Sigmund Freud's Theory Of Personality Theory

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A personality is unique to each person, and has developed because of various elements in that person’s life. Theorists have studied personalities and their formation for hundreds of years now, and each theorist has their own view on how a personality is formed, and what affects the growth of that personality. Sigmund Freud, one of the most famous names in psychology, was responsible for studying personality from a psychodynamic standpoint. His psychoanalytical theory stated that personality is based on three main statements. The first statement is that unconscious forces that we cannot control govern personality. The second part suggests that childhood experiences play a large role in determining how a person will act as an adult. Lastly, Freud states that the personality is shaped by how a person copes with their sexual urges. (Weiten, Dunn, & Hammer, 2012) He goes further to explain that the personality is divided into three structures: the id, a person’s …show more content…

Carl Rogers was a founder of this movement that emphasizes personal growth, and he suggested that the personality only contains one paradigm- the self-concept. The self-concept is a collection of beliefs about one’s nature, qualities unique to them, and their typical behavior. If a person’s self-concept matched reality, then they are considered congruent. If they do not match reality, then they are considered incongruent, and this has an effect on the person’s well being. Rogers believed that a parent’s unconditional love for their child could help foster congruence in that person. (Weiten, Dunn, & Hammer, 2012) He based these humanistic theories off of the interactions that he had with his clients, as he observed them during their sessions. His theories help to explain a person’s defensive behavior among other things, but most importantly, he stressed that psychological health is extremely important. (Weiten, Dunn, & Hammer,

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