Theories of Personality

Theories of personality
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(December, 2012)
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Table of contents
TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Introduction PAGEREF _Toc344561250 \h 3
Theories of Personality PAGEREF _Toc344561251 \h 3
Traits theories PAGEREF _Toc344561252 \h 3
Psychoanalytic theory PAGEREF _Toc344561253 \h 4
Behavioral or social learning PAGEREF _Toc344561256 \h 4
Humanistic views PAGEREF _Toc344561257 \h 5
Importance of theories of personality PAGEREF _Toc344561258 \h 5
From Theory to Research to Practice PAGEREF _Toc344561259 \h 6
Different Approaches but Similar Goals PAGEREF _Toc344561260 \h 7
Psychoanalytic Theory PAGEREF _Toc344561261 \h 7
Behavioral Theory PAGEREF _Toc344561262 \h 8
Humanistic Theory PAGEREF _Toc344561263 \h 9
Cognitive Theory PAGEREF _Toc344561264 \h 10
The theory that works best for me PAGEREF _Toc344561265 \h 10
Conclusion PAGEREF _Toc344561266 \h 10
References PAGEREF _Toc344561267 \h 12
Introduction
Personality is also known as personality psychology. It is the study of the person, that is, the whole human individual. When people think of personality they think of personality differences (types, traits and the like). They also refer to characteristics of a individual or the person`s social skills. However, when the psychologists talk of personality they are mainly interested in the following; first of all, establishing why people of with same heredity, motivation and experience react differently in the same stimuli and secondly, why the same people with the same experience, heredity, or motivation might reaction the same when exposed to the same stimuli (DiCaprio,1983).
Personality is made up the characteristic patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that make a person unique. Personality arises from within the individual and remains fairly consistent throughout life. When explaining personality, psychologists may use idiographic or homothetic techniques. The study of personality involves many aspects of human behavior; almost everything an adult human organism does or can do. Theories of personality organize what we do know, stimulate new research, and formally specify a view of personality. Four groups of such theories have been developed in the past century: trait, psychoanalytic, behavioral or social learning, and humanistic views (DiCaprio, 1983).
Theories of Personality
Traits theories
The trait approach to personality is one of the major theoretical areas in the study of personality. The trait theory suggests that individual personalities are composed broad dispositions. Consider how you would describe the personality of a close friend. Chances are that you would list a number of traits, such as outgoing, kind and even-tempered. A trait can be thought of as a relatively stable characteristic that causes individuals to behave in certain ways (Cloninger, 2012).
Unlike many other theories of personality, such as psychoanalytic or humanistic theories, the trait approach to personality is focused on differences between individuals. The combination and interaction of various traits forms a personality that is unique to each individual. Trait theory is focused on identifying and measuring these individual personality characteristics (Ashcraft, 2012).
Psychoanalytic theory
Psychodynamic theories of personality are heavily influenced by the work of Sigmund Freud, and emphasize the influence of the unconscious mind and childhood experiences on personality. Psychodynamic theories include Sigmund Freud's psychosexual stage theory and Erik Erikson's stages of psychosocial development (Ashcraft, 2012).
Freud believed the three components of personality were the id, the ego, and the superego. The id is responsible for all needs and urges, while the superego for ideals and moral. The ego moderates between the demands of the id, the superego, and reality. Erikson believed that personality progressed through a series of stages, with certain conflicts arising at each stage. Success in any stage depended upon successfully overcoming these conflicts (Ashcraft, 2012).
Behavioral or social learning
Behavioral theories suggest that personality is a result of interaction between the individual and the environment. Behavioral theorists study observable and measurable behaviors, rejecting theories that take internal thoughts and feelings into account. Behavioral theorists include B. F. Skinner and John B. Watson (Ashcraft, 2012).
Humanistic views
Humanist theories emphasize the importance of free will and individual experience in the development of personality. Humanist theorists emphasized the concept of self-actualization, which is an innate need for personal growth that motivates behavior. Humanist theorists include Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow (Ashcraft, 2012).
Importance of theories of personality
The reason we stress the complexity and vagueness of defining personality is because its definition depends upon which theory you are using. Theories are of central importance in studying personality. The following are four main significances:-
First of all, personality theories organize what is already known or suspected about a total set of data. For a new data, the theory must often be adjusted. Trait theories of personality are good example of theoretical models constantly subject to revision in light of new data or new analyses performed on that data (Ryckman, 2008).
Second, these theories also serve what we can call a heuristic function. That is, they suggest, by organizing the important facts, exactly what kind of research is needed to fill in missing facts. The (Social-) Learning Theories illustrate this feature of theories well. The theories of Dollard and Miller and Albert Bandura as well as the operant principles developed by B. F. Skinner to explain personality are a source of ideas for research studies (Ryckman, 2008).
Thirdly, these theories provide a formal statement of the central principles of the subject matter. In reference to these view of personality; the psychoanalytic theory of Sigmund Freud formally summarizes his work regarding his core assumptions. The theory also summarizes his views regarding the structure of personality and the role of instincts in psychoanalysis (Ryckman, 2008).
Finally, theories identify the important aspects of a phenomenon; for instance, as summarized in the derivative psychodynamic theories of Carl Jung and Alfred Adler. Such theories also isolate the unimportant features of the phenomenon being studied. So theories serve a variety of important functions, not only (or especially) in the study of personality, but also in all areas of psychology (Ryckman, 2008).
From Theory to Research to Practice
As noted earlier, the definition of personality entails enduring pattern of interacting with the self and the world. Every one of us can identify aspects of our own personality that we see as positive and healthy as well as those aspects that are seen as negative or worth improving. Personality disorders as well as any specific traits not seen as a disorder present a unique struggle for psychotherapists (Barone, 1998).
While much of therapy is done with individuals who do not suffer from a personality disorder, specific traits are often looked at, identified as unhealthy, and ultimately an attempt is made to change them somehow. Those with depression may have a trait where they...