Untitled Flashcards Set

Approach-approach conflict

A psychological scenario where an individual is faced with the task of selecting between two equally appealing and desirable options, often generating tension due to the incompatibility of the choices.

Big Five Personality Model

A comprehensive model outlining five core dimensions of personality traits: agreeableness (social harmony), openness (willingness to experience new ideas), extraversion (focus on external social interactions), conscientiousness (degree of organization and responsibility), and emotional stability (the tendency to experience consistent emotional states).

Agreeableness

A personality trait reflecting an individual's propensity to act in a cooperative, altruistic, and compassionate manner, fostering positive social interactions.

Openness

A personality dimension indicating an individual's readiness to embrace new experiences and ideas across aesthetic, cultural, or intellectual domains.

Extraversion

A personality trait that denotes an individual's preference for engaging with the external world, characterized by sociability, enthusiasm, and a focus on interactions with people and activities.

Conscientiousness

A personality characteristic that highlights an individual’s tendency to demonstrate organization, responsibility, dependability, and diligence in their endeavors.

Emotional Stability (neuroticism)

The degree to which an individual displays consistency and predictability in emotional responses, complemented by a lack of rapid mood fluctuations, indicating mental resilience.

Denial

A psychological defense mechanism wherein an individual consciously or unconsciously refuses to acknowledge distressing thoughts, feelings, or realities, effectively excluding them from awareness.

Projection

A psychological process through which individuals attribute their own undesirable qualities, feelings, or impulses onto others, shielding themselves from recognizing these traits within themselves.

Rationalization

A defense mechanism in which individuals construct logical reasons or excuses to justify behaviors that are deemed unacceptable or irrational, thereby protecting their self-esteem.

Reaction formation

A defense mechanism that involves transforming unacceptable impulses into their opposites, often leading individuals to exhibit exaggerated behaviors contrary to their true feelings.

Regression

A psychological reversion to earlier stages of development or behavior in response to stress or anxiety, signifying a temporary return to less mature or adaptive coping strategies.

Repression

The fundamental defense mechanism through which individuals subconsciously block painful memories, thoughts, or impulses from entering conscious awareness to avoid distress.

Intrinsic motivation

The driving force to engage in an activity based on the inherent pleasure and satisfaction derived from that activity itself, rather than from external rewards.

Extrinsic motivation

The motivation to participate in a behavior or activity due to external rewards or pressures, such as money, praise, or societal expectations.

Ghrelin

A hunger-inducing peptide hormone produced in the stomach, playing a critical role in stimulating appetite and regulating energy balance.

Homeostasis

The complex regulatory processes through which an organism maintains a stable internal environment, balancing physiological systems to promote optimal functioning.

ID

The primal component of personality characterized by innate biological drives and impulses that seek immediate gratification, often operating unconsciously.

Incentive theory

A psychological theory positing that motivation is influenced by the interplay between external environmental incentives and the internal drive states of an organism.

Leptin

A hormone produced by adipose (fat) tissue that conveys signals about energy storage to the brain, playing a crucial role in appetite regulation and energy homeostasis.

Optimal arousal theory

A motivational theory suggesting that individuals are driven to maintain an optimal level of arousal, leading them to seek out or avoid stimuli to achieve a desirable state.

Self-actualization

The realization or fulfillment of one's talents, potential, and unique abilities, representing the highest level of psychological development in Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

Self-efficacy

The belief in one's own ability to succeed and perform effectively in specific situations, significantly influencing motivation and behavior.

Self-esteem

The subjective evaluation of one's own worth, encompassing beliefs about self-image, abilities, and overall value as an individual.

Universal emotions

Emotions considered to be common and recognizable across all human cultures, reflecting shared human experiences, such as happiness, sadness, anger, fear, surprise, and disgust.

Yerkes-Dodson Law

A principle outlining the relationship between arousal and performance, indicating that performance improves with increased arousal up to a point, after which further arousal may lead to a decline in performance.