Neo-Freudians (cont.)

Erik Erikson:

     8 stages of Psychosocial Development:

     (SEE ERIKSON HANDOUT).

Erikson stressed the importance of the quality of parent-child relationships in personality development. He did, however agree with most of what Freud said about sexual instincts and the libido.

II. Humanistic Perspective
These theories stress the fundamental goodness of people and their striving toward higher levels of functioning.

Carl Rogers:

     actualizing tendency
     fully-functioning person
     unconditional positive regard vs.

        conditional positive regard

     person-centered therapy

Abraham Maslow:

     self-actualization

     hierarchy of motives (see HANDOUT)

B.F. Skinner:
The environment shapes behavior through reinforcement contingencies. Antecedents→Behaviors→Consequences The theory denies any impact from cognition. unconscious desires or personal striving.
(See unit on Learning Theory)

Based on Skinner’s learning theory but also incorporates cognition, and social influences.

Bandura: (Social Learning Theory):

     Reciprocal Determinism:

        ↔behavior↔personal/cognitive
        factors↔environment↔

     Observation Learning (modeling)

Social-Cognitive (cont.)

Rotter:

     Locus of Control: Internal vs. External

Seligman:

     Learned Helplessness: uncontrollable bad
     events→ perceived lack of control→
     generalized helpless behavior (depression)

Theorists are interested in DESCRIBING personality not EXPLAINING it.
Sheldon: (Body types): endomorphs,

     mesomorphs & ectomorphs.

Cattell: By using factor analysis, determined
     their were 16 basic personality traits.
    (developed the 16PF)

Eysenk: 2 personality dimensions: stable vs
     unstable & introverted vs extroverted

     BIG 5 Personality Factors: stability,
         extraversion, openness, aggreeableness,
         & conscientiousness.

**REMEMBER: Most psychologists today are Eclectic. They don’t adhere to

just one personality theory. Instead, they draw from several theories.

Personality Assessment

The Personal Interview

Observation

Objective Tests: used to assess personality
   traits.

     16PF (Cattell)-assesses "normal” traits

     MMPI : intended for psychiatric
        diagnoses or “abnormal” traits.

Projective Tests: used to assess
     unconscious motives & conflicts.

      Rorschach : consists of ambiguous
        inkblots. The way a person interprets
        them reveals aspects of the personality
     TAT: (Thematic Apperception Test):

        consists of ambiguous pictures
        about which a person tells a story.
        The stories provide clues as to internal
        motives, needs, and drives.
 
See HANDOUT Comparing Theories