Theories of Personality: Gordon Allport, Erich Fromm, and Erik Erikson

Flashcards covering Gordon Allport's trait approach, Erich Fromm's neopsychoanalytic approach, and Erik Erikson's psychosocial lifespan theory.

Who is the personality theorist pictured here, known for developing the trait approach to personality?

Gordon Allport

According to Gordon Allport, what roles do genetics and the social environment play in determining personality?

Both determine who we are, but genetics provides the major portion of our uniqueness; because no two environments are identical, not even identical twins sharing $100\%$ of their DNA are exactly the same.

How does Gordon Allport contrast the infant/neurotic personality with the normal adult personality?

Infants and neurotic adults are driven by primitive, unconscious biological urges and reflexes (e.g., screaming and lashing out when upset), whereas normal adults have a psychological personality driven by conscious, rational thinking, divorced from the past and directed by the present and future.

How does Gordon Allport define personality traits?

Predispositions to respond in the same or similar manner that exist within us, cause behavior by prompting us to seek out stimuli, can be demonstrated empirically, are interrelated, and vary with the situation.

What is the distinction between individual traits and common traits in Allport's theory?

Individual traits are unique to a person and define their specific character, while common traits are shared by members of a culture and shaped by society, environment, and culture.

How did Gordon Allport define cardinal traits, central traits, and secondary traits?

Cardinal traits are powerful ruling passions (e.g., greed, altruism, sadism); central traits are the $5$ to $10$ core themes that best describe a person's behavior (e.g., aggressiveness, self-pity); secondary traits are weak, least important, and inconsistently displayed preferences (e.g., preference for certain food or music).

How do traits differ from habits and attitudes according to Gordon Allport?

Habits are specific, inflexible responses to particular stimuli that may combine to form a trait (e.g., brushing teeth regularly contributing to cleanliness), while attitudes are evaluations directed toward specific objects (e.g., dislike of politicians).

What is Gordon Allport's concept of functional autonomy of motives?

The principle that motives in normal, mature adults become completely independent of the childhood experiences in which they originally appeared, meaning adult motives are self-driven and must be understood in terms of present behavior.

What is the difference between perseverative functional autonomy and propriate functional autonomy?

Perseverative functional autonomy encompasses low-level repetitive behaviors such as habits and addictions, while propriate (ego) functional autonomy encompasses core autonomous behaviors that relate to values, self-image, and lifestyle.

What are the first three stages of proprium development that occur between ages $0$ and $4$ in Allport's theory?

1. Bodily self (becoming aware of bodily existence distinct from objects), 2. Self-identity (realizing identity remains intact despite changes), and 3. Self-esteem (learning to take pride in accomplishments).

What are stages 4 through 7 of proprium development according to Gordon Allport?

4. Extension of self (ages $4\text{--}6$), 5. Self-image (ages $4\text{--}6$), 6. Self as rational coper (ages $6\text{--}12$), and 7. Propriate striving (adolescence).

What adult outcome occurs if a primary caregiver frustrates childhood needs, according to Gordon Allport?

The child becomes insecure, aggressive, demanding, jealous, and self-centered; as an adult, they will be neurotic with an undifferentiated personality, act like a child, and have motives that are not functionally autonomous.

What are the six criteria of a healthy adult personality outlined by Gordon Allport?

1. Extends sense of self to people and activities beyond themselves; 2. Relates warmly to others with intimacy, compassion, and tolerance; 3. Has self-acceptance that fosters emotional security; 4. Holds a realistic view of life, develops personal skills, and commits to work; 5. Has self-insight and a sense of humor; 6. Possesses a unifying philosophy that directs future goals.

What are the two assessment techniques detailed from Gordon Allport's 11 methods?

The personal-document technique (analyzing diaries, autobiographies, letters via third-person judges or computer word analysis) and the Study of Values (an objective self-report assessing theoretical, economic, aesthetic, social, political, and religious values).

In research on Allport's concept of expressive behavior, which nonverbal cues correlate with agreeableness, extraversion, and conscientiousness?

Agreeableness is revealed by laughter and friendly interactions; extraversion by laughter, smiles, and enjoyment; conscientiousness by a controlled smile, an averted gaze, and head movements down and away from the observer.

Who is the neopsychoanalytic theorist pictured here, known for writing about the dilemma between freedom and security?

Erich Fromm

According to Erich Fromm, what is the basic human dilemma regarding freedom and nature?

As human societies develop, humans achieve greater freedom but become increasingly lonely, isolated, and alienated from nature because their intelligence and imagination transcend the natural world.

How did individual security in the Middle Ages compare to the period following the Renaissance and Reformation, according to Fromm?

The Middle Ages feudal system provided no individual freedom or mobility but high security and certainty of belonging; the Renaissance and Reformation destroyed that stability by increasing personal freedom, producing insecurity, insignificance, and doubts about life's meaning.

What are Erich Fromm's three psychic escape mechanisms from the negative aspects of freedom?

1. Authoritarianism (masochistic submission or sadistic domination), 2. Destructiveness (eliminating threatening persons or objects to overcome powerlessness), and 3. Automaton (conforming completely to societal rules to ease loneliness).

What are the three forms of interpersonal relatedness between parent and child described by Fromm?

1. Symbiotic relatedness (masochistic swallowing of self or sadistic swallowing of parents), 2. Withdrawal-destructiveness (separating from subjugating parents), and 3. Love (parents provide respect and balance security with responsibility).

What are the six basic psychological needs identified by Erich Fromm?

1. Relatedness, 2. Transcendence, 3. Rootedness, 4. Identity, 5. Frame of orientation and object of devotion, and 6. Excitation and stimulation.

How does Erich Fromm characterize the receptive, exploitative, and hoarding nonproductive character types?

Receptive types expect to receive everything from others without giving; exploitative types take what they want through force or cunning; hoarding types derive security from amassing and protecting possessions, thoughts, and emotions behind rigid boundaries.

What are the core characteristics of Erich Fromm's marketing character type?

They treat personality as a commodity to be sold, value superficial qualities (such as laughing at a boss's jokes) over genuine inner abilities, and hide their true selves from both themselves and others.

How do Erich Fromm's necrophilious and biophilous character types differ?

Necrophilious types are attracted to death, corpses, decay, brute force, and machines/technology (e.g., Hitler); biophilous types are productive, love life, growth, and creation, and influence others through love and reason.

What distinguishes Fromm's 'having' personality type from his 'being' personality type?

The 'having' type defines the self by possessions, is competitive, and becomes antagonistic and alienated; the 'being' type is productive, defines the self by what one is, focuses on the present, and cooperates, loves, and shares.

What percentage of people did research identify as exhibiting necrophilious character traits, and what social policies do they support?

$10\%$ to $15\%$ of people; they support military force, repressive measures against enemies, stronger police forces, law enforcement, and anti-drug laws.

Who is the lifespan personality theorist pictured here, famous for formulating eight psychosocial stages of development?

Erik Erikson

In Erikson's theory, what constitutes a 'crisis' and a 'basic strength'?

A crisis is a personal conflict at each stage that necessitates a change in behavior and personality to resume the sequence of development; a basic strength is the virtue derived after positive crisis resolution.

What is the psychosocial conflict and corresponding basic strength of the oral-sensory stage (birth to age $1$) in Erikson's theory?

Trust versus mistrust; successful resolution yields the basic strength of Hope (a persistent feeling of confidence).

What is the psychosocial conflict and corresponding basic strength of the muscular-anal stage (ages $2\text{--}3$) in Erikson's theory?

Autonomy versus shame and doubt; successful resolution yields the basic strength of Will (exercising freedom of choice and self-restraint).

What is the psychosocial conflict and corresponding basic strength of the locomotor-genital stage (ages $3\text{--}5$) in Erikson's theory?

Initiative versus guilt; successful resolution yields the basic strength of Purpose (the courage to envision and pursue goals).

What is the psychosocial conflict and corresponding basic strength of the latency stage (ages $6\text{--}11$) in Erikson's theory?

Industriousness versus inferiority; successful resolution yields the basic strength of Competence (the exertion of skill and intelligence to complete a task).

What is the psychosocial conflict and corresponding basic strength of adolescence (ages $12\text{--}18$) in Erikson's theory?

Identity cohesion versus identity confusion; successful resolution yields the basic strength of Fidelity (sincerity, genuineness, and a sense of duty).

What is the psychosocial conflict and corresponding basic strength of young adulthood (ages $18\text{--}35$) in Erikson's theory?

Intimacy versus isolation; successful resolution yields the basic strength of Love (mutual devotion and a shared identity).

What is the psychosocial conflict and corresponding basic strength of adulthood (ages $35\text{--}55$) in Erikson's theory?

Generativity versus stagnation; successful resolution yields the basic strength of Care (a broad concern for others and a need to teach).

What is the psychosocial conflict and corresponding basic strength of late adulthood (age $55+$) in Erikson's theory?

Ego integrity versus despair; successful resolution yields the basic strength of Wisdom (the integration of past experience).

What is psychohistorical analysis as employed by Erik Erikson?

An assessment technique involving biographical studies of prominent historical figures (e.g., Ghandi, Martin Luther) where Erikson adopted the subject's viewpoint to evaluate life events through their eyes.

What gender differences did experimental research reveal when testing Erikson's concepts using play constructions?

Boys built dynamic action scenes, whereas girls built static, peaceful scenes representing social gatherings.

In James Marcia's adolescent identity research, what characterizes identity achievement and moratorium?

Identity achievement involves resolving an identity crisis and making firm commitments to an occupation and ideology; moratorium involves an ongoing crisis with no commitments, ambivalence toward authority, and indecisiveness.

In James Marcia's adolescent identity statuses, what defines foreclosure, identity diffusion, and alienated achievement?

Foreclosure involves parental commitment without a crisis (rigid, authoritarian); identity diffusion involves neither crisis nor commitment (aimless drifting); alienated achievement involves experiencing a crisis without occupational commitment, holding cynical ideologies critical of social and economic systems.