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Theories of Personality

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Theories of Personality
Team C (Get it)
PSY/405
March 20, 2014
Doctor Sabrina Norman Explaining Individuals’ Behavior Introduction paragraph needs to be 150 words
Humanistic and Existential Theories Affect Individual Personalities “The humanistic theory emphasizes free will in the development of personality” (Kowalski & Western, 2011). Existential-humanistic psychology plays a significant part in the development of individual personalities. Humanistic theory is the perception of good in every human. This theory outlines steps for everyone to follow to reach a level of self-actualization. Lower physiological needs such as oxygen, water, and nourishment must be satisfied before higher level psychological needs such as belongingness and love are met. “People must satisfy lower needs such as hunger, safety, love and esteem, only after they are relatively satisfied in each of these needs can he or she reach self-actualization” (Feist & Feist, 2009 p. 275). Maslow’s hierarchy of needs helps people understand the steps needed to attain their self-goals. The client-centered theory founded by Carl Rodgers is very similar to Maslow’s theory, but it primarily focuses on helping individuals better him or herself. “Rodger’s used a nondirective approach that focused on the present instead of an individual’s past like Freud’s psychodynamic theory” (Kowalski & Western, 2011). Like Maslow Rodger believed in helping individuals reach the self-actualization level in life. Rollo May was the spokesperson for existential theory nearly fifty years although; he is not the founder of the theory. “He saw people as living in the world of present experiences and ultimately being responsible for who they became” (Feist & Feist, 2009). This free will theory makes the individual accountable for his or her own actions. “An explanation of an individual’s action cannot be found in

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