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Psych Ch 13 Vocab Part 1

Terms in this set (20)

personality
an individual's characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting
psychodynamic theories
view personality with a focus on the unconscious and the importance of childhood experiences
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
psychoanalysis
(1) Sigmund Freud's theory of personality that attributes thoughts and actions to unconscious motives and conflicts; (2) Freud's therapeutic technique used in treating psychological disorders. Freud believed that the patient's free associations, resistances, dreams, and transference's-and the therapist's interpretation of them-released previously repressed feelings, allowing patient to gain self-insight
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
id
A reservoir of unconscious psychic energy that, according to Freud, strives to satisfy basic sexual and aggressive drives. It operates on the pleasure principle, demanding immediate gratification
ego
the largely conscious, "executive" part of personality that, according the 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
superego
the part of personality that, according to Freud, represents internalized ideals and provides standards for judgment (the conscious) and for future aspirations
psychosexual stages
the childhood stages of development 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 jealous and hatred for the rival father
identification
the process by which, according to Freud, children incorporate their parents' values into their developing sugeregos
fixation
according to Freud, a lingering focus of pleasure-seeking energies at an earlier psychosexual stage, in which conflicts were unresolved
defense mechanisms
in psychoanalytic theory, the ego's protective methods of reducing anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality
repression
in psychoanalytic theory, the basic defense mechanism that banishes anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories from consciousness
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
rorschach inkblot test
the most widely used projective test, a set of 10 inkblots, designed by Hermann Rorschach; seeks to identify people's inner feelings by analyzing their interpretations of the blots
terror-management theory
a theory of death-related anxiety; explores people's emotional and behavioral responses to reminders of their impending death
humanistic 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
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