Chapter 12

Personality inventory

A paper-and-pencil or computerized test consisting of statements that require a specific, standardized response.

Fixation

A disorder where a person does not fully resolve the conflict in a psychosexual stage, leading to traits and behaviors of that stage.

Surface traits

Aspects of personality easily observed in a person's outward actions.

Basic anxiety

Anxiety created when a child is born into a larger world of older individuals.

Direct observation

Assessment method where a professional observes a client in day-to-day behavior.

Subjective

Referring to concepts valid only within a person’s perception, influenced by biases.

Temperament

Behavioral characteristics established at birth, like 'easy', 'difficult', or 'slow to warm up'.

Source traits

Basic traits underlying surface traits, forming the core of personality.

Trait–situation interaction

The assumption that situations influence how traits are expressed.

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

A projective test using 20 ambiguous pictures as visual stimuli.

Humanistic perspective

Focus on aspects that make people uniquely human, emphasizing subjective feelings.

Self-actualizing tendency

The striving to fulfill one's innate capabilities.

Trait

A consistent and enduring way of thinking, feeling, or behaving.

Self

An individual's awareness of their personal characteristics and functioning level.

Psychoanalysis

An insight therapy based on Freud's theory of revealing unconscious conflicts.

Unconscious mind

Level of mind where thoughts and memories are not easily brought to consciousness.

Phallic stage

The third psychosexual stage (ages 3-6) where sexual feelings are discovered.

Rorschach inkblot test

A projective test using 10 inkblots as ambiguous stimuli.

Archetypes

Jung's collective universal memories shared by all humans.

Conditional positive regard

Positive regard given only when the person meets certain expectations.

Self-efficacy

An individual's expectancy of how effective their efforts will be.

Anal stage

The second psychosexual stage (18-36 months) where toilet training is the source of conflict.

Reciprocal determinism

Bandura’s explanation of how environment, personal characteristics, and behavior interact.

Halo effect

Tendency to let positive client characteristics influence assessments.

Behavioral genetics

The study of genetic bases for personality characteristics.

Trait theories

Theories that describe characteristics making up human personality to predict behavior.

Psychological defense mechanisms

Unconscious distortions that reduce stress and anxiety.

Reality principle

Ego's principle that satisfies the id’s demands without negative consequences.

Psychosexual stages

Freud's five stages of personality development tied to sexual development.

Five-factor model (Big Five)

Model describing five basic trait dimensions of personality.

Id

The part of personality that is present at birth and completely unconscious.

Personality

The unique and relatively stable ways people think, feel, and behave.

Conscience

Part of the superego that produces guilt based on behavior acceptability.

Superego

Part of personality acting as the moral center.

Oral stage

The first psychosexual stage (first 18 months) with the mouth as the erogenous zone.

Social cognitive learning theorists

Theorists emphasizing the influence of behavior and personal expectancies on learning.

Neurotic personalities

Personalities characterized by maladaptive relationship strategies in Horney’s theory.

Neo-Freudians

Freud's followers who developed competing psychodynamic theories.

Interview

Personality assessment method where professionals ask structured or unstructured questions.

Collective unconscious

Jung’s term for shared memories among all humans.

Fully functioning person

A person in touch with and trusting of their innermost urges.

Ego

Part of personality that develops to deal with reality, mostly conscious and logical.

Latency

The fourth psychosexual stage during which sexual feelings are repressed.

Locus of control

The tendency to assume control or lack thereof over life events.

Self-concept

The image of oneself formed from interactions with significant others.

Introverts

Individuals who prefer solitude and dislike attention.

Unconditional positive regard

Positive regard given with no conditions or strings attached.

Extraverts

People who are outgoing and sociable.

Introversion

Dimension of personality characterized by withdrawal from excessive stimulation.

Pleasure principle

Id's principle seeking immediate satisfaction without regard for consequences.

Genital stage

Final psychosexual stage where sexual urges return with a focus on adult behavior.

Social cognitive view

Learning theory involving cognitive processes like memory and imitation.

Habits

Sets of well-learned responses that have become automatic in behaviorism.

Electra complex

The child's sexual attraction to the opposite-sex parent in the phallic stage.

Projective tests

Personality assessments using ambiguous visual stimuli to prompt responses.

Oedipus complex

The child's sexual attraction to the opposite-sex parent in the phallic stage.

Personal unconscious

Jung’s term for the unconscious mind as described by Freud.

Character

Value judgments regarding a person’s moral and ethical behavior.

Expectancy

A person's feeling that a behavior will lead to a reinforcing consequence.

Rating scale

Assessment method assigning numerical values to specific behaviors.

Frequency count

Assessment that counts the frequency of specific behaviors.

Positive regard

Warmth, affection, love, and respect from significant others.