secondary sexual characteristics
Physical signs of sexual maturation that do not directly involve sex organs
primary sexual characteristics
Organs specifically needed for reproduction.
gonadal sex
Refers to sex as indicated by the presence of ovaries or testes.
testosterone
Stimulates the growth of the male sex organs in the fetus and the development of the male sex characteristics during puberty.
sadism
Sadism derives sexual pleasure from inflicting pain or humiliation.
masochism
Derives pleasure from receiving pain or humiliation.
exhibitionists
Often feel inadequate and have compulsions to prove their manhood.
gender role socialization
The process of learning gender behaviors considered appropriate for one's sex in a given culture.
androgyny
Presence of both "masculine" and "feminine" traits in a single person.
gender variant
Describes someone who was assigned female at birth but identifies more with being a male.
excitement phase
The phase of the sexual response cycle marked by changes in the pelvic region, general physical arousal, and increases in heart rate, muscle tension, blood pressure, and rate of breathing.
tubal ligation
A surgical sterilization procedure in which the fallopian tubes are sealed or cut to prevent sperm from reaching a mature ovum.
erogenous zones
Areas of the body that produce pleasure, provoke erotic desire, or both.
resolution
Sexual response phase that follows after an individual has experienced orgasm.
refractory period
The short period after orgasm during which males are unable to again reach orgasm.
premature ejaculation
An orgasm disorder in males in which he reaches climax too soon.
sexual script
Specifies the formal and informal norms for acceptable or unacceptable sexual behavior.
supernormal stimulus
A stimulus that is more effective at triggering the fixed action pattern than the actual stimulus found in nature.
acquaintance rape
Forced intercourse that occurs in the context of a date or other voluntary encounter.
gender role stereotypes
Oversimplified, preconceived beliefs about the gender roles of men and women.
rape myths
False beliefs about rape that tend to blame the victim and increase the likelihood that some men will think that rape is justified.
date rape
Forced sexual intercourse that takes place in a dating situation.
marital rape
Forcible sex between people who are legally married to each other.
desire disorder
A person has either little or no sexual motivation or sexual feelings or has too much.
secondary erectile disorder
A man was able to achieve an erection, but is no longer able to.
sensate focus
A process of touching and communication used to enhance sexual pleasure and to reduce performance pressure.
delayed ejaculation
A persistent interruption or absence of orgasm during lovemaking.
sexual dysfunction
Refers to problems with sexual desire, arousal, or response.
dyspareunia
Pain in a female's genitals before, during, or after sexual intercourse.
fetishistic
A paraphilic disorder where the focus of paraphilia is on nonhuman objects.
civic engagement
Individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern.
gunnysacking
Saving up feelings and complaints to use as ammunition in a fight.
aphrodisiac
Substance that increases sexual desire or pleasure.
passive
Gender role socialization expectation for women.
conquering
Gender role socialization expectation for men.
castration
The surgical removal of the testicles or ovaries.
hypoactive sexual desire
A persistent, upsetting loss of sexual desire.
plateau phase
The second level of sexual response during which physical arousal intensifies.
paraphilic disorders
Deviations in sexual behavior such as pedophilia, exhibitionism, fetishism, voyeurism.
expressive behaviors
Behaviors that express or communicate emotion or personal feelings.
masculine traits
Self-reliant, defends beliefs, independent, athletic, assertive, forceful, strong personality, leadership, dominant, etc.
feminine traits
Affection, nurturance, sensitivity, compassion, and emotional expressiveness.
congenital adrenal hyperplasia
A form of intersexualism in which a genetic female has internal female sexual structures but masculinized external genitals.
prenatal hormone theory
Sexual orientation reflects brain differentiation that occurs in response to circulating levels of androgens in the prenatal environment.
character
The qualities that a person has been evaluated as possessing.
personality
An individual's characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting.
self-concept
Ability to perceive our personality.
personality trait
A stable quality that a person shows in most situations.
humanistic theories
Theories of personality that are more subjective and personal.
social learning theory
A theory that combines learning principles with cognitive processes, socialization, and modeling to explain behavior including personality
behaviorist theories
Theories of personality that place greater importance on the external environment and on the effects of conditioning.
self-image
A person's mental picture of him or herself.
trait theories
Personality theories that attempt to describe personality with a small number of key attributes or factors.
halo effect
The tendency to generalize a favorable (or unfavorable) impression to the whole personality.
situational test
Personality assessments that expose people to actual conditions rather than describing them.
projective test
A personality test, such as the Rorschach, that provides ambiguous stimuli designed to trigger projection of one's inner dynamics.
rating scale
A list of personality traits or aspects of behavior on which a person is rated.
behavioral assessment
Measuring, observing, and systematically evaluating (rather than inferring) the client's thoughts, feelings, and behavior in the actual problem situation or context.
objective test
A test that gives the same score when different people correct it.
personality questionnaire
A paper-and-pencil test intended to uncover characteristics of one's personality.
hyperchondriasis
Excessive worry about one's physical health.
schizophrenia
Aspect of personality that refers to emotional withdrawal and unusual or bizarre thinking and actions.
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2
A standardized personality test mostly characterized by its distinct ability to correctly identify people with psychological problems.
Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire
A projective test that is especially efficient at uncovering feelings about social situations and relationships.
Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
A projective test that reveals more about a person's relationships.
psychopathic deviate
Aspects of personality measured by the MMPI-2 test that refers to emotional shallowness in relationships and a disregard for social and moral standards.
norms
Standards used to compare an individual's performance on a test with that of others.
biological predisposition
Refers to an innate ability for humans to act in a certain way that accommodates a particular situation.
machiavellianism
Behavior directed at gaining power and controlling the behavior of others.
Big Five personality traits
Theory that only a handful of characteristics account for most individual differences in personality.
subclinical traits
Qualities of individuals that are not extreme enough to merit a psychiatric diagnosis.
central traits
Core traits that characterize an individual personality.
surface traits
The visible or observable traits of one's personality.
source traits
Basic underlying or foundational characteristics of personality.
factor analysis
Statistical technique used to correlate multiple measurements and identify general underlying factors.
agreeableness
Trait that refers to how friendly, nurturing, and caring a person is, as opposed to cold, indifferent, self-centered, or spiteful.
conscientiousness
When people are irresponsible, careless, and undependable, they are usually low.
neuroticism
When people tend to be anxious, emotionally "sour," irritable, and unhappy.
openness
A trait that describes people who are creative and receptive to new ideas.
id
A component of Freud's personality theory containing primitive drives present at birth.
moral anxiety
Conflict between superego and ego.
neurotic anxiety
Conflict between id and ego.
libido
In Freudian theory, the force, primarily pleasure-oriented, that energizes the personality.
Eros
Freud's name for the "life instincts".
Thanatos
Refers to the death instinct.
ego
According to Freud, the decision-making part of personality that operates on the reality.
reality principle
Seeks to delay gratification of the id's urges until appropriate outlets and situations can be found.
superego
Part of the personality that acts as a moral center.
conscience
According to Freud, the part of the superego that reflects actions for which a person has been punished.
ego-defense mechanisms
Mental processes that deny, distort, or otherwise block out sources of threat and anxiety.
unconscious
Level of awareness that represents the contents of the mind that are beyond awareness, especially impulses and desires.
preconscious
Level of awareness that represents an area of the mind containing information that can be voluntarily brought to awareness.
conscious
Level of awareness that represents the region of the mind that includes all mental contents that a person is aware of at any given moment.
psychosexual stages
Series of stages in which the core of personality develops before age six.
self-actualization
Abraham Maslow refers to as the process of fully developing personal potentials.
incongruence
A state that exists when there is a discrepancy between one's experiences and self-image.
possible selves
A collection of thoughts, feelings, and images of someone you could become.
conditions of worth
Internal standards used to determine the value of one's thoughts, actions, feelings, or experiences.
positive self-regard
According to Rogers's theory, thinking of oneself as a good, lovable, and worthwhile person.
organismic valuing
A natural, undistorted, full-body reaction to an experience.