THEORIES OF PERSONALITY:

 THEORIES OF PERSONALITY:

Many psychologists have developed theories about personality—how to describe it, how it emerges, what influences it, how it changes, and what constitutes a healthy or an abnormal personality. Here you will learn about the three most important personality theories: psychoanalytic theory, behaviourism and humanism.

The first of the modern personality theories was developed by Sigmund Freud and is known as psychoanalytic theory. The psychiatric practice of this theory is called psychoanalysis. Freud’s ideas were plentiful, profound, and often controversial. His theory about personality has had tremendous influence on societies around the world through many different disciplines. Not only psychology has been influenced and informed by the ideas of Freud, but also literature, art, philosophy, cultural studies, film theory, and many other academic subjects. Freud’s theory represents one of the major intellectual ideas of the modern world. Right or wrong, these ideas have had a lasting and enormous impact.

FREUD THEORY:

Freud theorized that personality contains three structures—the id, ego, and superego—and that the mind is like an iceberg, the unconscious making up 90% while the conscious (like the tip of the iceberg floating above water) makes only 10% of the mind.

Freud suggested an analogy about the mind. He said that the mind is like an iceberg in the ocean, floating 10% above the water and 90% below. The unconscious, Freud proposed, makes up the vast majority of our mind. In Freud’s view, only about 10% of our behaviours are caused by conscious awareness—about 90% are produced by unconscious factors.

According to psychoanalytic theory, most of what controls our behaviours, thoughts, and feelings is unknown to our aware minds. Normally, the unconscious guides us. Freud said that the mind could be divided into three abstract categories. These are the id, the ego, and the superego.

1. The id:

Latin for the term “it,” this division of the mind includes our basic instincts, inborn dispositions, and animalistic urges. Freud said that the id is totally unconscious, that we are unaware of its workings. The id is not rational; it imagines, dreams, and invents things to get us what we want. Freud said that the id operates according to the pleasure principle—it aims toward pleasurable things and away from painful things. The id aims to satisfy our biological urges and drives. It includes feelings of hunger, thirst, sex, and other natural body desires aimed at deriving pleasure.

2. The ego:

Greek and Latin for “I,” this personality structure begins developing in childhood and can be interpreted as the “self.” The ego is partly conscious and partly unconscious. The ego operates according to the reality principle; that is, it attempts to help the id get what it wants by judging the difference between real and imaginary. If a person is hungry, the id might begin to imagine food and even dream about food. (The id is not rational.) The ego, however, will try to determine how to get some real food. The ego helps a person satisfy needs through reality.

3. The superego:

This term means “above the ego,” and includes the moral ideas that a person learns within the family and society. The superego gives people feelings of pride when they do something correct (the ego ideal) and feelings of guilt when they do something they consider to be morally wrong (the conscience). The superego, like the ego, is partly conscious and partly unconscious. The superego is a child’s moral barometer, and it creates feelings of pride and guilt according to the beliefs that have been learned within the family and the culture.

Conclusion:

Although these are known as structures, do not take the term literally. Freud did not mean that these are physical parts of our bodies or our brains. He coined these terms and proposed this division of the mind as abstract ideas meant to help us understand how personality develops and works, and how mental illnesses can develop.

Freud theorized that healthy personality development requires a balance between the id and the superego. These two divisions of the mind are naturally at conflict with one another: The id attempts to satisfy animal, biological urges, while the superego preaches patience and restraint. The struggle between these two is an example of intrapsychic conflict—conflict within the mind.

According to psychoanalytic theory, defense mechanisms are automatic (unconscious) reactions to the fear that the id’s desires will overwhelm the ego. Freud believed that a healthy personality was one in which the id’s demands are met but also the superego is satisfied in making the person feel proud and not overwhelmed by guilt. If the id is too strong, a person will be rude, overbearing, selfish, and animalistic. If the superego is too strong, a person is constantly worried, nervous, and full of guilt and anxiety and is always repressing the id’s desires. An overly strong id makes one a psychopath, lacking a conscience, or an ogre, selfishly meeting one’s needs without concern for others. An overly strong superego, on the other hand, makes one a worrier, a neurotic, so overwhelmed by guilt that it is difficult to get satisfaction.

1.5.2 ERIKSON THEORY:

Erikson converted Freud’s emphasis to a focus on social relationships into eight psychosocial stages. These stages became known as the Eight Ages of Man. (As you know, at that time in history, the word man was used to apply to all human beings.) Each of Erikson’s eight stages was described as a time of crisis—a time when the personality would go one way or the other. For example, you’ve likely heard of the identity crisis. Erikson theorized that during adolescence, we all face a crisis of figuring out who we are. Each of the stages has this either-or quality.

Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages: (Eight Ages of Man)

1. Infant         Trust   versus Mistrust                      Babies whose needs are met develop a feeling of 

                                                                                 trust  for the environment. If infants have frustration 

                                                                                 and deprivation, they learn a basic mistrust for the 

                                                                                 world that will stick throughout life.

2. Toddler       Autonomy versus  Shame                 When toddlers learn to act independently and to 

                                                                                  control and doubt their  bodies (toilet training, 

                                                                                  walking, etc.), they learn self confidence and a

                                                                                  feeling of autonomy. Failure leads to feelings of 

                                                                                  inadequacy and  therefore a sense of basic shame 

                                                                                  and doubt.

3. Preschool    Initiative versus Guilt                        The preschooler is ready to take action—in play, in 

                                                                                   imagination and in running his or her life. 

                                                                                   Success   here leads to good self-esteem; problems

                                                                                   lead to feelings of guilt.

4. Early school age     Industry versus Inferiority     The school-aged child is ready for learning many 

                                                                                   new skills and, if successful, will develop 

                                                                                   a sense of industry—being good at things.

                                                                                   Failures at this stage result in a deep sense of being 

                                                                                   no good, of being inferior to others—a feeling that 

                                                                                   might carry into adulthood.

5. Adolescent    Identity versus Role of confusion        An adolescent is beginning to think abstractly 

                                                                                    and can conceptualize his  or her self-identity and 

                                                                                    personality. The adolescent begins to consider

                                                                                    questions of identity such as: Who should I be? 

                                                                                    What should I value? And what interests should I 

                                                                                     have? The teen must answer these to develop a 

                                                                                     good sense of self-identity. Exploration of various 

                                                                                     roles and  personalities is common in this stage.

6.Young adult    Intimacy  versus  Isolation                A young adult faces the challenge of developing 

                                                                                     close emotional relationships with other people. 

                                                                                     Here the term intimate does not mean sexuality, 

                                                                                     but social and emotional connections with others. 

                                                                                     The opposite result, for those who do not develop 

                                                                                     a sense of intimacy, is to become isolated from 

                                                                                     social contact.

7.Middle-aged adult    Generativity versus Stagnation             Middle-aged adults feel an urgency to 

                                                                                       leave a mark on the world, to generate 

                                                                                       something  of lasting value and worth. Finding a 

                                                                                       purpose in life is a central theme. To fail at 

                                                                                       generating something significant means a

                                                                                       person becomes stagnant and stops moving 

                                                                                       forward; this person may become selfish and 

                                                                                        self-absorbed.

8. Old adult     Integrity versus Despair                         In old age, it is common to look back on life and 

                                                                                       reflect on what was accomplished. People who 

                                                                                       feel good about what they have done build a

                                                                                       sense of integrity. For those whose evaluations 

                                                                                       are not so good, there is despair, the feeling of 

                                                                                       regret and remorse for the life they led.

Activity:

Explain Freud's or Erikson's theory in 250 words