Gordon Allport Psychology of Individual

Gordon Allport’s Psychology of the individual

• sometimes referred to as “personality of the individual”

• This theory is under dispositional perspective (not psychodynamic perspective) - ang mga ugali natin ang bumubuo ng personality natin. it is stable and enduring. it focuses on “individuality” than commonality.

  • umaalis na sila sa unconscious mind perspective dahil unscientific ‘yon. but kahit unscientific siya, useful pa rin ang psychodynamic perspective in generating research and newer theories.

Overview of Allport’s theory

• He emphasized the uniqueness of individuals. Ayaw niya ng general traits because it robs the individuality of a person.

• Kahit pareho kayong low in extraversion, hindi pareho ng manifestation yun. Pwedeng mahiyain ako sa tao pero hindi sa friends, pwedeng yung iba ay mahiyain sa lahat.

• He believed of studying an individual than doing theory that generalizes.

• His questions and postulates are easy to understand. Parsimonious

Biography

• Lumaki siya sa household na laging inoobserve ang cleanliness. Ang tatay niya ay ginawang clinic ang kanilang bahay kaya dapat laging sterilized. Ang kaniyang ina naman ay naniniwalang it’s a reflection of a pure/clean soul.

• He met Freud before he pursued psychology (because he was once an economics and philo major). He asked Freud about what the man thinks of the lad who cried from seeing dirt beside.

  • The response of Freud was, “were you asking me that because that child is, in truth, you?” - napa-WTF si allport kasi hindi naman niya yun inisip. hindi rin siya naniniwala na dapat lahat ng actions natin ay influenced by our past, kasi hindi naman lahat ay may traumatic event. kaya sa kaniyang theory, mas nagfocus siya sa “conscious mind.”

Three questions of Allport

1. what is personality

2. what is the role of conscious motivation

3. what is the behavior of psychological healthy people.

a. Personality (sobrang lalim ng definition niya)- it is the “dynamic organizations within the individual of those psychophysical systems that determine his unique adjustments to his environment.”

• to dissect, sinasabi na dynamic o nagbabago ang personality. it is many, marami sila pero interrelated sa single person.

  • it can be adaptive or expressive ang purpose ng personality. adaptive means it is the response to the environment or expressive kasi ganon lang talaga siya.

• ano yung ibig sabihin ng psychophysical system? nabanggit that personality has the psychological and physical aspect. psychology as in the “mind” and the physical body as in appearance.kunyare, malaking tao ka, nakakaapekto sa personality of being gentle kasi alam nilang malaking tao sila and it correlates with strength na baka makasakit sila.

Structure of personality

• “personal dispositions” - weirdly, it is defined as a generalize neuropsychic structure pero it is DIFFERENT from common traits.

• mas personalized si personal dispositions kesa sa common traits.

Levels of personal dispositions

• central dispositions - dominating personality. 5-10 oustanding characteristics that best describe you. it reflects the choices and priorities in life.

  • kapag pabago bago ang priority or we call it frame orientation in fromm’s vocab, walang dominating characteristics. so possible na walang central disposition ang ibang tao.

• secondary dispositions - less conspicuous characteristics but mas marami kesa sa central dispositions.

• cardinal dispositions - isang dominating personality/characteristic. it is so passionate, it is outstanding. rare kasi di lahat ng tao ganito. an example is the case of narcissus whose personality is obssession for himself. sa kaniya naderive ang narcissism. Others are machiavellian from niccolo machiavelli (it means being manipulative ang disposition niya. don quixote /kihote/ na quixotic (idealistic)

other dispositions

• motivational dispositions - it is the “intensely experienced dispositions.” Meron ka nito everyday. characteristics/actions are from basic needs and drives. “it initiates action.”

• stylistic dispositions - refers to “style” of manifesting behaviors. “it guides action.”

e.g., nawawalan ng stylistic disposition of being polite dahil sa motivational disposition kumain dahil gutom na gutom na.

e.g., ako ay magsusuot ng damit dahil ang motivation/reason ko ay to keep myself warm (motivational disposition). the manner i am doing is having a pink ootd (stylistic disposition).

• proprium - refers to those behaviors and characteristics tha people regard as mine. (parang central disposition kasi importante ‘to in defining who you are)

What is the role of conscious motivation

• healthy adults are aware of motivations na yun ang dahilan for acting behaviors.

• we are motivated by present drives, not past events. hindi lahat ng tao may issues noong bata. — do not overthink sabi niya haha.

• peripheral motive - are those that reduce a need. kakain ako para mamaintain ang equilbrium or mareduce ang hunger ko (homeostasis-like ang concept).

• propriate strivings - motivations that seek to maintain disequilbrium, striving for more/growth. IM ALL FOR THE CHALLENGE type of mindset.

Theory of motivation

• di lang nagrereact ang tao sa environment. it tries to control the environment. it is called proactive. (reactive vs proactive behavior). Ano ang ibig sabihin ng proactive mindset?

  • a person with proactive mindset not only reactive to needs and demands. kasi if you react to your needs or others’ demands (not only about reducing tensions), you basically submit to the environment. pero a healthy individual will do something that is beyond necessity.

• functional autonomy - the motives are independent from original motives. ibig sabihin, “di ko to ginagawa kasi kailangan ko. dati siguro oo, pero ngayon ginagawa ko siya just because. i feel joy about it kahit kailangan ko man o hindi.”

  • e.g., i study because i want good grades. i need the validation. later on, i study just because. i enjoy it. it has nothing to do with my needs for validation.

  • from the word itself, “autonomous” from needs.

    • perseverative functional autonomy - we do it before because of the physiological benefits/effects. now, we do it for fun. e.g., drinking coffee to stay awake pero it developed as your psychological need. e.g2., drinking alcohol.

    • propriate functional autonomy - related to proprium or sense of self. e.g., you do the act of teaching because it gives money but it developed as your proprium (ginagawa ko ‘to kasi sense of identity ko maging ganito) and you enjoyed it.

pinapaliwanag dito na ito ang mga bagay na hindi natin ginagawa just because. hahaha, its either needs natin siya or instinctive.

Characteristics of psychologically healthy individuals

• they are conscious about the motivations for doing an action (the reason). For e.g., in his accidental meeting with Freud, he asked about Freud’s thought on lad’s unusual before of crying after seeing dirt. He simply asked it because he was consciously curious.

  • although, he did not ignore the role of “unsconsciousness” in life, pero naniniwala siya na nagwwork lang ang unconscious as reason for behavior, if the behaviors are self-defeating/sabotaging. Bakit? dahil naniniwala siya na applicable ito sa traumatic events.

• a psycholigical healthy individual is flexible in problem solving. they take in charge. they are proactive than reactive.

explanation below

1. it means subscribing to the community even if the benefit is not directly for you but for them

2. it is connected to “extension of the sense of self”. you can love with no obsession or selfishness.

3. you are matured to accept your inadequacies and focus on what you can do.

4. in touch of the world.

5. they do not blame others for their lacking. they can laugh and brush it off.

6. it means they have a clear view of purpose in life.