fei75766_glo_G1-G15.indd G-9  02/19/20 09:26 AM
GlossaryG-9
maturity (Freud)  Thefinalpsychosexual stage following 
infancy, latency, andthegenital period. Hypothetically, 
maturity would becharacterized byastrong egoin
control oftheidandthesuperego andbyanever-
expanding realm ofconsciousness.
mechanisms (Buss)  Theprocess ofevolution bynatural 
selection hasproduced solutions tothetwobasic 
problems oflife,survival, andreproduction. 
metamotivation (Maslow)  Themotives ofself-actualizing 
people, including especially theB-values.
metapathology (Maslow)  Illness, characterized 
byabsence ofvalues, lackoffulfillment, andloss
ofmeaning, thatresults from deprivation of
self-actualization needs.
Mitwelt  Anexistentialist termmeaning theworld of
one’s relationship toother people. Oneofthree 
simultaneous modes ofbeing-in-the-world.
modeling (Bandura)  Oneoftwobasic sources of
learning; involves theobservation ofothers andthus
learning from theiractions. More thansimple imitation, 
modeling entails theaddition andsubtraction ofspecific 
actsandtheobservation ofconsequences ofothers’ 
behavior.
modulation corollary (Kelly)  Theory thatstates that
personal constructs arepermeable (resilient), thatthey
aresubject tochange through experience.
monogenic transmission (Buss)  When single genes 
produce single traits (phenotypes).
moral anxiety (Freud)  Anxiety thatresults from the
ego’s conflict withthesuperego.
moral hypochondriasis (Fromm)  Preoccupation with
guiltabout things onehasdone wrong.
moralistic principle (Freud)  Reference totheconscience, 
asubsystem ofthesupergo thattellspeople what they
should notdo.
morphogenic science  Allport’s concept ofscience, which 
deals withvarious methods ofgathering dataonpatterns 
ofbehavior within asingle individual.
moving against people  OneofHorney’s neurotic trends 
inwhich neurotics protect themselves against thehostility 
ofothers byadopting anaggressive strategy.
moving away from people  OneofHorney’s neurotic 
trends inwhich neurotics protect themselves against 
feelings ofisolation byadopting adetached attitude.
moving backward (Adler)  Safeguarding inflated feelings 
ofsuperiority byreverting toamore secure period oflife.
moving toward people  OneofHorney’s neurotic trends 
inwhich neurotics develop aneed forothers asa
protection against feelings ofhelplessness.
myth (May)  Belief system thatprovides explanations for
personal andsocial problems.N
narcissism  Love ofselfortheattainment oferotic 
pleasure from viewing one’s ownbody.
natural selection (Buss)  Theprocess bywhich evolution 
happens andissimply amore general 
form ofartificial selection inwhich nature rather than
people select thetraits.
necrophilia  Love ofdeath.
need potential (Rotter)  Areference tothepossible 
occurrence ofasetoffunctionally related behaviors 
directed toward thesatisfaction ofthesame goalora
similar setofgoals.
need value (Rotter)  Thedegree towhich aperson 
prefers onesetofreinforcements toanother.
negative reinforcer  Anyaversive stimulus that,when 
removed from asituation, increases theprobability that
theimmediately preceding behavior willoccur.
negative transference  Strong, hostile, andundeserved 
feelings thatthepatient develops toward theanalyst 
during thecourse oftreatment. 
neurosis  Somewhat dated termsignifying mild
personality disorders asopposed tothemore severe 
psychotic reactions. Neuroses aregenerally characterized 
byoneormore ofthefollowing: anxiety, hysteria, 
phobias, obsessive-compulsive reactions, depression, 
chronic fatigue, andhypochondriacal reactions.
neurotic anxiety (Freud)  Anapprehension about an
unknown danger facing theegobutoriginating from id
impulses.
neurotic anxiety (May)  Areaction thatis
disproportionate tothethreat andthatleads torepression 
anddefensive behaviors.
neurotic claims (Horney)  Unrealistic demands and
expectations ofneurotics tobeentitled tospecial privilege.
neurotic needs (Horney)  Original 10defenses against 
basic anxiety.
neurotic needs (Maslow)  Nonproductive needs thatare
opposed tothebasic needs andthatblock psychological 
health whether ornottheyaresatisfied.
neurotic pride (Horney)  Afalsepride based onone’s 
idealized image ofself.
neurotic search for glory  Horney’s concept forthe
comprehensive drive toward actualizing theideal self.
neurotic trends  Horney’s termforthethree basic 
attitudes toward selfandothers—moving toward people, 
moving against people, andmoving away from people; a
revision ofheroriginal listof10neurotic needs.
neuroticism (N) (Eysenck)  Oneofthree types or
superfactors identified byEysenck. Neuroticism isa
bipolar factor consisting ofneuroticism atonepoleandFinal PDF to printer