AP Psych Unit 4 pt 1

Psychodynamic Perspective

A psychological approach emphasizing how unconscious conflicts, childhood experiences, and inner drives shape personality.

Unconscious Processes

Thoughts, feelings, and mental activities that occur outside conscious awareness but influence behavior.

Ego Defense Mechanisms

Unconscious strategies used to reduce anxiety and protect the ego from psychological conflict.

Denial

Refusing to acknowledge an uncomfortable or threatening reality.

Displacement

Redirecting feelings or impulses from their original target toward a safer substitute.

Projection

Attributing your own unacceptable thoughts, feelings, or impulses to someone else.

Rationalization

Creating seemingly logical excuses to justify behavior or avoid uncomfortable truths.

Reaction Formation

Behaving in a way that is opposite to one's unacceptable feelings or impulses.

Regression

Returning to earlier, less mature behaviors when experiencing stress or anxiety.

Repression

Unconsciously blocking distressing thoughts or memories from conscious awareness.

Sublimation

Redirecting unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable or productive activities.

Projective Tests

Personality tests using ambiguous images or situations to explore unconscious thoughts and feelings, such as the Rorschach inkblot test and TAT.

Unconditional Positive Regard

Accepting and valuing a person regardless of their mistakes or behavior.

Humanistic Perspective

A psychological approach emphasizing free will, personal growth, and achieving one's potential.

Self-Actualizing Tendency

The natural drive to grow, develop abilities, and fulfill one's potential.

Social Cognitive Theory

A theory explaining personality through interactions among thoughts, behaviors, and the environment.

Reciprocal Determinism

The mutual influence of personal thoughts, behavior, and the environment on one another.

Self-Efficacy

A person's belief in their ability to successfully complete a specific task or achieve a goal.

Self-Esteem

A person's overall sense of self-worth or personal value.

Self-Concept

The beliefs and perceptions a person has about their own identity, traits, and abilities.

Trait Theories

Theories that describe personality through relatively stable characteristics that influence behavior.

Big 5 Traits (OCEAN)

A personality model identifying five major traits: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

Openness to Experience

A personality trait involving curiosity, imagination, creativity, and willingness to try new experiences.

Agreeableness

A personality trait involving kindness, cooperation, trust, and concern for others.

Extraversion

A personality trait involving sociability, assertiveness, and enjoyment of social interaction.

Neuroticism

A personality trait involving a tendency to experience anxiety, emotional instability, and negative emotions.

Conscientiousness

A personality trait involving organization, responsibility, self-discipline, and reliability.

Personality Inventories

Standardized questionnaires used to measure personality traits through self-reported answers.

MMPI

A standardized personality inventory used mainly to assess psychological symptoms and clinical personality patterns.

Factor Analysis

A statistical method that identifies groups of related traits or variables to reveal underlying factors.