Ch. 6 - Identity and Personality

7% of MCAT P/S content

What is self-concept?

the sum of the ways in which we describe ourselves: in the present, who we used to be, and who we might be in the future.

What are identities in relation to self-concept?

individual components of our self-concept related to the groups to which we belong

ex. religious affiliation, sexual orientation, and ethnic or national affiliations.

What is self-esteem?

describes our evaluation of ourselves.

It tends to be higher when our actual self-aligns closely with our ideal self and ought self.

How do the ideal self and ought self-relate to self-esteem?

The closer our actual self is to our ideal self (who we want to be) and our ought self (who others want us to be), the higher our self-esteem will be.

What is self-efficacy?

the degree to which we see ourselves as capable in a given skill or situation.

How can self-efficacy lead to learned helplessness?

When placed in a consistently hopeless scenario, diminished self-efficacy can lead to learned helplessness, where a person feels unable to change their circumstances.

What is locus of control?

a self-evaluation referring to how we characterize the influences in our lives.

What is the difference between an internal and external locus of control?

People with an internal locus of control attribute their successes and failures to their own characteristics and actions

People with an external locus of control believe outside factors have more influence in their lives.

What are Freud's psychosexual stages of personality development?

Freud’s stages (oral, anal, phallic [Oedipal], latent, and genital) are based on tensions caused by the libido.

Failure at any stage leads to fixation, which can cause personality disorders.

What is the focus of Freud's phases of psychosexual development?

Each phase of Freud's development is focused on different erogenous zones

ex. mouth (oral), anus (anal), genitals (phallic), and more.

What are Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development?

based on conflicts that occur throughout life, reflecting key decisions about ourselves and our environment.

ex. trust vs. mistrust, autonomy vs. shame and doubt, initiative vs. guilt

What are Kohlberg’s stages of moral development?

describe how individuals resolve moral dilemmas, progressing through three phases:

• preconventional

• conventional

• postconventional, each with two stages.

What is Vygotsky’s concept of the zone of proximal development?

refers to the skills a child has not yet mastered and needs a more knowledgeable person to accomplish.

How do children learn according to Vygotsky?

Children learn by imitating role models and later develop the ability to take on different roles and understand others' perspectives.

How does our reference group influence self-concept?

depends on our reference group, which is the group to which we compare ourselves.

Two individuals with the same qualities might have different self-concepts based on their comparison group.

What does the psychoanalytic perspective view as the source of personality?

views personality as resulting from unconscious urges and desires, influenced by the id, superego, and ego.

What are the three components of Freud's theory of personality?

1. id (basic urges)

2. superego (idealist and perfectionist)

3. ego (mediator between the two).

How does the ego reduce stress according to Freud?

uses defense mechanisms to reduce stress caused by the conflicting urges of the id and superego.

What is Jung’s concept of the collective unconscious?

proposed that all humans share a collective unconscious, which links individuals through common archetypes.

How did Adler and Horney differ from Freud?

believed that the unconscious is motivated more by social factors than sexual urges, distancing themselves from Freud’s theories.

What does the humanistic perspective emphasize in personality development?

emphasizes the internal feelings of healthy individuals striving for happiness and self-realization.

How does Maslow’s hierarchy of needs relate to the humanistic perspective?

emphasizes the progression from basic physiological needs to self-actualization.

What role does unconditional positive regard play in personality development according to Rogers?

therapeutic approach promotes personal growth by offering acceptance and support without judgment.

What do type and trait theories suggest about personality?

suggest that personality can be described by identifiable traits that predict characteristic behaviors.

What are the three major traits identified by Eysenck?

1. Psychoticism (nonconformity)

2. Extraversion (social tolerance)

3. Neuroticism (response to stress).

What are the Big Five personality traits?

Openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

What are the three types of traits identified by Allport?

1. Cardinal traits (central organizing traits)

2. Central traits (major characteristics)

3. Secondary traits (less influential and more specific).

What is the personality trait of the need for achievement (N-Ach) according to McClelland?

the desire to accomplish goals and pursue success.

What does the social cognitive perspective say about personality development?

states that personality develops through reciprocal determinism, where behavior, environment, and personal factors influence each other.

How does the behaviorist perspective explain personality?

explains personality as the result of behaviors learned from rewards and punishments through operant conditioning.

How do biological theorists explain personality?

suggest that personality is the result of genetic expression and inherent biological factors.