Motivation, Personality, Emotion Review

Psychodynamic Theory

Assumption that unconscious forces determine behavior and influence personality.

Unconscious

Part of the mind beyond awareness where most of the action takes place.

Id

Part of the mind that contains all instincts and energy, operates on the pleasure principle, seeking immediate gratification.

Pleasure Principle

The driving force of the id that seeks immediate and unconditional gratification of desires.

Superego

The moral sense of right and wrong developed from parental and societal morals.

Ego

Mediates between the superego and id, understanding reality and logic.

Denial

Refusal of the ego to accept the reality of a situation to avoid unbearable anxiety.

Displacement

Shifting aggressive urges toward a different recipient rather than the initial cause of hurt feelings.

Projection

Repressing anxiety-producing feelings and projecting them onto another person.

Rationalization

Distorting or transforming an anxiety-producing event to create an acceptable explanation or excuse.

Reaction Formation

Transforming unacceptable thoughts/impulses into their opposite to defend against anxiety.

Regression

Reverting to earlier psychological development stages to reduce anxiety.

Repression

Blocking impulses or memories from consciousness to reduce anxiety.

Sublimation

Redirecting unacceptable urges into socially acceptable behaviors.

Humanistic Psychology

Focus on potential for healthy personal growth and self-actualization.

Unconditional Regard

Total acceptance toward another person.

Self-Actualizing Tendency

Innate desire to reach one’s full potential.

Social-Cognitive Theory

Emphasizes the dynamic interaction between people, their behavior, and environments.

Reciprocal Determinism

The concept that a person's behavior is influenced by and can influence their environment.

Self-Efficacy

Confidence in one’s ability to perform a task.

Trait Theories

Focus on stable characteristics of behavior, thought processes, and emotion.

Big Five Theory

Describes personality using five core traits: agreeableness, openness to experience, extraversion, conscientiousness, and emotional stability.

Drive-Reduction Theory

Suggests people are motivated by needs and drives to achieve internal balance or homeostasis.

Arousal Theory

Individuals are driven to perform tasks to maintain an optimal level of arousal.

Yerkes-Dodson Law

Moderate arousal leads to optimal performance depending on task complexity.

Intrinsic Motivation

Motivation driven by personal satisfaction.

Extrinsic Motivation

Motivation that comes from outside factors, such as rewards.

Motivational Conflicts Theory

Indicates that choices create conflicts that must be resolved to create motivation.

Sensation-Seeking Theory

The idea that different individuals require different types of stimuli.

Cognitive Label

Explains emotions based on how and why they are formed.

Facial-Feedback Hypothesis

Suggests that facial expressions can impact our emotions.

Broaden-and-Build Theory of Emotion

Positive emotional experiences broaden awareness, while negative emotions narrow it.

Cognitive Appraisal

The process of interpreting a situation and determining its significance for well-being.

Display Rules

Cultural norms that dictate how we should express ourselves.

Conditioning

Learning process in which behavior is influenced by consequences.

Operant Conditioning

A method of learning that employs rewards and punishments for behavior.

Classical Conditioning

Learning process that occurs through associations between an environmental stimulus and a naturally occurring stimulus.

Cognitive Behavioral Theory

Explores the interplay between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and aims to change unhelpful cognitive distortions.

Defense Mechanisms

Psychological strategies used to cope with reality and maintain self-image.

Anxiety Disorders

Class of disorders characterized by excessive fear or worry.

Self-Determination Theory

Theory of motivation that emphasizes the role of autonomy, competence, and relatedness.

Personality,

An individual's characteristic patterns of thought, emotion, and behavior.

Emotional Intelligence

The ability to understand and manage your own emotions, and to understand the emotions of others.

Positive Psychology

The scientific study of what makes life worth living, focusing on positive aspects of human life.