Psychology test 3 (2nd guide

nomothetic approach

focuses on identifying general principles that apply across people

idiographic approach

focuses on identifying the unique configuration of characteristics and life history experiences within an individual

cardinal trait

single characteristic that directs most of a person's activities

central trait

major characteristic of an individual; accounts for most of our personality

secondary trait

affect behavior in fewer situations

big 5 personality traits

O (openness to experience)
C (conscientiousness)
E (extraversion)
A (agreeableness)
N (neuroticism)

imaginative, daring, non-conformative describes which of the following:
O (openness to experience)
C (conscientiousness)
E (extraversion)
A (agreeableness)
N (neuroticism)

O (openness to experience)

talkative, outgoing describes which of the following:
O (openness to experience)
C (conscientiousness)
E (extraversion)
A (agreeableness)
N (neuroticism)

E (extraversion)

cooperative, trusting, compliant describes which of the following:
O (openness to experience)
C (conscientiousness)
E (extraversion)
A (agreeableness)
N (neuroticism)

A (agreeableness)

responsible, purposeful, organized describes which of the following:
O (openness to experience)
C (conscientiousness)
E (extraversion)
A (agreeableness)
N (neuroticism)

C (conscientiousness)

anxious, self conscious, moody describes which of the following:
O (openness to experience)
C (conscientiousness)
E (extraversion)
A (agreeableness)
N (neuroticism)

N (neuroticism)

factor analysis

correlations among many variables are analyzed to identify closely related clusters of intercorrelating traits (traits that go together)

how is factor analysis related to the identification of traits

each cluster (factor) represents an underlying (main) or central trait

6 factor model of personality is shown by:

HEXACO

what does each letter of HEXACO

H (honesty/humility)
E (emotionality)
X (extraversion)
A (agreeableness)
C (conscientiousness)
O (openness to experience)

do personality traits change over time

yes; typically in ages less than 30

objective personality test:

a test containing direct, unambiguous items relating to the individual being assessed

what are the two types of objective personality tests

clinical interviews and self report inventories

clinical interviews

structured and unstructured; widely used

self report inventories

largest category of objective personality tests
(NEO-PI for big 5; MMPI-2 for abnormal)

validity

involves accuracy (personality tests must be accurate in order to have validity)

reliability

refers to the consistency and validity; measure what is intended to measure (have to relate to personality test)

projective personality tests

person is shown an ambigous stimulus and is asked to describe it or tell a story about it; this type of test lacks reliability and validity

roscach test

inkblot test (what do you see is asked); can lack reliability and validity

thematic apperception test

"tell me a story about what is going on in this image"; can lack reliability and validity

barnum effect

tendency people have to accept descriptions of oneself that apply to almost everyone

who created the barnum effect

PT barnum

who founded the psychodynamic approach

Sigmond Freud

what are the 3 core assumptions of the psychodynamic approach

unconscious motivation
psychic determinism
symbolic meaning

unconscious motivation

desires trapped in the unconscious is the primary cause of all behavior

psychic determinism

we are not free to choose our actions

symbolic meaning

all behavior has a symbolic meaning

Id

the primitive, instinctive part of personality that is irrational; includes the pleasure principle (immediate gratification of innate urges)

superego

the moral component of personality that incorporates social standards about what represents right and wrong; includes the conscious and is irrational

ego

mediator; reality principle (delay of gratification for suitable outlets); "executive" of personality

defense mechanism

largely unconscious strategies that people use to reduce anxiety by distorting reality

what do the id, superego, and ego often result in

conflict

list the different types of defense mechanisms

displacement
repression
projection
reaction formation
sublimation

displacement

redirecting feelings (often anger) from an original source to a substitute

repression

unpleasent memories or "id' impulses are pushed back into the unconscious

projection

attributing unacceptable feelings of characteristic onto others

reaction formation

changing an unacceptable desire by adopting the opposite stance

what are the stages of freud's physcosexual stage theory IN ORDER

1) oral stage
2) anal stage
3) phalic stage
4) latency stage
5) genital stage

what is the sequence, focus, conflict, and consequences of the oral stage (freud's psychosexual stage theory)

sequence: birth to 1.5 years old
focus: sucking, chewing, exploring
conflict: weaning
consequences: abuse alcohol/ drugs

what is the sequence, focus, conflict, and consequences of the anal stage (freud's psychosexual stage theory)

sequence: ages 1.5 to 3
focus: controlling bodily functions; toilet training
conflict: parents can be too harsh/lenient
consequences: anal retentive (bound and inflexible)

what is the sequence, focus, conflict, and consequences of the phalic stage (freud's psychosexual stage theory)

sequence: ages 3 to 6
focus: beginning of sexual feelings (initially directed at parent of opposite sex - known as opedius complex); electra complex

what is the sequence, focus, conflict, and consequences of the latency stage

sequence: ages 6 to puberty
focus: developing same sex friendships; grow physically and intellectually
conflict AND consequences: seen as a period of sexual calm and appropriate maturity

what is the sequence, focus, conflict, and consequences of the genital stage

sequence: puberty to death
focus: rebirth of sexuality; focus redirected to appropriate target (others)
conflict: unconscious sexual and aggressive urges
consequences: inability to be successful in work and love

Carl Jung's unconscious idea can be described as...

our shared storehouse of memories that ancestors have passed down to us across generations

what are the criticisms of the physcodynamic approach

* not falsifiable
* failed predictions
* overlooked genetics (nature)

humanistic approach to personality can be described as...

humans have the compassion for growth and we should focus on these positive growths; focuses on the conscious

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is known as...

a model to understand the motivations of human behavior

what are the stages of Maslow's hierarch of needs IN ORDER

5: physiological needs (food, water, warmth, rest)

4: safety (security and safety)

3: belongingness and love (intimate relationships, friends)

2: esteem needs (prestige, feeling of accomplishment)

1: self actualization (achieving ones full potential)

how might ones standing in his/her "hierarchy" impact ones personality

each stage can alter personality

social cognitive approach to personality can be described as...

posits that personality is shaped by interacting social factors, cognitive factors, and behavior

reciprocal determinism can be described as...

the environment influences how a person thinks or feels which influences behavior which impacts the environment; 3 factor model

what are the 3 factors of reciprocal determinism

1) how one thinks and feels
2) environment
3) behavior

what was the early biological view of Eysenck:

introverts have a more sensitive arousal system than extroverts

heritability

reports the percent of differences among people due to genetics

a woman is unable to recall that she was raped is \___________
(repression, displacement, denial, projection, rationalization, displacement, sublimation, reaction formation)

repression

a brother yells at his younger sister after a teacher gives him a bad grade is \__________
(repression, displacement, denial, projection, rationalization, displacement, sublimation, reaction formation)

displacement

a student who goes out drinking the night before a big test rationalizes his behavior by saying the test is not all that important is \_________
(repression, displacement, denial, projection, rationalization, displacement, sublimation, reaction formation)

rationalization

a student refuses to believe that he has flunked a course is \_________
(repression, displacement, denial, projection, rationalization, displacement, sublimation, reaction formation)

denial

a man who is unfaithful to his wife and feels guilty suspects that his wife is unfaithful is \_________
(repression, displacement, denial, projection, rationalization, displacement, sublimation, reaction formation)

projection

a person with strong feelings of aggression becomes a soldier is \__________
(repression, displacement, denial, projection, rationalization, displacement, sublimation, reaction formation)

sublimation

a mother who unconsciously resents her child acts in an overly loving way toward the child is \___________
(repression, displacement, denial, projection, rationalization, displacement, sublimation, reaction formation)

reaction formation

social psychology

study of how our thoughts and emotions are influenced by others

people are able to judge someone based on a photo in \_______

1/10th of a second

social categorization

grouping according to certain characteristics such as age, race, etc.

implicit personality disorder

people think that certain characteristics go together, when we pick up on we assume the other

attribution

refers to a persons judgement about the cause of someone's behavior

internal attribution

perceived cause based on internal traits

external attribution

perceived cause based on external traits

fundamental attribution error

tendency to overstimulate the influence of dispositional factors and underestimate the role of external situations factors when interpreting other people's behaviors

people (DO/DO NOT) display the fundamental attribution error even when the strength of the situation is obvious

yes

attitude

an evaluative belief or opinion about people, objects, or ideas

explicit attitude

beliefs or opinions that are held consciously and can be reported to others

implicit attitude

beliefs and opinions that are unconscious (involuntary/uncontrollable) often formed through classical conditioning

do attitudes affect behaviors

only in certain instances

La Pierre study

La Pierre went to certain restaurants and hotels and asked if they would serve chinese people and they said no. when the chinese people actually went to the restaurants and hotels they did get served.

theory of planned behavior

attitudes: wether we intend to behave can be dependent on subjective norms

behavioral intentions: best precursor to out behavior is our intention to behave

behavior: when we get a measure of attitudes, subjective norms, and behavior control, we can account for behavior

cognitive dissonance theory

a state of psychological tension that develops when a person is faced with a conflicting attitudes and behaviors, we act in a way that generally runs counter to our positive view of ourselves, tension in aroused

how do we reduce dissonance

1: changing behavior to bring it in line with our attitude/cognition
2: justify behavior by changing attitude behavior
3: justify behavior by adding new cognitions

$1 vs. $20 Festinger and Carlsmith study:

Participants completed a task that war boring in order to get either $20 or $1. after completing the task the researcher told the Participants there was a delay because the research assistant was running late and to go tell the participants in other room that the task was fun (encourage participants to lie). the study found that the people given $1 liked the task more because they had no
sufficient justification justification \= dissonance -\> need to reduce dissonance)

social influence

process by which social groups and individuals exert pressure on an individual either deliberately or unintentionally

conformity

change in behavior or attitudes brought about by a desire to follow the beliefs or standards of other people

what are 2 reasons we conform

to be liked and to be right

what is the takeaway of Asch's study

people will conform no matter if they know they are wrong to be right and liked

factor that reduce conformity the most are...

presence of a fellow dissenter

compliance

change in behavior (submitting) to a person's request

foot-in-the-door technique

small, followed by large requests

door-in-the-face technique

large, followed by smaller requests

why does the foot-in-the-door technique work

works on the principle of consistency;
people prefer not to contradict themselves in both actions and beliefs, meaning that as long as the request is consistent with or similar in nature to the original small request, the technique will work

why does the door-in-the-face technique work

This technique works due to the principle of reciprocity

Milgram's obedience study

a group of social scientists conducted a series of experiments examining the nature of human behaviors and its relationship to social conventions and situations; they shocked people From 0-450 volts in order to understand now the German people could kill Jews so easily. he wanted to know how ordinary people could act so callously and inhumane and to what conditions would a person obey authority that went against their conscious

factors that affect obedience to authority:

agentic state
proximity
location
uniform
legitimate authority

social loafing

tendency for individuals to do better on simple tasks in the mere presence of others ; happens when someone puts in less effort when they're judged as part or a group

group polarization

tendency for a generally like minded members to become more extreme in their opinions and positions as a result of being part of the group

when does group polarization happen

occurs when a group of like-minded people reinforce each other's opinions, positive or negative, and these opinions become more extreme as they're discussed.

stereotypes

set of generalized beliefs and expectations about a specific group and its members