Behavioral Sciences - Identity and Personality

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

identities

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

self-esteem

our evaluation of ourselves

self-efficacy

the degree to which we see ourselves as being capable of a given skill in a given situation

Locus of control

self evaluation that refers to the way we characterize the influences in our lives. People with an internal locus of control see their successes and failures as a result of their own characteristics and actions, while those with an external locus of control perceive outside factors as having more of an influence in their lives

psychoanalytic perspective

personality results from unconscious urges and desires

Humanistic perspective

emphasizes the internal feelings of healthy individuals as they strive toward happiness and self-realization

Type and trait theory

personality can be described as a number of identifiable traits that can carry characteristic behaviors