Personality Theory, Psychoanalytic and Humanistic - Essay Example

? Personality Theory: Psychoanalytic and Humanistic Introduction Personality can loosely be defined as the pattern of interpersonal processes that originate within an individual’s psyche; these are inclusive of; thoughts, feelings and action. Personality psychologists have for several years engaged in intensive debate and discussion on which is the most suitable approach to examine the human personality. Consequently, a variety of theories has been postulated each trying to describe, using different techniques, the cause effects of human personality. Two of the most significant theories so far are the psychoanalysis theory by Sigmoid Freud and the humanist theory by Abraham Maslow; in this essay, they will be briefly described and then compared and contrasted. Psychoanalysis The psychoanalysis theory comprises a binary identity in that it is both a comprehensive theory about human nature as well as a method of treatment of psychoanalytical disorders. According to Sigmund Freud, the human personality is broken down to three categories namely the id, the ego and the ego ideal. The id is the pleasure seeking instant gratification side of the personality while the superego embodies one’s sense of morality and finally the ego, which ultimately drives the human personality and consists of elements from both extremes. Personality formation is the process through which an individual “becomes an individual”; thereby they develop stable patterns of thoughts, feeling and actions. These characteristics in an individual are determined by their internal intuitive drives and tensions as well as the external demands to confirm and socialize with one’s immediate human environment. The model is grounded on the fact that an individual is often ignorant of the real factors determining their deeds since the motivations are unconscious, therefore psychoanalysis is generally focused on how subconscious factors influence current relationships and behavior (Cohler & Galatzer, 2007). This theory tries to understand the human psyche by tracing it to retrospective experiences such as childhood trauma and unfulfilled needs and examining the realities of an individual’s current life situation. As such, a therapist using the psychoanalytic method will try to build a trusting relationship with the client so the latter may be encouraged to re-experience painful and sometimes embarrassing events of their past life that may be hindering their personality development or affecting their behavior. Humanism The humanist theory emerged in the early 50’s when Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow released their works outlining humanist ideas, these were received by the psychological community as viable options to the Freudian and psychoanalysis and behaviorist theories which were the most prominent then (Matlin, 1999). The positive reception was because critics of Freudian theories felt it was reductionist and too preoccupied with psychological problems as opposed to trying to explain he normal or more positive human experience such as love creativity or mysticism (Portnoy, 1999). The humanistic theory is primarily focused on the individual’s potential and emphasizes the importance of growth as well as the possibility of self-actualization, a key tenet of the theory was that human being are inherently good and mental problems are results of deviation from the natural inclination. One of the main models in the humanist theory is the hierarchy of needs by Maslow in which he listed the various levels of needs in a pyramid postulating that human beings have to fulfill all the needs at the bottom before they can hope to achieve self-actualization. Carl Rogers also proposed and implemented the human centered model of counseling which treated psychological disorders by focusing on the patients centered approach and focusing on their feeling and reaction. Differences The psychoanalysis theory can be viewed as deterministic approach to the personality while the humanist theory is more of persona centered and existential philosophy (McLeod, 1999). Psychoanalytic conjecture has it that the personality is determined by a combination of subconscious motivators and instinctive drives that develop during and individuals first six years. Ergo, the deterministic perspective argues that experiences are key in determining an individual’s present behavior. According to Freud, it is only after one reflects and gains insight into their unconscious that they can form a personality based on choice rather than impulsive habit. The humanistic approach on the other hand embodies certain elements of existentialism because individuals have the freedom and power to make positive choices, which can automatically lead to positive development irrespective their retrospective experiences. Humanists hold that the consciousness not the sub consciousness determines the choices an individual makes and as individuals make more choices they develop a greater sense of being and self-understanding (Feist & Feist, 2009). Freud focused his theory on mental disorders and his experiment and studies were seen as means to understand mental problems rather than the function of the healthy human individual, in fact psychoanalysis was introduced primarily as a tool for ameliorating emotional distress in humans. Much of the research Freud gathered for the basis of his theory was from mentally ill individuals who were his patients, despite the fact that today it is increasingly being used as a means of understanding healthy individuals its primary approach is a problem solving one. Conversely, Maslow pursued a contradictory approach and in his study, he eliminated the use of invalids, both physical and mental as his sole source of research information and focused more on the figures who were viewed as archetypical human success stories. Instead of predominantly focusing of the negatives in human emotion character and behavior, he examined globally recognized achievers like Albert Einstein and Roosevelt. It was based on these finding that the hierarchy of needs was presented depicting the humanist model of the deviatory phrases of success and how they may affect ones behavioral patents and personality. Concerning change, the psychoanalytic theory encourages change based on clinical evidence and the therapist will try to give patient a greater insight into their own subconscious so they may understand and reflect on their subconscious motivation. When applied clinically, to a large extent the psychoanalysis theory is therapist centric as the success is highly depend on the therapist’s own knowledge and professional understanding of the patient’s condition. The humanistic theory on the other hand is a patient centered approach and it is the individual not the therapist who takes charge of their development. Humanist treatment uses wider latitude in clinical application such as gestalt group therapies and bodywork psychosynthesis, giving more emphasis to the present as opposed to interpretations of retrospective events of symbolic factors. Similarities It is however notable that even in the methods, which are admittedly varied, there are certain underlying similarities, which could have resulted from the fact that having predated humanistic theories, psychoanalysis had, some influence on them. For example, both theories are categorized into stages, one of the key elements of the psychoanalytic theory embodied in the stages from infancy to adulthood beginning with the oral, then anal, phallic, latency stage and so on. Similarly, the humanist theory has the hierarchy of needs from the basic human needs to the self-actualization needs; both stages represent key milestones in human development and therefore contribute in self-reflection. Additionally, both theoretical models take cognizance of the possibility of fixation, for instance someone who did not have enough food would be fixated on the first rug of the Maslow’s hierarchy. Similarly, those who do not sufficiently experience their oral stage may end up acquiring habits like hoarding food or smoking according to psychoanalysis. Psychoanalytic and Humanistic schools of thought both have techniques that can be applied to improve the inherent psychological functioning of individuals and their common goal is to help individuals, though examination of their mental process, take conscious control over their own minds (Dennis, 1999, p. 21). While both theories diverge in term of the methodologies and objectives, they have certain shared characteristics; the humanistic theory primarily focuses on the individual who serves at the cornerstone whose actions potentially enhance their own life and or society. In psychoanalysis, the same centered individual can be viewed as a milestone where their frenzied egocentric and arrogance are a means to fortify their repressed wishes and sexually driven desires. Furthermore, both schools of thoughts are intended to stimulate the individuals to think and reflect on their decision making process and the motivations that guide their behavior and ultimately determine their character and personality. Through therapeutic tools, the psychoanalysis theory attempts to bring out the unconscious conflicts disturbing the patient to the conscious level so they can be dealt with objectively and help the patient discover reasons for their abnormal behavior (Schacter, Daniel & Gilbert, 2011). Using the insight gleaned through psychoanalytic techniques, the patient understands and solves their internal conflict and they are thus able to develop a more positive behavior. A similar objective of improving the human condition is attained through the humanistic therapy, which is focused on removing the obstacles that prevent personal growth, and the theory provides solutions that help the patient/individual, realize and actualize their potential. Although humanistic and psychoanalytic theories are both focused on developing ideas and methods for their application in theoretical and clinical situation but they have been criticized for not paying enough attention to formally self-evaluating themselves. Consequently despite the existence of a great deal of literature on their primary theoretical, applications it is difficult to measure exactly how effective there are since neither of the theories have sufficiently developed their capacity for self-analysis. Summary In conclusion, it is undeniable that the humanistic and the psychoanalysis theories play a critical role in modern psychology concerning both theoretical understanding and clinical practice, despite the underlying differences they often complement each other coexist and may therapist combine them. Concisely, the key difference is that the psychoanalysts pay more attention to the retrospective and subconscious aspects of the individual in the determination and treating of personality issues. The humanist on the other hand try to derive meaning and understanding about the human psyche from current environmental factors and are more embrace the quest for personal growth and actualization as opposed to relegating themselves primarily to issues of mental problems. However, as evidenced, both theoretical approaches share a stratified classification containing several stages and their ultimate aim is to improve the lives of individuals whether ill or not and empower them by helping them be more proactive in their decision making processes. References Portnoy, D. (1999). Relatedness: Where humanistic and psychoanalytic psychotherapy converge. The Journal of Humanistic Psychology, 39(1), 19-34. Matlin, M, W. (1999) Psychology, Third Edition, Orlando: Harcourt Brace College Publishers. McLeod, J. L. (1999). Integrative stress counselling: A humanistic problem-solving approach. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 27(4), 587-588. Cohler, B. J., & Galatzer-Levy, R. (2007). What kind of science is psychoanalysis? Psychoanalytic Inquiry, 27(5), 547-582. Schacter, D L.; Daniel T. Gilbert, D (2011). Psychology (2 ed.). New York, NY: Worth Publishers. Feist, J., & Feist, G. J. (2009). Theories of personality (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill Read More