Psychology Terms and Concepts

Flashcards covering key psychological concepts, theories, and terms.

Displacement

A defense mechanism where emotions or impulses are redirected from a target to a less threatening one.

Regression

A defense mechanism where an individual reverts to an earlier stage of development in response to stress.

Rationalization

A defense mechanism that involves creating logical excuses for behaviors that are actually motivated by irrational factors.

Ego

The rational part of the personality that balances the demands of the id and the superego.

Id

The part of the personality that contains our primal instincts and drives, seeking immediate gratification.

Superego

The moral component of personality that incorporates social standards about what represents right and wrong.

Projective Tests

Psychological tests that use ambiguous stimuli to elicit responses that may reveal aspects of the person's unconscious.

Psychoanalysis

A therapeutic approach aimed at revealing and interpreting unconscious conflicts.

Self-Actualizing Tendency

The innate drive to realize one's full potential and develop capabilities.

Self Efficacy

Belief in one’s ability to succeed in specific situations or accomplish a task.

Bandura

Psychologist known for his work on social learning theory and the concept of self-efficacy.

Big Five Traits

A model describing five fundamental dimensions of personality: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

Personality Inventories

Psychological assessments that measure various aspects of personality traits.

Reciprocal Determinism

The theory that a person's behavior is influenced by personal factors and the environment.

Drive Reduction Theory

The idea that physiological needs create an aroused state that drives an organism to reduce the need.

Yerkes-Dodson Law

A principle that suggests that there is an optimal level of arousal for performance.

Incentive Theory

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

Intrinsic Motivation

Engaging in behavior because it is personally rewarding.

Extrinsic Motivation

Engaging in behavior to earn external rewards or avoid punishment.

Homeostasis

The body's tendency to maintain a balanced internal state.

Instinct

Innate, biologically-based patterns of behavior.

Arousal Theory

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

Hunger and Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus regulates hunger and energy balance in the body.

Ekman Studies of Expressive Emotion

Research demonstrating universal emotional expressions across cultures.

Universal Emotion

Basic emotions that are recognized by people across all cultures, such as happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, fear, and disgust.

Display Rules

Cultural norms that dictate how emotions should be expressed.