Psych Module 39 (Personality)
Psychoanalysis
(1) Freud's theory of personality that attributes thoughts and actions to unconscious motives and conflicts. (2) Freud's therapeutic technique. Freud believed the patient's free associations, resistances, dreams, and transferences—and the analyst's interpretations of them—released previously repressed feelings, allowing the patient to gain self-insight.
fixate
(1) in cognition, the inability to see a problem from a new perspective; an obstacle to problem solving. (2) in psychoanalytic theory, a lingering focus of pleasure-seeking energies at an earlier psychosexual stage, in which conflicts were unresolved. (pp. 289, 443)
Genital (puberty on)
(psychosexual stage) maturation of sexual interests
Latency (6 years to puberty)
A phase of dormant sexual feelings
psychoanalytic theory
A theory developed by Freud that attempts to explain personality, motivation, and mental disorders by focusing on unconscious determinants of behavior
collective unconscious
Carl Jung's concept of a shared, inherited reservoir of memory traces from our species' history
heirarchy of needs
Maslow's concept that individual needs must be satisfied in this sequence; physiological, safety, love, and belongingness, esteem, and self actualization.
Rationalization
Offering self-justifying explanations in place of the real, more threatening unconscious reasons for one's actions
libido
Pleasure Center (sexual drive and such)
unconditional positive regard
a caring, accepting, nonjudgmental attitude, which Carl Rogers believed would help people develop self-awareness and self-acceptance.
projective test
a personality test, such as the TAT or Rorschach, that provides ambiguous images designed to trigger projection of one's inner dynamics. (p. 448)
Rorschach inkblot test
a projective test designed by Hermann Rorschach; seeks to identify people's inner feelings by analyzing how they interpret 10 inkblots. (p. 448)
Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
a projective test in which people express their inner feelings and interests through the stories they make up about ambiguous scenes
id's unconscious psychic energy
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.
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. (id means it)
opedius complex
according to Freud, a boy's sexual desires toward his mother and feelings of jealousy and hatred for the rival father
unconscious
according to Freud, a reservoir of mostly unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings, and memories. According to contemporary psychologists, information processing of which we are unaware.
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.
self-transcendence
according to Maslow, the striving for identity, meaning, and purpose beyond the self.
self-concept
all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in answer to the question, "Who am I?"
Personality
an individual's characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting
ego
conscious mind
thanatos
death (things that deter us)
Projection
disguising one's own threatening impulses by attributing them to others
trait theories
examine characteristic patterns of behavior (traits)
Social Cognitive theories
explore the interaction between people's traits (including their thinking) and social context
Which theoretical perspective led to the new subfield of psychology known as positive psychology?
humanistic
free association
in psychoanalysis, a method of exploring the unconscious in which the person relaxes and says whatever comes to mind, no matter how trivial or embarrassing
Repression
in psychoanalytic theory, the basic defense mechanism that banishes from consciousness anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories
defense mechanisms
in psychoanalytic theory, the ego's protective methods of reducing anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality
eros
love (things that attract us)
Kayden has to take a Rorschach inkblot test for his new job. He is worried because he has heard that the Rorschach is not a very good test. Critics would agree and suggest that the Rorschach is:
not very reliable and that it has limited validity.
With respect to child development, some think Freud _____ parental influence and _____ peer influence.
overestimated; underestimated
Dr. Conway states that his research investigates the patterns of thinking, feeling, and acting that distinguish one person from another. Dr. Conway's research is MOST likely in the area of:
personality
Minnie is taking the Thematic Apperception Test, and Tammy is taking the Rorschach test. Minnie is looking at _____, and Tammy is examining _____.
pictures; inkblots
Oral (0-18 months)
pleasure centers on the mouth- sucking, biting, chewing
Anal (18-36. months)
pleasure focuses on bowel and bladder elimination; coping with demands for control
Phallic (3-6 years)
pleasure zone is the genitals; coping with incestuous sexual feelings
Sigmund Freud is associated with the _____ theory of personality.
psychoanalytic
Denial
refusing to believe or even perceive painful realities
Abraham Maslow used the term _____ to refer to the need to find meaning, purpose, and identity beyond the self.
self transcendence
When asked, "Who are you?" John answers that he is 4 years old, that he loves trucks and trains, and that his favorite color is blue. John is describing his:
self-concept.
Displacement
shifting sexual or aggressive impulses toward a more acceptable or less threatening object or person
reaction formation
switching unacceptable impulses into their opposites
psychosexual stages
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. (p. 443)
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 desires in ways that will realistically bring pleasure rather than pain.
According to Abraham Maslow, self-actualization is a high-level psychological need. It only arises after basic psychological and physiological needs are met and self-esteem is achieved. Self-actualization refers to:
the motivation to fulfill one's potential.
Superego
the part of personality that, according to Freud, represents internalized ideals and provides standards for judgment (the conscience) and for future aspirations
superego
the partly conscious part of personality that, according to Freud, represents internalized ideals and provides standards for judgment (the conscience) and for future aspirations. (p. 442)
ego
the partly conscious, "executive" part of personality that, according to Freud, mediates among the demands of the id, the superego, and reality. The ego operates on the reality principle, satisfying the id's desires in ways that will realistically bring pleasure rather than pain. (p. 442)
identification
the process by which according to Freud, children incorporate their parents values into their developing superegos
humanistic theories
theories that view personality with a focus on the potential for healthy personal growth
humanistic theorists
theories that view personality with a focus on the potential for healthy personal growth.
psychodynamic theories
theories that view personality with a focus on the unconscious and the importance of childhood experiences
Kate comes home with three A's and two B's, to which her mother replies, "Is that the best you could do?" and walks away. Rogers refers to this attitude as the opposite of:
unconditional positive regard.
id and superego
unconscious
