Running head: SELF-ACTUALIZATION Self-actualization Trinidee Trice National University 2 Self-actualization Self-actualization Personality, or the mask we wear, is comprised of the characteristics that make us unique, our temperament, and the way we appear to others. Psychodynamic personality theories work best to actively define my personality. By taking inventory of my experiences and thought processes, I can effectively apply the theories of Adler (birth order), Freud (defense mechanisms), and Maslow (self-actualization) to profile my personality. I am a twenty-five year old African American and Native American woman who assists in teaching special education. I am the second youngest of four children in a traditional two-parent home. I grew up competing in elite sports as well as mastering my academics. I have become exceptional in the art of social skills through way of trial and error. I would classify my personality as diverse, but I have been able to successfully identify with several theories. Adler believed that different social experiences result in different personalities. Our fundamental social encounters during early life development generally consists of parent and sibling interactions. Family constellation can often influence the behavioral characteristics of an individual as a result of the adjustment tactics and recognition of one’s family role. My older sister was eight when I was born and my older brother was two and a half. My youngest brother was born when I was two and a half. My older sister passed away when I was just 10, making me the second child instead of the third. This possibly played a role in the development of my middle child complex as described by Adler. “Second children are apt to be competitive and ambitious and often surpass the firstborn in achievement and motivation.” (Engler, 2014, p. 90). I can apply this to the family dynamic between my older brother and I. Much like Adler’s theory, I have always been motivated at a much higher and consistent frequency than my older brother. We both played the same sport and 3 Self-actualization would often practice against one another at an early age as a form of healthy sibling rivalry. I suffered major inferiority feelings due to my brother’s age, height, and experience. It took years of practicing on my own and against other people to be able to achieve the skill level necessary to have an upper hand on him. “Our efforts and success at growth and development may be seen as attempts to compensate for or overcome our imagined or real inferiorities and weaknesses.” (Engler, 2014, p. 88). Athletic competition was not the only category I excelled beyond my siblings in. I maintained exceptional grades throughout grade school while my brothers struggled to adopt a C average. My style of life was to develop competence and superiority through intellectual skills while also seeking self-perfection by capitalizing on my physical capabilities. This life-style developed early in my childhood and has remained relatively constant. As a result of my sibling ordinance, I have developed what Adler termed his fourth primary life-style, the socially useful type. (Engler, 2014). Much of my personality has stemmed from this style of life. “Middles tend to make friends easily. Once they have them, they often work harder to keep them.” (CastleWorks, 2005). Though many of the characteristics I gained from my family constellation were considerably positive and progressive, I also struggled with feelings of inadequacy and neglect from my parents as well as the family atmosphere. I often times questioned if my mother loved my brothers more and ultimately have strived to win my parents approval. Kids that come along later are sharing their parents' attention, while the first-born didn't have to. (CastleWorks, 2005). “The middle child often feels confused as to his or her place in the family.” (Engler, 2014, p. 92). Now that I am older I do not have these same feelings towards my family role but they were the 4 Self-actualization foundation for several of my early relationship issues. Adler’s theory of birth order is prominent in my personality profile. My personality is initially friendly and inviting until my ego feels anxious or threatened. In order to protect my projected ideal self, I use the defense mechanisms Sigmund Freud describes in his explanation of psychodynamic theory of mental functioning. Defense mechanisms are the ego’s protective methods of reducing anxiety by unconsciously distorting reality. (Engler, 2014). One defense mechanism I have been making use of since a very young age is repression. It began soon after the death of my older sister as I repressed the depressing feelings of mourning in order to cope with the tragic event. I became so efficient at banishing anxiety-arousing memories, thoughts and experiences that now I have begun to repress even memories I wish to keep. I constantly label myself as having bad memory but I believe my mind chooses which information it wishes to keep available to my psyche as a cping mechanism. Tools I have also unknowingly used frequently as argumentative methods are projection and regression. I began doing this with my sibling in congruence with the experiences stemmed from my family order and developed into a more articulate form of this tactic with time. Projection “permits us to defend ourselves aggressively to our opponent and thereby indirectly express our impulses.” (Engler, 2014, p. 47). Now, I mainly use my regression for comedic relief from uncomfortable situations. The last defense mechanism my personality makes consistent use of is rationalization. I have found that moral displacement is easily achievable when using this mechanism. Often times when I regret a decision I have made, I realize in hindsight I may have convinced myself that the decision was rational based on my situation goal. The situational goal may not be congruent with my ideal self and I catch myself rationalizing those behaviors. “As the term implies, it involves faulty reasoning.” (Engler, 2014, p. 47). 5 Self-actualization Abraham Maslow’s theory of self-actualization as it relates to the hierarchy of needs is aligned with the inner most characteristic of my personality. In just the recent year I have dedicated myself to the development and fulfillment of my full potential. “Maslow defined self-actualized persons as those who are fulfilling themselves and doing the best they are capable of doing.” (Engler, 2014, p. 322). I had encountered several peak experiences in which I experience an expansion of self and sense of unity and meaningfulness in life. I rationalize these experiences with my religious moral code. I interpret this as the awareness of my “self.” I was only able to achieve this state after years of struggling with satisfying my hierarchy of needs. Only recently have I managed to satisfy my esteem needs through obtaining a status and figuring out how I wish to apply my potential to the world. “Self-actualization is possible only if the lower needs have been sufficiently met.” (p. 322). One cannot hope to focus on the fulfillment of the B needs until the D needs are satisfied. Because I am psychologically and socially well-adjusted, satisfying this hierarchy has become attainable. I exhibit and identify with all fifteen of Maslow’s characteristics of the self-actualized person (1970). I scored a 140 score out of a possible 160 on the Characteristics of a Self-Actualizing Person test. The questions exemplify the definition of a compassionate, independent, and driven individual. I have always had a step-by-step outline and plan to my future successes. A prominent trait of a self-actualizer is the ability to distinguish between the goal that they are striving for and the means for which to accomplishing it. (Engler, 2014). Self-actualization is the core component which drives my personality. I am seemingly happy with life because I believe I have achieved this state of being. Horney might classify what I have defined as self-actualization, as basic anxiety driving perfectionism. Horney would readily argue that a healthy child learns to appreciate his or her 6 Self-actualization constructiveness, talents, and limitations, leading to a resilient and authentic whole-heartedness. Where I have used Adler’s theory of birth order to profile my competitive nature, Horney might also classify my competiveness as a result of hypercompetitiveness due to my longing to impress my parents. I would say that both theories complement the other. Hypercompetitiveness is a direct result of my family constellation. Throughout studying these theories, o have inferred that most personality traits can be classified by more than one theory. The psychodynamic theories a simply the foundation of the non-psychodynamic theories. According to Allport, “Personality is the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his characteristic behavior and thought.” (Engler, 2014, p. 239). Psychologists have tried and succeeded at defining personality and all that it encompasses. Using three of the prominent personality theories of Adler, Freud, and Maslow, I have successfully profiled my personality. I have also concluded that psychodynamic theories best encompass the characteristics of my personality. These theories have played an exceptional role in helping people to understand their behaviors and the origins of their personalities. Comprehending these theories has opened the doorway to the control of my behaviors and actions. Being able to identify with certain personality traits has helped me to better understand how others may see me. It has also helped me to better relate to the determinants of my future behaviors. 7 Self-actualization References Characteristics_of_a_selfactualizer_Boyum test CastleWorks Inc. (2005) Birth Order. Copyright. Retrieved from http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/family/birthorder/article3.html Engler, B. (2014). Personality theories (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
