Unit 4 Psychology (4.4-4.6)

Psychodynamic Theory

unconscious processes, early childhood experiences, and inner conflicts in shaping behavior

Personality

the enduring characteristics and behavior that comprise a person's unique adjustment to life

Psychoanalysis

a type of treatment based on the theory that our present is shaped by our pas

Unconsious

what you are aware of - part of the iceberg

Preconsious

memories you can easily access - part of the iceberg

Free Association

a therapeutic technique that involves sharing whatever comes to mind without censorship.

Id

the primitive, instinctual part of the personality that operates on the pleasure principle, seeking immediate gratification of basic drives and desires such as hunger, sex, and aggression.

Ego

operates on the reality principle, mediating between the unrealistic demands of the id and the external world's constraints. It employs reason and problem-solving to achieve the id's desires in socially acceptable ways.

Superego

represents internalized societal and parental standards of right and wrong. It strives for perfection and judges actions, producing feelings of pride or guilt.

Defense Mechanism

are unconscious strategies the ego uses to manage anxiety and internal conflicts between the id and superego. These mechanisms distort or deny reality to protect the individual from uncomfortable thoughts and feelings.

Repression

involves unconsciously blocking unacceptable thoughts, feelings, or desires from conscious awareness. A person who has experienced a traumatic event might have no conscious memory of the event, repressing it entirely.

Denial

involves refusing to accept reality or facts, blocking external events from awareness because they are too threatening. A smoker might deny the evidence linking smoking to health problems, continuing the habit despite the risks

Displacement

involves shifting emotional impulses from a threatening target to a safer or more acceptable one. An employee frustrated with their boss might go home and take out their anger on family members instead.

Projection

 involves attributing one’s own unacceptable thoughts or feelings to others, making them external rather than internal. A person who is unfaithful to their partner might accuse their partner of cheating, projecting their own behavior onto them.

Rationalization

involves creating logical but false explanations for behaviors or feelings that are actually driven by unconscious motives. A student who fails an exam might blame the teacher’s unfair testing methods rather than their own lack of preparation.

Reaction Formation

involves converting unacceptable impulses into their opposites, acting in a way that is diametrically opposed to one's true feelings. Someone who harbors hostility towards a colleague might be overly friendly and generous towards them, concealing their true feelings.

Regression

involves reverting to behaviors characteristic of an earlier stage of development when faced with stress or conflict. A teenager facing parental divorce might start sucking their thumb or clinging to a favorite toy, displaying childlike behaviors.

Sublimation

involves channeling unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable or constructive activities. Someone with aggressive tendencies might take up a sport like boxing to channel their aggression into a socially acceptable activity.

Projective test

psychological assessment tools that present ambiguous stimuli to individuals, encouraging them to project their unconscious thoughts, feelings, and desires onto these stimuli.

Thematic apperception Test

a projective test in which people express their inner feelings and interests through the stories they make up about ambiguous scenes.

Rorschach Inkblot Test

The most widely used projective test uses a set of 10 inkblots. It seeks to identify people’s inner feelings by analyzing their interpretations of the blots.

False-Consensus Effect

a cognitive bias that causes people to overestimate how many others share their beliefs.

Humanistic Theories/Psychology

a psychological perspective that emphasizes the study of the whole person and the uniqueness of each individual. It focuses on human potential, self-fulfillment, and personal growth.

Self-Actualization

a motivational force that drives people to improve themselves and become the best version of themselves

Unconditional Positive Regard

Acceptance and nonjudgmental behavior from the therapist allows the space the client needs throughout the exploration process.

Self-Concept

Our perception of our abilities, behaviors, and characteristics.

Self-Transendence

a personality trait that involves expanding one's sense of self and connecting with something greater than oneself - top of pyramid

Trait

Theory of Personality - individual personality characteristics

Personality Inventory

a self-assessment method, often a standardized questionnaire, used to reveal insights into an individual's character, strengths, weaknesses, social characteristics, motivations, and attitudes. 

Factor Analysis

a mathematical procedure that reduces a set of interrelations among variables to a smaller set of variables. 

The Big Five Theory

5 Personalities/factors (OCEAN)

Agreeableness to Antagonist

friendly/compassionate vs. critical/judgmental

Openness to Experience

inventive/curious vs. consistent/cautious

Extraversion to Intraversion

outgoing/energetic vs. solitary/reserve

Conscientiousness to Lack of Direction

efficient/organized vs. extravagant/careless

Emotional Stability to Neuroticism

resilient/confident vs. sensitive/nervous

MMPI

Most used and researched personality test. It was developed to identify “abnormal” personality tendencies. Comparing answers to a control group and seeing which ones differentiate

Social Cognition Theory

a psychological theory that explains how people learn and behave. It suggests that people's behavior is influenced by their personal factors, environment, and interactions with others. 

Behavioral Approach

focuses on observable behaviors and how they are shaped by environmental stimuli and consequences, rather than internal mental processes

Reciprocal Determinism

a key concept in social-cognitive theory, proposing that behavior, personal factors (including cognition), and environmental influences (social) all interact and influence each other bidirectionally.

Self-Esteem

the overall sense of self-worth or personal value. While self-efficacy is task-specific, self-esteem is a broader evaluation of oneself.

Self-Efficancy

refers to an individual’s belief in their ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish tasks. It is a critical component of the social-cognitive theory and influences how people think, feel, and act.

Self-Serving Bias

any cognitive or perceptual process that is distorted by the need to maintain and enhance self-esteem, or the tendency to perceive oneself in an overly favorable manner.

Self

Description and evaluation of oneself