Theories Of Personality Essay Sample

Personality is a combination of thoughts, imagination, individual principles and personal vision of life. There is a great quantity of models of personality as described by different psychologists, but the main of them which can be singled out are the Conflict, the Fulfillment and the Consistency models.
The first Conflict model of personality presupposes that life existence is a balance between the two forces that oppose each other and cannot coexist. Freud supported the model due to his personal vision of personality as creature of three forces, namely, id, ego and superego, which, to his opinion, struggle through lifetime. There are two versions of the Conflict model: the psychological version of the model presented by Erikson and Freud offers that the abovementioned forces are divided into two parts one of which is concentrated in society and another one is in a person; another version of the Conflict model called the intrapsychic version introduced by Rank and Jung proposes that the two forces are present in an individual.
The second Fulfillment model of personality grounds on the assumption that there exists solely a single force within a person which is implemented with the mental growth of an individual. The first version offered by Rogers and Maslow of the Fulfillment model called the actualization version generates the idea that with the help of such force person’s potentials are implemented. Fromm and Adler presented the perfection version of the model which grounded on the assumption that the force was able to help achieve a person’s goal and realize himself in such a way.
The last Consistency model is based on the assumption that an individual always tries to achieve balance and consistency between his/her expectations of life and its reality. The first version called cognitive dissonance version of the model is centered on the idea that thoughts, beliefs and ideas play the most important role in determining consistency. The activation version of the model offers that the measure of consistency achieved by an individual depends on the activation of a body. All three models of personality represent the way of perception of the reality by a person. The first two models described above are concentrated on inner world of individual rather than on the attributes of a person as it is developed by the Consistency model.
Freud’s and Roger’s theories are rather different than similar due to initial natures of their judgments. Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis centers on constant struggle of the three initials in an individual: id, ego and superego. Freud examined them as unconscious nature and also considered mental processes of sexual instincts. Self-analysis and free association were basic methods Sigmund Freud applied with the purpose of defining an individual’s personality. While Carl Rogers’ theory discusses creation of conditions within which a person could develop and express its personal inner growth. Another difference of the theories lies in the fact that Rogers does not examine his theory from the medical viewpoint as Freud does in the context of sexual reference to interpreting a personality. Rogers’ point of view is far from behavioral and psychoanalytic; it rather concerns existentialism and humanism which is grounded on the personal growth. Rogers insisted on the use of information given by a person himself, i.e. how he perceives himself and this could be the root of the matter as he considered. Besides, Rogers believed that the transference between the client and the therapist should be minimized in order to allow a person to discover his/her potential. While Freud was sure that all problems came from a person’s childhood, so he asked his patients questions about his past, because as he considered, all people are reflection of their past. Freud strongly believed that a human is a sexual creature and if there were no rules or restrictions in the world, selfishness, instincts and violence would prevail in the society. While Rogers considered that people are driven by positive emotions and they would desire to make useful things, and in such a way be accepted and appreciated by society which all people initially need.
These differences are reflected in the models applied by the psychologists: in the Conflict model by Freud we can observe negative perception of a personality which offers that conflict is impossible to solve, also, sexual potential of an individual which is underlined in every Freud’s judgment can be mentioned. And Rogers’ ideas are centered in the Fulfillment model of personality where striving for social acceptance is observed and underlined the need of positivity to an individual.
At first sight, these theories by two different psychologists have nothing in common but if one looks deeper, he will be able to define general similarities of Sigmund Freud’s and Carl Rogers’ theories if not taking details into consideration: Both Rogers and Freud built their ideas of the theories on the emotionally challenged individuals. Besides, both theories are based on the initial innate principles organismic self in the theory of therapy (Rogers) and id in the psychoanalytic theory (Freud).
Having considered all the theories and viewpoints presented by different psychologists I would like to dwell upon the Rogers’ viewpoint of personality. To my mind, every person judges grounding on his/her own life experience, surrounding people and values and principles ascribed to him initially. The most important for me in the Rogers’ theory is a positive assessment of the events as I try to interpret people through such viewpoint as well. Another reason why I feel close to his opinion is his vision of a social life as it people wish it to be. Individuals are born with empty consciousness and there is a growing need of realizing themselves at work, for example, acquiring a satisfied social status and make things which are approved by the society. The personality is more shaped by social surrounding of an individual and his/her inner feedback on each case. A human is a social creature and he cannot live without communication, relations or activities. Everything which has no goal or final point is useless and becomes uninteresting to a person. So, society is considered by me as such a group of people who need goals set by them and this is what creates a stimulus for creating, managing, solving problems, communicating, making trips, doing exercises, having feelings to other people or any other actions or things implemented by a person. Everything and everyone in the world has its/his own reason and purpose and nothing happens unintentionally. Freud’s theory about the primary systems can be accepted but partially as every human possesses sexual instincts and they need to be released but, to my personal mind, these concepts play only peripheral role in the existence of the world.