Personality Development and Change

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the lecture on personality development and change.

Stability

The state of being stable, consistent, and not prone to change.

Personality development

Changes in personality traits and characteristics over time.

Rank-order stability

The consistency of an individual's relative standing in a characteristic compared to others.

Mean-level change

Alterations in the average level of a personality trait over time.

Cross-sectional studies

Research method where data is collected from different age groups at the same time.

Longitudinal studies

Research method that collects data from the same group of subjects over a period.

Cohort effects

Differences arising from being part of a particular group or generation.

Person-environment transactions

Interactions where individuals select, react to, or influence their environments.

Cumulative continuity principle

The concept that personality consistency increases with age.

Psychological maturity

The development of traits that allow individuals to fulfill social roles.

Childhood temperament

Inborn behaviors and emotional tendencies that shape personality.

Adverse experiences

Negative events in early life that influence future personality development.

Positive experiences

Beneficial interactions that enhance traits like openness and extraversion.

Active transactions

Seeking environments that match one's personality traits.

Reactive transactions

Responses to environments that differ based on personality.

Evocative transactions

Influencing one's environment through one's personality.

Heritability

The proportion of variation in a trait attributable to genetic factors.

Monozygotic twins

Identical twins sharing 100% of their genetic material.

Dizygotic twins

Fraternal twins sharing approximately 50% of their genetic material.

Behavioral genetics

The study of the influence of genetics on behavior patterns.

Environmental influences

Factors from the environment that impact personality traits.

Cohort effects

Variations in trait development due to generational influences.

Shared environment

Environmental factors that increase similarity among siblings.

Nonshared environment

Unique personal experiences that differentiate individuals within the same family.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical substances that transmit signals in the brain and influence behavior.

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter associated with reward sensitivity and motivation.

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter linked to mood regulation and emotional stability.

Ventral tegmental area

A brain region involved in the reward circuitry.

Amygdala

A region of the brain associated with emotional responses and threat detection.

Prefrontal cortex

Brain region involved in complex cognitive behavior and decision making.

Extraversion

A personality trait characterized by sociability and enthusiasm.

Neuroticism

A trait associated with emotional instability and anxiety.

Openness to Experience

A personality trait related to creativity and a willingness to try new things.

Conscientiousness

A personality trait associated with self-discipline and organization.

Agreeableness

A personality trait relating to compassion and cooperativeness.

Self-actualization

The realization of one’s potential, self-fulfillment, and personal growth.

Humanistic psychology

An approach focusing on individual potential and personal growth.

Flow state

A mental state of deep immersion and engagement in an activity.

Mindfulness

The practice of being present and fully engaged in the current moment.

Positive psychology

A branch of psychology focused on human strengths and factors that contribute to a fulfilling life.

Emotional well-being

A state where individuals feel positive emotions and a sense of life satisfaction.

Trait approach

Personality analysis based on individual differences in traits.

Psychoanalytic approach

A psychological perspective emphasizing the influence of the unconscious mind.

Sociality

The preference for companionship and the establishment of social bonds.

Existential questions

Fundamental inquiries about the purpose and meaning of life.

Cognitive functioning

Mental processes such as perception, memory, and reasoning.

Life history strategies

Patterns of reproductive strategies evolving to adapt to environmental conditions.

Evolutionary psychology

The study of how evolutionary theory influences personality and behavior.

Adaptation

Traits or behaviors that have developed to solve recurrent problems related to survival.