PSYC 1010 Exam 3: Motivation, Personality & Social Psychology Study Guide

What is motivation?

The push that STARTS, DIRECTS, and KEEPS a behavior going.

What is emotion?

The feeling and body/behavior response; a feeling can create the push to act.

What are the three parts of emotion?

Physiological arousal, conscious experience, and behavioral expression.

Define homeostasis.

The body's 'steady state' or balance.

What is the difference between a need and a drive?

Need is a physical or biological deprivation; drive is an aroused state caused by a physiological need.

Give an example of a need.

Low water intake.

Give an example of a drive.

Thirst.

What does drive reduction theory aim to achieve?

Reduce the drive and return to homeostasis.

What is optimum arousal theory?

The goal is to maintain a moderate level of arousal.

What does the Yerkes-Dodson law state?

We perform best under moderate arousal, rather than low or high arousal.

What is Maslow's hierarchy of needs?

A five-level model where needs are met in a fixed order, starting with physiological needs.

What is self-actualization?

Reaching your full potential; Maslow believed most stop before this level.

What are the three innate needs in self-determination theory (SDT)?

Competence, relatedness, and autonomy.

How does intrinsic motivation differ from extrinsic motivation?

Intrinsic motivation is doing something for its own sake; extrinsic motivation is for external rewards.

What can happen when someone is paid to do what they love?

An external reward can lower intrinsic motivation.

What is the James-Lange theory of emotion?

Emotion is the result of physiological responses to stimuli.

What is the Cannon-Bard theory of emotion?

Emotion and physiological responses occur simultaneously and independently.

What is the two-factor theory of emotion?

Emotion is based on physiological arousal and cognitive labeling of that arousal.

What is an example of drive reduction?

Eating when hungry to reduce the discomfort of hunger.

What is an example of optimum arousal?

Joining a climbing gym when bored to seek stimulation.

What are the five levels of Maslow's hierarchy of needs?

Physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, self-actualization.

What does competence mean in the context of self-determination theory?

A sense of mastery and effectiveness.

What does relatedness mean in self-determination theory?

A sense of belonging and connection.

What does autonomy mean in self-determination theory?

A sense of choice and control.

What is an example of intrinsic motivation?

Drawing for fun.

What is an example of extrinsic motivation?

Studying for a grade.

What is overlearning?

Practicing a skill until it runs on autopilot, reducing the impact of pressure.

What is the relationship between motivation and emotion?

Emotion can create the push to act, influencing motivation.

What does the James-Lange theory propose about emotions?

Emotions occur after physiological responses; 'We cry, therefore we are sad.'

What classic study is associated with Schachter and Singer's Two-factor theory?

Participants given an epinephrine shot interpreted their arousal based on their partner's mood.

What does the facial feedback hypothesis suggest?

Facial expressions can influence emotions as well as reflect them.

How does the James-Lange theory explain the experience of fear when encountering a bull?

The sequence is: bull > you run > fear.

What is the sequence of events in the Cannon-Bard theory when encountering a bull?

Bull > racing heart and fear occur at once.

In the Two-factor theory, what is the sequence when encountering a bull?

Bull > arousal > label from context.

What are display rules in the context of emotions?

Sociocultural standards for when, where, and how emotions should be expressed.

How do display rules differ across cultures?

Facial expressions may be universally recognized, but the norms for showing them vary.

What is valence in emotional classification?

Valence refers to whether an emotion is pleasant or unpleasant.

What does arousal refer to in the context of emotions?

Arousal indicates the intensity or energy level of the emotion (high vs. low).

What combination of valence and arousal describes excitement?

Pleasant and high arousal.

What combination of valence and arousal describes boredom?

Unpleasant and low arousal.

What is the happiness set point?

A baseline level of happiness that individuals tend to return to over time.

What is the hedonic treadmill?

The phenomenon where people quickly adapt to positive changes, returning to baseline happiness.

How does money influence happiness according to the study?

Money increases happiness up to about $75,000 a year, after which the effect levels off.

Define personality in psychological terms.

A pattern of enduring, distinctive thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that characterize how a person adapts to the world.

What is the psychodynamic perspective on personality?

It emphasizes that personality is primarily unconscious and shaped by early experiences.

What metaphor does Freud use to describe personality?

The iceberg metaphor: observable behavior is the tip, while unconscious causes lie beneath.

What does the id represent in Freud's theory?

The id represents unconscious drives and operates on the pleasure principle.

What role does the superego play in personality according to Freud?

The superego acts as the moral judge or conscience, evaluating the morality of actions.

What is the function of the ego in Freud's model?

The ego mediates between the id, superego, and reality, operating on the reality principle.

What are defense mechanisms in psychology?

Tactics the ego uses to reduce anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality.

What is repression as a defense mechanism?

The act of pushing unacceptable impulses out of awareness.

What is denial in the context of defense mechanisms?

Refusing to acknowledge an anxious reality.

What is displacement as a defense mechanism?

Redirecting an impulse towards a safer target.

What does sublimation mean in psychological terms?

Transforming an impulse into something socially valued.

What is projection as a defense mechanism?

Seeing in others what we fear in ourselves.

What is reaction formation in psychology?

Expressing the exact opposite of one's true desires.

What is reaction formation?

A defense mechanism where a person acts in the opposite way to their true feelings, e.g., campaigning against gambling while secretly betting.

What is projection in psychology?

A defense mechanism where an individual attributes their own unacceptable thoughts or feelings to others, e.g., accusing others of problem gambling while hiding one's own.

Define repression.

A defense mechanism that involves pushing distressing thoughts out of conscious awareness.

What is denial?

A defense mechanism where an individual refuses to accept reality or facts.

Explain displacement.

A defense mechanism that involves redirecting emotions from a threatening target to a safer one.

What is sublimation?

A defense mechanism that channels unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable activities.

What is fixation in Freud's theory?

Getting 'stuck' at a psychosexual stage, which affects adult personality.

List Freud's psychosexual stages in order.

1. Oral (birth-18 months), 2. Anal (18-36 months), 3. Phallic (3-6 years), 4. Latency (6-puberty), 5. Genital (adolescence onward).

What is the Oedipus complex?

Freud's theory that a boy has a desire to replace his father.

Define unconditional positive regard.

Acceptance and support of a person regardless of what they say or do.

What are conditions of worth?

Standards that must be met in order to receive positive regard from others.

Differentiate self-concept and self-esteem.

Self-concept is how we perceive our identity; self-esteem is how we evaluate that self positively or negatively.

What are the big five traits of personality?

Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism.

How does conscientiousness relate to academic performance?

Conscientiousness is the strongest predictor of college GPA among the big five traits.

What does heritability tell us about personality traits?

About 50% of the differences in big five traits can be attributed to genetic differences.

What is the focus of social cognitive perspectives?

Understanding personality through conscious awareness, beliefs, expectations, and goals.

Define self-efficacy.

The belief in one's ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a task.

What is the difference between self-efficacy and self-esteem?

Self-efficacy refers to confidence in performing a specific task, while self-esteem is a general evaluation of self-worth.

What is an example of displacement?

Being angry at your boss and then snapping at your roommate.

Give an example of sublimation.

Channeling anger into exercise instead of expressing it directly.

What is the age range for the anal stage in Freud's theory?

18 to 36 months.

What is the significance of the latency stage?

It occurs from age 6 to puberty and is characterized by a period of socialization and skill development.

How does unconditional positive regard differ from conditions of worth?

Unconditional positive regard remains regardless of behavior, while conditions of worth depend on meeting certain standards.

What does it mean to have a high level of agreeableness?

Being kind, trusting, and helpful towards others.

What is neuroticism in the context of the big five traits?

A tendency to experience negative emotions such as anxiety, worry, and insecurity.

How can heritability estimates be misinterpreted?

A heritability estimate does not imply that a trait is fixed or solely determined by genetics.

What is a common test clue for distinguishing between unconditional positive regard and conditions of worth?

Ask if approval would remain after a shortcoming; if yes, it's unconditional.

What is Allport's view on cross-situational consistency?

Traits make behavior consistent across situations; an outgoing person behaves outgoing in various settings.

What does Mischel's situationism suggest?

Behavior changes with the situation; even a talkative person may be quiet in a lecture.

In what type of situations do traits show the most predictive power?

In weak situations, where traits can stand out more.

What is a self-report test in psychology?

A test that directly asks individuals whether specific items describe their personality.

What is social desirability in self-report tests?

The tendency to answer questions in a way that makes one look good.

Define face validity.

When it is obvious what a test item measures, making it easy to fake.

What is an empirically keyed test?

A test that retains items that statistically distinguish between groups, even if the reason is not obvious.

What distinguishes projective tests from self-report tests?

Projective tests present ambiguous stimuli for interpretation, while self-report tests ask direct questions.

What is the Rorschach inkblot test?

A projective test where individuals describe what they see in 10 inkblots, noted for weak reliability and validity.

What is the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)?

A projective test where individuals tell a story about a picture, measuring themes like achievement and affiliation.

Define social psychology.

The scientific study of how people think about, influence, and relate to one another.

What is the bystander effect?

A phenomenon where individuals are less likely to help in an emergency when others are present.

What is person perception?

The process of forming impressions of others, sometimes based on very brief encounters.

Define stereotype.

A generalization about a group's characteristics that ignores individual variation.

What is a self-fulfilling prophecy?

When social expectations lead people to act in ways that make those expectations come true.

What is stereotype threat?

The fear of confirming a negative stereotype about one's group, which can negatively impact performance.

What is attribution theory?

The theory that explains how we look for causes of behavior to make sense of and predict it.