Personality Theory Of Personality Development

Social psychology and personality psychology both came into fruition around the same time – the 1920’s and 1930’s. Needless

Over the last 100 years, the underpinning concepts in the fields of psychology and counseling were wrought. Within this period, these concepts have transformed and evolved from somewhat crude conceptions of the psyche toward more holistic interventions and approaches. As the profession continues to move forward, adaptations of the original theorists regarding the nature of man and the development of personality continue to emerge. These adaptations, along with the integration of new concepts and ideas, continue to contribute to the field. The author describes his view of man and human nature, personality development, and explores potential implications for counseling.

Avoidant attachment of a male present in a romantic relationship (Male super ego and madonna-whore complex)

However with advantages come disadvantages. For example, with correlational studies there is no background information obtained. Therefore, the reliability of the correlational studies is questioned.

Evaluation of a Psychodynamic Theory of Personality Development The basis of Freud's psychoanalytic theory was that the mind contained three parts: The Id, Ego, and Superego. He argued that the Id controlled the primal instincts such as aggression and sexual desire ('libido'), and was found in the unconscious mind. Its purpose is to gain immediate gratification, according to the 'pleasure principle'. The Id, he said, was in competition with the ego.

The founder of the person-centered theory is Carl Rogers, who proposed two general assumptions called the formative tendency and the actualizing tendency. According to Rogers, one is always willing to reach higher development, which is driven by actualizing tendency instead of only being determined by outer forces. Formative tendency, as stated by Rogers, referred to every matter starting as a much simpler form and developing to a much higher one. Rogers entirely believed that one possesses the ability to move in positive directions if the right conditions are given and the individual has the tools within him or herself to do so. A person therefore knows that he or she possesses the tendency to always grow and develop further in his or her personality (Cloninger, 2008).

Perhaps, Jung’s theory is less about trying to find causes of behavior in methodological ways but more about helping people overcome the senselessness and aimlessness of their lives. Personally, if this is so, then I find Jung’s theory to be more valuable than any other theory of personality grounded on scientific research. Our well-being is contingent upon our ability to develop self-awareness. We were born to uncover the truth of who we really are. Every moment in life has the potential to be a redefining moment when we seize upon the opportunity to look more deeply into the Self and learn how to actualize its qualities in our daily lives. The goal is to increase our awareness of these moments in life, either conscious or unconscious, that invites us into a deeper knowing of who we truly are. When we achieve a state of psychic equilibrium and experience the power of becoming spiritually elevated, I believe we can find purpose and meaning in life beyond our mere survival. An achievement such as this can help cultivate a society that

Allport defines personality as ‘the dynamic organisation within the individual of those psychological systems that determine his unique adjustment to his environment’ (Allport, 1937). An individual’s unique personality traits and attributes are a powerful indicator of how he/she will interact with the work environment. The difference between average and outstanding employees can often be solely personality related. As the employee is the most valuable asset to the company, ‘selecting the right employee during the process is critical’ (Carbery and Cross, 2013, pp. 41-53)

Another part of creating a personality theory is the debate between uniqueness versus commonality which I have briefly discussed. I believe that every person is unique because no two people have gone through identical life experiences, nor have they been influenced in the exact same way by their environments and people around them. With that being said, I also believe that human beings have many things in common like how they deal with and react to certain situations. We are also alike in our need for a place in the world and acceptance from others.

Based on the "actualizing tendency", Rogers also formed the "self-actualizing tendency" theory. In the beginning, all infants only strive for survival needs. However, in the processing of development and interaction with the world, an infant experiences itself as a different self from other selves. This eventually leads to the growth of a self-perception - which is the way perceives views itself. In the same way that an organism strives to reach its best as described by "actualizing tendency", the "self-actualizing tendency" in the same manner drives people

Leigh Anne Touhy is the fictional representation of the real life Leigh Anne, famed adoptive mother of Michael Oher from the 2009 film The Blind Side. Leigh Anne is a white interior designer, living in the south with her husband and two children. The family is considered to be part of the upper class, and made their money from owning a string of fast food chains. Leigh Anne and her family take in a black homeless boy, Michael, and throughout the film experience a growing love and bond. They eventually adopt Michael and the Leigh Anne becomes a fiercely protective mother. Very little is revealed about her upbringing

Personality is a pattern of relatively permanent traits and unique characteristics that gives both consistency and individuality to a person’s behavior (Feist & Feist, 2008).

I have chosen psychosexual and psychosocial development; for my model of presentation. "In Freudian psychology, psychosexual development is a central element of the psychoanalytic sexual drive theory, that human beings, from birth, possess an instinctual libido (sexual energy) that develops in five stages. Each stage – the oral, the anal, the phallic, the latent, and the genital – is characterized by the erogenous zone that is the source of the libidinal drive. Sigmund Freud proposed that if the child experienced sexual frustration in relation to any psychosexual developmental stage, he or she would experience anxiety that would persist into adulthood as a neurosis, a functional mental disorder" (Wikipedia)

The study of personality traits is beneficial in identifying the many variables that exist from human to human; the combinations of these variables provide us with a true level of individuality and uniqueness. In the field of psychology, trait theory is considered to be a key approach to the study of human personality (Crowne, 2007; Burton, Westen & Kowalski, 2009). This paper aims to identify a number of significant contributors who have played crucial roles in both the development and application of trait theory. This paper then moves focus to these theorists, outlining their theory and analysing both the strengths and weaknesses of those theories. An illustration of the methods used in trait measurement is given and includes the

“We are influenced by our own internal forces, forces of which we are unaware, have feelings towards, or urges we do not quite understand “(Freidman, 2012, p. 17). This is the struggle that personality psychology tries to understand, how and to what extent the unconscious forces plays a role in human behavior. It is believed that people are responsible for their own actions. There is a continuous struggle with personality psychology and the comprehension of and to what extent unconscious forces play in human behavior. “Meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances; if there is any reaction both are transformed” (Carl Jung 1993, p.57). There are various questions that are asked about the issues in personality psychology such as, “How important are social influences on the self, such as parental deprivation or excessive praise? Is the sense of self merely an inconsequential epiphenomenon or secondary perception arising from other forces that really matter? What is the core of who we are? A second core issue with the studies of personality studies is does each person require a unique approach? “Gordon Allport argued that a key aspect of the study of personality must focus on the individual and thus be idiographic” (p.18). To generalize an individual is a complication in itself because the personality of each person is complex in its own way so how can we generalize? Obtaining an answer to that question is still a dilemma. Allport complained