Personality Flashcards
(95 cards)
1
Q
What has been one of the most puzzling problems faced by humans since recorded history?
A
The riddle of our own nature
2
Q
What is the main objective of personality psychology?
A
To explain why people behave as they do from an empirical, scientific perspective
3
Q
Who coined the term ‘personologists’?
A
Henry Murray in 1938
4
Q
What is the definition of personality according to Gordon Allport?
A
Personality is the dynamic organization within individuals of those psychophysical systems that determine his characteristics, behavior and thoughts
5
Q
What does the phrase ‘Dynamic Organization’ suggest about human behavior?
A
Human behavior is constantly evolving and changing
6
Q
What are the four traditional perspectives in personality theory?
A
- Psychodynamic perspective
- Behaviorist perspective
- Humanistic perspective
- Trait perspective
7
Q
What does the psychodynamic perspective focus on?
A
The role of the unconscious mind in the development of personality
8
Q
What is the focus of the behaviorist perspective?
A
The effect of the environment on behavior
9
Q
What does the humanistic perspective emphasize?
A
The role of each person’s conscious life experiences and choices in personality development
10
Q
What do trait theorists focus on compared to the other perspectives?
A
The characteristics themselves rather than the process that causes personality to form
11
Q
List the major determinants of personality.
A
- Biological/Physical Determinants
- Environmental Determinants
- Psychological Determinants
12
Q
What are biological determinants of personality?
A
Hereditary and physical features
13
Q
What is an example of a psychological determinant of personality?
A
Behavior, emotions, sentiments, thought patterns
14
Q
Fill in the blank: Personality refers to the consistent patterns of ______, ______, and ______ that distinguish individuals.
A
thinking, feeling, behaving
15
Q
What role do childhood experiences play in personality development?
A
They shape personality, influencing traits like anxiety or self-esteem
16
Q
What is the significance of family factors in personality development?
A
The environment at home and parental influence are major contributors to personality traits
17
Q
What does the psychodynamic perspective suggest about unconscious mental conflicts?
A
They control the person’s behavior
18
Q
Who is considered the founder of psychoanalysis?
A
Sigmund Freud
19
Q
What three parts did Freud divide the mind into?
A
- Conscious
- Preconscious
- Unconscious
20
Q
What does the conscious level of the mind consist of?
A
Sensations and experiences you are aware of at a given moment
21
Q
What does the preconscious level encompass?
A
Experiences that are not conscious but can easily be retrieved into awareness
22
Q
What is the unconscious level of the mind?
A
The deepest part that stores primitive instincts and repressed memories
23
Q
What is the Id according to Freud?
A
The primitive, pleasure-seeking part of personality present at birth
24
Q
What is the primary principle governing the Id?
A
The pleasure principle
25
What is the role of the Ego in Freud's theory?
To mediate between the desires of the Id and the constraints of reality
26
What does the Superego represent in Freud's structural model?
The moral center of personality, internalizing societal norms and standards
27
What are the three parts of Freud's personality theory?
Id, Ego, Superego
## Footnote
The Id is the primal part of the personality, the Ego mediates reality, and the Superego represents moral standards.
28
What does the Superego represent in Freud's theory?
The moral center of personality
## Footnote
It internalizes society's norms and standards of behavior.
29
At what age does the Superego begin to develop?
Preschool age
## Footnote
This is when children learn societal rules and expectations.
30
What are the two categories of instincts recognized in Freud's psychoanalytic theory?
* Life (Eros) instincts
* Death (Thanatos) instincts
31
What is Libido in Freud's theory?
The energy force underlying sexual instincts
## Footnote
It refers to the energy of the life instincts in general.
32
What are the four sequential stages of personality development according to Freud?
* Oral
* Anal
* Phallic
* Genital
## Footnote
A period of latency occurs between stages but is not considered a stage.
33
What is the primary conflict during the Oral Stage?
The weaning process
## Footnote
The child must become less dependent on caretakers.
34
What personality issues may arise from fixation at the Oral Stage?
* Dependency
* Aggression
* Problems with drinking, eating, smoking, or nail biting
35
What is the major conflict during the Anal Stage?
Toilet training
## Footnote
This stage focuses on controlling bodily needs.
36
What can result from inappropriate parental responses during toilet training?
* Anal-expulsive personality
* Anal-retentive personality
37
What is the Oedipus complex?
A boy's feelings of rivalry with his father for his mother's affections
## Footnote
It includes fear of punishment by the father, termed castration anxiety.
38
What is the Electra complex?
A girl's feelings of competition with her mother for her father's affection
## Footnote
Freud believed girls experience penis envy.
39
What is the primary focus of the libido during the Phallic Stage?
Genitals
## Footnote
This stage is crucial for understanding gender differences.
40
What happens during the Latent Period?
Sexual interests are suppressed
## Footnote
Focus shifts to peer relationships and intellectual pursuits.
41
What is the goal of the Genital Stage?
To establish intimate relationships and contribute to society
## Footnote
This stage begins at puberty and lasts throughout life.
42
What are ego defense mechanisms?
Mental strategies to defend against anxiety and unacceptable impulses
## Footnote
They operate at an unconscious level and distort reality.
43
What is repression in Freud's defense mechanisms?
Excluding distressing thoughts from consciousness
## Footnote
It is often described as motivated forgetting.
44
What does projection involve?
Attributing unacceptable thoughts and feelings to others
## Footnote
It allows individuals to blame others for their shortcomings.
45
What is displacement as a defense mechanism?
Redirecting impulses to a less threatening target
## Footnote
An example is a child kicking a dog after being scolded.
46
What does rationalization mean in defense mechanisms?
Creating false justifications for behavior
## Footnote
It distorts reality to protect self-esteem.
47
What is reaction formation?
Expressing the opposite of forbidden impulses
## Footnote
For example, opposing something one secretly desires.
48
What is regression in the context of defense mechanisms?
Reverting to childlike behaviors to alleviate anxiety
## Footnote
It is a way of retreating to a more secure period.
49
What is sublimation?
Redirecting unacceptable impulses into socially approved actions
## Footnote
It is considered a healthy defense mechanism.
50
What does denial involve?
Refusing to acknowledge unpleasant events
## Footnote
An example is a person acting as if a deceased loved one is still alive.
51
What is the premise of behaviorism?
Scientific psychology should study only observable behavior
## Footnote
This approach emphasizes learning through environmental interactions.
52
Who is known for operant conditioning?
B.F. Skinner
## Footnote
He believed personality is shaped by external environmental factors.
53
What does Bandura's social cognitive theory emphasize?
The role of observational learning in behavior acquisition
## Footnote
It asserts that behavior, personal factors, and social influences are interrelated.
54
What is reciprocal determinism?
The interaction of behavior, personal factors, and environmental influences
## Footnote
It is a key concept in Bandura's theory.
55
What distinguishes Bandura's approach from Skinner's?
Emphasis on observational learning versus direct experience
## Footnote
Bandura focuses on learning through example.
56
What is the most distinctive feature of Bandura's social cognitive theory?
The belief that most human behavior is learned through observation or by example.
57
What are the basic principles in Bandura's social cognitive theory?
* Reciprocal determinism
* Observational learning
* Self-efficacy
58
Define reciprocal determinism.
The continuous reciprocal interaction of behavioral, cognitive, and environmental influences.
59
Who are the behaviorists that added a cognitive flavor to behaviorism?
* Albert Bandura
* Walter Mischel
* Julian Rotter
60
What are the components of Bandura's Reciprocal Determinism Model?
* Overt behavior
* Environmental influences (rewards, punishments)
* Personal factors (beliefs, expectations, self-perceptions)
61
What does observational learning entail?
Learning that occurs when an organism's responding is influenced by the observation of models.
62
Who are considered models in observational learning?
Individuals whose behavior is observed and imitated by others.
63
What are the four basic processes in observational learning?
* Attentional processes
* Retention processes
* Motor reproduction processes
* Motivational processes
64
What is self-efficacy?
One's belief about their ability to perform behaviors that lead to expected outcomes.
65
What happens when self-efficacy is high?
Individuals feel confident that they can execute the necessary responses and earn reinforcers.
66
What is the humanistic perspective on human nature?
It stresses personal growth, freedom to choose one's destiny, and positive human qualities.
67
What is the self-actualizing tendency according to Carl Rogers?
The striving to fulfill one's innate capacities and capabilities.
68
What are the two important components of the self-concept?
* Real self
* Ideal self
69
What is unconditional positive regard?
Acceptance and valuing of a person regardless of their behavior.
70
What does a fully functioning person mean in Rogers' theory?
Someone who is open to experience, aware, and harmonious with themselves and others.
71
What are traits defined as in trait theories?
Relatively permanent and consistent behavior patterns exhibited in many situations.
72
What are the three types of traits identified by Allport?
* Cardinal traits
* Central traits
* Secondary traits
73
What distinguishes source traits from surface traits according to Cattell?
* Source traits are deeper and consistent
* Surface traits are observable and may change
74
What does the acronym 'OCEAN' stand for in the Big Five personality traits?
* Openness to experience
* Conscientiousness
* Extraversion
* Agreeableness
* Neuroticism
75
What are the characteristics of extraversion according to Eysenck?
Sociable, crave excitement, carefree, optimistic, and impulsive.
76
What is neuroticism in Eysenck's personality theory?
One's emotional stability or lack thereof, including mood swings and poor emotional adjustment.
77
What are the two types of interview assessment techniques?
* Structured interviews
* Unstructured interviews
78
What is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)?
The most widely used personality inventory available in two versions.
79
What is a personality inventory?
A self-report inventory that asks respondents a wide range of questions about their behaviors, beliefs, and feelings.
80
What is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)?
The most widely used personality inventory, originally published in 1945, consisting of 550 self-statements.
81
What are the main clinical scales of the MMPI?
* HS (Hypochondriasis)
* D (Depression)
* Hg (Conversion Hysteria)
* PD (Psychopathic Deviate)
* MF (Masculinity-Femininity)
* Pa (Paranoia)
* Sc (Schizophrenia)
* Ma (Hypomania)
* Si (Social Introversion)
82
Who developed the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ)?
Hans Eysenck.
83
What are the three super trait dimensions of personality assessed by the EPQ?
* Extraversion-Introversion
* Stability-Instability
* Psychotism
84
What is the purpose of the Lie scale in the EPQ?
To detect a person’s tendency to fake responses to appear more favorable.
85
Who developed the 16 Personality Factor (16 PF) questionnaire?
Raymond Cattell.
86
What are some major source traits represented in the 16 PF?
* A- Outgoing - Reserved
* B- Intelligence
* C- Stable - Emotional
* E- Dominant - Submissive
* F- Sober - Happy-Go-Lucky
* G- Conscious - Expedient
* H- Venturesome - Shy
* I- Tough-minded - Tender-minded
* L- Trusting - Suspicious
* M- Imaginative - Practical
* N- Shrewd - Fortnight
* O- Apprehensive - Placid
* Q1- Radical - Conservative
* Q2- Self-sufficient - Group Dependent
* Q3- Undisciplined - Controlled
* Q4- Relaxed – Tensed
87
What is the rationale behind projective tests?
To uncover a person’s unconscious conflicts, fears, and concerns based on psychoanalytical theory.
88
What is the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)?
A pictorial projective test developed by Henry A. Murray, consisting of 30 pictures for storytelling.
89
What is the Rorschach Inkblot Test?
A projective test consisting of ten inkblot cards used to assess personality.
90
What are the criticisms of projective tests?
* Poorly standardized
* Weak in reliability and validity
* Susceptible to subjective interpretation
91
What is the purpose of the Word Association Test?
To evaluate personality by recording responses to a series of selected words.
92
Fill in the blank: The _______ is a projective test that uses ambiguous stimuli to uncover unconscious processes.
Rorschach Inkblot Test
93
True or False: The MMPI consists of 550 self-statements that respondents label as true, false, or cannot say.
True
94
What is the main focus of projective tests?
To probe unconscious or subtle aspects of personality.
95
What does the term 'Projective Technique' refer to?
An assessment method presenting people with ambiguous stimuli without culturally defined meaning.
