Self determination theory - Essay Example

?Analysis of Personality As far as answering the question “Who am I?” is concerned the most common approach an individual adopts is one that makes use of broad dispositions. Frequently individuals tend to introduce themselves by focusing on traits that closely define their personality – generous, ambitions, hardworking, sincere, etc. When you look at why someone would use traits to answer this question, the reason is quiet obvious; it’s simple, it’s effective and precise. So I will start off by incorporating the trait approach in order to conduct a self-analysis of my best friend, Chan Pao. The aim of the trait theory is to focus on distinctions between individuals. It looks to combine a number of traits which ultimately form a unique personality for each individual, through the use of characteristics; which in the case of defining who Chan would be – intelligent, optimistic and honest. Looking at Allport’s (1936), classification of traits into levels, these three key characteristics would be central traits that define Chan’s personality. Whereas his tendency to be shy around girls, or be anxious before the results to a test are posted, can correctly be classified as secondary traits. Another perspective into Chan’s personality would be through the use of Eysenck’s (1992) three dimensions of personality. As far as being an introvert or extrovert is concerned, initially Chan has the tendency to be behaving with a degree of reserve around strangers. Despite the fact that he is a confident and friendly individual he prefers to not be the one starting conversations or initiating discussions with a complete stranger. This is in fact how we met; where I am verbose, trusting and friendly he is more cautious, reserved and quiet. Based on that to say that he falls somewhat into the introversion dimension would be an accurate classification. As far as the ‘Big five personality dimensions’ (1987), are concerned Chan’s personality, to facilitate our understanding of who he is, is that of an individual who is conscientious. He has the tendency to be thoughtful, focused and has a good grip on his emotions and impulses. A simple glimpse at his bedroom or his work portfolio reinforces the notion that he is an organized individual who pays close attention to detail. The cognitive approach to defining personality sheds light on this analysis in a different manner. To aid our understanding of this perspective it is imperative that we keep in mind that the focus of the cognitive theory is on a person’s thoughts and how these determine their emotions and behavior and hence personality. So in order to accurately pinpoint who Chan is it is important to keep in mind his thought process, which precedes all his feelings and actions; Kelly’s theory(1969), the ‘Fundamental Postulate’, aims to do just that by stating that individuals tend to act depending on their interpretations of prior events. He has the tendency to stay positive even when he is under stress or when he is a part of a complicated situation. Often his unshakable calm and tendency to take bad news without excessive emotional outbursts surprises me. Chan is highly competitive and he see’s other people as equally ambitious and spirited, therefore he has the tendency to be cautious as far as interpersonal relationships are concerned and strongly focus on relying solely on his own abilities and skills to excel. Albert Ellis’s interpretation of cognitive theory, simply described as the A-B-C process can further facilitate the analysis of Chan’s personality. This model can by applied by looking at activating events which lead to the formulation of certain beliefs that result in an experience of emotional consequences. For example, although it infrequently happens, an activating event can be when Chan is given critical feedback on his work by a professor. It is common knowledge that he prioritizes each project and when the initial outline does not receive the expected grade the belief that he tends to formulate is that “I did my best but I can do better”. The emotional consequence which this belief leads to is that of initial disappointment followed by a confidence in things improving by making use of and avoiding the mistakes made in that particular project. The insight which one gets through the application of the A-B-C process on Chan’s personality aligns his thought process with his traits - intelligent, hardworking and ambitious. The ‘Personal Construct theory’ suggests that through observation and experiences individuals have the tendency to formulate internal models of reality which aid their understanding of their environment. Chan is highly respectful and considerate around adults, being raised in a high context culture and in an environment where great priority is given to behaving courteously to older individuals, has led to the formulation of appropriate constructs of respect and politeness in his mind for aged individuals. Constructive alternativism also explains his ability to keep himself focused and jump out of depression when faced by an onset of constant set backs. For example instead of adopting a pessimistic attitude and being constantly stressed after his top college applications got turned down, he instead remained optimistic and hopeful and focused on the notion that there was a better academic fit out there for him. Another perspective is based on the evaluation of Chan’s personality based on his motivations that provoke action. His holistic-dynamic theory suggests that in order for an individual to be completely motivated it is essential that he has a holistic approach. For example in Chan’s case his desire for having a close group of friends despite his reserved attitude, reflects his social and affiliation needs. Being an only child and belonging to a financially stable family his basic needs and safety needs are automatically taken care of. As far as the third level defined by Maslow (1970) ‘Need for love and belongingness’ are concerned by being close to his family, having a steady girlfriend and a few best friends Chan has successfully fulfilled even that. This aids him in not only growing psychologically but also to deal with setbacks, rejections and optimistically face challenges. Currently it would be accurate to say that Chan falls on the forth level of Maslow’s hierarchy, ‘Esteem needs’, as he grows older, more confident, competent and acquiring the respect of peers and acquaintances. With more experiences and more exposure his personality reaches a more complex stage as his lower needs are satisfied and he grows as a individual who strives for self-actualization. The ‘Self determination theory’ provides another outlook towards the understanding of Chan’s personality by looking at his perceived locus of causality. By looking at Chan’s perceived control over his actions as the initiator or sustainer, it is easier to gauge his level of self determination as far behavior is concerned. Chan is a strong believer in the fact that he controls his own life and is liable for his actions. With little room for superstition, a high association of outcomes with luck and being under stress to act in a certain way; his competent and autonomous nature suggest that he has a high internal locus due to his ability to motivate himself. References Allport, G.W. & Odbert, H.S. (1936). Trait-names: A psycho-lexical study. Psychological Monographs, 47(211). Eysenck, H.J. (1992). Four ways five factors are not basic. Personality and Individual Differences, 13, 667-673. McCrae, R.R., & Costa, P.T. (1987) Validation of the five-factor model of personality across instruments and observers. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52, 81-90 Maher, B., Ed. (1969). Clinical Psychology and Personality: The Selected Papers of George Kelly. New York, Wiley. Ellis, A. (2007). The ABC model of psychotherapy. Retrieved on 29th January from: http://www.ospedalivarese.net/files/corsiformazione/1264/2209/Panini%20-%20abcmodel.pdf Maslow, A.H.(1970). Motivation and Personality. 2nd ed. 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