Psychology of Personality - Research Paper Example

This paper compares and contrasts the theories of two psychologists who have developed theories in the subject area. Finally this paper discusses the major differences between Intrapsychic and Interpsychic processes followed by empirical applications. Albert Ellis and Carl Rogers both agreed on utilizing the psychoanalytical approach to diagnosing and describing individual personalities and emotional intelligence. The primary difference between the two is the method through which they deployed the psychoanalytical process to solve any diagnosed problems (Curtis, 2003).

Specifically, Ellis believed that rational analysis and cognitive reconstruction allowed individuals to understand their self destructive attitudes by bringing their irrational beliefs to conscious evaluation. On the other hand, Rogers was more focused on the development of the concept of the self. He observed that conditional and unconditional positive regard for the self is key to productive lifestyles that solve personality disorders (Curtis, 2003). These conditions of worth affect the individuals’ capacity to achieve self actualization. . The purpose of the approach is to help clients overcome self-defeating beliefs and behaviors by demonstrating how irrational, destructive, and unhealthy they are.

The fundamental principle of the theory is the fact that a person is rarely affected (emotionally) by external factors. Instead, individuals are impacted by their perceptions, attitudes, and internal monologues about the external activity (Curtis, 2003). Rational Therapy provides 3 overarching Insights (Ellis, 2003). The first is that there are activating events that precede emotional disturbances. But the activating events are evaluated within a perspective that is dysfunctional or based on irrational beliefs.

The second is that the timeline that individuals acquire self defeating beliefs does not affect the individuals’ propensity to change it. Activating events can occur in a series and reaffirm the irrational beliefs (Ellis, 2003). The final insight is that patients will feel better when the feel as if they know how they became disturbed. But the acceptance of insights 1 and 2 is the internal link to the patient getting better (Ellis, 2003). Carl Rogers’ theory of the self is categorized as both a humanistic and phenomenological approach.

Rogers’ articulation of his theory is both extensive and nuanced. In his attempts to empirically evaluate psychotherapy, he conducted a scientific approach out of a need to be compatible with the status quo at all times (Rogers, 1959). Rogers focuses on the development of the personality where he discusses the realization of principles instead of reaching stages. Specifically he focuses on the development of a self concept and the