Psychoanalytic Approach to Personality Components - Essay Example

Psychoanalytic Approach to Personality The pioneers of psychology, Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, William James, and Alfred Adler were prominent thinkers, early thinkers, and significant contributors to contemporary science of psychology. Although each of the theorists was distinct, they each gained reputation through fresh interpretation of Freud’s ideas. In reality, the psychoanalysis theories of Freud, Jung, and Adler can be regarded as exceptionally similar, yet different. The paper compares and contrast psychoanalytic approaches of Freud, Jung, and Adler. In addition, the paper describes the stages outlined in Freud’s theory and delineates characteristics of personality using the components. Lastly, the paper explores three defense mechanisms with real life examples. Psychoanalytic Approach to Personality # 1 The Psychoanalytic Theories of Freud, Jung, and Adler Sigmund Freud perceived the complete human psyche from a sexual perspective and theorized that the human mind manifests three core components: the id, the ego, and the super ego. The three components are frequently in conflict (thus influencing personality) and if not treated may cause neurosis. Adler’s school of psychology, referred to as “individual psychology,” is grounded in the notion of the indivisibility of the personality. Adler’s most apparent divergence from Freud’s hypothesis was his belief that it was essential to conceive individuals a whole, rather than an assembly of mechanisms, drives, or dynamic parts (Goodwin, 2008). Critical to his therapeutic approach was the notion that individuals always have control over their lives and deliver choices that shape them. Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud had a close correspondence, which led to Carl Jung stepping into a leading role within the psychoanalytic movement. Jung found Freuds theories regarding repression and the unconscious to be creative explanations of what he was encountering in his work and his patients (Goodwin, 2008). However, as Adler did, Jung discounted Freud’s emphasis on the prominence of the sexual drive. Jung diverged from Freud in that he asserted that dreams can reveal other themes, as well as aggression and sexuality. Jung also advanced that dreams divulge archetypical material, creativity, and a force towards individualization. # 2 An Analysis of the Characteristics of these Theories The theories advanced by Freud, Jung, and Adler have been critical in guiding modern research in personality. The two characteristics that I agree with encompass animus and anima archetypes presented by Jung, as well as Adler’s assertion of interpersonal drives operating within the external environment (Nevid, 2009). Animus and anima detail both gender characteristics, which explain the presence of women within the military, and men as fashion designers. The two characteristics that I dispute entail Freuds assertion that the id, ego, and superego operate entirely on their own. I also find Adler’s view of the conscious and unconscious areas of the mind unconvincing. # 3 Stages of Freud’s theory Freud’s stages of psychosexual development are completed in a predetermined sequence and yielding in either successful completion (or a healthy personality) or can yield in failure, or leading to an unhealthy personality (Nevid, 2009). Oral Stage (birth to 18 months) The first stage, oral stage, details that the child focuses on oral pleasures such as sucking. An imbalanced gratification can yield an oral fixation or oral personality evidenced by an obsession with oral activities. Personality wise, such individuals may become excessively dependent upon others, gullible, and perceptual followers, besides developing pessimism and aggression towards others (Nevid, 2009). Anal Stage (18 months to three years) The core focus of pleasure in this stage centers on eliminating and/or retaining feces (bladder and bowel movements control). The core conflict in this stage rests on toilet training as the child learns to control anal stimulation (Shaffer, 2009). In terms of personality, after the impacts of an anal fixation amid this stage can yield in an obsession with perfection, control, and cleanliness (anal retentive), the child may also be messy and disorganized (anal expulsive). Phallic Stage (age three to six) At this stage, the pleasure zone shifts to the genitals whereby the boys develop unconscious sexual desires for their mothers (Oedipus complex). According to Freud, out of fear of castration emanating from strong competition from the father, boys eventually choose to identify with the father (Nevid, 2009). In identifying with the father, the boy establishes masculine characteristics and identifies himself as male and represses the prior sexual feelings towards the mother. A fixation in this stage may yield sexual deviances, as well as weak, or confused sexual identity. Latency stage (age six to puberty) At this stage, sexual urges remain firmly repressed, and children mainly interact and play usually with same sex peers. Latency is mainly conceived as a social stage whereby children remain highly preoccupied with shaping other skills and activities. Children do not necessarily pay much attention to sexual motivations (Nevid, 2009). Genital Stage (from puberty onwards) The genital stage starts from the onset of puberty whereby sexual urges are awakened. Through the tips learned during the preceding stages, adolescents learn to direct their sexual urges onto opposite sex peers, with the core focus of pleasure being the genitals. The less the energy left invested in unresolved psychosexual developments, the higher will the capacity to develop normal relationships with the opposite sex (Nevid, 2009). # 4 Freudian Defense Mechanisms Defense mechanisms detail process that the ego employs to distort reality so as to shield itself. Some of the most apparent defense mechanisms in real life include repression, denial, and rationalization (Nevid, 2009). Repression refers to a defense mechanism that mainly pushes threatening thoughts back into the unconscious. For instance, individuals fail to recall the details of some death they witnessed or torture they witnessed and/or experienced. Denial is another prominent defense mechanism detailing refusal to embrace reality or fact. Majority of people employ denial in their everyday life to circumvent painful areas or feelings of their life (Shaffer, 2009). For instance, some individuals are embroiled in substance abuse such as alcohol abuse so as to avoid reality and despite drinking been unhealthy in the long term; some assert “alcohol is beneficial for health, besides I do not drink a lot.” Similarly, denial may also be manifested by a person who is dying or terminally ill. Rationalization incorporates post hoc logical explanations for certain behaviors mainly fuelled by internal, unconscious motives. The defense mechanism avails self-justifying explanations in place of the actual, frightening, unconscious reasons for an individual’s actions (Shaffer, 2009). For instance, a student whose grades are declining owing to spending too much time in the recreation activities such as watching TV may downplay the impact of such activities such as by asserting “watching TV helps me to focus on my studies.” Similarly, a man turned down by a woman on a date, for instance, may remark “I did not like her anyway” in an effort to minimize the anxiety associated with being spurned. Conclusion Freud was a pivotal force uniting Jung and Adler. Freud, together with Jung and Adler contributed significantly in the development of psychoanalysis. Each of the four psychologists gained prominence through innovation, instead of following the ideas advanced by the others. Jung, like Adler, disputed Freud on his theories on sexual motivation and fashioned the theory of analytical psychology. However, their contributions can be employed to aid individuals find out their identity and personalities. References Goodwin, C. J. (2008). A History of Modern Psychology. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Nevid, J. (2009). Psychology: Concepts and applications. Boston, MA: Houghton Miffling. Shaffer, D. (2009). Social and personality development. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. Read More