Personality Study Guide

These flashcards cover the definitions and key concepts related to personality from the study guide, helping to reinforce understanding for the upcoming exam.

Personality

An individual’s unique, consistent, and distinctive pattern of thinking, feeling, and behaving.

Freudian Psychodynamic Theory

A theory proposing that personality consists of three structures: id, ego, and superego, each in conflict.

Defense Mechanisms

Unconscious strategies that protect the ego from anxiety and cope with internal conflict.

Rationalization

Justifying behaviors or decisions by attributing them to external reasons rather than personal shortcomings.

Displacement

Redirecting emotions or responses from the original source of conflict to a safer target.

Denial

A student insists their relationship is “totally fine” even
though their partner has clearly pulled away and expressed
concerns.

Projection

A person who dislikes their roommate claims, “She really
hates me,” even though the hostility is coming from
themselves.

Reaction Formation

A student who is furious with a friend acts overly polite and
cheerful toward them to hide unacceptable anger.

Regression

After receiving a disappointing midterm grade, a college
student throws a mini–temper tantrum and storms off to their
room

Repression

A student completely “forgets” an embarrassing moment
from high school that still subtly influences their social
anxiety.

Identification

A freshman begins dressing, speaking, and behaving like an
admired senior in their program to boost confidence.

Erikson’s Psychosocial Theory

Theory proposing eight stages of development, each with a psychosocial conflict that influences personality.

Behaviorist Approach

The perspective that personality is shaped by reinforcement and learned associations in the environment.

Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory

Theory emphasizing the interaction between behavior, cognition, and environment and the role of observational learning.

believed that people learn by watching others and by observing the consequences of behavior, not just through direct experience.

Self-Efficacy

A belief in one’s ability to successfully perform tasks and achieve goals, influencing motivation and resilience.

Locus of Control

The extent to which individuals believe they have control over the outcomes of events in their lives.

Internal Locus of Control

Belief that one's actions significantly influence outcomes.

External Locus of Control

Belief that outcomes are largely determined by external forces or luck.

Humanistic Approaches

Perspectives emphasizing personal growth, self-actualization, and the importance of supportive environments.

The Big Five (OCEAN)

A trait theory identifying five major dimensions of personality: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism.

Openness

A trait describing a person's willingness to try new experiences and embrace novel ideas.

Conscientiousness

A trait reflecting a person's degree of organization, dependability, and discipline.

Extraversion

A personality trait characterized by sociability, energy, and a tendency to seek out social interactions.

Agreeableness

A personality trait involving being cooperative, compassionate, and supportive toward others.

Neuroticism

A trait indicating a tendency toward emotional instability and anxiety.

Personality Assessment

Tools used to evaluate and measure personality traits and patterns, including self-report measures and projective tests.