AP Psychology UP 9: Social Psychology and Personality

Instincts

Innate, biological patterns of behavior that are plastic and without being learned.

Drive-Reduction Theory

The theory that motivation arises from biological needs that demand to be met.

Homeostasis

The process by which biological systems maintain balance and stability.

Ghrelin

A hormone that stimulates appetite and increases food intake.

Leptin

A hormone that helps to regulate energy balance by inhibiting hunger.

Hypothalamus

A brain region that controls various bodily functions, including hunger and thirst.

Pituitary Gland

The gland that releases hormones affecting growth, metabolism, and other physiological processes.

Belongingness

The human emotional need to be an accepted member of a group.

Arousal Theory

The theory that suggests humans are motivated to maintain an optimal level of arousal.

Yerkes-Dodson Law

The principle stating that performance increases with arousal but only up to a point.

Sensation-Seeking Theory

The theory that individuals are motivated to seek out varied and novel experiences.

Thrill Seeking

The pursuit of risky and exciting activities to stimulate feelings of excitement.

Adventure Seeking

The inclination to engage in activities that provide a sense of adventure and risk.

Disinhibition

The reduction of restraint; engaging in behaviors that are normally inhibited.

Boredom Susceptibility

The propensity to become bored easily, leading to a search for new stimuli.

Incentive Theory

The theory that suggests behavior is motivated by the desire for external rewards.

Extrinsic Motivation

Motivation driven by external rewards or outcomes.

Self-Determination Theory

A theory suggesting that people are motivated by intrinsic and extrinsic factors.

Intrinsic Motivation

The motivation to engage in a behavior because it is inherently rewarding.

Lewin’s Motivational Conflicts Theory

A theory that describes different conflict types in motivation.

Approach-Approach Conflicts

Situations in which a person is faced with two desirable options.

Avoidance-Avoidance Conflicts

Situations involving two bad choices, putting pressure on the individual.

Approach-Avoidance Conflicts

Situations where a single goal has both positive and negative aspects.

Emotion

A complex psychological state involving a subjective experience, physiological response, and behavioral or expressive response.

Affect

The experience of feeling or emotion.

Facial-Feedback Hypothesis

The theory that facial expressions can influence emotional experiences.

Display Rules

Cultural rules that dictate the appropriate expressions of emotions.

Elicitors

Factors that trigger emotional responses.

Broaden-and-Build Theory of Emotion

The theory suggesting that positive emotions can broaden thoughts and actions.

Universal Emotions

Emotions that are recognized universally across cultures.

Psychodynamic Theory

A theory of psychology that emphasizes unconscious psychological processes.

Preconscious Mind

The part of the mind where thoughts are stored temporarily and can be accessed.

Unconscious Mind

The part of the mind that is inaccessible to conscious thought but affects behavior.

Denial

A defense mechanism by which people refuse to accept reality.

Displacement

A defense mechanism where emotional feelings are redirected to a substitute target.

Projection

A defense mechanism that involves attributing one’s own unacceptable thoughts to others.

Rationalization

A defense mechanism where logical reasons are given to justify unreasonable behavior.

Reaction Formation

A defense mechanism that involves expressing the opposite of the inner feelings.

Regression

A defense mechanism leading to reverting to an earlier stage of development.

Repression

A defense mechanism that keeps distressing thoughts buried in the unconscious.

Sublimation

A defense mechanism that channels unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable actions.

Humanistic Psychology

A psychological perspective that emphasizes personal growth and fulfillment.

Unconditional Regard

Accepting and valuing a person without conditions or reservations.

Self-Actualizing Tendency

The motivation to realize one’s own potential and self-fulfillment.

Social-Cognitive Theory

A theory emphasizing the influence of cognitive processes and social context on behavior.

Reciprocal Determinism

The concept that personal, behavioral, and environmental factors interact to influence behavior.

Self-Concept

The individual's perception of themselves.

Self-Efficacy

Belief in one’s own ability to succeed in specific situations.

Self-Esteem

An individual's subjective evaluation of their own worth.

Trait Theories

Theories that focus on identifying and measuring individual personality characteristics.

Big Five Theory

A model proposing five basic dimensions of personality: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

Personality Inventories

Standardized assessments that measure various aspects of personality.

Factor Analysis

A statistical method used to identify clusters of related items on a test.

Openness to Experience

A personality trait characterized by a willingness to try new things.

Conscientiousness

A personality trait reflecting dependability, responsibility, and organization.

Extraversion

A personality trait associated with sociability and outgoingness.

Agreeableness

A personality trait involving compassion and cooperativeness.

Emotional Stability

A personality trait that reflects the tendency to remain calm and even-tempered.