contentment and love. these positive emotions broaden an individual's momentary thought-action repertoire: joy sparks the urge to play, interest sparks the urge to explore, contentment sparks the urge to savour and integrate, and love sparks a recurring cycle of each of these urges within safe, close relationships.

conscientiousness

the tendency to be organized, responsible, and hardworking, construed as one end of a dimension of individual differences in the Big Five personality model.

displacement

defense mechanism in which the transfer of feelings or behavior from their original object to another person or thing

disinhibition

diminution or loss of the normal control exerted by the cerebral cortex, resulting in poorly controlled or poorly restrained emotions or actions. May be due to the effects of alcohol, drugs, or brain injury, particularly to the frontal lobes.

drive reduction theory

the idea that a physiological need creates an aroused state that motivates an organism to satisfy the need.

extraversion

one of the elements of the Big Five, characterized by an orientation of one’s interests and energies toward the outer world of people and things rather than the inner world of subjective experience.

eating motivation

refers to the factors that drive an individual to seek and consume food. These factors can include biological needs, psychological states, social influences, and environmental cues.

ego

the largely conscious, “executive’ part of personality that, according to Freud, mediates among the demands of the id, superego, and reality. This operates on the reality principle, satisfying the id’s desires in ways that will realistically bring pleasure rather than pain.

extrinsic

a desire to perform a behavior to receive promised rewards or avoid threatened punishment.

factor analysis

a statistical procedure that identifies clusters of related items on a test; used to identify different dimensions of performance that underlie a person’s total score.

ghrelin

 a peptide secreted by endocrine cells in the stomach that binds to growth hormone receptors in the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary, stimulating appetite and the release of growth hormone.

homeostasis

a tendency to maintain a balanced or constant internal state; the regulation of any aspect of body chemistry, such as blood glucose, around a particular level

humanistic theory

a historically significant perspective that emphasized human growth potential

ID

a reservoir of unconscious psychic energy that, according to Freud, strives to satisfy basic sexual and aggressive drives. Operates on the pleasure principle, demanding immediate gratification

incentive theory

a positive or negative environmental stimulus that motivates behavior

instincts

a complex behavior that is rigidly patterned throughout a species and is unlearned

Optimal arousal

a motivational theory that an individual maintains contact with various stimuli so as to achieve and maintain a preferred level of stimulation

physiological appraisal of emotion

is our interpretation of the eliciting event and of our bodily reactions to the eliciting event. we might feel angry and not know why – so we look for a reason

reaction formation

in psychoanalytic theory, a defense mechanism in which unacceptable or threatening unconscious impulses are denied and are replaced in consciousness with their opposite. 

reciprocal determinism

the interacting influences of behavior, internal cognition, and environment.

regression

defense mechanism in which there is a return to a prior, lower state of cognitive, emotional, or behavioral functioning. This term is associated particularly with psychoanalytic theory, denoting a situation in which the individual reverts to immature behavior

repression

in psychoanalytic theory, the basic defense mechanism that banishes from consciousness anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories

self concept

all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves in answer to the question, “Who am I?”

self determination

the process or result of engaging in behaviors without interference or undue influence from other people or external demands.

self efficacy

an individual’s subjective perception of their capability to perform in a given setting or to attain desired results, proposed by Albert Bandura as a primary determinant of emotional and motivational states and behavioral change.

sensation seeking

the tendency to search out and engage in thrilling activities as a method of increasing stimulation and arousal.

social cognitive theory

describes the influence of individual experiences, the actions of others, and environmental factors on individual health behaviors 

superego

the part of personality that, according to Freud, represents internalized ideals and provides standards for judgment (the conscience) and for future aspirations. 

trait theory

approaches that explain personality in terms of internal characteristics that are presumed to determine behavior.

unconscious

according to freud, a reservoir of mostly unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings, and memories

universal emotions

the finding that certain emotional expressions, appraisals, and manifestations are the same or highly similar across cultures and societies.