Personality and Its Assessment

1. Personality and Its Assessment The Psychodynamic Perspective and Sigmund Freud & the Humanistic Perspective Chapter 11 (478-493) “We make sense of our past, because we need to be more free in our present.”

2. Personality An individual’s characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling and acting. Differs from mood in that mood is temporary, can change rapidly.

3. Psychodynamic Perspective Pioneered by Austrian physician Sigmund Freud Believed that personality developed or emerged from tensions generated by unconscious motives and unresolved childhood conflicts To uncover these conflicts, Freud used a method he called psychoanalysis (or what we typically see depicted as “The Couch” in modern society).

4. The psychodynamic perspective is a more modern version of Freud’s theory of personality. They don’t focus on the childhood (Mommy and Daddy issues). Still they focus on the unconscious mind and the belief that our childhood dictates who we become as adults.

5. Freud’s View of the Mind • How did Freud view the conscious, the preconscious, and unconscious regions of the mind and how they differed from each other? • Free Association – a method of exploring the unconscious in which a person says whatever comes to mind • Conscious - thoughts and feelings we are aware of • Preconscious – thoughts and memories not in our current awareness but easily retrieved • Unconscious – vast “region” of mostly unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings and memories; opening up the unconscious was Freud’s main objective

6. The Id, and Superego ID – consists of the unconscious; strives to satisfy basic sexual/aggressive drives ID operates on pleasure principle – demands instant grat. Superego – reps. internalized ideals; standards for judgment; WHAT WE SHOULD DO

7. The Ego The EGO is the mediator that makes our decisions Listens to demands of ID and restraint of superego Ego works from reality principle– satisfying the ID in a realistic way (prefer pleasure over pain)

8. How does this image relate to Freud’s view of the mind? Who plays which role?

9. Defense Mechanisms According to Freud, an arsenal of “weapons” used by the ego to help rid the self of anxious tensions by unconsciously distorting reality.

10. 7 Types of Defense Mechanisms Repression – banishing thoughts from conscious Regression – “retreat” to a infantile stage of life Denial – refusal to admit bad things are happening Reaction formation – reverse of an unacceptable impulse; dislike instead of fondness for unobtainable Projection – attributing problems upon others Rationalization – justifying one’s actions Displacement – shifts unacceptable impulses towards a less threatening object/person

11. Freud’s Psychosexual Stages Freud believed personality forms during the first 5 or 6 years of life Problems originate from problems that were not resolved during childhood years. Phallic – Oedipus complex; boys love mother, hate father; Electra – Girls Latency – identification process: what it means to be male or female

12. Final Shots If you could discuss one topic with Sigmund Freud (whether specific or general) what would it be and why? (5 min. ticket out the door)

13. Humanistic Perspective • Humanistic psychology – focuses on the study of the conscious experience and the individual’s freedom to choose and capacity for personal growth. • Want a psychology that • A. emphasizes conscious experiences • B. focuses on free will • C. studies all factors (not just observable) relevant to the human condition

14. Maslow and Self-Actualization Self actualization – the ultimate psychological need that arises after basic physical and psychological needs are met and self esteem is achieved; the need to live up to one’s full potential.

16. Carl Rogers • Viewed humans as “seeds” who needed certain “ingredients” to flourish: • Acceptance • Unconditional positive regard – total acceptance • Genuineness • Free expression of feelings • Empathy • Sharing our thoughts and reflecting another’s feelings “SELF CONCEPT” – all our thoughts and feelings about ourselves, in answer to the question, “Who am I?”