Personality Theories: Freudian and Eysenck's Theories of Personality
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This essay explores the concept of personality in psychology by discussing Freudian and Eysenck's theories of personality. It evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of both theories and their implications.
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Running head: PSYCHOLOGY PSYCHOLOGY Name of the Student: Name of the University: Author note:
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1PSYCHOLOGY Section 1 Introduction Personality is the combination of behaviour, emotions, motivation and perceptions which characterize an individual. Personality psychology endeavours to evaluate the similarities and divergences in these patterns among different people and group. According to Shibutani (2017), in 400 BC, Hippocrates a highly acute observer claimed that different personality types tend to cause by the balance of bodily fluids. However, recent research has shown that biological and genetic phenomena do not tend to influence personality traits. Gawronski and De Houwer (2014) have noted that personality psychology drives individuals to consistently observe surroundings, think, feel and behave in particular ways which develop the distinctiveness of individuals. By the early years of the twentieth century, Sigmund Freud had begun to study about psychoanalysis which had been described as a theory of the mind or personality and a method of exploration of unconscious process in addition to a method of treatment (Parks-Leduc, Feldman & Bardi, 2015). Personalityprimarilycomprisesindividuals’actionsthrough feelingsconsistentor considerably steady, thus developing uniqueness in every individual. The purpose of the essay is to explore the concept of personality in the field of psychology by shedding light on two importantpersonalitytheoriesnamelyFreudianandEysenck’stheoriesofpersonality. Furthermore, the essay will evaluate its strengths and weaknesses of both of the theories by considering its implications. Discussion
2PSYCHOLOGY The first of the modern personality theories was developed by Sigmund Freud and is identified as psychoanalytic theory. Shibutani (2017) has noted that Freud’s ideas were abundant, profound and typically drew controversy. Such a theory regarding personality has had extensive influence on societies across the world through several diverse disciplines. Psychoanalysis primarily seeks to explain the intricate relationship between the body and the mind and advances the understanding of the role of emotions in mental illness and health. The implication and validity of psychoanalysis as a theoretical aspect and treatment have been questioned since its inceptionintheearly1990s(Funder,2015).Criticshavearguedseveralaspectsof psychoanalysis including whether it relates to science or the value of the data which Freud had based his theories in addition to method and value of psychoanalytic. Spezzano (2014) has noted that Freud had explained the principle tenets whereby psychoanalytic theory is based on id, the ego, and the superego. The id has the quality of being unconscious and constitutes everything which is inherited and existing since birth. Additionally, the ego acts in response to stimulation by either adaptationor flight, controls activity and strive to acquire pleasure and avoid displeasure. Finally, the superego whose pressures are regulated by id and is accountable for limitation of contentions and correspond to the influence of others such as parents, family members, teachers and role models in addition to the influence of racial, societal and cultural traditions. Sommers-Flanagan and Sommers-Flanagan (2018) have argued that Freud’s theory has been lacking in empirical evidence and depends substantially on therapeutic achievements while others have claimed that even Freud’s clinical data have been reported to be flawed, imprecise and highly discriminating. Corr and Cooper (2016) have asserted that Freudian psychoanalysisdonotexhibitanypredictionsovertbehaviourbutbasedonconcealed psychological conditions.
3PSYCHOLOGY Meanwhile, Spezzano (2014) has claimed that has typically maintained that every human being is neurotic to certain extent because of trauma and repression individuals have suffered thus resulting to repress the trauma at one point in their lives. However, such a concept related to ubiquitous repression is unattainable to test due to the lack of overt behavioural method of execution. On the other hand, Shibutani (2017) has argued that Freudian psychoanalysis cannot be distinguished as a scientific discipline as it lacks predictions. Drawing relevance from these assertions Kline (2014) has stated that certain childhood events related to molestation, violence or abuse tend to produce certain outcomes or conditions of neurosis. However, in order to proceed with such claims, individuals must develop the competence to predict that if children encounter certain abusive experiences abuse for instance they become characterized by certain personality traits and attributes. Moreover, such a concept would be able to theoretically perform in reverse. For example, Sommers-Flanagan and Sommers-Flanagan (2018) have opined that if individuals are studied within neurotic conditions, an individual should attain the competence to predict their childhood experience. However, these predictions can never be developed with accuracy. While Shibutani (2017) has asserted that Freudian theory of personality cannot be falsified and thus does not result to be scientific, Eysenck claimed that as Freud’s theoretical assumptions can be inaccurate they tend to draw scientific explanations. Furthermore, Corr and Cooper (2016) have harmonized with Eysenck’s assertions stating that Freud’s theory can be fabricated it can be considered as scientific, thus asserting that Freudian personality theory of psychoanalysis can be proven wrong. However, to assess the areas of strengths related to Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis, it is imperative to consider certain attributes of the theory. Revelle (2014) has shed light on the efficacy of the theory whereby it seeks critical problems and its relevant application through
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4PSYCHOLOGY rational approaches which tends to endure the test of evaluation. Furthermore, comprehensive evaluation of Freudian psychoanalysis has been perceptible through the existence of several well established institutions with psychoanalysis as the core focus. The theory of psychoanalysis exhibited high degree of innovative and ground-breaking analysis, and clearly has endured the assessment of time (Corr & Cooper, 2016). Meanwhile, one of the significant strengths of psychoanalysis has relied on its inclusive theoretical assumptions. McLeod (2014) has claimed on the contrary to the critiques made for the theory that this particular Freudian theory chiefly intended to explain therapeutic or psychological conceptualizations. These conceptualizations however shed light on the nature and uniqueness of human development in addition to all facets related to cognitive functioning. However, Vukasović and Bratko (2015) at this juncture have contended that Freudian theory of personality can be applied in order to describe or explicate an extensive range of other theoretical concepts outside to the domain of psychological field. Such an assertion has been linked to an instance drawn from one of Shakespeare’s renowned characters ‘Hamlet’ whereby the personality of companies along with their leaders, or an artist's paintings can all be explained by the principles of psychoanalysis.According to Parks-Leduc, Feldman and Bardi (2015), such comprehensiveness claims that the theory of psychoanalysis to a certain degree indicates to the general pathway of truth and accuracy. According to Shibutani (2017), in discussing the nature of explanation in personality theories,EysenckdrewuponNagel’scategorizationofexplanationwhichincorporates probabilistic, hypothetical-deductive along with genetic rationalization. On the contrary to the scholars who assume that the deductive explanation has been simply accurate for application in scientific domain, the personality trait theory of Eysenck has maintained this type of explanation
5PSYCHOLOGY to be apposite for personality psychology. Elliott (2015) has noted that personality factors namelypsychoticism,extraversionandneuroticism(PEN)alongwiththeirrelevant subcategories belong to this level of explanation. According to positivists, there can be seen a distinct disparity between observational and theoretical concepts whereby scientific enquiry transpires with critical observation and concludes with another stage of study whereby the suggested conjectures are sited to evaluation and either have been rejected or established. However, as to personality trait theory, Eysenck’s has maintained its position and has passed three stages. On the other hand, critics have reflected on certain areas which states that personality trait theory did not undergo those three stages. Comprehensive studies of Corr and Cooper (2016) have noted that theoretical commitments ti which Eysenck’s theory has its adherencehavebeendrawnfromaworldviewwhichsustainsdeterminismaswellas deterministic relation between phenomena. Although Eysenck’s perspectives argued to incline towards any particular worldview and simply explained regarding personality trait theory. However, regardless of Eysenck’s assertions, authors could not separate a methodology such as behaviourism from its integrated universal perspective (Vukasović & Bratko, 2015). At this juncture, Hogan and Foster (2016) have noted that in relation to methodological behaviourism, its application chiefly relied on a deterministic approach as such a methodology is of the opinion that behavioural patterns are essentially determined by stimuli. Correspondingly, Eysenck’sstimulus organism response model(SOR) maintainssimilardeterministicapproacheventhoughitsattentionhasshiftedfrom environmental factors towards genetic determinants. Furthermore, another area of ambiguity tends to concern the provenance of causality when intending to comprehend the implications for a particular individual’s actions and responses under given circumstances. On the other hand,
6PSYCHOLOGY Eysenck indicated that the direction of causality do not typically advance towards any specific direction such as from the biological or genetic processes to the behavioral side (Revelle, 2014). Additionally, drawing credence to studies which investigate the influence of testosterone levels on behaviour, McLeod (2014) has opined that aggressive as well as sexual behavioral patterns have the tendency to shift levels of testosterone released in the body while concurrently being influenced by this level. However, a vital point which concerns the association between factors and the structure of reality. Hatemi and Verhulst (2015) have noted that such an issue has been subjective to intensive discourses which believe that factor analysis is not imperative condition to separating the structure of personality. Furthermore, certain arguments have been concerning with the method of factor analysis that has been applied by Eysenck’s as the primary method in establishing personality dimensions. However, critics inclined towards this method have argued that factor analysis primarily has been based on mathematical procedure applied in order to summarize the sources variability in the set of scores provided by some questionnaire. (Vukasović and Bratko (2015) have stated that yes and no questions could not possibly be systematic to the degree to understand the diverse aspects of personality. According to Hogan and Foster (2016), such a method can make the structure of meaning of trait words and terminologies distinct and less ambiguous. This is because correlations amongst personality words offered by this factor analysis method increase the feasibility to explore which of the wordings are subsumed under indistinct words. Nevertheless the argument states that such a method does not necessarily signify that factors analysis cam reveal the structure of realism and truth. Moreover, another criticism for Eysenck’s personality theory have opined that realism breaks into sphere of factor analysis when there can be identified certain unexpected correlations among some elements of the questionnaire
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7PSYCHOLOGY which resulted to unanticipated linkages. Nevertheless, regardless of these criticisms Spezzano (2014) have noted that Eysenck’s personality theorycontinued to combine what have been perceived to be the paramount theories from experimental psychology in correspondence to factor analytic results. Furthermore, another major area of strength of Eysenck’s theory relies on its capacity to distinguish observable behavioural patterns. Parks-Leduc, Feldman and Bardi (2015) have found that evaluating the collective behavioural patterns of individuals offers strong associationwith personalityor traitsandobservingbehavioursof individualsin shifting conditions which will provides evidence for the personality traits characterized in trait theories. At this juncture, it is essential to note that both Eysenck and Freud emphasized on conceiving similar cognitive increased level of mechanisms which tend to call for stimulation of arousal needs in the view of Eysenck or the contentment of sexual desires as per Freudian’s psychoanalysis. Gawronski and De Houwer (2014) have noted that Freudian personality asserted the absolute nature of the sexual ‘pleasure principle’ instinctive in all humans which calls for immediate indulgence by all means. On the other hand, Eysenck’s trait theory offers more discriminative categorization of human stimulation in the form of two poles comprising of extraversionaswellasintroversion.Moreover,drawingcontradictiontopsychoanalysis theoretical aspects, Eysenck’s applied statistics in order to support the implication of these personality factors. Furthermore, at the centre for Eysenck personality theory primarily acquired by birth while as per Freudian personality theory, childhood development tends to be the most significantly determining individual growth (Shibutani, 2017).
8PSYCHOLOGY Conclusion Hence to conclude, nomothetic approach to personality of Eysenck’s personality theory to exhibit empirical evidence for universal lawsshow a tendency to overlook an enhanced holistic view which include concepts which have lower propensity to scientifically investigate Freud’s unconscious mind. However, considering these factors, both the personality theory may lack in credibility to explain potential shifts and developments in personality over duration. Further to this, Eysenck’s scientific legacy on personality and individual divergences appear to support in comparison to Freud, on more scientific enquiry both from a theoretical plausibility and empirical evidence perspective.
9PSYCHOLOGY References Corr, P. J., & Cooper, A. J. (2016). The Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory of Personality Questionnaire(RST-PQ):Developmentandvalidation.Psychological assessment,28(11), 1427. Elliott, A. (2015).Psychoanalytic theory: An introduction. Macmillan International Higher Education. Freud, S. (2017).Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality: The 1905 Edition. Verso Books. Funder, D. C. (2015).The personality puzzle: seventh international student edition. WW Norton & Company. Gawronski,B.,&DeHouwer,J.(2014).Implicitmeasuresinsocialandpersonality psychology.Handbook of research methods in social and personality psychology,2, 283- 310. Hatemi, P. K., & Verhulst, B. (2015). Political attitudes develop independently of personality traits.PloS one,10(3), e0118106. Hogan, R., & Foster, J. (2016). Rethinking personality.International Journal of Personality Psychology,2(1), 37-43. Kline, P. (2014).Psychology and Freudian theory: An introduction. Routledge. McLeod, S. (2014). Theories of personality.Simply Psychology. Parks-Leduc, L., Feldman, G., & Bardi, A. (2015). Personality traits and personal values: A meta-analysis.Personality and Social Psychology Review,19(1), 3-29.
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10PSYCHOLOGY Revelle, W. (2014). Hans J. Eysenck.Northwestern University Publication. Schultz, D. P., & Schultz, S. E. (2016).Theories of personality. Cengage Learning. Shibutani, T. (2017).Society and Personality: Interactionist Approach to Social Psychology. Routledge. Sommers-Flanagan, J., & Sommers-Flanagan, R. (2018).Counseling and psychotherapy theories in context and practice: Skills, strategies, and techniques. John Wiley & Sons. Spezzano, C. (2014).Affect in psychoanalysis: A clinical synthesis. Routledge. Vukasović, T., & Bratko, D. (2015). Heritability of personality: a meta-analysis of behavior genetic studies.Psychological bulletin,141(4), 769.
11PSYCHOLOGY Section 2 The course of psychology has aided me to learn sub disciplines of psychology namely social psychology, cognitive psychology in addition to industrial psychology which aims to explore universal principles which will explain behavioral traits of every individual. Delving into the course of psychology has helped me to obtain the very hard to pin down. Personality falls under the heading of things that most people believe they understand. Starting psychology as a major subject has provided me with an extensive and in critical understanding of Human development specifically subjects like early childhood development personality traits in addition to test validity along with other subjects. Engaged to the field of educational psychology has enabled me to possess the power to shape mind as they are developing and cultivating their pathways in order to learn and attain success at the later stage of my life. It is important to note here, that one of the practical sides of selecting psychology as major subject has offered me with several opportunities for professional development which includes research and evaluation, school administration, teaching in addition to guidance and counseling. According to Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi (2014) a significant amount of research from cognitive and educational psychology equal field has explode the way thinking and learning can be improved within the classroom domain. The modules and my professors’ lectures have guided me throughout the course which has helped me to identify the most effective way to start the course good a discussion on growth in opposition to fixed mindsets and perceptions as it will help me as a student to understand the certain perceptions ideas outlooks believes related to intelligence can influence my academic success. Field, Duffy and Huggins (2015) have revealed that prior knowledge things to leverage both conceptual growth along with conception change
12PSYCHOLOGY within students. With the help of conceptual growth I have been able to contribute to the existing knowledge pertaining to psychology and specifically learning about personality theories and with conceptual change I have been able to rectify my misconceptions and errors which I had previously regarding the subject. The resources which have been available to me during this course and the lectures of my professors have not only enhanced my knowledge but also help me to identify suitable approaches which will help to evaluate the prior knowledge. In the view of Renninger et al. (2014), prior knowledge chiefly involves starting the unit with a short list of 5 to 10 true or false hypothesis statements and having a class discussion related to the results. The resultsofthisdiscussionhavesignificantlyhelpedmetomakeproperselectionofthe assignments as well as activities which will be appropriate for enabling either conceptual growth of conceptual change. Prior knowledge can be used in order to help psychology students to efficiently incorporate background information and ideas and further draw relevance between units during the course. ComprehensivestudiesofSchultzandSchultz(2016)havestatedthatstudent development and in depth learning tend to develop when educators lend a hand to the students and transfer learning from one context to another. Through the course of learning about various personality theories I have been able to improve my competence especially to generalize learning towards newly developed contexts with my teachers’ emphasis on deeper learning. However, an effective method of developing such a competence is to use such an understanding in order to generate potential solutions for real world problems. The enhanced understanding along with comprehensive insights have helped me to observe various behaviour patterns and attributes of individuals at various circumstances and through their past experiences which will help me to deal with any emotional or behavioral challenges in the later stage of my life.
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13PSYCHOLOGY The particular course of psychology has not only improved my understanding towards the subject but also help me to obtain ideas regarding the methods and approaches to be taken while understanding the theoretical aspects of psychology. The scientific method and the process of conducting a psychology experiment identified as major aspects of building a comprehensive understanding of the various sources should observe the mind and behaviour. Although the study of developmental psychology appears to be less complex than the other domain it comprises several aspects which we typically experience in our daily lives (Seligman & Csikszentmihalyi, 2014). However, in addition to obtaining knowledge regarding few of the major theories related to child development it is also important to shed light upon the varied behavioral patterns and attributes of humans which can only be attend through the evaluation of personality theories. However the student of psychology I have noticed majority of individuals to perceive the subject which relates to observing perceptions and feelings of others. At this juncture, it is important to note that psychology is not only the study of feelings but also emphasizes on the mental a cognitive functioning of humans especially their behavioral pattern. Moreover, while deciding to major in psychology it is essential to understand its subfields as well as specialization within this broadmajorsubject.Furthermoretheseareasofpsychologyprimarilyincludecognitive behavioral social as well as developmental along with educational subjects. In addition to this, Schultz and Schultz (2016) dealing with psychology and its subfields have identified different theories and motivational factors which can lead to obtain comprehensive insights regarding this particular subject. The two major types of motivational factors related to have significant knowledge about this particular subject are recognized as intrinsic and extrinsic. The intrinsic motivation according to authors images from within the student or from factors inherent in the task which have been performed. For example as a student I love to read. This inclination has
14PSYCHOLOGY been increasingly motivated me to read and enjoy the subject which I am reading regardless of any demands of receiving any form of rewards or incentives for doing so. It is imperative to noted, my teachers all through the course have proficiently promoted intrinsicmotivationinusinordertoencourageenduringlearningabilitywithinusby maintaining a level of curiosity using range of interesting presentation modes and stimulating high interest in the subject matter as we spend a considerable amount of time within the classroom.
15PSYCHOLOGY References Field, R., Duffy, J., & Huggins, A. (2015). Teaching independent learning skills in the first year: Apositivepsychologystrategyforpromotinglawstudentwell-being.Journalof Learning Design,8(2), 1-10. Renninger, K. A., Hidi, S., Krapp, A., & Renninger, A. (2014).The role of interest in learning and development. Psychology Press. Ruffing, S., Wach, F., Spinath, F. M., Brünken, R., & Karbach, J. (2015). Learning strategies and generalcognitiveabilityaspredictorsofgender-specificacademic achievement.Frontiers in psychology,6, 1238. Schultz, D. P., & Schultz, S. E. (2016).Theories of personality. Cengage Learning. Seligman, M. E., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2014). Positive psychology: An introduction. InFlow and the foundations of positive psychology(pp. 279-298). Springer, Dordrecht.
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