According to the psychodynamic perspective, personality refers to ______.

• A. the stable traits and characteristics that can be measured through self-report inventories
• B. the dynamic interplay of unconscious motives, conflicts, and childhood experiences that shape behavior
• C. the learned patterns of behavior acquired through conditioning and reinforcement
• D. the conscious choices and free will that guide individual actions

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the psychodynamic perspective in psychology focuses on unconscious processes and early life experiences as key influences on personality.
2. Recognize that personality, from this perspective, is not just about observable traits or learned behaviors, but about deeper, often unconscious motives and conflicts.
3. Recall that Freud and other psychodynamic theorists emphasized the role of childhood experiences in shaping adult behavior and personality.
4. Note that this perspective views personality as a dynamic and ongoing interaction between unconscious desires, internal conflicts, and past experiences.
5. Conclude that the correct definition of personality in the psychodynamic perspective is the dynamic interplay of unconscious motives, conflicts, and childhood experiences that shape behavior.