Psych 4.4-4.7

Personality

The combination of characteristics or qualities that form an individual's distinctive character.

Psychodynamic Theory

A psychological perspective that emphasizes the influence of the unconscious mind and childhood experiences on behavior.

Psychoanalysis

A therapeutic approach that seeks to explore the unconscious mind and influence of early childhood.

Free Association

A technique used in psychoanalysis where patients express their thoughts freely to uncover unconscious processes.

Id

The component of personality that contains our primal instincts and desires.

Ego

The rational part of personality that mediates between the desires of the Id and the realities of the external world.

Superego

The moral component of personality that incorporates social standards about what represents right and wrong.

Defense Mechanisms

Coping strategies used by the ego to protect itself from anxiety and distress.

Denial

Refusal to accept reality or facts, used as a defense mechanism.

Displacement

Redirecting emotions or impulses from the original target to a safer substitute.

Projection

Attributing one's own unacceptable thoughts or feelings to someone else.

Rationalization

Creating logical reasons to justify unacceptable behavior or feelings.

Reaction Formation

Expressing the opposite of one's true feelings or impulses.

Regression

Reverting to behaviors characteristic of an earlier stage of development.

Repression

Unconsciously pushing distressing memories or thoughts out of awareness.

Sublimation

Transforming unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable actions or behaviors.

Projective Tests

Psychological tests that involve ambiguous stimuli to elicit projection of feelings and thoughts.

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

A projective psychological test that reveals a person's social drives or needs through the stories they create about ambiguous images.

Rorschach Inkblot Test

A projective test using inkblots to assess personality and emotional functioning.

Preconscious

The level of consciousness where thoughts and feelings are not currently in awareness but can be accessed.

Unconscious

The part of the mind that houses memories, desires, and feelings that are not accessible to conscious awareness.

Collective Unconscious

A part of the unconscious mind shared by all human beings, containing universal experiences and memories.

Humanistic Psychology

A psychological perspective that emphasizes human potential and stresses the importance of growth and self-actualization.

Unconditional Positive Regard

An acceptance and respect for a person regardless of what they say or do.

Self-Actualizing Tendency

The natural drive to reach one's full potential and capabilities.

Social-Cognitive Theory

A theory that emphasizes the interaction of the individual, environment, and behavior in the development of personality.

Behavioral Approach

Focuses on observable behaviors and the ways these behaviors are learned.

Reciprocal Determinism

The mutual influence between personality and environmental factors.

Self

The individual's awareness of their own being or identity.

Self-Concept

A collection of beliefs about oneself, including attributes and who and what the self is.

Self-Efficacy

Belief in one's capacity to execute behaviors necessary to produce specific performance attainments.

Self-Esteem

An individual's overall subjective evaluation of their worth.

The Spotlight Effect

The belief that others are paying more attention to our appearance and behavior than they really are.

Self-Serving Bias

The tendency to attribute positive events to our own character but attribute negative events to external factors.

Traits

Characteristics or qualities that form the basis of personality.

Personality Inventory

A questionnaire used to assess personality traits.

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)

A widely used personality test that assesses various psychological conditions.

Empirically Derived Test

A test obtained from the results of studies using a specific methodology to measure personality traits.

The Big Five Theory

A model describing personality through five broad dimensions: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

Agreeableness

A personality trait that reflects individual differences in cooperation and social harmony.

Openness to Experience

A trait associated with imaginative, curious, and open-minded individuals.

Extraversion

A personality trait characterized by sociability, talkativeness, and assertiveness.

Conscientiousness

A personality trait reflecting dependability, organization, and a strong sense of duty.

Emotional Stability

A personality trait referring to a person's ability to remain calm and even-tempered.

Personality Inventories

Standardized questionnaires designed to measure various aspects of personality.

Factor Analysis

A statistical method used to identify the underlying relationships between various variables, including personality traits.

Motivation

The processes that initiate, guide, and maintain goal-oriented behaviors.

Physiological Need

Basic biological requirements for human survival.

Homeostasis

The body's ability to maintain a stable internal environment.

Incentives

External factors that motivate behavior.

Drive-Reduction Theory

The theory that motivated behavior is aimed at reducing physiological needs.

Arousal Theory

The theory that we are motivated to maintain an optimal level of arousal.

Optimal Level of Arousal

The level of arousal at which performance is maximized.

Yerkes-Dodson Law

The principle that performance increases with physiological or mental arousal, but only up to a point.

Self-Determination Theory

A theory of motivation that emphasizes the role of intrinsic and extrinsic factors in driving human behavior.

Intrinsic Motivation

Engaging in behavior because it is personally rewarding.

Extrinsic Motivation

Engaging in behavior for external rewards or to avoid punishment.

Instincts

Innate, biologically determined behaviors that are essential for survival.

Lewin’s Motivational Conflicts Theory

A theory describing how individuals face conflicts due to competing motivations.

Approach-Approach Conflict

A conflict arising from having to choose between two desirable options.

Approach-Avoidance Conflict

A conflict arising when a single goal has both attractive and unattractive aspects.

Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict

A conflict arising from having to choose between two undesirable options.

Sensation-Seeking Theory

The theory that suggests a need for varied, novel, and complex sensations and experiences.

Hormones

Chemical messengers in the body that regulate physiological processes.

Ghrelin

A hormone that stimulates appetite, often referred to as the hunger hormone.

Leptin

A hormone that helps to regulate energy balance by inhibiting hunger.

Glucose

A simple sugar that is an important energy source in living organisms.

Hypothalamus

A brain region controlling many bodily functions, including hunger and thirst.

Pituitary Gland

The gland responsible for regulating various hormones in the body.

Emotion

A complex psychological state that involves a subjective experience, physiological response, and expressive behaviors.

Facial-Feedback Hypothesis

The theory that facial expressions can influence emotional experiences.

Behavior-Feedback Effect

The idea that one’s behavior can influence their feelings.

Broaden-and-Build Theory

A theory suggesting that positive emotions broaden thought processes and build lasting personal resources.

Polygraph

A device used to measure physiological responses such as heart rate, blood pressure, and perspiration, often used in lie detection.

Universal Emotions

Emotions that are recognized and experienced across all cultures.

Anger

An emotional response to perceived threats or injustice.

Disgust

A strong emotional response of repulsion toward something considered offensive or unpleasant.

Happiness

A positive emotional state characterized by feelings of contentment and joy.

Surprise

An emotional reaction to unexpected events.

Fear

An emotional response to perceived threats or danger.

Sadness

An emotional response characterized by feelings of loss or disappointment.

Display Rules

Culturally specific rules that dictate how emotions should be expressed.