Unit 4 Part 1: Personality, Motivation, Emotion AP Psychology Study Outline

Personality

An individual's characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and behavior.

Personality psychology

The study of individual differences in personality and how these differences influence behavior.

Psychoanalysis

A clinical method for treating psychopathology through dialogue between a patient and a psychoanalyst.

Unconscious mind

According to Freud, the part of the mind that contains memories, feelings, and desires that are not accessible to conscious awareness.

Id

The part of personality that represents innate biological instincts and urges; demands immediate gratification.

Superego

The moral conscience that represents internalized ideals and provides standards for judgment.

Ego

The rational part of personality that mediates between the desires of the id and the constraints of the superego.

Defense mechanisms

Psychological strategies employed by the ego to manage anxiety arising from conflicts between the id and superego.

Repression

A defense mechanism that involves blocking unwanted thoughts and feelings from consciousness.

Self-actualization

The realization of one's potential and self-fulfillment, according to humanistic theories.

Conditions of worth

Expectations imposed by others that influence one's sense of self-worth and can lead to incongruence.

Unconditional positive regard

An attitude of acceptance and respect that is not contingent on any specific behavior or condition.

Trait

A characteristic pattern of behavior or disposition to feel and act.

Big Five Theory

A model describing five key traits that makeup personality: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

Drive-Reduction Theory

The theory that physiological disruptions create needs which lead to drives that motivate behaviors to restore balance.

Homeostasis

The body's tendency to maintain a balanced internal state.

Arousal Theory

The theory stating that people are motivated to maintain optimal levels of arousal.

Self-Determination Theory

A theory that suggests people are motivated by intrinsic and extrinsic factors.

Incentive Theory

The theory that suggests behavior is motivated by the desire to attain rewards or avoid punishment.

Motivational conflicts

Situations in which a person must choose between two opposing motives, leading to psychological tension.

Emotions

Complex experiences that include physiological arousal, personal feelings, and outward expressions.

Cognitive appraisal

The interpretation and evaluation of a stimulus that contributes to the emotional response.

Facial feedback hypothesis

The theory that facial expressions can influence emotional experiences.

Broaden-and-build theory

The theory that positive emotions expand awareness and encourage newfound ideas and actions.

Reciprocal determinism

The theory that personal factors, behavior, and environment interact to shape personality.

Arousal

A state of being physiologically alert, awake, and attentive.

Psychodynamic perspective

A view of personality that focuses on the dynamic interplay of unconscious drives and social influences.

Projective test

A personality assessment tool that uses ambiguous stimuli to elicit responses that reveal inner thoughts and feelings.

Rorschach Inkblot Test

A projective psychological test consisting of 10 inkblots, used to assess personality and emotional functioning.

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

A projective test that involves storytelling about ambiguous scenes to reveal underlying motives and desires.

Trait theorists

Psychologists who focus on measuring and analyzing various traits that make up human personality.

Internal personal factors

Elements of personality such as self-concept, self-esteem, and self-efficacy that influence behavior.

Self-esteem

An individual's overall subjective emotional evaluation of their own worth.

Self-efficacy

A belief in one's ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a task.

External eating cues

Environmental signals that can prompt an individual to eat.

Affiliation need

The intrinsic motivation to seek out social connections and relationships.

Ostracism

The act of excluding or ignoring someone socially.

Drive

An internal state that arises from a physiological need that motivates behavior.

Biological need

A fundamental requirement for survival, such as food, water, and oxygen.

Sensation-seeking

The tendency to pursue varied, novel, and intense experiences.

Activation of the amygdala

A brain area's response that plays a key role in processing emotions, particularly fear.

Spinal cord injuries

Injuries that can help provide insights into the relationship between physiological arousal and emotional experience.

The low road of emotion

A neural pathway that allows for rapid responses to stimuli, bypassing conscious thought.

The high road of emotion

A neural pathway that involves conscious appraisal and analysis of stimuli before emotional response.

Implicit cognitive appraisal

An automatic and unconscious evaluation of stimulus relevance and danger.

Cognitive interpretation

The process of understanding physiological responses based on the context of the situation.

Cultural differences

Variations in emotional expressions and elicitors that can be influenced by societal norms.

Display rules

Culturally specific standards that dictate the appropriate expression of emotions.

Emotion recognition

The ability to identify and understand the emotions expressed by others.

Primary emotions

Basic emotions that are universally recognized and expressed across cultures.

Experiential avoidance

The tendency to evade uncomfortable thoughts or feelings.

Emotional validation

Recognizing and affirming another person's emotional experience.