Personality Development, Trait and Self Theories

• Personality Development Theories– Psychodynamic Approach- Freud– Adler’s Individual Psychology Theory– Erikson’s Eight Stages of Psychosocial Development

• Trait Theories– The Big 5– Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

• Based on Carl Jung’s psychological types

• Self-Theory- Humanistic Theory and Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow

• Victor Frankl: Search for Meaning• Virginia Satir: Self-Worth

Some Key Freudian Terms

• Psyche: Freud’s term for the personality; contains id, ego, and superego

• Id: composed of the basic biological drives, such as hunger, thirst, sexual impulses, survival– Pleasure principal- demands immediate

gratification

• Superego (conscience): values, morals, religious beliefs, ideals of parents and society– Develops around age 4

Ego to the Rescue

• EGO= the reality principle – Develops after first year of life

• Id and Superego in conflict– Creates anxiety

• Ego encourages id to seek gratification through realistic and socially acceptable means– Ego creates defense mechanisms, which distorts

id’s impulses into socially acceptable forms

Freud: Levels of Awareness

• Unconscious: Holds repressed memories and emotions and the id’s instinctual drives

• Conscious: Everything you are aware of at a given moment including thoughts, perceptions, feelings, and memories

• Preconscious: Material that can easily be brought into awareness

Fig. 12-5, p. 400

Adler’s Individual Psychology Theory

• Inferiority complex– Drives us toward superiority

• Compensation- a good thing• Over-compensation- not so healthy• Superiority- living up to your highest potential

– Explains motivation

• Large focus on early childhood experiences

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Se5c4v09S-s

Erik Erikson’s Eight Stages of Psychosocial Dilemmas

p. 107

Erikson’s Stages of Psychosocial Dilemna/Development

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vapEpQmz86o

Life Events

• Developmental tasks: Any skill that must be mastered, or personal change that must take place, for optimal development (e.g., learning to read and adjusting to sexual maturity)

• Psychosocial dilemma: Conflict between personal impulses and the social world

Stage One: Trust versus Mistrust (Birth–1)

• Children are completely dependent on others– Trust: Established when babies given

adequate warmth, touching, love, and physical care

– Mistrust: Caused by inadequate or unpredictable care and by cold, indifferent, and rejecting parents

Stage Two: Autonomy versus Shame and Doubt (1–3)

• Autonomy: Doing things for themselves

• Overprotective or ridiculing parents may cause children to doubt abilities and feel shameful about their actions

Stage Three: Initiative versus Guilt (3–5)

• Initiative: Parents reinforce via giving children freedom to play, use imagination, and ask questions

• Guilt: May occur if parents criticize, prevent play, or discourage a child’s questions

Stage Four: Industry versus Inferiority (6–12)

• Industry: Occurs when child is praised for productive activities, such as painting and building

• Inferiority: Occurs if child’s efforts are regarded as messy or inadequate

Stage Five (Adolescence): Identity versus Role Confusion

• Identity: For adolescents; problems answering, “Who am I?”

• Role Confusion: Occurs when adolescents are unsure of where they are going and who they are

Stage Six (Young Adulthood): Intimacy versus Isolation

• Intimacy: Ability to care about others and to share experiences with them

• Isolation: Feeling alone and uncared for in life

Stage Seven (Middle Adulthood): Generativity versus

Stagnation• Generativity: Interest in guiding the next

generation

• Stagnation: When one is only concerned with one’s own needs and comforts

Stage Eight (Late Adulthood): Integrity versus Despair

• Integrity: Self-respect; developed when people have lived richly and responsibly

• Despair: Occurs when previous life events are viewed with regret; experiences heartache and remorse

Trait Theories

• Attempt to learn what traits make up personality and how they relate to actual behavior

• Remember: Personality traits are the stable and consistent personal characteristics

• Trait theories describe personality but don’t show how people developed those traits

The “Big Five” Personality Factors:

Traits that relate to temperament

• Openness to experience

• Conscientiousness

• Extroversion

• Agreeableness

• Neuroticism

Self-theory: Carl Rogers and Humanistic Theory

• Unconditional positive regard (UPR)- Love or unconditional acceptance is given regardless of behavior. – Leads to a positive realistic self-concept, high

self-esteem and self-respect (page 65)

Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow

• Self-actualization: Process of fulfillment of one’s own unique potentials– The key is self-concept

• Peak experiences: Temporary moments of self-actualization

• Think about these times in our lives. Let’s discuss.

Characteristics of Self-Actualizers

• Efficient perceptions of reality

• Comfortable acceptance of self, others, and nature

• Spontaneity

• Task centering

• Autonomy

Characteristics of Self-Actualizers (cont)

• Continued freshness of appreciation

• Fellowship with humanity

• Profound interpersonal relationships

• Comfort with solitude

• Non-hostile sense of humor

• Peak experiences

How to Become Self-Actualized (Maslow, 1971)

• Be willing to change

• Take responsibility

• Examine your motives

• Experience honestly and directly

How to Become Self-Actualized (Maslow, 1971) (cont)

• Make use of positive experiences

• Be prepared to be different

• Get involved

• Assess your progress