Comprehensive Personality Theories: Definitions, Approaches, and Key Concepts

What is Allport's definition of personality?

A dynamic organization of psychophysical systems.

What does 'relatively enduring' mean in Allport's definition?

Traits are stable but can change slowly.

What framework do Murray & Kluckhohn propose for personality theories?

They explain how people are like all others, like some others, and like no others.

What is a latent construct?

A construct that is inferred from indicators rather than directly observable.

What do idiographic approaches focus on?

Individual uniqueness.

What does psychic determinism mean?

All mental events have causes.

How does the Id operate?

On the pleasure principle.

How does the Ego operate?

On the reality principle.

What does the Super-Ego contain?

Conscience and Ego-Ideal.

What is a defense mechanism?

An unconscious distortion of reality.

What is repression?

Actively pushing content out of awareness.

What does sublimation transform impulses into?

Socially acceptable actions.

When does fixation occur?

When too much or too little gratification occurs.

How did Erikson extend Freud's theory?

By adding adulthood development.

What virtue is produced in Erikson's Trust vs. Mistrust stage?

Hope.

What is the focus of Industry vs. Inferiority?

Skill development.

What does Identity vs. Role Confusion produce?

Fidelity.

What drives Horney's 'moving toward' strategy?

Desire for closeness and approval.

What does Klein's 'splitting' refer to?

Seeing others as all-good or all-bad.

What is the one human motive according to Rogers?

Actualizing tendency.

What does the organismic valuing process (OVP) help people do?

Evaluate experiences for growth.

What occurs when self-image equals ideal self?

Congruence.

What does incongruence lead to?

Defensiveness.

How is Maslow's hierarchy organized?

By prepotency.

What are D-needs?

Deficit needs.

What do B-needs motivate?

Growth and expression.

What do peak experiences produce?

Meta-motivation.

How did Kelly view people?

As scientists.

What is a construct?

A bipolar mental category.

What does the fundamental postulate state?

Behavior is guided by anticipations.

What does Rotter's behavior potential depend on?

Expectancy and reinforcement value.

What does internal locus of control mean?

Outcomes depend on one's actions.

What did Mischel argue about personality?

It shows if-then consistency.

What does CAPS theory focus on?

Cognitive-affective units.

What did the marshmallow test primarily measure?

Ego-control capacity.

What do all trait theories assume about traits?

They are relatively enduring.

What did Allport believe about traits?

They render situations functionally equivalent.

What method did Cattell use?

Factor analysis.

What does Cattell's 16PF measure?

Source traits.

What does Eysenck's PEN model include?

Neuroticism, Extraversion, Psychoticism.

How do extraverts differ in arousal?

They have low baseline arousal.

What is neuroticism linked to?

High limbic reactivity.

What is Gray's BIS sensitive to?

Punishment.

What is Gray's BAS sensitive to?

Reward.

What is McAdams' Level 1?

Traits.

What is McAdams' Level 2?

Personal concerns.

What is McAdams' Level 3?

Life story.

What is the Redemptive Self associated with?

Growth through suffering.

What does functional autonomy mean in Allport's theory?

Behaviors can become independent of original motives.

What does Allport's 'proprium' refer to?

The self as a unifying, conscious system.

What are surface traits in Cattell's model?

Observable behaviors.

What do Cattell's dynamic traits include?

Ergs, sentiments, attitudes.

What does Cattell believe is required for prediction?

Traits × Situation × Motivation.

What did Cattell believe is required for prediction?

Cattell believed prediction requires traits, situation, and motivation (Traits × Situation × Motivation).

What did Eysenck believe extraversion is rooted in?

Eysenck believed extraversion is rooted in the reticular activating system (RAS).

What did Eysenck believe neuroticism is rooted in?

Eysenck believed neuroticism is rooted in the limbic system.

What is psychoticism associated with?

Psychoticism is associated with aggression and impulsivity.

What does Gray's BAS system motivate?

Gray's BAS system motivates approach behavior.

What does Gray's BIS system produce?

Gray's BIS system produces anxiety.

What does the Fight-Flight-Freeze System (FFFS) respond to?

The Fight-Flight-Freeze System (FFFS) responds to immediate danger.

What characterizes Kagan's inhibited temperament?

Kagan's inhibited temperament is characterized by high ANS reactivity.

What do uninhibited children tend to do?

Uninhibited children tend to approach novelty.

How does Kagan believe temperament interacts?

Kagan believes temperament interacts with parenting.

How is temperament best described?

Temperament is best described as genetic.

What does the Five-Factor Model assume about traits?

The Five-Factor Model assumes traits are dimensional.

What does the lexical hypothesis state?

The lexical hypothesis states that important traits become encoded in language.

What do Costa & McCrae argue the FFM is?

Costa & McCrae argue the FFM is a descriptive taxonomy.

What does openness include?

Openness includes ideas.

What does conscientiousness include?

Conscientiousness includes order.

What does agreeableness include?

Agreeableness includes altruism.

What does neuroticism include?

Neuroticism includes anxiety.

What does extraversion include?

Extraversion includes warmth.

What does McAdams' Level 1 (Traits) describe?

McAdams' Level 1 (Traits) describes broad dispositional tendencies.

What does McAdams' Level 2 (Characteristic Adaptations) include?

McAdams' Level 2 (Characteristic Adaptations) includes goals, motives, and values.

What does McAdams' Level 3 (Life Story) reflect?

McAdams' Level 3 (Life Story) reflects narrative identity.

What does the Redemptive Self involve?

The Redemptive Self involves growth through suffering.

What must personality include according to McAdams?

McAdams argues personality must include traits, adaptations, and narrative.

When does defensiveness occur in Rogers' theory?

Defensiveness occurs when experience threatens self-concept.

What is distortion in Rogers' theory?

Distortion occurs when experience is reinterpreted to fit the self-concept.

What is denial in Rogers' theory?

Denial occurs when experience is blocked from awareness.

What does the phenomenal field refer to?

The phenomenal field refers to the person's subjective awareness.

What is the real self?

The real self is the organismic self.

What did Maslow believe about gratification?

Maslow believed gratification allows higher needs to emerge.

What do meta-pathologies result from?

Meta-pathologies result from lack of B-value fulfillment.

What does the Jonah Complex refer to?

The Jonah Complex refers to the fear of success or self-actualization.

What do flow states require?

Flow states require high challenge and high skill.

What did Maslow believe about behavior?

Maslow believed behavior is multi-motivated.

What does Kelly's fragmentation corollary explain?

Kelly's fragmentation corollary explains that people may use incompatible constructs in different roles.

What does Kelly's choice corollary state?

Kelly's choice corollary states people choose what extends or defines their construct system.

What does Kelly's modulation corollary refer to?

Kelly's modulation corollary refers to how permeable constructs can change.

What does Rotter's reinforcement value refer to?

Rotter's reinforcement value refers to the desirability of an outcome.

What do specific expectancies apply to?

Specific expectancies apply to a particular situation.

What do generalized expectancies apply to?

Generalized expectancies apply to broad categories of situations.

What do Mischel's encoding units determine?

Mischel's encoding units determine what we notice and attend to.

What do affects in CAPS refer to?

Affects in CAPS refer to emotions.

How well do traits predict behavior according to Mischel?

Mischel argued that traits predict behavior poorly in single situations.

What is the personality coefficient approximately?

The personality coefficient is approximately .30.

What do behavioral signatures refer to?

Behavioral signatures refer to stable if-then patterns.

What do self-regulation competencies include?

Self-regulation competencies include IQ and learned skills.

How can self-control be improved according to Mischel?

Mischel showed self-control can be improved by cognitive reframing.