Psychoanalytic & Personality Theories
Name the three structures of personality in Freud’s theory and give one-sentence function of each
Id, Ego, Superego
Who are the two main humanistic psychologists mentioned, and what is the ultimate goal in Maslow’s hierarchy?
Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers; Maslow’s ultimate goal = self-actualization.
Give the four criteria used to help decide if behavior is a psychological disorder (the four symptoms described in the unit).
Typicality, Maladaptivity, Emotional discomfort, Socially unacceptable behavior.
Define a phobia and name two examples from the unit.
Phobia = excessive, irrational fear causing avoidance; e.g., claustrophobia, arachnophobia
Name the four main classes of psychotropic drugs listed and the primary neurotransmitter system each targets.
Antipsychotics (dopamine systems), Antidepressants (serotonin/norepinephrine), Anxiolytics (GABA), Mood stabilizers (e.g., lithium affecting neuronal signaling).
Identify and briefly define two defense mechanisms that involve redirecting emotional impulses (one that transfers impulses to a safer target, and one that returns to earlier behaviors)
Displacement: transfer of impulse to a less threatening object
regression: reverting to earlier developmental behaviors
Define self-concept and explain how congruence relates to well-being according to Rogers.
Self-concept = one’s view of oneself; congruence = alignment between self-concept and lived experience; greater congruence → higher well-being.
What is the DSM-5 and list three purposes of diagnostic classification.
DSM-5 = Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (handbook for diagnosing); purposes: describe disorders, predict course, suggest treatment, stimulate research.
Describe panic attacks and explain how agoraphobia can develop from panic disorder.
Panic attacks = sudden intense fear with physical symptoms (shortness of breath, palpitations); repeated panic can lead to avoidance of places where attacks occurred → agoraphobia.
Describe two brain-stimulation treatments from the unit and when they might be used
ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) — used for severe, treatment-resistant depression or catatonia; TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation) — noninvasive pulses for treatment-resistant depression and some OCD cases.
Explain the difference between the id and the superego in terms of principles that guide each
List the Big Five personality dimensions and give a short behavioral example for two of them.
Big Five: Extraversion, Neuroticism (Emotional stability vs. instability), Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Openness. Examples: high conscientiousness → punctual, organized; high openness → enjoys new experiences
Differentiate between major depressive disorder and dysthymia (persistent depressive disorder) in terms of duration and severity
Major depressive disorder = discrete episodes of major depression (severe symptoms, may be single or recurrent); dysthymia (persistent depressive disorder) = chronic, less severe symptoms lasting 2+ years
Differentiate dissociative amnesia from dissociative fugue (include one typical trigger for each).
Dissociative amnesia = inability to recall important personal information after trauma; dissociative fugue = travel/assume new identity with amnesia, often after extreme stress.
Define CBT and explain the cycle it targets (list the three parts of the cycle).
CBT = Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; targets cycle: Thoughts → Feelings → Behaviors.
Describe Erikson’s Stage 5 (adolescence) and explain how identity confusion might influence personality development
Stage 5: Identity vs. Role Confusion — adolescents form a stable identity; confusion leads to unstable sense of self and poor commitments.
Summarize Allport’s contribution to trait theory and one limitation of trait theories
Allport cataloged thousands of traits (≈18,000) as building blocks of personality; limitation: description over explanation (does not say where traits come from).
Name three categories of disorders added or emphasized in DSM-5 updates (from the unit) and briefly describe one.
Examples: Obsessive-Compulsive and Related, Trauma- and Stressor-Related (PTSD), Neurodevelopmental disorders (ASD). Describe PTSD: trauma exposure with flashbacks, avoidance, hyperarousal, symptoms may last months or years.
Define conversion disorder and body dysmorphic disorder and give one clinical sign that might help distinguish each.
Conversion disorder = neurological-like symptoms (e.g., paralysis, blindness) without organic cause; BDD = preoccupation with imagined physical defect and repetitive behaviors (mirror checking). Distinguish: conversion has functional loss; BDD involves preoccupation with appearance.
Give two behavioral therapy techniques used to treat phobias and explain how each works.
Exposure therapy (gradual confrontation, habituation/extinction); Aversion therapy (pairing unwanted behavior with unpleasant stimulus to reduce it). (Also token economies for operant conditioning.)
Compare and contrast Jung’s concepts of the collective unconscious and archetypes with Adler’s concept of inferiority complex, focusing on how each explains motivations for behavior
ung: collective unconscious (shared human memories) + archetypes (universal images) explain shared symbolic motives; Adler: inferiority complex—individuals strive to overcome feelings of inferiority driven by early experiences
Explain how Eysenck’s dimensions (introversion–extraversion and emotional stability–instability) relate to biological or hereditary explanations of personality
Eysenck argued dimensions have biological bases (e.g., cortical arousal differences for introversion/extraversion; genetic studies show heritability).
Using the multifactorial model, explain how genetic, environmental, and family factors might interact to increase risk for schizophrenia.
Multifactorial: Genes confer vulnerability; stressful life events or high family expressed emotion can trigger onset; interaction example: genetically vulnerable person exposed to high stress more likely to develop schizophrenia
Compare learning, cognitive, psychodynamic, and biological explanations for anxiety disorders—include one piece of evidence or example that supports each explanation.
Learning: phobias acquired through classical conditioning/observational learning; Cognitive: catastrophic misinterpretations and perceived lack of control; Psychodynamic: anxiety as disguised expression of repressed conflicts; Biological: genetic predisposition/twin studies, neurotransmitter differences.
Contrast psychoanalytic “talking” cures (e.g., free association) with humanistic person-centered therapy in terms of therapist role and change mechanism.
Psychoanalytic: therapist is more interpretive/neutral, focus on uncovering unconscious conflicts via free association/dream analysis (patient works through discovered material); Person-centered (Rogers): therapist is active in providing unconditional positive regard, empathy, fostering self-directed growth — change through client’s self-exploration and congruence.