Psychology unit 11

Psychoanalysis

Freud’s technique for unlocking the unconscious mind

Definition of personality

One’s pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting

Basis for personality (Freud)

Resides in the unconscious

Two primal drives according to Freud

Sex and aggression

Hypnosis in psychoanalysis

A relaxation method to bring unconscious material to consciousness

Manifest content of a dream

The remembered storyline of a dream

Latent content of a dream

The hidden psychological meaning of a dream

Free association

Patient says first word that comes to mind to uncover unconscious thoughts

Freudian slip

An unintentional “slip” that reveals unconscious thoughts or feelings

Conscious mind

Thoughts we are aware of and actively thinking about (tip of the iceberg)

Preconscious mind

Thoughts we can easily bring to awareness (just below the surface)

Unconscious mind

Reservoir of thoughts, feelings, urges outside conscious awareness (deep below the surface)

Id

The impulsive, pleasure‐seeking part of personality guided by the “pleasure principle”

Superego

The moral conscience guided by internalized ideals and standards

Ego

The “reality principle” mediator between id and superego, makes realistic compromises

Repression

Defense mechanism pushing distressing memories into the unconscious

Denial

Defense mechanism refusing to acknowledge reality or facts

Regression

Defense mechanism reverting to an earlier developmental stage under stress

Displacement

Defense mechanism shifting impulses toward a safer target

Reaction formation

Defense mechanism acting opposite to one’s true feelings

Projection

Defense mechanism ascribing one’s unwanted feelings to others

Rationalization

Defense mechanism justifying behaviors with seemingly logical reasons

Sublimation

Defense mechanism channeling unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable activities

Collective unconscious (Jung)

Shared, inherited reservoir of memory traces from our species’ history

Archetype (Jung)

Universal symbolic images (e.g., Hero, Mother) found across cultures

Inferiority complex (Adler)

A feeling of low self‐worth driving compensatory striving for superiority

Birth‐order effect (Adler)

Personality tendencies influenced by one’s sibling rank in the family

Karen Horney’s critique

Freud’s theory was sexist and based on a non‐representative sample

Self‐actualization

The process of fulfilling one’s potential (top of Maslow’s hierarchy)

Unconditional positive regard (Rogers)

Nonjudgmental acceptance and love from parents/caregivers

Real self vs. ideal self (Rogers)

Real self = who you are; Ideal self = who you want to be; congruence is healthy

Positive psychology (Seligman)

Study of human strengths and flourishing rather than pathology

Trait perspective

Biological view that personality traits are stable, measurable characteristics

Big Five traits (OCEAN)

Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism

Openness

Reflects imagination, curiosity, and openness to new experiences

Conscientiousness

Reflects organization, responsibility, and dependability

Extraversion

Reflects sociability, assertiveness, and enthusiasm

Agreeableness

Reflects compassion, cooperativeness, and trust in others

Neuroticism

Reflects emotional instability and tendency toward anxiety

MMPI (Minnesota Multiphasic PI)

A widely used inventory to assess personality traits and psychopathology

MBTI (Myers‑Briggs)

Personality inventory yielding a four‐letter type (e.g., INFJ)

Behaviorism (Skinner)

View that personality is shaped by operant conditioning (reinforcements/punishments)

Reciprocal determinism (Bandura)

Interaction among behavior, cognition, and environment shapes personality

Internal locus of control

Belief that one controls one’s own fate through personal effort

External locus of control

Belief that luck or external forces determine one’s fate

Self‑efficacy (Bandura)

Belief in one’s ability to succeed in specific situations

Learned helplessness

Tendency to give up after repeated uncontrollable negative events