...Humanistic and Existential Personality Theories Paper PSY 405 February 15, 2014 Instructor: University of Phoenix Humanistic and Existential Personality Theory Although philosophers and psychologists interpret existentialism in a variety of ways, some common elements are found among most existential thinkers. First, existence takes precedence over essence. Existence means to emerge or to become; essence implies a static immutable substance. Existence suggests process; essence refers to a product. Existence is associated with growth and change; essence signifies stagnation and finality. (Fiest, Feist & Roberts (2013) Humanistic and Existential Personality Theories offered perspectives that have proven to be valuable. Humanistic and Existential theories focus on the different aspects of an individual in their journey toward self-actualization. From Carl Rogers’s development of the actualizing tendency and the formative tendency to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, there is a diverse range of perspective. In this paper, we will analyze how humanistic and existential theories affect individual personalities and explain how these personality theories influence interpersonal relationships. Effect on Individual Personalities Our personalities consist of many complex characteristics and have been classified into a wide array of theories. One main concept of these theories is known as the Learning theory. Learning theory is defined as the process by which humans...
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...In this paper I will compare and contrast dispositional, humanistic and existential theories of personality. I will also give the basic underlying assumptions of each of these approaches to personality and analyze the characteristics to each of these theories. I will also explain the interpersonal relational aspects that are associated with these theories. According to aboutpsychology.com Humanistic theories of personality stress the basic goodness of human beings and the need to achieve one's full potential. Learn more about some of the major humanistic theories of personality. Comparing and Contrasting When looking at the humanistic and existential theories of personality these theories the individual on a holistic sense. Humanistic and existential theories and dispositional theories are all similar because they all search for an understanding the importance of behavior based on the individuals personal perception of life. All these theories focus on conscious decision making, free will and abilities. According to Abraham Maslow he looked at the humanistic approach to personality as taking full advantage of opportunities available to them and explores new ideas that would improve their life. Maslow also believed that there are many opportunities to people but first they have to be self-actualized. Maslow referred to these qualities in those who are self-actualized, as B-values (Feist & Feist, 2009). Then when looking at the existential theory it highlights...
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... |PSY/405 Version 2 | | |Theories of Personality | Copyright © 2010, 2009, 2007 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. Course Description This course surveys the field of personality from a scientific perspective, examining the general approaches to understanding personality. The key theorists and concepts associated with each perspective are highlighted, along with the strengths and limitations of the different approaches. Policies Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within the following two documents: • University policies: You must be logged into the student website to view this document. • Instructor policies: This document is posted in the Course Materials forum. University policies are subject to change. Be sure to read the policies at the beginning of each class. Policies may be slightly different depending on the modality in which you attend class. If you have recently changed modalities, read the policies governing your current class modality. Course Materials Feist, J., & Feist, G. J. (2009). Theories of personality (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill. |Week One: Introduction to Personality ...
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...genetic makeup, but he or she will still have an individual personality to call his or her own. The study of personality is quite complex and involves many ideas and theories from wide variety of scholars. Personality is also something people can share and relate to with one another. According to Allport, “Personality is about what is unique to the individual, but it is also about what is shared across people” (Allport, 1962). Although there are several approaches to the personality analysis, this paper will specifically focus on the psychodynamic, humanistic and existential approaches. This paper will compare and contrast these theories, explore the characteristics that accompany these theories, and explain the interpersonal relational aspects associated with these particular theories. Psychodynamic Theory The theory of psychodynamics is the basic study of all psychological abilities that place an influence on human behavior (Feist & Feist, 2009). This may especially include the compelling relationships among the motivation of the conscious and unconscious, which were the ideas of Sigmund Freud. Although Freud established the ideas of “psychodynamics” to explain the mind flow of the libido, Carl Jung, Alfred Adler, and Melanie Klein should also be accredited for laying the foundation for the psychodynamic theory (Wikipedia Foundation, Inc., 2011). The ideas behind psychodynamics are often divided into two sections. The first is the interaction of emotional forces, which is...
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... |PSY/405 Version 2 | | |Theories of Personality | Copyright © 2010, 2009, 2007 by University of Phoenix. All rights reserved. Course Description This course surveys the field of personality from a scientific perspective, examining the general approaches to understanding personality. The key theorists and concepts associated with each perspective are highlighted, along with the strengths and limitations of the different approaches. Policies Faculty and students/learners will be held responsible for understanding and adhering to all policies contained within the following two documents: • University policies: You must be logged into the student website to view this document. • Instructor policies: This document is posted in the Course Materials forum. University policies are subject to change. Be sure to read the policies at the beginning of each class. Policies may be slightly different depending on the modality in which you attend class. If you have recently changed modalities, read the policies governing your current class modality. Course Materials Feist, J., & Feist, G. J. (2009). Theories of personality (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill. All electronic materials are available on the student website. |Week One: Introduction to Personality...
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...Humanistic and Existential Personality Theories Humanistic and Existential Personality Theories Tiffany Chapman, Alesha Forsythe, Hector Perez, and Lisa Rivas Psy 405/ Theories of Personality Joycelynn Flowers-Ashton July 28, 2014 Humanistic and Existential Personality Theories The Humanistic theory of personality explains that people are basically good natured ("Cliff Notes", 2013). Humanistic also believe that everyone has the ability to achieve their full potential within themselves. The theory explains that with the help of a humanistic therapist any individual can reach their full potential. However, humanistics believe that individuals cannot reach full potential unless all of their needs are met. Abraham Maslow explained in the Hierarchy of needs that an individual’s needs must be met in a specific order before the individual can reach full potential or self-actualization ("Cliff Notes", 2013). Full potential is not reached until the individual has fulfilled physical needs such as hunger, safety, belonging, and self-esteem. Individuals that do not have the ability to fulfill the hierarchy of needs often display personality that is unhealthy or dysfunctional. Individuals that did not experience unconditional love and acceptance during childhood often have difficultly establishing healthy relationships. The humanistic theory explains that in order for individuals to overcome the lack of love and acceptance those individuals must experience a relationship...
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...Parrott, L., III. (2003). Counseling and psychotherapy (2nd ed.). Pacific Grove, CA: Thomson/Brooks/Cole. All electronic materials are available on the student website. |Week One: Overview of Models and Theories of Helping | |Existential and Humanistic Theories and Approaches to Change | | |Details |Due |Points | |Objectives |Identify the components of a model or theory of helping. | | | | |Examine the history of models and theories of helping. | | | | |Examine major existential and humanistic theories. | | | | |Identify existential and humanistic approaches, skills, and techniques for use by human | | | | |services workers. | | | |Readings |Read Ch. 5, 6...
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...Approaches to Psychotherapy and Existential Theory Bonnie Cole Abstract This paper seeks to explain the concept of psychotherapy, and the dominant psychotherapeutic methods used for the treatment of individuals. These methods are: psychoanalytic, humanist, behavioral, and cognitive (jointly called cognitive-behavioral therapy, or CBT). I further explore existential psychotherapy, as it is the method I found most appealing in my research. I included quotations from several journal articles, and from our textbook, “Discovering Psychology, Fifth Edition”. Approaches to Psychotherapy and Existential Theory Psychotherapy is an official term that normally goes by different names: counseling, treatment, psychiatric therapy, even head shrinking. They all mean the same thing, and have a common goal. Psychotherapy seeks, through the use of trained professionals, to help individuals improve their mental health using a variety of different approaches. A much more comprehensive definition can be found in the textbook Discovering Psychology, Fifth Edition, which states that psychotherapy is: “The treatment of emotional, behavioral, and interpersonal problems through the use of psychological techniques designed to encourage understanding of problems and modify troubling feelings, behaviors, or relationships”...
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...Personality theory analysis Danielle williams psy/405 07/01/2014 Sharon Friedman Personality theory analysis Over a vast period of time many different phycologist have pondered the makings of the human personality. Not only did phycologist have to consider what makes up the human personality; these same brilliant minds came up with several various approaches to the human personality. Each one of the following positions or theories all touch basis on different developments of a person’s personality. Whether it is the dispositional approach that theorist state are key traits in development that make an individual unique to him or her, or the humanist/existential approach which focuses more on the evidence for the stability of genetically influenced personality, more specifically evolution and how it applies to the issues of ambition and leadership. Here we will describe the differences between dispositional personality and humanistic. In this essay we will discuss the role of personality in affecting situational behavior. Following this, examine the personality characteristics attributed to each theory in our approach. Finally, we will explain the interpersonal relational aspects associated with the theories selected. . A number of different theories have emerged to explain different aspects of personality. Some theories focus on explaining how personality develops while others are concerned with individual differences in personality. In the following we will review...
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...Theoretical Approaches Susan McKee PSY/405 Theories of Personality July 29, 2013 Les Binnix Theoretical Approaches In the world of psychology there are numerous personality theories. Many people have heard of Maslow with the hierarchy of needs or the dispositional theories with types and traits. Both of these theories attempts to understand and explain human thoughts and behaviors through different perspectives. The focus of this paper is to compare and contrast these two different theories. Humanistic and existential theory of personality looks at the individual in a holistic and optimistic manner; this includes Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs and Carl Rodger's theory of self. The dispositional theories started with a comprehensive definition of personality by Gordon Allport and went on to the investigations of thousands of descriptive words dealing with personality characteristics. Measurements of these characteristics led to the big five or the five factor theory. Both of these major theories are complex, optimistic, and help increase understanding of personalities through different lenses. The purpose of this paper is to examine the personality characteristics attributed to these theories, explain the interpersonal relational aspect associated, and describe the role of personality in affecting situational behavior. Humanistic and existential theory of personality. The humanistic and existential theory of personality is also known as the "Third Force" within...
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...Personality Analysis PSY 405 August 19, 2013 A large number of psychologist and philosophers have examined, tested, researched, and analyzed theories associated with behavior and personality. Theories of personalities provide the significant factors, influences affiliated with personality development as well as the ideas of traits; one’s culture, religion, beliefs, and factors such as disabilities, drugs, alcohol, and influences such as a parent, teacher, object needs or wants, and other affects related to personality. In this paper the subject to explain is the theoretical approaches of humanistic and existential theory, and the dispositional approach theory. The paper includes theoretical approaches, and the role of personality and behaviors. Including personality characteristics that contribute to these theories, along with the interpersonal relationship’s associated with the humanistic, existential, and dispositional theories. Personality theories can have a wide range from development, behavior, influences, and other factors associated. Well-known theorists Freud, Erysenck, and Maslow, are just a few who set the foundation of personality theories. Today these theories are included in the personality development, influences, and behaviors. One’s personality, behavior, characteristics, and traits are what makes individual’s unique. Developmental process of personality occurs through life, one’s experiences, one’s environmental conditions, heredity, and one’s behavior...
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...Humanistic and Existential Personality Theories Paper Humanistic and Existential Personality Theories Paper Abraham Maslow introduced the holistic-dynamic theory, which suggests that a person’s actions are constantly being motivated directly by one need, or another (Feist, 2013). The holistic-dynamic theory also suggests that a person has the potential to grow towards what Maslow deemed self-actualization, or reaching full potential. In order to achieve this goal of self-actualization, you must first satisfy all of the other needs on a pyramid that Maslow created (Feist, 2013). The hierarchy of needs starts at the bottom with physiological needs, like hunger and sleep. In order for one to move to the next tier of the pyramid, they must obtain relative satisfaction in this level. If someone is constantly hungry, maybe because they are homeless, they will never move past the motivation for their next meal. The second tier is safety, third is love and belongingness, fourth is esteem, and the final tier is self-actualization (Feist, 2013). In the case of personality development, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs gives each individual something to strive towards. In the end, the goal is to be self-actualized; the best person you can possibly be. The hierarchy affects interpersonal relationships, as well, in that each level deals with how you deal with another person, or community. To achieve safety, you must be in a place you feel safe, with people that you are safe around...
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...The purpose of this paper is to compare and contrast the differences and similarities associated with Carl Roger’s Client-centered theory and Sigmund Freud’s Psychoanalytic theory. The focus of the comparisons will fall into the three main topic areas: that of optimal personality development, that of the nature of problem formation, and that of the process of learning and change. The two theorists differ in approach in that Psychoanalytic theory is basically deterministic while Person-Centered therapy is rooted in humanistic and existential philosophies. Freud concurred that behavior was determined by both unconscious motivators and through instinctual drives that evolved during the first six years of life (Corey, 1996). The deterministic view focuses on the belief that past experiences unconsciously are reflected in present behaviors. Freud proposed that only after the client gained insight into the unconscious could he or she operate by choice rather than that of habit (Corey, 1996). Person-Centered therapy is more humanistic in nature and has some traits associated with existentialism, apparent in the lack a specific set of techniques. A difference between the humanistic view and the deterministic view is that humanism is based on the concept that the client has the freedom to make conscious choices and will automatically grow in positive ways (Corey, 1996). The deterministic philosophy assumes that behavior is driven by a source of unconscious motivation. Optimal Personality...
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...motivate people to pick up the broken pieces in their behaviors that need attention. Because counselors have a lot of experience witnessing human beings in various forms of life challenges, they use techniques or share observations that are more revealing than what friends or family members might say. With these revelations, clients make decisions and with the support of the counselor, clients take action towards positive growth in their lives. This paper is an expression of my current thinking regarding a theoretical approach of individual counseling. The counselor’s approach is unique based on his or her personal belief systems and values. I have adopted and integrated counseling approach to understanding the individual’s irrational beliefs and the implications of these beliefs on thinking, feeling and behavior. In this paper, the word ‘counselor’ and ‘therapist’ will be used interchangeably. Developing Personal Style of Counseling: My integrative Approach to Counseling Different counseling theorists have proposed different theories of counseling and they are all good approaches in their...
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...Introduction to Personality Paper University of Phoenix Psy 405 Introduction to Personality Paper Personality is unique to each individual. Every individual has their own traits and characteristics that make up who they are. Personality comes from the Latin persona, which refers to a theatrical mask worn by Roman actors in Greek dramas (Feist & Feist, 2009, p. 3). These Romans wore the mask or persona to project a false appearance. Of course, personality psychologists do not accept this definition. When psychologists talk about personality they refer to something different than role play. There is no definite definition for personality, but different theorists say that personality is a pattern of permanent traits and exclusive characteristics that give stability and individuality to a person’s behavior. Traits provide individual differences in behavior, consistency of behavior over time, and stability of behavior beyond situations. A person has unique qualities called characteristics that involve intelligence, temperament, and physical appearance (Feist & Feist, 2009). Altogether, the definition of personality implies, “…a pattern of relatively permanent traits and unique characteristics that give both consistency and individuality to a person’s behavior” (Feist & Feist, 2009, p. 4). An ample explanation of the psychological understanding of personality is coming in the development of the theoretical approaches in the study of personality. There...
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