In his Psychodynamic Theory, Sigmund Freud defined three regions of the
mind, the unconscious, the preconscious and the conscious.
Freud felt that
these three areas worked in conflict with one another. The Humanistic Theory,
was put forward by Abraham Maslow as a response to the Psychodynamic and
other behavioral theories. Maslow’s theory held that we have free control of our
consciousness and can realize our highest potential through the process of
actualization. This was different than Freud’s theory, which held that mental
processes are in control of us and determine our lives track.
Psychodynamic
Theory used dreams, sexual behaviors and colors as measures of our mental
condition. This is also different from Humanistic Theories.
In Psychodynamic Theory, Freud held that our behaviors are ruled by
forces that we cannot control within our own minds. These express themselves
as behavior patterns. He also felt that self-conceptualization was not able to be
controlled by psychological factors because it was only an illusion.
In contrast,
the Humanistic Theory held that we can control of our behaviors through self
discipline.
The fundamentals of each theory can be analyzed through a comparison
of each. In Psychodynamic Theory, Freud says that each of our personalities is
determined by our three fundamental elements of our consciousness, the id, the
ego and the super ego. The id seeks complete satisfaction of all of our desires.
The ego is self oriented or selfish. The super ego holds our moral values and
guides our actions through conscience.
The super ego also gives us
characteristics such as charisma. The super ego is always at odds with the id.
The
id
demands
satisfaction,
pleasure
and
excitement
regardless
of
consequence. The super ego is geared in exactly the opposite configuration.
The ego holds the central identity of the individual. It is the balance point for
morality. It holds the values that are taught to us as members of society. We
can consider the ego the middle point. It is the most grounded in reality and is
the control for both the id and the super ego.
Psychodynamic Theory also encompasses hypotheses that concern the
development of our sexual behavior patterns. Freud says that, “sexual behavior
is a development that is the process by which low sex drive is expressed through
different pleasure zones during different stages of the sex development. Freud
has an assumption or concession of five periods of psychosexual development:
oral, anal, phallic, latency and genital” (Nevid & Rathus, 2005, p. 39). During
infancy and early childhood, Freud says that the child relates all pleasure with
oral pleasure.
This is in keeping with a child breast-feeding and receiving
pleasure and nourishment in this way from its mother. The child releases waste
in a way that Freud says establishes an anal stage to its psychological
development. He terms the phallic stage as that time when children become
aware of their genitalia. When the child’s sexual impulses emerge and the child
learns to suppress them is the latency stage. And, finally, during adolescence,
when sexuality is reestablished after its initial suppression comes the genital
state. Freud says that we all experience such mental functions as displacement
and fixation during our psychosexual development. He says that these functions
all take place without our conscious knowledge in our unconscious mind.
In stark contrast, the Humanistic Theory concentrates on the process of
self-actualization. “Maslow believed that there was an order or hierarchy of
needs, which ranges from basic biological needs, such as hunger and thirst, to
self-actualization” (Nevid & Rathus, 2005, p. 57).
Maslow held that once
biological elements of our needs were satisfied in the primitive order, an
individual possessed the capacity to use their consciousness to move forward
with their own development. He called this self-actualization. The hierarchy he
used to define our biological factors included our safety factors, love needs, self
esteem needs and, finally, self-actualization.
In both theories, we are taught that humans have the mental capacity to
accomplish anything.
These two theories seem so disparate, but their
fundamental principles are based on the elements that make up the human mind,
and these are universal. Maslow and Freud both work to show us how we have
become what we are. They both strive to find the basic human dimension and
meaning of our nature.
Freud turns to sexuality and meaning in our minds.
Maslow uses our discipline of ‘Self’ to help us determine how our minds work and
to reach our full potential as individuals. While the theories differ in their final
form, they both aim to determine the meaning of the human mind and the
dynamic nature of our being.
Axia College Material
Appendix C
Match the psychological theories with the appropriate statement(s):
F, J, M__Psychodynamic Theory
I, L__Learning Theory
B, D, K__Trait Theory
A, C G__Sociocultural
E, H, N__Humanistic Theory
A. Individualism versus collectivism
B. Popular theorist Eysenck initiated the five-factor model.
C. The healthy personality is found in balancing the social self with the
individual self.
D. Genetics determine the traits for a healthy personality, but how those traits
are expressed are influenced by learning experiences, development of
skills, and the ability to choose our own actions.
E. Popular theorists include Maslow and Rogers.
F. Popular theorists include Freud, Jung, and Erikson.
G. Social and cultural factors such as ethnicity, gender, culture,
discrimination, and socioeconomic status influence one’s sense of self and
his or her adjustment to society.
H. Taken from the European philosophy of Existentialism
I. Focus on the individuals’ capacity to build knowledge and adapt to the
environments around them. Includes behaviorism and social-cognitive
theory.
J. Personality is characterized by a struggle between different elements
within an individual’s personality. Behavior, thoughts, and emotions are
the result of this inner struggle.
K. Consists of five major personality factors which are reasonably stable
elements of personality. These factors include extraversion,
agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness to
experience.
L. Popular theorists include Pavlov and Skinner.
M. Idea of the healthy personality is the ability to love and work.
N. A healthy personality means knowing one’s self, making authentic choices
which are consistent with goals, and the capability of making real changes
in their lives.