StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Freud's Most Important Contribution to Study of Personality - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
"Freud's Most Important Contribution to Study of Personality" paper considers Horney's construct called "the Tyranny of the should", describes the effects of this construct on behavior, and gives an example of this tyranny has affected someone's lifestyle…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER93% of users find it useful
Freuds Most Important Contribution to Study of Personality
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Freud's Most Important Contribution to Study of Personality"

QUESTIONS Q1. What is Freud's most important contribution to study of personality Why is this considered to be important Freud's most important contribution to study of personality is introduction of new dynamic psychology from which psychoanalysis has developed. This is important since this provides a plausible explanation of psychoneurosis within the framework of personalities. Although debatable, any expression of personality, according to Freud is a manifestation of set predisposition to Ego and Sex. These basal complexes are modified as a result of social encounters, and these conflicts act as the chief influences on the primary dispositions. Most psychoneuroses are dependent on the failure of the personality to a find an adequate solution of this conflict, and the compromise that the person reaches is not satisfactory to him. The basal or primary dispositions develop in the childhood, and they determine the future psychic development. Therefore, the personality and its forms are actually determined by the childhood development in terms of Sex and Ego, which may distinguish between different personalities. This, therefore may serve as a key to knowing these personalities. Q2. Based on the understanding of Adler's construct of "style of life." Adler's style of life theory contends that the determining factors that mould human behaviour and development and hence personality are to gain power and ascendency against the environment. This means, in human personality, the conduct is determined by a final purpose. A person's styles of life or temperamental factors determine his behaviour. According to his theory, the style of life is an affective and cognitive representation of the existential problems that any person desired to resolve. Thus this reflects the person's reactions to his perceptions about reality and the reactions that demonstrate in the ways of coping with it. This is a manifestation of cultural adaptation through the interaction between the person and the reality. Functionally, these may be equivalent to the cognitive and psychological traits of the personality which is reflected upon the genetic inheritance. Q3. Consider Horney's construct called "the Tyranny of the should." Describe the effects of this construct on behavior. Give an example of this tyranny has affected someone's lifestyle. Horney's construct of the "tyranny of should" are well depicted in the childhood development, which in future may lead to a neurotic personality. These develop early in the development through influences from temperament and environment. The child's personality and his degree of vitality and his nature and its quality may make a child rebellious or submissive under such pressures created by parental coercion. The tyranny is created by love and intimidation, tyranny, and glorification. These create the environment of the child, and their personality will be influenced by such relationships which may alter the environment from the normal of warmth, mutual respect and consideration. From the perspective the "tyranny of should" from the parents exerts pressure on the child even up to the extent that he may start feeling that his existence is dependent upon the parental wishes. The consequences are improper or incomplete development of self-respect. The personality may become insecure, apprehensive, isolated, and resentful. Although initially, helpless, gradually he starts coping and become manipulative. The case of a child who has a stubborn negativism and who expresses himself with temper tantrums may be considered. His coping mechanism is shutting himself from others, living in his own world, where he can resent and reject every demand made upon him by the "tyranny of should" and he makes inroads to isolation and privacy which might be the beginning of a neurosis. Q4. Consider the frames of orientation presented by Fromm. Give a specific example of behavior which constitutes a healthy frame of orientation. Give specific example of behavior which constitutes an unhealthy frame of orientation. Be sure to identify which frame of orientation you are presenting for each type. While discussing personality, Fromm pointed out frames of orientation. These frames depict the ways a person relate or interact with the world around and in this way constitute his personality or character in general. These generally develop from two specific varieties of interrelatedness to the environment, assimilation and socialisation. Assimilation involves acquiring and synthesising information within, leading to a character in the personality. The socialisation is collecting information through social encounters. These orientational frameworks are actually equivalent to instinctual systems in animals, and these describe the development of personality in humans through his innate responses to conflicts in life, although classically pure orientations are never encountered in personalities around. Healthy frame of orientation, productive. Unhealthy frame of orientation, exploitative. This is characterised by the neurotic need to exploit others, in terms of money, ideas, sexuality, and feelings. They have pride in exploitative skills. They have dread for being exploited. Q5. Give an example from real life or from fiction of a person who adopts a negative identity rather than suffer from turmoil and confusion. Discuss the function of the negative identity. What would the person have to experience in order to counter the negative identity Taking the story of an adolescent substance abuser whose mother was divorced and the alcoholic father left them unsupported, this incriminated and delinquent young man was an example of assuming negative behaviour. To be able to develop into healthy adult with a totally integrated personality and a positive identity, the child must master the turmoil of crisis that might present in any stage of the development. In each stage of development, the child may fail to adequately and successfully negotiate the crisis and fail to develop a positive identity. This would ultimately lead to developmental delays, personality dysfunction, and all would surmise into a negative identity. This is a result of perverse identification and roles at critical stages of development that appear real, dangerous, and undesirable. Establishment of more prosocial self in the phase of early to late adolescence when the pursuit of identity is maximum, would lead to development of a healthy personality which in turn would lead to adjustments to the reality and conflicts and absence of negative identity. Q6. Consider Roger's definition of self-actualized person. Describe someone who has become self-actualized. When a human being receives positive regard from others, they start to learn to think very positively about themselves. According to Roger, self-actualization is a process which differentiates inherent potentials in the individual personality makeup. This is a self-enhancing process which is essentially constructive and helps the individual to move forward. This arises from self-awareness that is stimulated by positive regard leading to a relatively experience congruent self-concept. President Bill Clinton, during his tenure made some poor decisions which affected his tenure in White House. According to Rogerian concepts, Clinton was striving to actualize himself was attempting to prefect the self. His need for positive regard was found in Monica. The bad choices of both led a situation when they lost regard throughout the world. From the other angle, his performance as the President earned him the honour back, and he was able to move forward. Q7. Consider Roger's definition of unconditional positive regard. Give examples that support that construct. Unconditional positive regard is one of the main concepts in psychotherapy and in personality development. This concept is closely related to self-awareness, and this individual longs for unconditional positive regard from others. This means acceptance of one person by others without any condition. This also means caring without possessiveness with independence of expression of feelings without any hindrance. The relationship between a client and therapist may be an example of unconditional positive regard where the client has liberty to express self, think independently, and yet regarded by the therapist with care and acknowledgement. Roger has contended that moving towards healthier adjustment in life experiences would need an enhancement of unconditional positive regard. Q8. Consider Erikson's stages of personality development. The maturation into a healthy adult with a positive identity, adjustment, and an integrated personality from childhood, the child passes through eight stages of development, where the child attempts to overpower the crisis. These stages are namely, trust versus mistrust, autonomy versus shame and doubt, initiative versus guilt, industry versus inferiority, identity versus role confusion, intimacy versus isolation, generativity versus stagnation, and integrity versus despair. In each of these stages, the individual either fail to successfully complete a stage or is able to adequately negotiate the crisis. Q9. Consider May's definition of Daesin. Give an example from on someone's life that supports May's argument that supporting and affirming our Daesin takes considerable courage. Daesin is a concept of existential psychology, which attempts to explain personality and its existence as being in the world. According to May, there are three significant modes of existence. These are the physical and the psychological needs, the social environment of the persons, and the particular relationship with the inner nature. This means the personality of a specific individual is needed to be examined in the context of his total reality of existence with special interest in problems and differing perceptions. Therefore there is a necessity to have a holistic understanding of the personality including consciousness, moods, emotions, feelings, and thoughts. Taking the example of President Bill Clinton again, his affair with Monica and subsequent account by the President needed considerable courage to face the experience in a retrospective manner where truth was revealed about his existence at that time. His account related his values, conflicts, meaning of life, suffering, anxiety, and finally the account of his relationship with Monica. Q10. Consider Maslow's definition of the self-actualized person. Describe someone who fit his criteria. Self actualization by Maslow has been defined as the complete use of talents and potentialities who develops himself in a dynamic way so his capacities are fully and creatively used with full concentration and total absorption. These persons are nearer to reality and are very objective. As an example, William Gates can be cited. He is dedicated to a cause and is committed to it in such a manner that he placed his vocation above him. He was self-actualized and creative, hard working, spontaneous, and courageous. He is realistic and his approach was problem centered. He is resistant to enculturation, and he has a philosophical unhostile sense of humour. Q11. Consider theories of personality. Give your perception of what constitutes personality change There are many theories about personality. The most prominent among them are behavioural theories, psychodynamic theories, and humanist theories. Personality changes involve usually an affective process or process of feelings in the individual, nearly always taking place in the context of an ongoing personal relationship. These are usually manifested in the form of changes in feelings, emotions, thought processes, behaviours, and changes in the innate traits that is called a normal personality of the individual. Q12. Based on all of the above which theory would you consider to be the most useful and which theory would you consider to be the least. For psychotherapy, the most useful theory is Alder's theory of style of life, since this uses psychoanalysis in the more appropriate perspective and hence can be used in practice. In my opinion the Daesin Theory by May is least useful due to its philosophical speculations and theological hints. There is a lack of objective methods and is less useful in experimental and scientific approaches in modern day psychotherapy. Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Just Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words”, n.d.)
Just Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1529312-just-questions
(Just Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 Words)
Just Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 Words. https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1529312-just-questions.
“Just Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1529312-just-questions.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Freud's Most Important Contribution to Study of Personality

Erik Erikson: The Pioneer of the Theory of Psychosocial Development

Erik also extended our concept of understanding personality development to embrace the entire lifespan for impulse development putting what he went through as a teenage because he was also highly affected by self-personality as an individual.... He as well elaborated freud's stages of development making explicit a social dimension that were implied in in freud's theory though he never clearly and categorically stated these psychosexual stages....
8 Pages (2000 words) Research Paper

Historical contributions of a Sigmund Frued to the field of psychology

Initially, Freud intended to study law, but then decided to enter Medical School after having attended a lecture on Goethe's essay On Nature.... Finally, discussion of Freud's legacy and contribution to psychology will seal his achievements as one of the most important thinkers in the 20th century.... Moreover, by taking a look at three of freud's notable followers, Carl Jung, Alfred Adler, and his daughter Dr.... Anna Freud, one can explore on how freud's ideas have influenced his followers to develop their own theory of the mind....
10 Pages (2500 words) Term Paper

Lifespan Development and Personality

ersonality TheoriesSigmund Freud is often credited as being the most prominent founding figure in the study of personality, though many of his contributions may have been overshadowed by excessively suggestive imagery.... Irrespective of the controversy, it is difficult to argue against Freud's role in pioneering the study of personality.... Phil's colorful personality, as well as interpretations of these factors as viewed through two unique theories of personality....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Women in Psychology. Anna Freud

In 1965, another great contribution to the field of psychology was published known as Normality and Pathology in Childhood.... Some of her theoretical experiences and process of investigation are discussed here, Child Psychology When we talk about Anna Freud's contribution to the field of psychology, we find out that most of her interests and energies were dedicated to the investigation of children.... After that, freud's work was translated into many other languages....
7 Pages (1750 words) Research Paper

Freuds and Jungs Conceptualizations of the Unconscious

The paper "Freud's and Jung's Conceptualizations of the Unconscious" states that their theory of the unconscious mind remains relevant even today in explaining and shaping human personality.... It is worth noting that despite differences between Carl Jung and Sigmund freud's perspectives on the theories, they all believed in the anima and the animus.... Besides, the theory of libido and dual instinct is also closely connected to freud's works....
8 Pages (2000 words) Essay

Freuds Theory of Personality

This research paper describes Freud's theory of personality.... Bornstein in his article 'Psychodynamic Models of personality' has come up with a unique comparison between Freud's psycho-analysis and Picasso's cubism, with the intention to show that no matter how many modern psychologists attempt to show that Freud's psychoanalysis has lost its utility.... 18) Freud's psychoanalytic theory asserts that the activities of human psyche occur at the unconscious level of the human psyche and those activities actually take a leading part in the development of a person's foundation of personality....
14 Pages (3500 words) Research Paper

20th Century Genius Award

In 1885 Freud would begin his study of psychology in Paris under Jean-Martin Charcot.... igmund Freud made a tremendous amount of contributions to the study of psychology.... Freud excelled as a student and would go on to study under Darwinist Professor Karl Claus.... After completing his study he would go on to open his own medical practice.... Perhaps the most pervasive influence Freud has had is in reshaping psychological paradigms....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay

The Contrast of Two Psychological Approaches

Since acceptable reconditioning shaped normal behavior, Watson recommended reinforcing people's influence on their personality and thoughts.... Developed by Sigmund Freud, Psychodynamic focuses on inner conflicts an individual faces within the mind and their influence on the development of one's personality....
7 Pages (1750 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us