AP Psychology unit 1

What are three big ideas that have survived from Freud's psychoanalytic theory? What are three ways in which Freud's theory has been criticized?

Freud is credited with first drawing attention to (1) the importance of childhood experiences, (2) the existence of the unconscious mind, and (3) our self-protective defense mechanisms. Freud's theory has been criticized as (1) not scientifically testable and offering after-the-fact explanations, (2) focusing too much on sexual conflicts in childhood, and

(3) being based on the idea of repression, which has not been supported by modern research.

Which elements of traditional psychoanalysis have modern-day psychodynamic theorists and therapists retained, and which elements have they mostly left behind?

Today's psychodynamic theorists and therapists still rely on the interviewing techniques that Freud used, and they still tend to focus on childhood experiences and attachments, unresolved conflicts, and unconscious influences. However, they are not likely to dwell on fixation at any psychosexual stage, or the idea that sexual issues are the basis of our personality.

LOQ 14-1 What is personality and what theories inform our understanding of personality?

Personality is an individuals characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting. Psychoanalytic and later psychodynamic theory and humanistic theory have become part of our cultural legacy. They also laid the foundation for later theories, such as trait and social cognitive theories of personality.

LOQ 14–2 how did Sigmund Freuds treatment of psychological disorders lead to his view of the unconscious mind?

Psychodynamic theories view personality from the perspective that behavior is a dynamic interaction between the conscious and unconscious mind. These theories trace their origin to Sigmund Freud‘s theory of psychoanalysis. In treating patients whose disorders had no clear physical explanation, Freud concluded that these problems reflected, unacceptable thoughts and feelings, hidden away in the unconscious mind. To explore this hidden part of a patient’s mind, Freud uses free association, and dream analysis.

LOQ 14–3 what was freuds view of personality?

Freud believed that personality results from conflict arising from the interaction among the mind three systems the id, the pleasure seeking impulses , Ego, reality oriented executive, and super ego, internalized set of ideals or conscience.

LOQ 14–4 what developmental stages did Freud propose?

He believed, children passed through five psychosexual stages, oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital. According to this view, unresolved conflicts at any stage can leave a persons pleasure seeking impulses fixated

LOQ 14–5 how did Freud think people defended themselves against anxiety?

For Freud, anxiety was the product of tension between the demands of the id and the super ego. The ego copes by using unconscious, defense mechanisms, such as repression, which he viewed as the basic mechanism underlying and enabling all others.

LOQ 14–6 which of Freud‘s ideas did his followers accept or reject?

Freud‘s early followers the neo Freudians accepted many of his ideas. They differed in placing more emphasis on the conscious mind and in stressing social motives, more than sex or aggression. Most contemporary psychodynamic, theorist, and therapist reject Freuds emphasis on sexual motivation. they stress, with support from modern research findings, the view that much of our mental life is unconscious, and they believe that our childhood experiences influence our adult personality and attachment patterns. Many also believe that Freud’s species shared evolutionary history shaped some universal.

LOQ 14–7 what are the projective test, how are the use and what are some criticisms of them?

Projective test attempt to assess personality by showing people stimuli open to many possible interpretations and treating their answers as revelations of unconscious motives, thematic perception test, TAT and the Rorschach inkblot test are two such test. the TAT provides a valid and reliable map of peoples implicit motives that is consistent overtime. The Rorschach has low reliability and validity but some clinicians value it as a source of suggestive leads, ann icebreaker, or revealing interview technique.

LOQ 14–8 how do contemporary psychologist view Freud Psychoanalysis

They give Freud credit for drawing attention to the vast unconscious to the struggle to cope with anxiety and sexuality to the conflict between biological impulses and social restraints, and for some forms of defense mechanisms, but his concept of repression and his view of the unconscious as a collective of repressed and unacceptable thoughts, wishes. feelings and memories cannot survive scientific scrutiny. Freud offers after the fact explanations, which are hard to test scientifically research, research does not support many of Freud’s specific ideas such as the view that development is fixed in childhood (we know it is lifelong)

LOQ 14–9 how has modern research developed our understanding of the unconscious?

Research confirms that we do not have full access to all that goes on in our mind, though today’s science views the unconscious as a separate and parallel track of information processing that occurs outside of our awareness this processing includes schemas that control our perceptions, priming, implicit memories of learn skills, instantly activated emotions, and stereotypes that filter information processing of other traits and characteristics research also supports reaction formation and projection, the false consensus effect and the idea that we unconsciously defend ourselves from anxiety as seen as experiments testing terror management theory

personality

An individuals characteristic pattern of thinking feeling and acting

Psychoanalysis

Floyd‘s theory of personality that attributes, thoughts and actions to unconscious motives and conflicts Sigmud Freud‘s therapeutic technique used in training, psychological disorders Freud believed The patient’s free Association resistances dreams and transferences and the therapist interpretations of them released previously repressed feelings, allowing the patient to regain self insight

free Association

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

Ego

The largely conscious executive part of the personality, according to Freud mediates among the demands of the id Super ego and reality, the ego operates on the reality principle satisfying the ids desires in ways that will realistically bring pleasure rather than pain

Superego

The part of personality that, according to Freud represents internalized ideals and provides standards for judgment, the conscious and for future aspirations

Psychosexual stages

The childhood stages of developmental, oral anal phallic, latency Genital during which, according to Freud, the ID’s pleasure seeking energies focus on distinct erogenous zones

Oedipus complex

According to Freud, a boy sexual desires towards his mother and feelings of jealousy and hatred for the rival father

Identification

The process by which, according to Freud children incorporate, their parents values into their developing super ego

Fixate

In thinking that inability to see a problem from a new perspective, an obstacle to problem-solving and personality theory, according to Freud, a lingering focus of pleasure seeking energies at an earlier psychosexual age in which conflict were unresolved

Defense mechanisms

In psychoanalytic theory, the egos protective methods of reducing anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality

Repression

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

Regression

Returning to an earlier psychosexual stage where some psychic energy remains fixated

Reaction formation

Switching unacceptable impulses into their opposite

Projection

Disguising ones threatening impulses by attributing them to others

Rationalization

Offering self justifying, explanations and place of the real more threatening unconscious reasons for one’s action

Displacement

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

Denial

Refusing to believe or even perceived painful realities

Collective unconscious

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

Alfred Adler and Karen Horney

Agreed with Freud that childhood is important but

Projective tests

A personality test such as the Rorschach that provides ambiguous images designed to trigger projection of once inner dynamics

Thematic Apperception test TAT

A projective test in which people express their inner feelings and interest through the stories they make up about an ambiguous picture

Rorschach inkblot test

The most widely used projective test, a set of 10 ink blots designed by Herman Rorschach seeks to identify people’s inner feelings by analyzing their interpretations of the ink blots

Terror management theory

A theory of death related anxiety explores people’s emotional and behavior responses to reminders of their impending death

Id

a reservoir of unconscious psychic energy that, according to Freud, strives to satisfy basic sexual and aggressive drives. The id operates on the pleasure principle, demanding immediate gratification.

Unconscious

the part of the mind that is not accessible to conscious awareness, which influences thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

evolutionary psychology

(pinky) Analyzes how natural selection and adaptation have shaped human behavior over time.

biological psychology

(pinky) Explores the physical brain, nervous system, genetics, hormones, and neurotransmitters

humanism psychology

(ring) Emphasizes free will, personal growth, motivation, and the drive for self-actualization.

• 1960s psychologists became discontent with freud’s negativity

• Abraham and Carl Rogers focused on growth

behaviorism psychology

(middle) Studies observable, measurable behavior learned through environmental conditioning and reinforcement.

cognitive prospective psychology

(pointer) Examines internal mental processes like thinking, memory, problem-solving, and language.

psychoanalytic/ psychodynamic theory

(thumb) points back to your past, childhood, and the unconscious mind

Social-cultural

(palm) Investigates how social interaction and cultural norms influence thoughts and actions

Carl Rogers

Carl Rogers believed in

• “person-centered” or Rogerian therapy. a non-directive talk therapy that empowers individuals to realize their own personal growth and self-actualization.

• 3 conditions that facilitate growth

• genuineness: When people are genuine, they are open with their own feelings, drop their facades, and are transparent and self-disclosing.

• acceptance: When people are accepting, they offer unconditional positive regard, an attitude of grace that values us even knowing our failings. It is a profound relief to drop our pretenses, confess our worst feelings, and discover that we are still accepted. In a good marriage, a close family, or an intimate friendship, we are free to be spontaneous without fearing the loss of others’ esteem.

• empathy: When people are empathetic, they share and mirror other’s feelings and reflect their meanings. “Rarely do we listen with real understanding, true empathy,” said Rogers. “Yet listening, of this very special kind, is one of the most potent forces for change that I know.”

Trait

an enduring quality that makes a person tend to act a certain way

What is wrong with Humanistic perspectives

• ideas lack scientific basis

• ideas can lead to selfishness

• fails to admit evil and underestimates it

What are the seven psychological prospective

• Biological

• evolutionary

• social-cultural

• Humanistic

• cognitive

• behaviorism

• psychoanalytic / psychodynamic

Hierarchy of needs

Maslow’s pyramid of human needs, beginning at the base with physiological needs that must first be satisfied before higher-level safety needs and then psychological needs become active.

• Physiological Needs (Bottom): Essential biological requirements for survival like food, water, and sleep.

• Safety Needs: The need for physical, financial, and emotional security.

• Love and Belonging: The social need for friendships, intimacy, and family connections.

• Esteem Needs: The desire for self-respect, recognition, status, and respect from others.

• Self-Actualization (Top): The drive to reach your full potential and achieve personal growth.

Self actualization

according to Maslow, one of the ultimate psychological needs that arises after basic physical and psychological needs are met and self-esteem is achieved; the motivation to fulfill one’s potential.

self transcendence

according to Maslow, the striving for identity, meaning, and purpose beyond the self

unconditional positive regard

according to Maslow, one of the ultimate psychological needs that arises after basic physical and psychological needs are met and self-esteem is achieved; the motivation to fulfill one’s potential.

self concept

all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in answer to the question, “Who am I?”

If our self-concept is positive, we tend to act and perceive the world positively. If it is negative—if in our own eyes we fall far short of our ideal self—said Rogers, we feel dissatisfied and unhappy.

traits

a characteristic pattern of behavior or a disposition to feel and act in certain ways, as assessed by self-report inventories and peer reports.

personality inventories

a questionnaire (often with true-false or agree-disagree items) on which people respond to items designed to gauge a wide range of feelings and behaviors; used to assess selected personality traits.

MMPI

the most widely researched and clinically used of all personality tests. Originally developed to identify emotional disorders (still considered its most appropriate use), this test is now used for many other screening purposes

Empirically Derived

social-cognitive perspective

reciprocal determinism

self

spotlight effect

self esteem

self efficacy

self serving bias

narcissism