Reflection on Personality Theories - Report Example

Reflection on Personality Theories: Psychoanalysis, Analytic Psychology, & Individual Psychology and ID University name Due date of paper Reflection on Personality Theories Answer 1: Freud’s Theory: View of Personality Freud’s Psychoanalytic theory is basically related to the working of unconscious mind. The major factors emphasized about personality include id, ego, super ego, feelings of affection and fear, and defense mechanism (Goodwin, 2008). Freud believed that personality development takes place in a predetermined order. The five stages of personality development described in the theory include oral stage (1st year), anal stage (2nd year), phallic stage (3rd to 5th year), latency stage (6th to 12th year), and genital stage (life after puberty). This theory promotes that unhealthy people can suffer from irrational pleasure or guilt because they are in unconscious state of mind and are not aware of the unconscious processes taking place in their minds. He believed that there are two conflicting drives in every person; the life drive that supports survival and the death drive that ends with extreme pleasure (Putnam, 1917). While emphasizing on sexuality, Freud also introduced his valuable ideas regarding unconscious and preconscious, which gave a new life to the field of psychoanalysis. “He pioneered new techniques for understanding human behavior, and his efforts resulted in the most comprehensive theory of personality and psychotherapy ever developed” (Rana, 1997, para. 1). Jung’s Theory: View of Personality Jung’s main area of interest revolves around unconscious. If we apply his theory to understand personality, we come to know that our past, present, and future aspirations work together to determine our behaviors and overall personality. Jung believed that it is our psychic energy that determines what we are going to do in future spiritually, creatively, and intellectually. Jung has focused more on the process of individuation which is based on integrating the conscious and unconscious of a person (Malamud, 1923). The main elements that Jung has emphasized about personality include ego, personal unconscious, and collective unconscious. Along with this, Jung has also focused on eight mental functions in a person’s attitude, which include extraverted sensing, introverted sensing, extraverted intuition, introverted intuition, extraverted thinking, introverted thinking, extraverted feeling, and introverted feeling. Adler’s Theory: View of Personality Adler’s individual psychology views personality as a consequence of some earlier events that shape a person’s behaviors. For example, if a person is encouraged, he/she becomes more cooperative and connected and shows more responsibility. Similarly, if a person is discouraged, feelings of withdrawal and dejection arise that disrupt the behavior of the person. Adler believed that the sense of inferiority developed in the childhood does not go away with time, rather it linger into other stages of life. He also believed that these feelings of inferiority determine the adult behavior of a person. The main elements that Adler has emphasized about personality include compensation, neurosis, encouragement, discouraging behaviors, goal orientation, and self-determination. Answer 2: Similarities between Theories Although both Adler and Jung are viewed as the successors of Freud, there are hardly close similarities between their views. The only similarity between Adler and Jung end with their disagreement with Freud’s emphasis on human sexuality. A similarity between all three theorists is that all of them have stood religion as a strong determinant of human perceptions and behaviors. Moreover, past experiences, feelings, unconscious, and motivation have been placed as key factors that shape personality development. Differences between Theories Although Freud and Jung are considered close in their views and perceptions, but there exist some differences in the assumptions of both theorists. For example, Freud believed that only past experiences determine future behaviors, whereas Jung believed that past experiences along with future aspirations determine future behaviors. Similarly, there is also a difference in the assumption of nature of the unconscious. Freud believed that unconscious is based on unacceptable repressed desires of a person, whereas Jung believed that unconscious is based on repressed memories of a person and his/her ancestral past (McLeod, 2014). As far as the differences in the viewpoints of Adler and Jung are concerned, Adler has talked more about the feeling of inferiority which develops at the earliest stages of a person’s life. On the other hand, Jung has talked more about unconscious as a key towards behavioral development. Adler’s views also differentiated from Freud in that Adler focused on goal-orientation of human behavior, whereas Freud focused on instinctive psychology. Similarly, Adler talked about the importance of values in determining behaviors, whereas Freud viewed superego as the determinant of behaviors (Operant, 2007). Answer 3: Practical Usefulness of Freud’s Theory The theory of psychoanalysis can be used to cure mentally ill people as it is targeted towards a specific area of brain control, which is unconscious mental state. The theory plays a big role in therapeutic processes as it is based primarily on the working of human mind. It also helps in understanding the current mental state of people and providing them with the most suitable treatment in accordance with their therapeutic and mental needs. If we analyze the working of human mind in detail in accordance with the perception of Freud, we come to know that our conscious behaviors are primarily based on unconsciousness. Psychoanalysts work on this area of Freud’s theory and try to bring that large portion of unconscious mind to the state of consciousness. The theory also provides a strong base for future researchers on which they can base their understanding of human behaviors. Practical Usefulness of Jung’s Theory Carl’s analytical psychology theory can be use in psychological-therapeutic treatment of mentally ill patients. Using this theory as the base for treatment, psychologists try to reveal the hidden dreams and aspirations of people to determine their behaviors and actions. Psychologists using this theory for treatment have the belief that along with past experiences people’s aspirations also have a big role to play in the adoption of certain behaviors. Therefore, they investigate that hidden portion of mind to know the actual reasons of any specific behavior and cure people accordingly. The theory can also be used by researchers to the significance of dreams and religion in the life of a person. Practical Usefulness of Adler’s Theory Adler’s individual psychology theory can be used by psychologists to determine the causes of disrupted human behaviors of diverse population. Psychologists using this theory as the base for investigating the causes of individual behaviors are of the viewpoint that the feelings that occur in the earliest stages of a person’s life play a key role in shaping future behaviors. They try to work out on knowing what went wrong in the life of a person in order to understand the reason of any specific behavior. The earlier two theories have had more therapeutic touch in them, whereas this theory is focused more on the investigation of feelings and childhood experiences that cause of certain behaviors. Answer 4: Strong and Weak Points of Freud’s Theory The points that made Freud’s psychoanalytic theory a major addition in the world of psychology include huge emphasis on unconsciousness as a determinant of human behaviors and emotions, highly individualized psychoanalytic treatment that helps in determining unconscious factors, and description of the stages of psychoanalytical development. Although Freud’s works had a great influence on the field of human psychology and psychosexual development, he also faced criticism during his whole life, as well as today. For example, Freud’s psychoanalytic theory is primarily based on sexual and instinctive forces that drive the working of human brain. Scientists all over the world have greatly disagreed with Freud’s perception of sexual supremacy in determining behaviors. Strong and Weak Points of Jung’s Theory The strong points of Jung’s Analytic Psychology theory include a clear distinction between introversion and extroversion, distinction between personal unconscious and collective unconscious, addition of aspirations in determining behaviors, and revelation of the concepts of individuation and archetype. The weak points of the theory include lack of explanations for evil, lack of measurable scientific research, and categorization of a person as exclusively introverted or extroverted (Zappia, n.d.). Strong and Weak Points of Adler’s Theory The strong points of Adler’s theory include a classic view of human nature, addition of childhood experiences in determining behaviors, focus on inferiority feelings, and emphasis on life goals and social interest. The weak point regarding this theory is the use of systematic approach that makes the written presentations complex. Answer 5: Gaps in Freud’s Theory The gaps in Freud’s theory include lack of information on the way repression takes place, lack of focus on female sexuality, lack of empirical evidence as the concepts are mostly subjective, lack of focus on meditational processes, and rejection of the free will. Although the theory is based on human sexuality, it does not explicitly reveal the role sexuality or intimacy plays in the personality development of females. Gaps in Jung’s Theory The gaps in Jung’s theory include difficult to falsify or verify, lack of internal consistency and practicality, lack of information on how this theory can be used for the people of different religions, and lack of empirical evidence to support the facts. The theory does not reveal how I can be applied to treat people who have no religion. Moreover, it does not cover information about personality development of non-religious people. Gaps in Adler’s Theory The gaps in Adler’s theory include difficulty in getting an immediate solution for the problem and lack of a well-defined approach that can make patients willing to reveal their hidden dreams and childhood experiences. The theory does not explicitly reveal the role of parental influence and peer relationship in personality development of a person. Although it covers the role of childhood experiences, but does not categorically reveal the significance of parental and peer relationship in personality development. Answer 6: Evaluation/Rating for Freud’s Theory I would rate this theoretical perspective valuable because it provides a good base for the researchers to conduct their research. The theory helps in understanding personality development and the hidden causes of disrupted behaviors. The value that the theorist has given to unconsciousness opens up new directions in human psychology and helps in understanding the working of human mind. Evaluation/Rating for Jung’s Theory I would rate this theory worthwhile because it adds to the concepts developed by studying Freud’s theory. For example, it makes an addition of future aspirations in the determinants of human behaviors. I think future aspirations have a big role to play in making human behaviors positive, negative, or aggressive depending on the nature of ambitions and current mental and financial state of a person. Evaluation/Rating for Adler’s Theory I would rate this theory as a practical theory personality because it relates the development of behaviors and personality to early childhood experiences and feelings of inferiority both of which I think are the most dominant role players in the development of human behaviors. References Goodwin, C. J. (2008). A History of Modern Psychology (3rd ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Malamud, W. (1923). Review of Psychological Types, or The Psychology of Individuation. The Journal of Abnormal Psychology and Social Psychology, 18(2), 167-180. McLeod, S. A. (2014). Carl Jung. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/carl-jung.html Operant, F. (2007). Psychoanalysis Evolves: Freudian Dissenters. Retrieved from http://justnoticeabledifferences.blogspot.com/2007/07/psychoanalysis-evolves-freudian.html Putnam, J. (1917). The theories of Freud, Jung and Adler: I. The work of Sigmund Freud. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 12(3), 145-160. Rana, H. (1997). Sigmund Freud. Retrieved from http://www.muskingum.edu/~psych/psycweb/history/freud.htm Zappia, S. (n.d.). Weaknesses of Carl Jung’s Theory. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/info_8505105_weaknesses-carl-jungs-theory.html Read More