...Biological and Humanistic Approaches to Personality Biological and Humanistic Approaches to Personality People often speak of personality as if it were a product such as a colored tie that gave life to an old suit. Not only that, sometimes we speak as if personality consisted of attractive and admirable traits: affection, charm, honesty. But as we shall see in this paper, for a psychologist’s personality is much more complex than that, it involves the regular use of the term, and includes both positive and negative traits. Another aspect of our definition is that personality persists across time and situations. Whether reflect our own conduct or interpret the acts of another person, we hope to find consistency. If someone is friendly someday, we would be surprised if they show rough the next day. If a relative, who is normally quiet and attentive, suddenly becomes aggressive and disrespectful, we often care about and seek an explanation. We know that life is not as predictable as a TV series, but we expect a degree of consistency, a pattern that reflects the unique personality of each individual. And when faced with the inconsistency, we suspect that something is wrong. Thus, the personality concept gives some degree of predictability and stability to the individual. As we analyzed the biological and humanistic approaches to personality, we encountered that Feist and Feist, (Feist, 2009), said that “although no single definition is acceptable to all personality theorists...
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...Gwendolyn Frields Week Three Individual Paper Psychology of Personality PSY/250 March 30, 2011 As some techniques are exercise to describe the personality, two are frequently utilize to subsidize another approach. Together biological and humanistic approaches are naturally exercise as under tones. Personality by itself involves various issues. Evolutionary/inherent perception do not usually account for the biological mechanisms among genes and personality. Theorists use biological development in an effort to fill in the space among personality and genetics by inferring, theorizing, and exploring biological associations with behavior. Biological approaches personality in the pattern of collective character, behavioral, temperamental, emotional, and mental traits of a person. The term temperament is exercise to refer to stable individual differences in emotional reactivity. Example ones behavior toward a death of a family member the grieving may be weeping and trying to seek comfort from a higher power. To whereas another person might go into a deeper depression and has no understanding and why death and tend to feel there is no higher power no one this powerful would allow this type of pain. Present are various traits that make up a human being. They are the traits of human consciousness; or perhaps one can call them the gift of human character or simply character or personality traits (Posner nd). Maslow termed the highest level of the pyramid as growth needs. Maslow’s...
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...Running head: BIOLOGICAL AND HUMANISTIC THEORIES Biological and Humanistic Theories Victor Bell University Of Phoenix Psychology of Personality Psy 250 Byron Pettit, M.A. Due July 29, 2009 Biological and Humanistic Approaches to Personality Understanding the wide range and the development of personalities within our culture has been an ongoing challenge for hundreds of years. Within this document we will consider why people have completely different personalities even in the case of identical twins. Although Freud’s believed that people were basically born with their personality intact, many different theories have developed over the years in direct contrast to Freud’s. I will also consider the impact of genetics, environment and the role they play in reference to the biological aspect of personality development. Two of the more popular personality theories today are Biological and Humanistic; I will analyze and compare both theories to demonstrate an understanding of the differences and similarities between them. The Biological factor determines our physical make-up the color of our eyes, hair how tall we will grow as adults, and our overall body type. Base on society standards our appearance will affect the way we are viewed and treated by others from childhood into adulthood. The preferential treatment that one may receive due to their physical appearance will create a superior level of confidence and self-worth that in most cases will continue throughout...
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...Humanistic and biological factors in personality development can bring new ideas to light. Abraham Maslow was one of these theorists that understood the importance to personality and notice a unique aspect. He was able to introduce his theory as Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Explaining how each step relies on each other to progress. Another important factor is the biological impact it may have from day one. These biological factors can also share similarities to the hierarchy of needs. The last theory is from a humanistic point of view and how it has a different opinion in comparison to biological factors. While some theorist has logical features for their theories, each person is unique in their own way with their personality. The physiological needs are linked to the basic survival needs. These needs consist of breathing oxygen, maintaining a steady warm body temperature, and the intake of water and food containing nutrients. Humans will utilize the basic survival needs to pursue their physical needs such as exercise, sleep, and disposing of bodily waste. Some physiological needs are normally recognized in examples such as breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Once these urges are fulfilled and no longer holding any influences towards human behaviors or thoughts, the next step of safety needs can be reached. This theory is based around the need for protection or safekeeping. This need is developed in situations that can involve medical emergencies, fires, steady employment, and...
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...In a person’s family relatives may say a person has his or her mother’s eye’s and has their father’s nose, or say that a person acts like his or her mother or father. Some say these factors can pass through a person’s genes and other’s say that some actions are human nature. In this paper Delores will discuss the biological and humanistic approaches to personality. She will also discuss how growth needs influence personality formation, describe biological factors that influence the formation of personality, examine the relationship of biological factors to Maslow’s theory of personality, and explain the basic aspects of the humanistic theory, which are incompatible with biological explanations of personality. Biology revealed many aspects of how the human body works and what it needs to stay healthy. “In 1953 James D. Watson and Francis Crick discovered that DNA was structured as a double helix (Friedman & Schustack, 2009). This discovery was a huge accomplishment in the study of human biology. Charles Darwin took human biology a step further. Darwin used the fact that not one human being is the same to support his evolutionary personality theory. Darwin believes that humans are “people evolved directly from more primitive species (Friedman & Schustack, 2009).” For example, Brian G. Richmond and David S. Strait wrote an article called “Evidence that humans evolved from a knuckle-walking ancestor (Brian G Richmond and David S Strait 2000).” This article explains that evidence...
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...Biological and Humanistic Approaches to Personality Kris Ruth PSY/250 Biological and Humanistic Approaches to Personality Understanding the Biological and Humanistic Approaches to Personality can help an individual determine the reason for their personalities. Every person has his or her unique personality about himself or herself. Our personality is what makes each individual different from one another. Personalities controls out emotion, unconscious feeling, and behavior making it difficult to determine how a person will react to certain situation. Using the Maslow’s Hirarchy needs can help demonstrate the reason for humanistic approaches and the growth influence of each individual personality. Using the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs growth influence personality based on five major categories of each individual. The first is physiological needs such as food, clothing, sleep, oxygen, and shelter. To get through life individuals personality has to encounter the physiological need in order to live as a human. The second level is safety and security, each individual has a sense that he or she feels he or she has to be protected from others in certain circumstances. Having that pride makes the individual feel secure. Once an individual develops a since of security the third category includes needs, such as sense of belonging and loved. These feelings formatted as a cycle; while an individual feels secure, the feeling of wanting to be love and feeling of being accepted come...
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...Biological and Humanistic Approaches Chicahuac Necahuatl PSY/250 November 16, 2015 Professor Teresa Neal Biological and Humanistic Approaches Introduction Abraham Maslow, the creator of the hierarchy of needs, saw the positive in all human beings. Maslow himself coming from a stressed childhood drew from personal experiences that people can overcome hardships and realize their true potential. In this study of Humanistic Psychology, areas of concern that are being addressed are; the extent in which growth needs influence personality formation. Other areas of interest are; biological factors that influence the formation of personality, the relationship of biological factors to Maslow’s theory of personality, and the basic aspects of humanistic theory as well as those incompatible with biological explanations of personality. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs Abraham Maslow studied people with healthy, good lives instead of those with neurotics, hysterics, or any other kind of unhealthy people. From this study, Maslow put together a hierarchy of needs that fit all human beings. These basic and necessary needs consist of water, food, shelter, and sex. (“Friedman, & Schustack,” 2012). Choosing healthy ideal lives over those with unhealthy lives was determined by Maslow because of the fact that self-actualized people have a more realistic knowledge of themselves. These individuals are also known to be more accepting of their selves, (“Friedman, & Schustack,” 2012 p...
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...Biological and Humanistic Approaches to Personality Tamanieka Fields PSY/250 December21, 2015 Anney Synder Biological and Humanistic Approaches to Personality Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. American Psychological Association (2013), "the discipline embraces all aspects of the human experience — from the functions of the brain to the actions of nations, from child development to care for the aged" (para. 1). American Psychological Association (2013), "in every conceivable setting from scientific research centers to mental health care services, "the understanding of behavior" is the enterprise of psychologists". Feist and Feist, (2009), “although no single definition is acceptable to all personality theorists, we can say that personality is a pattern of relatively permanent traits and unique characteristics that give both consistency and individuality to a person’s behavior” (p. 4). There are varying aspects that determine personality. Also, there are varying different approaches concerning the development of personality in psychology. An approach is a certain perspective involving particular assumptions; that is, in regard to personality for instance, the development of personality and what aspects affect such development. In regard to such approaches to personality, two approaches in particular, that is, biological and humanistic approaches provide explanations as to the development of personality. Not only do these two approaches explain the...
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...Biological and Humanistic Theories PSY/250 April 29, 2010 James Fullilove Biological and Humanistic Theories Biological and humanistic are two theories that describe a person’s personality, or the way people respond in everyday life. This paper will inform the reader of a comparison and contrast between the two theories, how they correlate with people personalities throughout the world that exist, whether you have a extraversion or introversion personality. The biological approach can be defined as a personality trait acquired from a parent, or another family member that spends more time with someone than normal. As little children we tend to study our parents, watch their every movement, how they deal with certain situations of everyday life and their attitudes. If you were ever told that you act just like one of your parents, it might be true due to the fact that you followed them around as a child watching everything they did in everyday life. You have acquired some of their characteristics from what you have experienced as a child, the way you walk, talk, and present yourself. You can also acquire this from the environment that surrounds you, or what you see in everyday society. Hans Eysenck was a philosopher that traced an individual’s personality to his or her experiences by the biological makeup than by actions or mistakes made by a person parents. Eysenck believes that if a person observes another person doing the same thing on a daily basis...
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...Introduction Socrates’s famous statement “know thyself” gives an explanation for history and connecting with cognitive psychology and all of its’ different areas of study. “The single most important reason to study history is that the present time we are living in cannot be understood without knowing something about the past-how the present came to be” (Goodwin, 2008). We have to understand the first theories and concepts where psychology came to being. How did psychologies’ first pioneers approach and solve the main concerns of their time? People have to recognize psychologies’ “evolving history” (Goodwin, 2008). Knowing psychologies’ history and origins helps us to be aware of complications in the future. To “know thyself” in psychology is to understand psychologies beginnings, strengths, weaknesses, achievement, down falls, disciplines and so much more. This essay will take a look at four key milestones in the development of cognitive psychology. The four key milestones that will be viewed are behaviorism, psychoanalysis, humanism and cognitive psychology. Along with the four key milestones this document will also go over the major importance of behavioral observation. Behaviorism Behavior is defined as a way in which on functions in “response to stimulation” (Merriam-Webster, 2012). Founder of behaviorism John B. Watson is well known for his statement “Give me a dozen healthy infants well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I’ll guarantee...
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...Biological and Humanistic Approaches to Personality PSY/250 February 23, 2014 Biological and Humanistic Approaches to Personality Within an individual’s family an individual can have his or her Fathers individual body features or Mother’s features, additional one behaves like his or her Father or Mother. These aspects evolve from an individual’s genes; however, others believe the way an individual behaves is because of human nature. Biological and humanistic approaches within personality are complex. Needs can pressure an individual’s personality development, and biological factors can additionally influence an individual’s personality. The relationship of biological factors regarding Maslow’s theory, can explain the vital factors regarding the personality. Biological and Humanistic Approaches Biology has exposed various features regarding how an individual’s body works and what the body will need to stay in good health. “In 1953 James D. Watson and Francis Crick discovered that DNA was structured as a double helix” (Friedman & Schustack, 2009). This achievement was especially admired within psychology regarding human biology. Charles Darwin used the actuality that not one individual is alike. He was able to support his historical theory because of this. According to Darwin, individuals developed from a primordial species (Friedman & Schustack, 2009). For example, the article “Evidence that humans evolved from a knuckle-walking ancestor (Brian G Richmond &...
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...Biological & Humanistic Approaches to Personality By enwbe1982 | November 2010 Zoom In Zoom Out Page 1 of 4 Biological & Humanistic Approaches to Personality Biological & Humanistic Approaches to Personality When breaking down the differences with how Abraham Maslow used personality and development that consisted of theories based solely on the personality part of human needs. His hierarchy of needs pyramid shows the influences of human needs to the formation of unique individual personality. There are factors of biological needs that influence the formation of the way the personality has an impact role, which shapes relationships by reviewing Maslow’s personality theory. By reviewing the relationships you will be able to see focused similarities and it’s upcoming. Analyzing the aspects that are essential to the theory of humanistic approach with the personality of explanations will enlighten you to the differential views of each individual theory of personality. Describing Humanistic Needs Abraham Maslow shows us how he sees the makeup of individual personality. Each need and stage is based on priority. Maslow's theory shows us the influences of the human needs to personality. Physiological needs; health, food, water, shelter, clothing, sleep, and sex. Coping information is needed to meet these needs. Safety and security, helping information, need to feel safe from physical danger. The ability to have a sense of security, knowing what to expect, is a good example...
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...Biological and Humanistic Approaches to Personality Erin F Watts PSY/250 September 21, 2012 Juliann Hector Biological and Humanistic Approaches to Personality When a person looks at Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, one can see the basic map of the way people seek things out. Every aspect of a person’s identity is shaped with the help of basic human instincts and the needs that they seek to fulfill. Though it is critical to take this list of basic necessities into account when considering an individual’s personality, it is important not to overlook the affect that tendencies and biological factors play in designing one’s thoughts and reactions. When a child is first born, its thoughts are primarily focused on satiating their own hunger for food, comfort, and safety. Quick to learn, and a little selfish, a baby will catch on to certain truths. When it cries it will receive attention and food, meeting the first tier in the hierarchy of needs. In this level, Maslow explains that the first things a person seeks are the physiological kind. These are things like food, water, and sleep. Though there are certain factors that also play into this, this need will help determine how fussy one may turn out. If the baby gurgles or coos a certain way it garners more attention from its guardian, things like this help shape a person. The next urge humans seek to have met is safety. Everyone learns to do things a certain way to make sure they have nurturing and protective environment. If a...
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...Biological and Humanistic Approaches to Personality PSY/250 April 23, 2013 Richard Dehmer Biological and Humanistic Approaches to Personality All people have unique personalities, but not all analysts agree on how personalities are formed. This paper will discuss the hierarchy of needs. This theory uses five levels that each individual must progress through to reach self-actualization. This theory of personality also aligns with the Biological theory in the same ways. Individuals must meet basic needs of happiness to more to another level and self-awareness, or self-actualization. First Level “Maslow divided organismic needs into two categories. First, he identified several categories of deficiency needs—“D-needs” (or “D-motives”)—which are necessary for survival. The physiological needs are the basic biological necessities such as food, water, sex, and shelter. (Friedman & Schustack, (2009), pg. 304).” By working and making a living, Danette is meeting her need for food, drink, and shelter. She also fulfills the sleep, warmth by owning a home. Second Level The second stage includes the safety needs of an individual. This stage seems easy enough to fulfill, but some individuals do not find it as easy as others. Safety needs differ based on what makes an individual feel safe and secure. This stage covers the basic needs, but some individuals may have a longer list of needs. Once the needs on this level are met, Danette can move on to the next level. ...
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...Biological and Humanistic Approaches to Personality Cecil A. Shelton Psy/250 3/20/14 Nicole Jack Biological and Humanistic Approaches to Personality Our environment defines the needs and the order that we require those necessities to be met. Dr. James D. Watson “claims that who we are is there in our genes.” –unless you were African whom Watson felt had an inferior genetic code (the latter remark resulted in dismissal from a prestigious research laboratory) (Friedman & Schustack, 2011). Biologically, we are destined to exist in a manner that is predetermined by our ancestors however; humanistic factors suggest that our environmental influences create a personality unrelated to our needs. Mind, body, and soul collide in these two worlds of biological and humanistic approaches and evaluating the basic aspects shall reveal either the truth or just create more questions. According to Friedman and Schustack, biological factors combine with the other aspects of personality in complex ways to produce patterns of behavior. A human beings temperament plays a very significant role in developing traits that are used to bridge childhood to adult formation. Abraham Maslow states, ``Self-actualizing people are gratified in all their basic needs of belongingness, affection, respect, and self-esteem (Norwood, 2014). These essentials require a person to be extremely honest with the person in the mirror because not doing so can lead to not identifying the minimum goals...
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