4.4-4.5a intro to personality and psychodynamic and humanistic theories of personality: psychoanalytic and psychodynamic theories

AP psych

Personality

an individuals characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting

Humanistic theory

focused on our inner capabilities for growth and self-fulfilment

Trait theories

examine characteristic patterns of behaviors (traits)

Social Cognitive Theory

explores the interaction between peoples traits (including their thinking) and their social context

Psychodynamic theories

theories that view personality with a focus on the unconscious mind and the importance of childhood experiences

Psychoanalysis

Freud’s theory of personality that attributes thoughts and actions to unconscious motives and conflicts; the techniques used in treating psychological disorders by seeking to expose and interpret unconscious tensions

Unconscious

• according to Freud, a reservoir of mostly unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings, and memories

• according to contemporary psychologists, information processing of which we are unaware

Free association

In psychoanalysis, a method of exploring the unconscious in which the person relaxes and says whatever comes to mind, no matter how trivial or embarrassing

Freud’s idea of the minds sturcute

• Id: The primitive, pleasure-seeking part (instincts and desires). (unconscious)

• Ego: The rational, reality-oriented mediator. (conscious)

• Superego: The moral conscience shaped by societal norms. (preconscious)

id

the reservoir of the unconscious psychic energy that, according to Freud, strives to satisfy basic sexual and aggressive drives,

operates on the pleasure principle: demanding immediate gratification

ex;

• Feeling a strong physical attraction to someone and acting on it impulsively without thinking about consequences.

• Cheating in a relationship due to momentary desire, without considering emotional consequences.

• Someone gets cut off in traffic and immediately yells or honks aggressively without thinking.

• An adult on a diet sees a chocolate cake and impulsively eats it, even though they planned to avoid sugar.

Ego

the partly conscious “executive” of personality that, according to Freud, mediates among the demands of the id, superego, and reality

operates on the reality principle: satisfying the id’s desires in ways that will realistically bring pleasure rather than pain

ex;

1. Resisting the Urge to Cheat on a Test

• Id: Wants to cheat for an easy A.

• Superego: Says cheating is morally wrong and dishonest.

• Ego: Mediates by encouraging studying in advance or using ethical strategies to improve performance instead of cheating.

2. Politely Expressing Anger Instead of Yelling

• Id: Wants to scream at a coworker for making a mistake.

• Superego: Says it's wrong to lose control and be aggressive.

• Ego: Finds a middle ground by calmly addressing the issue in a professional way, maintaining both self-respect and social harmony.

3. Saving Money Instead of Splurging

• Id: Wants to spend an entire paycheck on luxury items.

• Superego: Says it’s irresponsible and wasteful to spend recklessly.

• Ego: Compromises by allowing a small treat while putting most of the money into savings.

Superego

the morality and ethical and partly conscious part of personality that, according to Freud, represents internalized ideals and provides standards for judgement (the conscious) and for future associations.

ex;

1. Feeling Guilty After Lying

• Id’s Desire: You want to lie to your friend to avoid embarrassment.

• Superego’s Reaction: You feel guilty afterward because you know honesty is important.

2. Returning a Lost Wallet

• Id’s Desire: You find a wallet full of cash and feel tempted to keep it.

• Superego’s Decision: You return it because you know stealing is wrong.

3. Following Laws Even When No One Is Watching

• Id’s Desire: You want to speed because you're late for work.

• Superego’s Decision: You obey the speed limit because you value safety and responsibility.

Oral stage

(0-18 months) pleasures center on the mouth- sucking, biting, chewing

ex;

• A baby sucks their thumb for comfort.

• A child cries when the mother stops breastfeeding.

• As an adult, someone chews on pens or smokes when anxious (oral fixation)

Anal stage

(18-36 months) pleasures focus on bowel and bladder control and elimination; coping with demands for control

ex;

• A toddler resists toilet training, holding in bowel movements.

• A child enjoys the sense of control when using the potty.

• An adult is either very tidy (anal-retentive) or careless/messy (anal-expulsive).

Phalic stage

(3-6 years) pleasure zone is the genitals; coping with incestuous sexual feelings

ex;

• A boy wants to marry his mother and sees his father as a rival (Oedipus complex).

• A girl wants to be closer to her father (Electra complex) and feels envy toward her mother.

• As an adult, unresolved conflicts may lead to commitment issues or excessive pride.

Latency stage

(6 years-puberty) a phase of dormant (potential to be active) sexual feelings

ex;

• A child focuses on making friends and doing well in school.

• Boys and girls tend to play separately (“cooties” phase).

• An adult who had unresolved conflicts may struggle with social interactions.

Genital stage

(puberty-on) maturation of sexual interests

ex;

• Teenagers experience crushes and attraction toward others.

• A young adult forms deep, mature relationships.

• If fixated, an adult may struggle with commitment or have dysfunctional relationships.

Defense mechanism

in psychoanalytic theory, the ego’s protective methods of reducing anxiety by unconscious distorting reality

Repression

in psychoanalytic theory, the basic defense mechanism that banishes from consciousness anxiety; arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories.

ex;

• A person who experienced childhood trauma has no memory of the event.

• A soldier who witnessed a traumatic battle forgets the details.

Regression

retreating back to an earlier psychosexual stages, where some psychic energy, remains unfixed.

ex;

• A grown adult throws a tantrum when things don’t go their way.

• A stressed-out college student cuddles with a childhood stuffed animal for comfort.

Reaction Formation

Switching unacceptable impulses to their opposites

ex;

• A person who has same-sex attraction but believes it is wrong becomes outspokenly homophobic.

• A student secretly likes their classmate but constantly insults or teases them instead.

• A sibling who is jealous of their brother’s success showers them with fake enthusiasm instead of admitting their envy.

Projection

disguising ones own threatening impulses by attributing them to others.

ex;

• A jealous partner constantly accuses their significant other of cheating, even though they are the one having unfaithful thoughts.

• A student who dislikes a teacher claims, “That teacher hates me!”

Rationalization

offering self-justifying explanations in place of the real, more threatening unconscious reasons for ones actions.

ex;

• A student who fails an exam says, “That test was unfair,” instead of admitting they didn’t study enough.

• A person who gets rejected for a job says, “I didn’t really want that job anyway.”

Displacement

shifting sexual or aggressive impulses toward a more acceptable or less threatening object or person

ex;

• After getting scolded by their boss, a person comes home and yells at their spouse instead.

• A child who is angry at their parents kicks their toy out of frustration.

Sublimation

transfer of unacceptable impulses into socially valued motives

ex;

• Instead of acting aggressively, a person takes up boxing to release anger.

• Someone with strong sexual urges becomes an artist and expresses their emotions through painting.

Denial

refusing to believe or even perceive painful realities

ex;

• A person diagnosed with a serious illness insists, “The doctor must be wrong.”

• A drug addict claims, “I can stop anytime I want,” despite clear signs of addiction.

Collective Consciousness

Carl Jung’s concept of a shared, inherited reservoir of memory traces from our species memory

ex;

• When people across a nation feel a sense of unity and pride during national holidays, like Independence Day (in the U.S.) or Bastille Day (in France), it reflects a collective consciousness about the nation’s history and values.

• People celebrate the country’s shared history, achievements, and cultural symbols, reinforcing national identity.

• The Civil Rights Movement in the United States was fueled by a collective consciousness around the injustice of racial discrimination and the need for equality.

• In recent times, movements like #MeToo or Black Lives Matter have reflected a shift in collective consciousness toward gender equality and racial justice.

Terror-management theory

a theory of death-related anxiety; explores peoples emotional and behavioral responses to reminders of their impending death

ex;

1. Religion & Afterlife Beliefs

• Many religions offer beliefs in an afterlife (heaven, reincarnation, etc.) to help followers manage the fear of death.

• Example: A person becomes more religious after surviving a near-death experience because faith provides comfort against mortality.

2. Nationalism & Patriotism

• People become more patriotic or defensive of their country when reminded of death.

• Example: After a national tragedy (e.g., 9/11), people display more flags, support military action, or unite around national identity.

3. Pursuit of Fame, Wealth, & Legacy

• Some people try to "live on" through achievements, fame, or financial success.

• Example: A CEO works excessively to build a lasting empire, believing their company will be their legacy.

• Example: Artists, writers, or musicians create works to "leave a mark" on history.

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

A projective test in which people express their inner feelings and interests through the story’s they make up about ambiguous scenes.

ex;

Image: A man and a woman standing close to each other, appearing to talk.
Story:

• "The man and woman are close friends who have been through some challenges together. They both feel a deep bond, but the man is secretly worried that the woman doesn’t feel the same way. He's afraid to express his feelings and is trying to gauge her interest."
  Possible Interpretation:

• The individual may be struggling with insecurities in relationships, fear of rejection, or difficulty expressing emotions. They may project their own relationship fears onto the image.

Rorscharch Inkblot test

a projective test designed by Herman Rorscharch; seeks to identify peoples inner feelings by analyzing how they interpret 10 inkblots

ex;

• Inkblot Description: A symmetrical inkblot that can be interpreted as resembling a butterfly or moth.

• Possible Interpretation:

  • A person might say: “It looks like a butterfly with wings spread open.”

  • Interpretation: This response could suggest that the person is focused on balance, freedom, or a desire for transformation. A person who sees it as a butterfly might be in a positive emotional state, relating to beauty or change.

  • Alternative Interpretation: If the person sees something dark or aggressive, such as insects or predators, it could indicate inner conflict or negative emotions.

Projective test

psychological assessment used to explore a person’s unconscious thoughts, feelings, and emotions (personality). The idea behind projective testing is that when a person is shown ambiguous stimuli (like an unclear image, word, or situation), they will project their own unconscious thoughts, desires, and conflicts onto the stimuli. Because these stimuli don’t have clear, specific meanings, individuals tend to interpret them based on their inner experiences, personality, and emotional state.