Study Notes on Psychoanalytic Approach - Neo-Freudian Theory

Personality Tenth Edition - Chapter 5: The Psychoanalytic Approach: Neo-Freudian Theory, Application, and Assessment

© 2019 Cengage. All rights reserved. PSYCH 3550: Personality 9/16/2025

Chapter Outline

  • Limits and liabilities of Freudian theory

  • Neo-Freudian theorists:

    • Alfred Adler

    • Carl Jung

    • Erik Erikson

    • Karen Horney

  • Assessment: Personal narratives

  • Strengths and criticisms of Neo-Freudian theories

Limits and Liabilities of Freudian Theory

  • Theorists rejected the idea that personality is formed solely by experiences in the initial years of life.

    • Neo-Freudians argued that later experiences also significantly shape personality.

  • Freud failed to recognize the importance of social and cultural forces in shaping individual personality.

  • Freudian theories tend to present a negative tone, painting a pessimistic view of human nature.

    • Freud propagated the idea that humans are largely controlled by instincts and unconscious forces.

Neo-Freudian Theory: Alfred Adler

Alfred Adler's Theory of Personality

  • Developed the approach known as individual psychology.

  • Major contributions to understanding personality include:

    • Notion of striving for superiority.

    • Role of parental influence on personality development.

    • Effects of birth order on personality.

Striving for Superiority

  • Defined as the single motivating force that subsumes all other motives.

    • Individuals begin life with feelings of inferiority.

    • All individual actions are aimed at establishing a sense of superiority over life's obstacles.

    • Excessive feelings of inferiority can lead to an inferiority complex.

    • A combination of social interest and superiority striving indicates the mental health of a person.

Parental Influence on Personality Development

  • Parental behaviors that can lead to problems in children's lives include:

    • Pampering:

    • Robs the child of independence.

    • Contributes to feelings of inferiority.

    • Neglect:

    • Children who receive little attention may grow up cold and suspicious.

    • Such neglect results in an inability to form warm personal relationships.

Birth Order

  • Firstborn Children:

    • Often receive excessive attention from parents.

    • The arrival of a second child ends the pampering, leading to a stronger perception of inferiority.

    • Frequently found among firstborns are problem children, neurotics, and criminals.

  • Middle-born Children:

    • Develop strong superiority striving.

    • Often are the highest achievers as they try hard to catch up with their older siblings.

  • Last-born Children:

    • Typically pampered throughout childhood.

    • More vulnerable to strong feelings of inferiority.

Carl Jung

  • Served as the first president of the International Psychoanalytic Association.

  • Disagreement with Freud’s theories led to his resignation from the association in 1914.

  • Established the field of analytic psychology.

Collective Unconscious

  • Defined as part of the unconscious mind containing thoughts, images, and psychic characteristics that are difficult to bring into awareness.

    • These elements are never repressed out of consciousness, as they are inherited unconscious psychic characteristics.

  • The collective unconscious is composed of primordial images referred to as archetypes.

Archetype

  • An archetype is a universal symbol, character, or pattern that serves as an original model, often appearing across various cultures and times in myths, stories, and dreams.

  • Coined by Carl Jung, archetypes are recurring elements that tap into a collective unconscious, representing fundamental aspects of human experience.

  • Jung defined twelve types of personality based on people's motivations and drives.

Jung’s 12 Character Archetypes

  • The Innocent:

    • Motivation: Happiness

    • Fear of: Punishment

  • The Orphan:

    • Motivation: Belonging

    • Fear of: Exclusion

  • The Hero:

    • Motivation: Change

    • Fear of: Weakness

  • The Caregiver:

    • Motivation: Help Others

    • Fear of: Selfishness

  • The Explorer:

    • Motivation: Freedom

    • Fear of: Entrapment

  • The Rebel:

    • Motivation: Revolution

    • Fear of: No Power

  • The Lover:

    • Motivation: Connection

    • Fear of: Isolation

  • The Creator:

    • Motivation: Realize Vision

    • Fear of: Mediocrity

  • The Jester:

    • Motivation: Levity and Fun

    • Fear of: Boredom

  • The Sage:

    • Motivation: Knowledge

    • Fear of: Deception

  • The Magician:

    • Motivation: Alter Reality

    • Fear of: Unintended Results

  • The Ruler:

    • Motivation: Prosperity

    • Fear of: Overthrown

Some Important Archetypes

  • In Jung's theory, the Anima represents the totality of unconscious feminine psychological qualities possessed by men, while the Animus represents the masculine qualities possessed by women.

    • These archetypes manifest in dreams and influence individuals' attitudes and interactions with the opposite sex.

Erik Erikson

  • Proposed the idea that the ego is a relatively powerful, independent part of personality.

  • Established ego psychology as his approach to personality.

    • The principal function of the ego is to establish and maintain a sense of identity.

  • Concept of Identity Crisis:

    • Refers to the confusion and despair experienced when an individual lacks a strong sense of personal identity.

Personality Development Throughout the Life Cycle

  • Erikson's stages of personality development extend from infancy to old age.

  • Defined crises as turning points encountered in personality development.

    • Each crisis offers two directions in which one can proceed, and the resolution of each crisis determines personality development direction.

Erikson’s Eight Stages of Development (Figure 5.1)

  1. Basic Trust Versus Mistrust:

    • A child whose needs are met develops a sense of basic trust.

    • Infants who do not receive necessary care develop a basic mistrust.

  2. Autonomy Versus Shame and Doubt:

    • Autonomy involves allowing children to manipulate and control their environment for confidence.

    • Overprotection can hinder development, leading to shame and doubt, making children dependent.

  3. Initiative Versus Guilt:

    • Children who organize and participate in social activities develop initiative.

    • Those lacking such initiative feel guilt and resignation.

  4. Industry Versus Inferiority:

    • Industry entails a belief in one's strengths and abilities, developed through success.

    • Inferiority arises from a lack of appreciation for one's talents, usually due to failure.

  5. Identity Versus Role Confusion:

    • Individuals with a strong sense of identity make personal and moral decisions.

    • Failing to develop a strong identity leads to role confusion.

  6. Intimacy Versus Isolation:

    • Young adults seek special relationships to develop intimacy.

    • Lack of intimacy leads to emotional isolation.

  7. Generativity Versus Stagnation:

    • Middle-aged individuals become concerned with guiding the next generation.

    • Failure to develop generativity leads to stagnation.

  8. Ego Integrity Versus Despair:

    • Individuals who reflect on their lives with satisfaction develop integrity.

    • Those who lack integrity may fall into despair and express contempt for others.

Karen Horney

  • Studied Freud's work and taught psychoanalysis.

  • Founded the American Institute for Psychoanalysis.

  • Key contributions include exploring neurosis and feminine psychology.

Neurosis

  • Definition: Individuals who are trapped in a self-defeating interpersonal style that prevents the formation of desired social connections.

    • This interpersonal style acts as a defense mechanism to fend off anxiety, arising from disturbed childhood relationships.

  • Interaction styles of neurotics to avoid anxiety:

    • Moving Toward People:

    • Some children emphasize helplessness and dependency, seeking affection from caregivers.

    • Moving Against People:

    • Involves clinging to others or exhibiting aggression as a response to a poor home environment.

    • Moving Away From People:

    • Involves tuning out the world rather than interacting in a dependent or aggressive manner.

Feminine Psychology

  • Introduced the concept of womb envy, where men envy women's ability to bear and nurse children.

  • Men compensate for their inability to have children by achieving in other domains, challenging traditional views of gender identity.

Assessment: Personal Narratives

  • Personal narratives refer to life story narrations, requiring descriptions of critical turning point scenes from an individual's life.

    • Interviews are conducted, recorded, and transcribed.

    • Judges code the narratives according to preset criteria, yielding consistent scores over time.

    • This method represents a form of case study.

Strengths and Criticisms of Neo-Freudian Theories

  • Strengths:

    • Elaborated on vital concepts overlooked by Freud.

    • Identified social factors influencing personality formation and change.

    • Maintained an optimistic and flattering view of humanity.

    • Introduced new concepts such as identity crises, introverts, and inferiority complexes.

  • Criticisms:

    • Like Freudian theory, Neo-Freudian theories often rely on individual case studies, which limits generalization to broader populations.

Summary

  • Many psychologists who trained with Freud eventually developed their theories of personality, leading to the collective term "neo-Freudians."

  • Notable limitations identified in Freud’s theory include the neglect of personality changes beyond early childhood, an overemphasis on instinctual influences, and a generally negative view of human nature.

  • Alfred Adler:

    • Introduced the importance of striving for superiority and identified parental pampering and neglect as sources of personality issues.

  • Carl Jung:

    • Proposed the collective unconscious and archetypes, including anima, animus, and shadow.

  • Erik Erikson:

    • Emphasized ego functions, detailing eight stages of development that people encounter throughout their lives, characterized by identity crises.

  • Karen Horney:

    • Suggested social influences account for differences in personality between men and women, attributing neurotic behavior to interpersonal styles developed to mitigate anxiety.

  • Personal narratives are valuable in personality psychology, providing insights into identity and typically reflecting themes of communion and tragedy in life stories, especially in relation to Erikson’s generativity concept.