Psychodynamic Theories Brochure

What is Personality? have the needs met that starts during infancy. As There are varying schools of thought about the child is exposed to their environment over the the definition of personality. While there is next few years, the ego develops, which Freud not one specific definition, it is accurate to considered the strongest part of one’s personality. say that one’s individual perception con- As children learn ethical and moral rules from par- cerning the self and the world around ents, role models, etc., the superego develops them makes up their personality. which tells people what is right from wrong. Strengths and Weaknesses The psychodynamic approach emphasizes the importance of both nature and nurture. It also focuses on how childhood experiences have an effect on the developing personality. A weakness to be considered is the implica- Personality and Behavior Behavior and personality have a direct re- Carl Jung had a unique theory of personality. Like lationship, but behavior is not personality. Freud he believed that the mind has both con- It is an image of one’s ambitions and de- scious and unconscious level. Jung also created sign. may eight unique personality types, divided into four change, personality will not as quickly, if at functions, that may be based on his own experi- all. ence with introversion and extroversion.

He differ Psychodynamic Approach entiated the inward Psychodynamic theories of personality are the introvert and extrovert. tion that behavior is pre-determined, which While behavioral patterns and outward movements of comprised of famous theorists such as Sig- does not take into account that people have free will. Object-Relations Approach Object-relations theory was derived from psychodynamic theory. It is the process of mund Freud, Carl Jung, and Erik Erikson. Like Freud, Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial developing the psyche as it is related to the Many of the theories place an emphasis on development observed predetermined order. How- environment and occurs during childhood. the influence of the conscious and uncon- ever, instead of focusing on sexual development, Repeated experiences form internal objects scious collectively, he focused on how children socialize and the ef- of the subconscious that a person will carry psychodynamic theories place an emphasis fects that has on the self. He had eight stages with into adulthood. on one’s unconscious motives and the two possible outcomes for each. If a person suc- shaping of personality based on childhood cessfully completes each stage, it would result in a experiences. healthy personality. Failure to successfully com- mind. Note that plete a stage would result in possible identity isSigmund Freud’s model was through his study of the psychosexual model that be- sues, unhealthy personality, or inability to complete the next stages.