Unconscious: according to Freud, a reservoir of mostly unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings, and memories. According to contemporary psychologist information processing of which we are unaware
Id: a reservoir of unconscious psychic energy that, according to Freud, strives to satisfy basic sexual and aggressive drives. The id operates on the pleasure principle, demanding immediate gratification
Ego: the largely conscious executive part of personality that according to Freud mediates among the demands of the id, superego, and reality. The ego operates on the reality principle satisfying the id’s desire in ways that will realistically bring pleasure rather than pain
Superego: the part of personality that, according to Freud, represents internalized ideals and provides standard for judgment (the conscience) and for future aspirations
Psychosexual stage: the childhood stages of development (oral, anal, phallic, latency, genital) during which, according to Freud, the Id’s pleasure-seeking energies focus on distinct erogenous zones.
Oedipus complex: according to Freud, a boy’s sexual desires toward his mother and feelings of jealousy and hatred for the rival father
Identification: the process by which, according to Freud, children incorporate their parents’ values into their developing superegos
Fixation: according to Freud a lingering focus of pleasure-seeking energies at an earlier psychosexual stage, in which conflicts were resolved
Defense mechanisms: in psychoanalytic theory, the ego’s protective method of reducing anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality.
Repression: in psychoanalytic theory, the basic defense mechanism that banishes from consciousness anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories
Psychodynamic theories: modern-day approaches that view personality with a focus on the unconscious and the importance of childhood experiences.
Collective unconscious: Carl Jung’s concept of a shared, inherited reservoir of memory traces from our species’ history
Projective test: a personality test, such as the Rorschach, that provides ambiguous stimuli designed to trigger projection of one’s inner dynamics.
Thematic apperception test (TAT): a projective test in which people express their feelings and interest through the stories they make up about ambiguous scenes.
Rorschach inkblot test: the most widely used projective test, a set of 10 inkblots, designed by Hermann Rorschach; seeks to identify people's inner feeling by analyzing their interpretation of the blots.
False consensus effect: the tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and our behaviors.
Terror-management theory: a theory of death-related anxiety; explores people’s emotional and behavioral responses to reminders of their impending death.
stic theories: view personality with a focus on the potential for healthy personal growth
Self-actualization: according to Maslow, one of the ultimate psychological needs that arises after basic physical and psychological needs are met and self-esteem is achieved; the motivation to fulfill one’s potential
Unconditional positive regard: according to Rogers, an attitude of total acceptance toward another person
Self-concept: all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in answer to the question, “who am i?”
Trait: a characteristic pattern of behavior or a disposition to feel and act, as assessed by self-report inventories and peer reports
Personality inventory: a questionnaire (often with true-false or agree-disagree items) on which people respond to items designed to gauge a wide range of feelings and behaviors; used to assess selected personality traits.
Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory (MMPI): the most widely researched and clinically used of all personality tests. Originally developed to identify emotional disorders (still considered it most appropriate use), this test is now used for many other screening purposes
Empirically derived test: a test (such as the MMPI) developed b testing a pool of items and then selecting those that discriminate between groups.
Social-cognitive perspective: views behavior as influenced by the interaction between people’s traits (including their thinking) and their social context.
Behavior approach: in personality theory this perspective focuses on the effects of learning on our personality development.
Reciprocal determinism: the interacting influences of behavior, internal cognition, and environment
Positive psychology: the scientific study of optimal human functioning; aims to discover and promote strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive.
Self: in contemporary psychology, assumed to be the center of personality, the organizer of our thoughts, feelings, and actions
Spotlight effect: overestimating others’ noticing and evaluating our appearance, performance, and blunders (as if we present a spotlight shine on us).
Self-esteem: one’s feelings of high or low self-worth
Self-efficacy: one’s sense of competence and effectiveness.
Self-serving bias: a readiness to perceive oneself favorably.
Narcissism: excessive self-love and self-absorption
Individualism: giving priority to one’s own goals over group goals and defining one’s identity in terms of personal attributes rather than group identifications
Collectivism: giving priority to the goals of one’s group (often one’s extended family or work group) and defining one’s identity accordingly
Unconscious: according to Freud, a reservoir of mostly unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings, and memories. According to contemporary psychologist information processing of which we are unaware
Id: a reservoir of unconscious psychic energy that, according to Freud, strives to satisfy basic sexual and aggressive drives. The id operates on the pleasure principle, demanding immediate gratification
Ego: the largely conscious executive part of personality that according to Freud mediates among the demands of the id, superego, and reality. The ego operates on the reality principle satisfying the id’s desire in ways that will realistically bring pleasure rather than pain
Superego: the part of personality that, according to Freud, represents internalized ideals and provides standard for judgment (the conscience) and for future aspirations
Psychosexual stage: the childhood stages of development (oral, anal, phallic, latency, genital) during which, according to Freud, the Id’s pleasure-seeking energies focus on distinct erogenous zones.
Oedipus complex: according to Freud, a boy’s sexual desires toward his mother and feelings of jealousy and hatred for the rival father
Identification: the process by which, according to Freud, children incorporate their parents’ values into their developing superegos
Fixation: according to Freud a lingering focus of pleasure-seeking energies at an earlier psychosexual stage, in which conflicts were resolved
Defense mechanisms: in psychoanalytic theory, the ego’s protective method of reducing anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality.
Repression: in psychoanalytic theory, the basic defense mechanism that banishes from consciousness anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories
Psychodynamic theories: modern-day approaches that view personality with a focus on the unconscious and the importance of childhood experiences.
Collective unconscious: Carl Jung’s concept of a shared, inherited reservoir of memory traces from our species’ history
Projective test: a personality test, such as the Rorschach, that provides ambiguous stimuli designed to trigger projection of one’s inner dynamics.
Thematic apperception test (TAT): a projective test in which people express their feelings and interest through the stories they make up about ambiguous scenes.
Rorschach inkblot test: the most widely used projective test, a set of 10 inkblots, designed by Hermann Rorschach; seeks to identify people's inner feeling by analyzing their interpretation of the blots.
False consensus effect: the tendency to overestimate the extent to which others share our beliefs and our behaviors.
Terror-management theory: a theory of death-related anxiety; explores people’s emotional and behavioral responses to reminders of their impending death.
stic theories: view personality with a focus on the potential for healthy personal growth
Self-actualization: according to Maslow, one of the ultimate psychological needs that arises after basic physical and psychological needs are met and self-esteem is achieved; the motivation to fulfill one’s potential
Unconditional positive regard: according to Rogers, an attitude of total acceptance toward another person
Self-concept: all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in answer to the question, “who am i?”
Trait: a characteristic pattern of behavior or a disposition to feel and act, as assessed by self-report inventories and peer reports
Personality inventory: a questionnaire (often with true-false or agree-disagree items) on which people respond to items designed to gauge a wide range of feelings and behaviors; used to assess selected personality traits.
Minnesota multiphasic personality inventory (MMPI): the most widely researched and clinically used of all personality tests. Originally developed to identify emotional disorders (still considered it most appropriate use), this test is now used for many other screening purposes
Empirically derived test: a test (such as the MMPI) developed b testing a pool of items and then selecting those that discriminate between groups.
Social-cognitive perspective: views behavior as influenced by the interaction between people’s traits (including their thinking) and their social context.
Behavior approach: in personality theory this perspective focuses on the effects of learning on our personality development.
Reciprocal determinism: the interacting influences of behavior, internal cognition, and environment
Positive psychology: the scientific study of optimal human functioning; aims to discover and promote strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities to thrive.
Self: in contemporary psychology, assumed to be the center of personality, the organizer of our thoughts, feelings, and actions
Spotlight effect: overestimating others’ noticing and evaluating our appearance, performance, and blunders (as if we present a spotlight shine on us).
Self-esteem: one’s feelings of high or low self-worth
Self-efficacy: one’s sense of competence and effectiveness.
Self-serving bias: a readiness to perceive oneself favorably.
Narcissism: excessive self-love and self-absorption
Individualism: giving priority to one’s own goals over group goals and defining one’s identity in terms of personal attributes rather than group identifications
Collectivism: giving priority to the goals of one’s group (often one’s extended family or work group) and defining one’s identity accordingly
