PERSONALITY Reading Guide & Questions: Ch. 13 (PB) or Modules 41-44 (YB)
Name: __________________ Working With:_______________ Class Period:__
Before Reading Ch. 13: True or False
____________1. Sigmund Freud is responsible for popularizing many terms we use today
like repression, denial, and regression.
____________2. Freud used free association (saying whatever comes to your mind as an
alternative to hypnosis)
____________3. Freud believed that people should forget about past experiences and
focus on the present.
____________4. Freud believed that we are born with basic aggressive and sexual drives
that demand immediate gratification.
____________5. Freud believed that people who intensely dislike someone else actually
feel love for that person.
____________6. Freud believed that young boys (3-6 years) have a strong love for their
mothers and feel threatened by their fathers.
____________7. All of Freud’s students have faithfully upheld his notions about
repressed childhood sexual feelings and the unconscious mind.
____________8. Humanistic psychology focuses mostly on how animal behavior is similar
to human behavior.
____________9. Humanistic psychologist Abraham Maslow believed that people can go
without food and still feel love and appreciate beauty.
____________10. Humanistic psychologist Carl Rogers believed that people just need to
listen to the advice of their therapist to get better.
While Reading Ch. 13: Complete in sentences for full credit.
1. Describe Freud’s training and background.
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2. Why did Freud think “free association” would help patients?
3. Freud believed that “nothing was ever accidental.” What supported this belief?
4. Look at the cartoon on p. 554. It’s a “Freudian slip” because Freud states that all of
our comments (even our mistakes) are intentional. So, the king states “Good morning,
beheaded—uh, I meant beloved.” He implies that his wife is going to be beheaded
soon—and that she is not particularly beloved by the king! Explain the cartoon below:
5. According to Freud, how is the mind like an iceberg? Be sure to use the words id, ego,
and superego in your explanation.
6. According to Freud, why do small babies put many items in their mouths?
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7. According to Freud, many little girls imitate their mothers and many little boys imitate
their fathers. Explain Freud’s explanation for this phenomenon.
8. According to Freud, why do adults have maladaptive behavior? (maladaptive
behavior=behavior that does help the person; unhealthy)
9. According to Freud, why do people feel anxious and unsettled at times?
Defense
mechanism
Repression
What it is
Example
Takes memories and events that
causes us anxiety and buries
them in our unconscious
Little girls really did feel
attracted to their fathers
between 3-6 (just as little
boys felt attracted to their
mothers) but because this
thought is threatening to us
now, we say it didn’t happen
and put it in our unconscious.
Regression
Retreating to an earlier stage
(childhood)
Reaction
formation
The ego unconsciously switches
the unacceptable impulses to
their opposite (acceptable
impulses)
People attribute their own
desires and thoughts to others
Projection
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Rationalization
Displacement
A person will offer a selfjustifying explanation in place of
the “actual” explanation
A shift of aggression towards a
less intimidating person or
object
10. Why would Freud avoid agree-disagree/true-false tests as valid predictors of
personality?
11. Explain what projective tests are intended to do. Give 2 examples of projective tests.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of projective tests?
Theorist
How theorist agreed with Freud
a. Alfred Adler
b. Karen Horney
c. Carl Jung
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How theorist disagreed with
Freud
12. What are the criticisms of Freud’s theories?
a.
b.
c.
13. Is repression a myth? Why or why not? Explain in a few cases.
14. What is the most serious problem with Freud’s theories?
15. How do Freud’s supporters respond to the criticisms?
Please note:
 Freud emphasizes the importance of early childhood experiences.
 Behaviorists emphasize the importance of stimuli and environment—according to
behaviorists, we can be conditioned to be like anyone at all.
 Humanists believe that their job is to help people develop into their “best
selves.
16. According to Maslow, what motivates us and why?
17. What characteristics do self-actualized people share?
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18. According to Maslow, what is a “peak experience?” What is the effect of a “peak
experience?”
19. Rogers emphasizes unconditional positive regard. What is it and why is it so
important?
20. What are the legacies of humanistic psychology? Describe & explain.
21. Describe and explain the criticisms of humanistic psychology.
22. How do psychologists use traits to describe personality?
23. What did Gordon Allport do that Freud did not, in terms of describing personality?
24. What is the MBTI and who is responsible for creating it?
25. What is factor analysis? Give examples of how the Eysencks used this procedure.
26. What is the MMPI and how is it used?
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27. What are the Big 5 Personality Factors? How stable are these traits?
28. Explain the person-situation controversy:
29. What does the social-cognitive perspective on personality emphasize?
30. Explain reciprocal determinism and how it impacts our lives.
31. Delineate between external locus of control and internal locus of control. Give an
example of each.
32. How does learned helplessness impact people’s lives?
33. Contrast how optimism versus pessimism can impact people’s performances.
34. Describe Martin Seligman’s concept of positive psychology. (Green box on p. 581)
35. What are the pros and cons of the social-cognitive perspective?
36. What is the spotlight effect? Give an example.
37. What are the benefits of high self-esteem?
38. What are the findings in relation to self-serving bias?
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