TOC Chapters 1-5 + essay questions

Personality

A consistent way of acting and thinking.

Six approaches to personality

Psychoanalytic, Trait, Biological, Humanistic, Behavioral/Social Learning, Cognitive.

Individualistic culture

Culture that prioritizes 'Me first' (e.g., USA, Western cultures).

Collectivist culture

Culture that prioritizes 'Us first' (e.g., Many Asian, Latin American cultures).

Theory

A BIG idea about how things work.

Hypothesis

A specific, testable GUESS.

Case study

A deep dive into ONE person, providing great detail but not generalizable.

Correlation ranges

Scores range from -1 to +1 indicating the relationship between two things.

Positive correlation (+1)

Both variables increase or decrease together.

Negative correlation (-1)

One variable increases while the other decreases.

Reliability

The consistency of a test.

Validity

The extent to which a test measures what it claims to measure.

Freud's Iceberg Model

Three layers: Conscious, Preconscious, Unconscious.

Id

The 'I want it now!' part of personality.

Ego

The 'Let's be smart' part of personality.

Superego

The 'That's not right!' part of personality.

Defense mechanisms

The Ego's strategies to manage anxiety.

Projective Tests

Tests designed to tap into the unconscious mind through ambiguous stimuli.

Freudian slip

An accidental statement that reveals hidden thoughts.

Criticism of Freud

His theory is often viewed as too negative and difficult to scientifically validate.

Adler's big idea

Inferiority Complex; the drive to overcome feelings of inadequacy.

Jung's big idea

Collective Unconscious; shared, inherited memories and archetypes.

Erikson's contribution

Personality develops throughout our entire life, described in 8 stages.

Horney's perspective

Neurosis stems from basic anxiety during childhood, not 'penis envy'.

Psychoanalytic Approach

Focuses on unconscious drives and early childhood experiences.

Trait Approach

Emphasizes consistent, stable characteristics of personality.

Biological Approach

Considers genetics, evolution, and brain structures in personality.

Humanistic Approach

Focuses on free will and self-actualization.

Behavioral/Social Learning Approach

Emphasizes conditioning and observational learning in personality development.

Cognitive Approach

Focuses on thoughts, perceptions, and information processing.

Freud's determinism

The view that personality is largely shaped by early childhood and unconscious drives.

Neo-Freudians' shift in focus

Emphasized social/cultural influences over biological drives.

Conscious vs. Unconscious in Neo-Freudians

More focus on the conscious mind compared to Freud's original theory.

Lifespan personality development

Erikson's theory that personality evolves over the entire life span.

Adler's motivation shift

From sexual urges to striving for superiority to overcome inferiority.

Importance of reliability

Ensures consistency of test results over time.

Importance of validity

Ensures a test accurately measures what it is intended to measure.

Reliability vs. Validity

A reliable test can be inaccurate; valid tests must also be reliable.

Meaningful test results

Require both reliability for stability and validity for accuracy.

Ambiguous stimuli

Materials used in projective tests to reveal unconscious thoughts.

Core of Freud's theory

Focuses on the deterministic view of early conflicts and unconscious motives.

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

A projective test assessing unconscious motives through storytelling.

Rorschach Inkblot Test

A projective test using inkblots to explore unconscious thought processes.

Anxiety and Defense Mechanisms

Ego uses defense mechanisms to protect against anxiety.

Cultural differences in personality

Individualistic vs. collectivist approaches can influence personality construction.

Psychoanalysis

A method of therapy that seeks to understand and resolve unconscious conflicts.

Erikson's psychosocial stages

Eight stages in which personality develops across the lifespan.

Cognitive-schemas

Mental frameworks that influence personality through perception and thought.

Observational learning

Learning that occurs through watching others, significant in behavioral approaches.

Horney's concept of basic anxiety

A feeling of helplessness and insecurity that shapes neurotic behavior.

Research methods in personality

Different approaches used to investigate how personality develops and operates.

Freud's psychosexual stages

Stages of development that Freud proposed affect personality.

Self-actualization

The realization or fulfillment of one's talents and potential.

Personality assessment

Tools and methods used to evaluate an individual's personality traits and behaviors.

The Big Five (OCEAN)

Five broad personality traits: Openness (to experience), Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism.

Self-report inventory

A common type of personality assessment where individuals provide direct responses to questions about their own traits, feelings, and behaviors.

Carl Rogers's view on personality

Emphasized the importance of self-concept, unconditional positive regard, and the actualizing tendency in becoming a fully functioning person.

Catharsis

Release of tension or anxiety

Free association

Procedure used in psychoanalysis in which clients says whatever comes to mind