Theory of Personality Development
Describe and evaluate Freud's theory of personality developmentSigmund Freud was without doubt one of the most controversial psychologists of the twentieth century. His theories of psychoanalysis-personality structure, dynamics, psychosexual development, mechanism, and psychotherapy technique were really accepted at the time. However he did have his critics. Not only opposing psychologists doubted his theories but also some of his own followers. Within this essay we shall look at certain theories that Freud had and also look at some of the opposing ideas from his critics.According to Freud the mind or personality included the ID, EGO and SUPEREGO, and mans behaviour relies on a balance of these structures. The id contains those basic instincts which require satisfaction, known as the pleasure principle. For example, a baby wants something and will cry until he gets it; this basic instinct is with us from birth. The superego is essentially the person's conscience. This is made up of values and ideals that are taught from the world about, in the first instance the parents. Superego develops in response to parental rewards and punishments. The ego differentiates between the basic instincts of the id and the reality of the r
For example Yarrow hypothesised that children who did not obtain sufficient satisfaction during feeding in the oral stage would become fixated at this stage. These arhetypes are supposed to make us act the same way our ancestors did. The oral stage begins at birth, when the mouth is the primary focus of libidal energy; the child preoccupies himself with nursing, with the pleasure of sucking and accepting things into the mouth. Jung believed that it is not confined to an individuals life experiences, but includes fundamental truths shared by the human species. A key idea introduced here by Freud is that the mind possesses a number of defence mechanisms, in case a compromise is not reached. Although Adler agreed with Freud that personality is determined by unconscious wishes, he did not agree with the idea of the pleasure principle; he believed that behaviour is driven by a desire to be superior. Nevertheless if the child fixates at a particular stage, the method of obtaining satisfaction that characterized the stage will dominate and affect its adult personality. Despite criticisms and modifications to Freud's theory, no one came up with an alternative theory, apart from Erik Erickson, who developed an alternative theory which he calls a psychosocial theory of development, although his idea incorporates several of Freud's ideas. Adler is responsible for the notion of the inferiority-complex, an idea that is thrown about today. Still psychologists have tried to make predictions on the theory, and then test them. Jung also set out a different version of the libido, which he said had greater importance than just a sexual drive. What must be remembered is that this model is only a theoretical model rather than a description of an observable object; it only serves as a frame of reference to explain the link between experiences of early childhood and the mature adult personality. The child who does this will take pleasure in excreting maliciously, maybe even just before or just after being placed on the potty or toilet. They do differ from each other on several points, but they also have areas of agreement.
Common topics in this essay:
LATENCY GENITAL,
EGO SUPEREGO,
Alfred Adler,
Erik Erickson,
Erich Fromm,
According Jung,
Sigmund Freud,
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According Freud,
freud's theory,
oedipus complex,
oral stage,
Jung Horney,
defence mechanisms,
personality development,
ego superego,
theory personality development,
five life,
alternative theory,
conflict id,
adult personality,
parent opposite sex,
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