Chapter 10: Personality

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering core concepts, theories, dimensions, and assessment methods from Chapter 10: Personality.

Personality

Long-standing traits and patterns that propel individuals to consistently think, feel, and behave in specific ways; the pattern of enduring characteristics that differentiate people—those behaviors that make each of us unique.

Psychoanalytic theory

Freud’s theory that our behavior is triggered by forces within personality of which we are not aware.

Unconscious

Part of the personality that contains memories, knowledge, beliefs, feelings, urges, drives, and instincts of which one is not aware; motivates much of our behavior.

Id

The raw, unorganized, inborn part of the personality that holds primitive drives.

Pleasure principle

The operating principle of the id that seeks immediate reduction of tension and the maximization of satisfaction.

Ego

The structure of personality that strives to balance the desires of the id and the realities of the objective, outside world.

Reality principle

The operating principle of the ego in which instinctual energy is restrained in order to maintain the safety of the individual and help integrate the person into society.

Superego

The structure of personality that represents the rights and wrongs of society as taught and modeled by a person’s parents, teachers, and other significant individuals.

Conscience

A component of the superego that prevents us from behaving in a morally improper way.

Ego-ideal

A component of the superego that represents the “perfect person” we wish we were.

Defense mechanism

Unconscious strategies that people use to reduce anxiety by concealing the source from themselves and others (e.g., repression).

Jung’s Collective Unconscious

A set of influences we inherit from our own relatives, the whole human race, and even nonhuman animal ancestors from the distant past.

Adler’s inferiority complex

Situations in which adults have not been able to overcome the feelings of inferiority that they developed as children.

Trait Theory

A theory that seeks to explain, in a straightforward way, the consistencies in individuals’ behavior.

Traits

Consistent personality characteristics and behaviors displayed in different situations.

Cardinal trait

In Allport’s trait theory, a single characteristic that directs most of a person’s activities.

Central trait

In Allport’s trait theory, the major characteristic of an individual.

Secondary trait

In Allport’s trait theory, characteristics that affect behavior in fewer situations and are less influential than central or cardinal traits.

Factor analysis

A method of summarizing the relationships among a large number of variables into fewer, more general patterns.

Factors

Combinations of traits identified through factor analysis.

Source traits

In Cattell's approach, traits that represent the basic dimensions of personality.

Eysenck's personality dimensions

Hans Eysenck's identified major dimensions of personality: Extraversion, neuroticism, & psychoticism.

Openness to experience

A Big Five personality factor characterized by the dimensions of Independent–Conforming, Imaginative–Practical, and Preference for variety–Preference for routine.

Conscientiousness

A Big Five personality factor characterized by the dimensions of Careful–Careless, Disciplined–Impulsive, and Organized–Disorganized.

Extraversion

A Big Five personality factor characterized by the dimensions of Talkative–Quiet, Fun-loving–Sober, and Sociable–Retiring.

Agreeableness

A Big Five personality factor characterized by the dimensions of Sympathetic–Fault-finding, Kind–Cold, and Appreciative–Unfriendly.

Neuroticism (Emotional Stability)

A Big Five personality factor characterized by the dimensions of Stable–Tense, Calm–Anxious, and Secure–Insecure.

B.F. Skinner’s Behaviorist Approach

A learning approach stating that personality is a collection of learned behavior patterns.

Social cognitive approaches

Approaches that emphasize the influence of a person’s cognitions—thoughts, feelings, expectations, and values—in determining personality.

Self-efficacy

Belief in one’s personal capabilities.

Self-esteem

Component of personality that encompasses our positive and negative evaluations.

Biological and Evolutionary Approaches

Theoretical perspectives asserting that important components of personality are inherited.

Social potency

An inherited personality trait ($61\%$) describing someone who is masterful; a forceful leader who likes to be the center of attention.

Traditionalism

An inherited personality trait ($60\%$) describing someone who follows rules and authority; endorses high moral standards and strict discipline.

Stress reaction

An inherited personality trait ($55\%$) describing someone who feels vulnerable and sensitive; is given to worrying and easily upset.

Absorption

An inherited personality trait ($55\%$) describing someone who has a vivid imagination readily captured by rich experience; relinquishes sense of reality.

Alienation

An inherited personality trait ($55\%$) describing someone who feels mistreated and used, that "the world is out to get me".

Well-being

An inherited personality trait ($54\%$) describing someone who has a cheerful disposition; feels confident and optimistic.

Harm avoidance

An inherited personality trait ($51\%$) describing someone who shuns the excitement of risk and danger; prefers the safe route even if it is tedious.

Aggression

An inherited personality trait ($48\%$) describing someone who is physically aggressive and vindictive; has taste for violence; is "out to get the world".

Achievement

An inherited personality trait ($46\%$) describing someone who works hard; strives for mastery; puts work and accomplishment ahead of other things.

Control

An inherited personality trait ($43\%$) describing someone who is cautious and plodding; is rational and sensible; likes carefully planned events.

Social closeness

An inherited personality trait ($33\%$) describing someone who prefers emotional intimacy and close ties; turns to others for comfort and help.

Humanistic Approaches

Approaches that emphasize people’s basic goodness and their tendency to grow to higher levels of functioning.

Unconditional positive regard

An attitude of acceptance and respect on the part of an observer, no matter what a person says or does.

Self-actualization

A state of self-fulfillment in which people realize their highest potential.

Psychological tests

Standard measures devised to assess behavior objectively.

MMPI-2

A self-report test used to differentiate people with specific sorts of psychological difficulties as well as predicting a variety of other behaviors.

Behavioral Assessment

Direct measures of an individual's behavior used to describe characteristics indicative of personality.

Projective personality test

A test in which a person is shown an ambiguous stimulus and asked to describe it or tell a story about it.

Rorschach test

A projective personality test in which a person is shown ambiguous inkblot patterns and asked to describe what they see.

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)

A projective personality test in which a person is shown ambiguous pictures (such as Card 8BM) and asked to describe or tell a story about what is occurring.