Personality Psychology Exam #2 Professor Herman

Erik Erikson

Psychosocial Development Theory

Ego Psychology

Theory that emphasizes the integration of biological and psychosocial forces in the determination of personality functioning with a special focus on developmental crisis.

Erickson's Theory on Personality

Psychosocial Development (8 stages) Infancy - adulthood
(Development Across the Lifespan)

Epigenetic Principle

The principle that there is a genetically determined sequence to human development, a series of stages, universal to all.

Crisis

Referred to as the maturation process that has critical points

Importance psychosocial development and stages

Successful completion of each stage results in a healthy personality and acquisition of basic virtues

Basic virtues

characteristics of strengths that the ego can use to resolve the subsequent crisis and is associated with developmental stages

Positive resolution of each crisis

strengthening of the ego and positive resolution of one stage increases the chances of positive resolution in later stages.

Erikson's Stage 1- Trust vs. Mistrust- 1st year of life

Oral-sensory stage: Basic trust vs. Mistrust
Pleasure centers around the mouth and feeding
Crisis- Direct result of parenting

Stage 1- Ego Strength= Hope

By developing a sense of trust the infant can have hope that as new crises arise, there is a real possibility that other people will be there as a source of support.

(If not successfully resolved - mistrust, suspicion, and anxiety)

Stage 2- Autonomy Vs. Shame And Doubt
2nd and 3rd year of life

Children at this stage are focused on developing personal control over physical skills and a sense of independence.
Main Issue: Toilet training: forces children to obey and leads to conflict of wills.

Erikson Stage 2 Successful Resolution

Autonomy and self Control - This takes place if parents guide children's behavior gradually yet firmly.

(If too harsh and demanding, shame and doubt occur).

Erikson Stage 3- Initiative vs. Guilt: Ages 4 and 5
Locomotor-genital stage:

Children assert themselves more frequently through direct play, planned activities, and other social interactions. The initiative is sparked, become curious about those around them, and can now locomote more freely. Feel secure in their ability to lead others

If the initiative is squelched, either through criticism or control, guilt can develop. Too much guilt can lead to difficulty interacting with others and inhibit creativity.

Some guilt is necessary, otherwise the child would not know how to exercise self-control or have a conscience.

Has similar issues with parents regarding the Oedipus complex.

Erikson Stage 3- Ego Strength

Thinking big, identifying with parents, and beginning a new set of life goals.

Erikson Stage 4- Industry vs. Inferiority
(Ages 6-12)

Lull in sexual desires and focus turns from the home to school life. (Peer group becomes more significant and a source of self-esteem).

If initiative is not encouraged, the child may begin to feel inferior.
Some failure is necessary to develop modesty. Balance between modesty and competency is necessary. The balance

Erikson Stage 4- Ego Strength

Competence

Erikson - Identity vs. Role Confusion-
5th Stage (Ages 13-19)

Identity- Multifaceted concept that involves knowing who you are and where you are going, as well as what you are not and do not want to be (becoming your unique self which is different than others)

The child learns the role they will occupy as an adult.

According to Erikson, two identities are involved: sexual and occupational

Identity Crisis

The developmental turning point, associated primarily with adolescence, where choices need to be made in various areas: career, mate, ideology to live by

Moratorium

Time of exploration during adolescence filled with role confusion as they consider life goals

Role confusion

concern for who they are and what they will become

Ego strength: Fidelity

a sense of loyalty and commitment despite differences in value systems.

Negative identity

scornful and hostile toward roles offered, loyalties to those who are destructive to themselves

Erikson Intimacy vs. Isolation
6th Stage
20-24

Intimacy- the ability to establish close relationships, to abide by commitments with significant compromises and sacrifices if necessary.
Major conflict- forming intimate loving relationships with others outside of one's family.
Isolation- inability to show true intimacy. Fear of commitment can lead to loneliness and depression

Ego Strength

Love

Erikson: Generativity vs Stagnation
7th Stage (ages 25-64)

Generativity- "making your mark" through creating or nurturing things that will outlast the individual.
Career building and ensuring the well-being of the next generation including raising children.

Stagnation- Lack of productivity, boredom, interpersonal impoverishment, disconnected or uninvolved in one's community and society as a whole

Ego Strength

Care

Erikson: Ego Integrity vs. Despair
8th Stage (ages 65 to death)

Contemplation of our accomplishments can develop integrity if we see ourselves leading successful lives.

Ego Integrity: The elderly feel their lives have had a positive meaning and have been worth living.

Despair: Fear of death, seeing lives as failures, unable to rectify mistakes due to lack of time remaining.

Ego Strength: Wisdom

Detached concern with life in the face of death; life is put into perspective; ability to look back at life with a sense of closure. Wise people experience and despair as alternative states that need to be balanced

More on Erik Erickson- Positive Evaluation

Personality Development across the lifespan is a more realistic perspective o personality development

Erik Erikson-Positive evaluation

Middle and late adulthood are no longer viewed as irrelevant. They are now considered active and significant times of personal growth.

One of Erikson's psychosocial theory's strengths

Ability to tie psychosocial development across the lifespan.

Erik Erikson's Negative Evaluation

-Vague about causes of development
- Does not specify what experiences people must have to resolve psychosocial conflict and move from one stage to another
Theory does not have a universal mechanism for crisis resolution.
Theory built on Erikson's thinking not scientific data.

Erik Erikson's psychosocial theory weaknesses

- Ambiguous terminology
-Incomplete description of psychosocial stages
-Poorly supported claims of male-female personality differences based on biological factors.

James Marcia

Refined Erik Erikson's work. Developed four identity statuses of psychological identity, primarily focused on adolescent development.

James Marcia- Main Idea

Main Idea- One's sense of identity is determined largely by choices and commitments made regarding certain personal and social traits

James Marcia's Theory of Identity Achievement

Argues that two distinct parts form an adolescent identity:
Crisis- A time when one's values and choices are being re-evaluated and;
Commitment-

Key Differences between Erikson and Marcia in Adolescent Development

Erikson believes normal conflict occurring in adolescence is the opposition between identity vs role confusion
Marcia does not believe the stage consists of identity resolution vs. identity confusion. However, rather they are both explored and committed to in a variety of life domains-politics, gender roles, friendships, and intimate relationships.

James Marcia- Four Stages or Identity Statuses of Psychological Identity Development (Diffusion, Foreclosure, Moratorium, Achievement)
1. Diffusion

Identity diffusion (role confusion): At this point, a person has not explored or made identity commitments.

2. Foreclosure

Identity foreclosure: This involves committing to an identity without exploring other options, often as a result of peer pressure, conformity, cultural expectations, or parental pressure.

3. Moratorium

Identity moratorium: This is a period of active exploration where an individual tries new things and seeks out alternatives

4. Achievement

Identity achievement: This status involves having explored different options and then making a commitment to an identity. This does not necessarily end with adolescence. It can ultimately be a long process that creates self-awareness and a strong sense of self.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs
2 Basic Sets of Needs Rooted in our Biology (Deficiency and Growth)

Deficiency needs (Basic Needs)-
1. Physiological Needs

Basic Needs-
physiological needs include hunger, thirst, and sex
(when hungry can't think of anything else (few poor people have a quest for self-actualization)

Deficiency needs (basic needs)-
2. Safety Needs

Safety Needs- security, protection, structure, law, order, and freedom from fear, anxiety, and chaos
(Both children and adults have safety needs but can vary greatly)

Deficiency needs (basic needs)-
3. Belongingness and Love

Belongingness- need to feel wanted and accepted by others
Love- Begins selfishly with seeking love from others, referred to as D-love (Deficiency love), and once capable of loving others becomes B-love (being love, or giving love)

Deficiency needs (basic needs)-
4. Esteem Needs (Divided into 2 sets)

1. Esteem- based on respect for our own competence, independence, and accomplishments.
2. Esteem- based on others' evaluations (recognition, status, fame, dominance, and appreciation).

Growth needs (Meta Needs)- (Self Actualization and Cognitive Understanding)
1. Self Actualization

Self Actualization- Need to reach one's fullest potential and highest level of functioning

Growth needs (Meta Needs)- (Self Actualization and Cognitive Understanding)
2. Cognitive Understanding

Cognitive Understanding- Drive our need for knowledge, understanding, curiosity, and exploration

Maslow's Belief Regarding Those High in Self-Actualization

More capable of giving affection, intimately relating to others, more capable of mature love, and less resentful to former lovers.

Jonah complex

as a result of fear, reluctance to make full use of one's intellectual abilities and potential because achievement may bring on new responsibilities and duties we cannot handle and the fear of the unknown

Conditions for Self-Actualization

Believes the environment must allow for those basic needs to be met as well as be supportive and guide behavior toward positive methods.

Believes that without basic freedoms such as freedom of speech, satisfaction of basic needs is virtually impossible.

Self-Transcendence

meaning, purpose, and communion beyond the self

Self-actualizing tendency

Rogers; drive of an individual to achieve his/her self-concept or self-image; living up to the image of yourself that you create
Drive is believed to be both biological and psychological

Client-centered therapy

a humanistic therapy in which the therapist uses techniques such as active listening within a genuine, accepting, empathic environment to facilitate clients' growth and includes unconditional positive regard

Personality Development

Rogers; believes self actualization begins in infancy

organismic valuing process

The process of making judgements about the worth of a given situation

fully functioning person

Carl Roger's term for a healthy, self-actualizing individual, who has a self-concept that is both positive and congruent with reality.
Individuals who are utilizing their potential to the maximum degree are engaged in self-realization or self-actualization

According to Rogers, the fully functioning person has the following characteristics

1. They are open to experience
2. They are characterized by existential living
3. They trust their organisms
4. They are creative
5. They live richer lives than other people do

Emerging persons

People whose interpersonal relationships are characterized by honesty, cooperation, and concern for others, avoid facades and hypocrisy, welcome change, and opt for growth even when difficult

According to Rogers, the emerging person has the following characteristics:

1. They are honest and open
2. They are indifferent to material comforts and rewards
3. They are caring persons
4. They have a deep distrust of cognitively based science and technology that uses science to exploit and harm nature and people
5. They have a trust in their own experience and profound distrust of all external authority

The social self

concept of self as reflected in social interactions with others

True self

self-concept based on our actual feelings about our experiences

need for positive regard (Rogers)

learned or innate tendency to seek and need approval from others

Conditions of Worth (Rogers)

experiences and behaviors are acceptable only if they meet with the approval of others.

Roger believed the ultimate goal of his person (client) centered approach

Change person's self concept

3 Essential Ingredients provided by therapist in order to facility therapeutic relationship

1. Genuine
2. Empathic
3. Unconditional positive regard

The therapist should be engaged in active listening
(what is Active Listening)

1. Paraphrase
2. Invite Clarification
Reflect feelings