Psychology of Personality

Vocabulary flashcards related to key concepts in the psychology of personality, focusing on definitions and important theories.

Free Association

A therapeutic technique used to explore the unconscious mind by having a patient express thoughts freely.

Id

The part of the personality that seeks instant gratification and is driven by survival, reproduction, and aggression.

Ego

The decision-making component of personality that mediates between the desires of the id and the realities of the world.

Super Ego

The moral component of personality that incorporates the values and norms of society.

Regression

A defense mechanism involving the retreat to behaviors characteristic of an earlier stage of development.

Repression

A defense mechanism that banishes traumatic thoughts or memories from consciousness.

Projection

A defense mechanism whereby individuals attribute their own threatening impulses to others.

The Big Five Personality Traits

A model that includes five dimensions of personality: Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Neuroticism, Openness, and Extraversion.

External Locus of Control

The belief that one's life is primarily influenced by external factors such as luck or fate.

Internal Locus of Control

The belief that one is responsible for their own life outcomes.

Displacement

A defense mechanism that involves shifting aggressive or sexual impulses onto a less threatening target.

Self-Actualization

The motivation to achieve one's full potential as described by Abraham Maslow.

Person-Centered Perspective

A therapeutic approach by Carl Rogers emphasizing genuineness, acceptance, and empathy in promoting personal growth.

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

A projective psychological test where subjects create stories about ambiguous pictures to reveal their unconscious thoughts.

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)

A widely used clinical assessment tool designed to identify mental disorders.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

A personality assessment tool based on Carl Jung's theory, categorizing individuals into different personality types.

Social-Cognitive Perspective

A theory that emphasizes the role of social context and cognitive processes in influencing behavior.