Unit 5b: Personality, Motivation, & Emotion

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards reviewing key terms and theories for Unit 5b: Personality, Motivation, & Emotion.

Personality

The unique and enduring pattern of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that characterize an individual and influence their interactions with the world

Psychodynamic Theory

Personality theory that argues personality is shaped by unconscious forces, internal conflicts, and defense mechanisms; emphasizes the influence of childhood experiences and unconscious drives

Id

Part of the human personality that is made up of all our inborn biological urges that seeks out immediate gratification

Ego

The largely conscious, “executive” part of personality that, mediates among the demands of the id, superego, and reality

Superego

The part of personality that represents internalized ideals and provides standards for judgment (the conscience) and for future aspirations

Preconscious (mind)

contains thoughts and feelings that are not currently in conscious awareness but can be easily accessed when needed

Unconscious (mind)

consists of processes and memories that are beyond conscious awareness and significantly influence thoughts, feelings, and behaviors

Defense mechanisms

Unconscious strategies used by the ego to protect itself from anxiety and perceived threats

Repression

reducing anxiety by blocking impulses or memories from consciousness; it underlies all other defense mechanisms

Displacement

aggressive urges are shifted, or displaced, toward a recipient other than the one who engendered the feelings

Projection

anxiety-producing feelings are repressed and then projected onto another person

Rationalization

a person distorts/transforms an anxiety-producing and, therefore, unacceptable explanation or excuse for an impulse/behavior into an acceptable one

Regression

the ego seeks to reduce anxiety by reverting to an earlier period of psychological development

Denial

the ego’s refusal to accept the reality of a situation because doing so would produce unbearable anxiety

Sublimation

when a person redirects an unacceptable urge to something with social value

Reaction formation

individuals suppress unacceptable impulses by unconsciously displaying the opposite behavior or emotion

Projective tests

Tools used by psychodynamic psychologists to assess personality by eliciting responses that reveal the contents of the pre- & unconscious minds

Humanistic psychology

Personality theory that emphasizes the study of the whole person and the uniqueness of each individual, particularly focusing on self-growth and unconditional positive regard as essential for achieving personal potential

Unconditional positive regard

an individual is accepted and loved as they are, without any conditions or judgments, fostering personal growth and self-acceptance

Self-actualizing tendency

refers to the innate drive in every individual to grow, develop, and realize their fullest potential

Social-cognitive theory of personality

Personality theory that emphasizes the influence of cognitive processes, behaviors, and context in understanding personality and human actions

Reciprocal determinism

an individual's behavior, personal factors (like thoughts and emotions), and environment influence each other interactively

Self-concept

An individual's perception of themselves, encompassing self-awareness and the evaluation of their role in relation to others

Self-efficacy

The belief in one's own ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a task, which plays a crucial role in how goals, tasks, and challenges are approached

Self-esteem

A person's overall subjective emotional evaluation of their own worth; it is a judgment of oneself as well as an attitude toward the self

Trait theory

Personality theory that suggests that personality is made up of stable characteristics, called traits, that consistently influence how a person thinks and behaves

Big 5 Theory

identifies five broad dimensions of personality—Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism—that describe the main traits of human personality

Openness to experience

a personality trait that encompasses a person's imagination, curiosity, and willingness to engage with new ideas, experiences, and creative pursuits

Conscientiousness

a personality trait marked by organization, dependability, discipline, and a goal-directed approach to life

Extraversion

a personality trait characterized by high levels of sociability, energy, assertiveness, and a strong preference for social interaction and stimulation

Agreeableness

a personality trait characterized by warmth, kindness, empathy, and a cooperative and trusting nature

Neuroticism (emotional stability)

refers to the trait of having consistent emotional reactions, resilience, and the ability to remain calm and composed under stress

Personality inventory

standardized tools used to assess and measure individual personality traits and characteristics through self-report questionnaires

Factor analysis

a statistical method used to identify clusters of related items (factors) in a set of data

Motivation

A psychological process that initiates, directs, and sustains goal-directed behavior, driven by internal and external factors

Instinct theory

Instinct drives behavior; behavior that helps preserve the individual and species is passed on

Drive-reduction theory

Behavior is motivated by the need to reduce internal drives (biological needs) caused by physiological deficits, such as hunger or thirst, aiming to restore homeostasis

Yerkes-Dodson / arousal theory

Individuals are motivated to maintain an optimal level of alertness, seeking to increase alertness when it is too low and decrease it when it is too high, to enhance performance and well-being

Sensation-seeking theory

Explains motivation by proposing that one's motivation is driven by the need for varied, novel, and intense experiences

Self-determination/ incentive theory

People are motivated by intrinsic (internal) motivations, such as personal growth and fulfillment, or extrinsic (external) motivations, such as rewards and recognition

Yerkes-Dodson Law

Performance increases with physiological or mental arousal (alertness), but only up to a point; when levels of arousal become too high, performance decreases

Experience seeking

a desire for novel sensory or mental experiences (looking for new ideas & experiences)

Thrill seeking

a component of sensation-seeking theory, where individuals are motivated by the desire for intense and exciting experiences, often involving risk

Adventure seeking

a component of sensation-seeking theory, where individuals are motivated by the desire for new and challenging experiences, often involving physical activities and exploration

Disinhibition

refers to the tendency to seek out social and experiential thrills by engaging in behaviors that are typically restrained by social norms and inhibitions

Boredom susceptibility

refers to an individual's intolerance for repetitive or monotonous experiences, leading them to seek out new and stimulating activities

Intrinsic motivation

engaging in activities for their own sake, driven by internal rewards such as personal satisfaction, enjoyment, or a sense of achievement

Extrinsic motivation

engaging in behavior due to external rewards or pressures, such as money, grades, or approval from others

Motivation conflict theory

Describes the psychological struggles individuals face when making decisions; Individuals experience psychological stress and discomfort when faced with two or more competing motivations, desires, or impulses

Approach-approach

Occurs when an individual must choose between two desirable options, leading to a conflict of which positive outcome to pursue

Approach-avoidance

occurs when an individual must choose between two undesirable options, leading to a conflict of which negative outcome to avoid

Avoidance-avoidance

occurs when an individual is drawn to and repelled by the same option, leading to a conflict between the desire for a positive outcome and the fear of a negative consequence

Emotion/affect

a feeling that involves our thoughts, body reactions, and actions, and is influenced by what happens inside us and around us

Cognitive labeling

the process of identifying and naming an emotion based on situational context and physiological responses

Facial feedback hypothesis

suggests that facial expressions can influence emotions

Broaden and build theory of emotion

positive emotions expand attention, creativity, and thinking, allowing individuals to explore new ideas and perspectives; over time, positive emotions help develop lasting psychological, social, and physical resources, improving resilience and well-being

Universal emotions

idea that certain emotional expressions are recognized and experienced similarly across different cultures

Display rules

cultural norms that dictate how, when, and where individuals should express emotions

Elicitors (for emotion)

stimuli or events that trigger an emotional response in an individual

Ghrelin

a hormone produced in the stomach that stimulates appetite

Leptin

hormone produced by fat cells that helps regulate energy balance by inhibiting hunger

Hypothalamus

a brain structure that acts like a command center for the endocrine system; signals the pituitary gland to maintain homeostasis

Pituitary gland

A brain structure that regulates other hormones that influence energy and metabolism