Psych unit 4 part 2

Defense Mechanisms - Defense mechanisms are unconscious psychological strategies used by individuals to protect themselves from anxiety, stress, or unacceptable thoughts and feelings.
Denial – Refusing to accept reality or facts to protect oneself from anxiety.
Displacement – Redirecting emotions from the original source to a safer target.
Ego – The part of the personality that mediates between the id (instincts), superego (morals), and reality.
Humanistic Theory – A psychological perspective that emphasizes personal growth, free will, and self-actualization.
Personality – An individual’s characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and behaving.
Preconscious – Thoughts and memories that are not in immediate awareness but can be easily retrieved.
Projection – Attributing one’s own unacceptable thoughts or feelings to others.
Projective Tests – Psychological assessments that use ambiguous stimuli (e.g., Rorschach Inkblot Test) to reveal unconscious thoughts and feelings.
Psychodynamic Theory – A theory of personality that focuses on unconscious forces and childhood experiences, pioneered by Freud.
Rationalization – Justifying behaviors or feelings with logical but false reasons to avoid true explanations.
Reaction Formation – Acting in a way opposite to one’s true feelings to reduce anxiety (e.g., pretending to hate someone you have a crush on).
Regression – Returning to an earlier developmental stage when faced with stress (e.g., an adult throwing a tantrum).
Repression – Unconsciously blocking painful thoughts or memories from awareness.
Self-actualization – The highest level in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, where an individual reaches their full potential.
Sublimation – Channeling unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable behaviors (e.g., aggressive urges redirected into sports).
Unconditional Positive Regard – Accepting and valuing a person without conditions, a key concept in Carl Rogers’ humanistic theory.
Unconscious – The part of the mind containing thoughts, memories, and desires that are beyond conscious awareness.
Unconscious Processes – Mental processes occurring without conscious awareness, often influencing behavior.

Agreeableness – A personality trait associated with warmth, kindness, and cooperation.
Big Five Theory – A model of personality that includes five broad traits: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism (OCEAN).
Conscientiousness – A personality trait characterized by organization, responsibility, and dependability.
Emotional Stability (Low Neuroticism) – A trait associated with calmness, resilience, and low anxiety.
Extraversion – A personality trait associated with sociability, enthusiasm, and assertiveness.
Factor Analysis – A statistical method used to identify clusters of related personality traits.
Openness to Experience – A trait related to creativity, curiosity, and willingness to try new things.
Neuroticism – A trait associated with emotional instability, anxiety, and moodiness.
Reciprocal Determinism – A concept from Bandura’s social-cognitive theory, stating that behavior, environment, and cognitive factors interact and influence each other.
Self-Concept – An individual’s perception of themselves, including their abilities and identity.
Self-Efficacy – One’s belief in their ability to succeed in specific situations (Bandura).
Self-Esteem – One’s overall evaluation of their self-worth.
Social-Cognitive Theory – A theory by Bandura emphasizing the interaction of thoughts, behavior, and environment in shaping personality.
Trait Theory – A psychological approach that focuses on identifying and measuring stable personality characteristics.

Approach-Approach Conflict – A conflict between two desirable choices (e.g., choosing between two good colleges).
Approach-Avoidance Conflict – A conflict where a decision has both positive and negative aspects (e.g., taking a high-paying job that requires moving away).
Arousal Theory – The theory that people seek an optimal level of arousal for peak performance (related to the Yerkes-Dodson Law).
Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict – A conflict where one must choose between two undesirable options (e.g., studying for a hard test or failing).
Belonging – The human need for social connection and acceptance.
Boredom Susceptibility – A tendency to become easily bored and seek new, stimulating experiences.
Disinhibition – The tendency to act impulsively without considering consequences.
Drive-Reduction Theory – A theory stating that motivation arises from the need to satisfy biological drives (e.g., hunger).
Experience Seeking – A personality trait characterized by a desire for new and varied experiences.
Extrinsic Motivation – Motivation driven by external rewards, such as money or recognition.
Ghrelin – A hormone that stimulates hunger.
Hypothalamus – A brain structure involved in regulating hunger, thirst, and other basic drives.
Incentive Theory – The theory that behavior is motivated by external rewards or punishments.
Instincts – Innate, biologically programmed behaviors that aid survival.
Intrinsic Motivation – Motivation driven by internal satisfaction, such as personal enjoyment or interest.
Leptin – A hormone that signals the brain to reduce hunger and increase energy expenditure.
Lewin’s Motivational Conflicts Theory – A theory describing conflicts between different types of motives (approach-approach, approach-avoidance, avoidance-avoidance).
Motivation – The process that initiates, directs, and sustains goal-oriented behavior.
Optimal Level of Arousal – The level of stimulation at which an individual performs best, varying by task complexity.
Pituitary Gland – A gland that regulates hormones affecting growth, metabolism, and other bodily functions.
Self-Determination Theory – A theory emphasizing the role of autonomy, competence, and relatedness in motivation.
Sensation-Seeking – A personality trait characterized by a desire for intense, novel experiences.
Thrill and Adventure Seeking – A component of sensation-seeking involving risky physical activities, such as extreme sports.

Yerkes-Dodson Law – A principle stating that moderate arousal leads to optimal performance, but too much or too little arousal impairs performance.

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