CHAPTER 12- PERSONALITY

MODULE 12.1 THE PSYCHODYNAMIC PERSPECTIVE

Personality: The relatively stable constellation of psychological characteristics and behavioral patterns that
account for our individuality and consistency over time.
Psychoanalytic theory: Freuds theory of personality, which holds that personality and behavior are shaped by
unconscious forces and conflicts.
Conscious: In Freudian theory, the part of the mind corresponding to the state of present awareness.
Preconscious: To Freud, the part of the mind whose contents can be brought into awareness through focused
attention.
Unconscious: In Freudian theory, the part of the mind that lies outside the range of ordinary awareness and that
contains primitive drives or instincts and unacceptable urges, wishes, or ideas.
Id: Freuds term for the psychic structure existing in the unconscious that contains our basic animal drives and
instinctual impulses.
Ego: Freuds term for the psychic structure that attempts to balance the instinctual demands of the id with social
realities and expectations.
Superego: Freuds term for the psychic structure that corresponds to an internal moral guardian or conscience.
Pleasure principle: In Freuds theory, a governing principle of the id that is based on demand for instant
gratification without regard to social rules or customs.
Reality principle: In Freudian theory, the governing principle of the ego that takes into account what is practical
and acceptable in satisfying basic needs.
Defense mechanisms: In Freudian theory, the reality-distorting strategies of the ego to prevent awareness of
anxiety-evoking or troubling ideas or impulses.
Repression: In Freudian theory, a type of defense mechanism involving motivated forgetting of anxiety-evoking
material.
Denial: In Freudian theory, a defense mechanism involving the failure to recognize a threatening impulse or urge.
Reaction formation: In Freudian theory, a defense mechanism involving behavior that stands in opposition to ones
true motives and desires so as to prevent conscious awareness of them.
Rationalization: In Freudian theory, a defense mechanism involving the use of self-justification to explain away
unacceptable behavior, impulses, or ideas.
Projection: In Freudian theory, a defense mechanism involving the projection of ones own unacceptable impulses,
wishes, or urges onto another person.
Sublimation: In Freudian theory, a defense mechanism involving the channeling of unacceptable impulses into
socially sanctioned behaviors or interests.
Regression: In Freudian theory, a defense mechanism in which an individual, usually under high levels of stress,
reverts to a behavior characteristic of an earlier stage of development.
Displacement: In Freudian theory, a defense mechanism in which an unacceptable sexual or aggressive impulse is
transferred to an object or person that is safer or less threatening than the original object of the impulse.
Erogenous zones: Parts of the body that are especially sensitive to sexual or pleasurable stimulation.
Fixations: Constellations of personality traits characteristic of a particular stage of psychosexual development,
resulting from either excessive or inadequate gratification at that stage.
Oral stage: In Freudian theory, the first stage of psychosexual development, during which the infant seeks sexual
gratification through oral stimulation (sucking, mouthing, and biting).
Anal stage: In Freudian theory, the second stage of psychosexual development, during which sexual gratification is
centered on processes of elimination (retention and release of bowel contents).
Anal-retentive personality: In Freudian theory, a personality type characterized by perfectionism and excessive
needs for self-control as expressed through extreme neatness and punctuality.
Anal-expulsive personality: In Freudian theory, a personality type characterized by messiness, lack of selfdiscipline, and carelessness.

Phallic stage: In Freudian theory, the third stage of psychosexual development, marked by erotic attention on the
phallic region (penis in boys, clitoris in girls) and the development of the Oedipus complex.
Oedipus complex: In Freudian theory, the psychological complex in which the young boy or girl develops incestuous
feelings toward the parent of the opposite gender and perceives the parent of the same gender as a rival.
Electra complex: The term given by some psychodynamic theorists to the form of the Oedipus complex in young
girls.
Castration anxiety: In Freudian theory, unconscious fear of removal of the penis as punishment for having
unacceptable sexual impulses.
Penis envy: In Freudian theory, jealousy of boys for having a penis.
Latency stage: In Freudian theory, the fourth stage of psychosexual development, during which sexual impulses
remain latent or dormant.
Genital stage: In Freudian theory, the fifth and final stage of psychosexual development, which begins around
puberty and corresponds to the development of mature sexuality and emphasis on procreation.
Personal unconscious: Jungs term for an unconscious region of mind comprising a reservoir of the individuals
repressed memories and impulses.
Collective unconscious: In Jungs theory, a part of the mind containing ideas and archetypal images shared among
humankind that have been transmitted genetically from ancestral humans.
Archetypes: Jungs term for the primitive images contained in the collective unconscious that reflect ancestral or
universal experiences of human beings.
Individual psychology: Adlers theory of personality, which emphasizes the unique potential of each individual.
Creative self: In Adlers theory, the self-aware part of personality that organizes goal-seeking efforts.
Inferiority complex: In Adlers theory, the feelings of inadequacy or inferiority in young children that influence
their developing personalities and create desires to overcome.
Drive for superiority: Adlers term for the motivation to compensate for feelings of inferiority. Also called the
will-to-power.
Basic anxiety: In Horneys theory, a deep-seated form of anxiety in children that is associated with feelings of
being isolated and helpless in a world perceived as potentially threatening and hostile.
Basic hostility: In Horneys theory, deep feelings of resentment that children may harbor toward their parents.
MODULE 12.2 THE TRAIT PERSPECTIVE
Traits: Relatively enduring personal characteristics.
Cardinal traits: Allports term for the more pervasive dimensions that define an individuals general personality.
Central traits: Allports term for personality characteristics that have a widespread influence on the individuals
behavior across situations.
Secondary traits: Allports term for specific traits that influence behavior in relatively few situations.
Surface traits: Cattells term for personality traits at the surface level that can be gleaned from observations of
behavior.
Source traits: Cattells term for traits at a deep level of personality that are not apparent in observed behavior
but must be inferred based on underlying relationships among surface traits.
Introversion-extraversion: One of the three underlying dimensions of personality in Eysencks model, referring to
tendencies toward being solitary and reserved on the one end or outgoing and sociable on the other end.
Neuroticism: One of the three underlying dimensions of personality in Eysencks model, referring to tendencies
toward emotional instability, anxiety, and worry.
Psychoticism: One of the three underlying dimensions of personality in Eysencks model, referring to tendencies to
be perceived as cold and antisocial.
Five-factor model (FFM): The dominant contemporary trait model of personality, consisting of five broad
personality factors: neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness.

MODULE 12.3 THE SOCIAL-COGNITIVE PERSPECTIVE

Social-cognitive theory: A contemporary learning-based model that emphasizes the roles played by both cognitive
factors and environmental or situational factors in determining behavior.
Expectancies: In social-cognitive theory, personal predictions about the outcomes of behavior.
Subjective value: In social-cognitive theory, the importance that individuals place on desired outcomes.
Locus of control: In Rotters theory, ones general expectancies about whether ones efforts can bring about
desired outcomes or reinforcements.
Reciprocal determinism: Banduras model in which cognitions, behaviors, and environmental factors both influence
and are influenced by each other.
Outcome expectations: Banduras term for our personal predictions about the outcomes of our behavior.
Efficacy expectations: Banduras term for the expectancies we have regarding our ability to perform behaviors we
set out to accomplish.
Situation variables: Mischels term for environmental influences on behavior, such as rewards and punishments.
Person variables: Mischels term for internal personal factors that influence behavior, including competencies,
expectancies, and subjective values.
MODULE 12.4 THE HUMANISTIC PERSPECTIVE
Self-theory: Rogers model of personality, which focuses on the importance of the self.
Unconditioned positive regard: Valuing another person as having intrinsic worth, regardless of the persons
behavior at the particular time.
Conditioned positive regard: Valuing a person only when the persons behavior meets certain expectations or
standards.
Self-ideals: Rogers term for the idealized sense of how or what we should be.
Collectivistic culture: A culture that emphasizes peoples social roles and obligations.
Individualistic culture: A culture that emphasizes individual identity and personal accomplishments.
MODULE 12.5 PERSONALITY TESTS
Phrenology: The now-discredited view that one can judge a persons character and mental abilities by measuring the
bumps on his or her head.
Personality tests: Structured psychological tests that use formal methods of assessing personality.
Self-report personality inventories: Structured psychological tests in which individuals are given a limited range
of response options to answer a set of questions to answer a set of questions about themselves.
Objective tests: Tests of personality that can be scored objectively and that are based on a research foundation.
Standard scores: Scores that represent an individuals relative deviation from the mean of the standardization
sample.
Projective tests: Personality tests in which ambiguous or vague test materials are used to elicit responses that are
believed to reveal a persons unconscious needs, drives, and motives.