Theories of Personality

Sigmund Freud-Psychoanalytic Theory

• One of the founding fathers of the Psychoanalytic school of Psychology

• Also, the father of psychoanalysis • The mentor of famous Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung

**Psychoanalytic Theory stresses the importance of the unconscious mind on our behavior

Three processes at work

The ID- a reservoir of unconscious psychic energy that strives to satisfy basic sexual & aggressive drives. The ID operates on the “pleasure principle”, demanding immediate gratification

The Superego- the part of the personality represents internalized ideals & provides standards for judgment (the conscience). Shaped by our parents and societal expectations

Three processes at work

The Ego- the largely conscious “executive part of personality that mediates among the demands of the id, superego, and personality. The ego operates on the “reality principle”.

Other Freudian ideas at work….

Oedipus Complex leads to….Identification- the process by which, according to Freud, children incorporate their parents’ values into their developing superegos.

Psychosexual Stages (check out on the wiki!)

Fixation- a lingering focus of pleasure seeking energies at an earlier psychosexual stage in which conflicts were unresolved

Defense MechanismsHow do we deal if things don’t go the way we’d like, if we have unresolved issues within the unconscious? Freud says we use:

Defense Mechanisms- in psychoanalytic theory, the ego’s productive methods reducing anxiety arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories from consciousness

Defense Mechanisms

Repression- The process of pulling thoughts into the unconscious and preventing painful or dangerous thoughts from entering consciousness

Rationalization- The process of constructing a logical justification for a decision that was originally arrived at through a difference mental process

among others…..

Projective Tests, etc.Projective tests- a personality test, such as a Rorschach, that provides ambiguous stimuli designed to trigger projection of one’s unconscious thoughts and feelings

Terror Management Theory- a theory of death-related anxiety; explores people’s emotional and behavioral responses to reminders of their impending death

Neo-Freudian/Psychodynamic Theories of Personality

*Psychiatrists such as Alfred Adler, Karen Horney, and Carl Jung began to emphasize childhood social interactions and their impact on the unconscious rather than tension produced by sexual and violent urges.*The unconscious still greatly impacts our behavior but we may manage thisbehavior more consciously.

Alfred Adler -Austrian psychologist, 1870-1937

-broke away (or was broken away) from Freud and psychoanalytic psychologyInferiority Complex- Adler theorized, that due to our childhood interactions, some people may develop a lack of self worth, doubt, or see themselves as not living up to society’s standards.*This exists in the subconscious and may result in great achievement or asocial behavior.

Karen Horney-German psychologist, 1885-1952-founder of Feminist Psychology-argued against Freud’s theories regarding sexuality. She claimed that psychological differences in the sexes were rooted in societal and cultural influences and not biology.-”No” on Penis Envy!

Carl Jung-Swiss psychologist, 1875-1961-Freud’s #1 protégé’-among many contributions to Psychology, Jung also played down the influence of sexual forces on the unconscious, breaking with Freud.Collective Unconscious- A part of the unconscious which all people inherit from our ancestors. Archetypes and other various themes and symbols are stored here as part of our human experience.

Trait TheoryTrait- a characteristic pattern of behavior or a disposition to feel and act, as assessed by self reported inventories and peer reports.Personality Inventory- a questionnaire on which people respond to items designed to gauge a wide range of feelings & behaviors used to assess selected personality traits

Gordon Allport

When interviewing Freud as a 22 year old student, Allport said that meeting with Freud, “taught me that psychoanalysis , for all its merits, may plunge too deep, and that psychologists would do well to give full recognition to manifest motives before probing the unconscious”. Allport’s work led to further studies of trait theory.

Personality Inventories

Myers-Briggs Trait Inventory

Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory MMPI-2

Big 5 Factors

Conscientiousness

Agreeableness

Neuroticism (emotional stability)

Openness

Extraversion (read pages 530-532)

Humanist Theory

-All people strive for perfection (of themselves)

-People are like a seed who need to be nurtured

-We are driven to satisfy needs

-Much more positive view of people, focus on what makes us well rather than what makes us ill

Humanist Theory-Maslow

Remember Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?

Carl Rogers-HumanismOrganism- the whole person-including all thoughts feelings that is seeking perfection

Self (self-concept)- a person’s image of himself which is formed by the means of the responses of others

Positive regard- the positive image people have of themselves because of unconditional approval by significant others in their lives

Conditions of worth- the sense that people have of being worthy only if they behave in certain restrictive ways.

Fully functioning person- a person whose self and organism are one and the same, allowing the openness to all feelings and experiences that develops personal completion and perfection

Carl Rogers-Humanism

Social-Cognitive Theory

Social-Cognitive Perspective- views behavior as influenced by the interaction between people’s traits (including their thinking) and their social context.

Albert Bandura

The interacting influences of behavior, internal cognition, and environment

Reciprocal Determinism

The Need for Control

Personal Control- the extent to which we perceive control over our environment

External Locus of Control- the perception that chance or outside forces beyond our control determine our fate.

Internal Locus of Control- the perception that you control your own fate

Do We Control Our Own Fate?

Self control- the ability to control impulses & delay short-term gratification for greater long-term results (Marshmallow test)

Learned Helplessness- the hopelessness and passive resignation an animal or human learns when unable to avoid repeated aversive events

A bit more about “the self”…

Spotlight effect- overestimating others’ noticing and evaluating our appearance, performance, and blunders

Self serving bias- a readiness to perceive oneself favorably

Narcissism- excessive self love & self absorption