Personality Theories Matrix

Personality Theories Matrix

THEORY

Psychoanalytic

Neo-Freudian

Trait

Biological

Humanistic

Behavioral/

Social

Cognitive

Personality

“Self: id, ego, superego, thanatos; defense mechanisms.”

Personlaity structureis made up of 3 major systems: the id, the ego and the superego. Each has its own function properties, components, operating principles, and mechanisms, the systems interact so closely with one another that it is difficult to disentangle their effects and state their relative contribution to man’s behavior.

Id is the part of the personality system with which a person is born, it is inherited and that is present at birth. It is comprised of urges and desires plus the effects and fixations of early childhood experiences. All memories are kept here. All of the power for the operation of the other two systems and is in close touch with the bodily processes from which it derives its energy. It represents the inner world of subjective experience and has no knowledge of objective reality. Operates on the unconscious level of the human mind. Avoiding pain and obtaining pleasure, the Id has its command two processes the reflex action and the primary process. Attempts to discharge tension by forming a memory mage of an object that will remove the tension. This form of memory image is called wish fulfillment and is the only reality that the Id knows. “I want.”

Ego come into existence because the individual needs some type of conscious element with which to make contact with the objective world of reality in order to satisfy the needs for the body and the Id. It derives its power from the Id. The ego develops as the “self” develops and becomes conscious not only of itself but of the outside world.

Superego

The superego incorporates the values and morals of society which are learnt from one's parents and others. It develops as a result of rewards and punishments as one grows up. The superego's function is to control the id's impulses, especially those which society forbids, such as sex and aggression. It also has the function of persuading the ego to turn to moralistic goals rather than simply realistic ones and to strive for perfection.

The superego consists of conscience - all those actions the child is reproved for doing - and the ego-ideal - all those things the child is praised for doing. The conscience makes the individual feel guilty and the ego-ideal makes the individual feel proud, thus directing the striving for perfection.

“Superiority versus inferiority complexes, birth order, pampering versus neglect.” “It (the striving for superiority) lies at the root of all solutions of life’s problems and is manifested in the way in which we meet these problems. All our functions follow its direction” Behavior motivated by striving for superiority: He believed that all of us begin life with a sense of inferiority. He believed that a striving for superiority was THE motivating force in life.

“Collective unconscious, anima (feminine) and animus (masculine), shadow (Myers and Briggs Type Inventory)” Our conscious understand of who we are come from tow sources: 1st from encounters with social reality, such as the tine people tell us about ourselves. 2nd we deduce from out observation of others. If others agree with our self assessment we ten to think we are normal. Each individual has a personal unconscious. This area of personality that cannot be understood directly but can only be approached indirectly, through dreams and through analysis’. It is affected by the conscious by means of archetypal images and complexes. One is an accessible side referred to as consciousness, comprising one senses, intellect, emotions, and desires and the other is an inaccessible side. The personal unconsciousness, containing elements of personal experience we have forgotten. Archetypal energy that orders and integrates the personality an encompassing wholeness out of which personality evolves. The self is the goal of personal development. Personal shadow balances the ego in the personal unconscious. Personal shadow can contain