Comparison

Make flashcards comparing theories according to : View of the person, Structure, and Dynamics/Motives** for each of the five chapters. Use these to study. Say **“done”** when you’re ready, and I’ll give you **Optimal Development + Psychopathology** for each.

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## 1. Erik Erikson

### View of the person

- People are born with **inherent potential** to develop.

- To develop well, they must **know and accept themselves** and feel at home in their **social environment**.

### Structure of personality

- Acknowledges **id, ego, superego** but uses them less than Freud.

- The **ego** is most important – it develops throughout life.

- Ego is guided by a **genetically determined ground plan** (epigenetic principle).

- Social environment **demands and opportunities** shape how ego develops.

### Dynamics (motives)

- The main motive is **striving for identity**.

- Behaviour comes from **broad inherent tendencies** transformed by social interaction.

- At each life stage, a **crisis** (choice between two opposites) pushes development forward.

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## 2. Carl Rogers

### View of the person

- **Humanistic‑phenomenological**: People are **active, forward‑moving, and basically good**.

- Behaviour is determined by **choices**, not just drives.

- Subjective experience (how you see things) is more important than objective reality.

- People have **freedom to change**, but need **unconditional acceptance** to do so.

### Structure of personality

- **Organism** = the total person (body + psyche).

- **Phenomenal field** = everything you experience (your personal world).

- **Self‑concept** = your picture of yourself + the value you attach to it.

- **Ideal self** = who you wish to be.

### Dynamics (motives)

- **Actualising tendency** is the basic motive – the drive to grow and reach your full potential.

- Also **need for positive regard** (love and acceptance from others and from yourself).

- In healthy people, self‑actualisation and organism actualisation are in harmony. In unhealthy people, they fight.

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## 3. Viktor Frankl

### View of the person

- Humans live **beyond animal existence** – we have a **spiritual dimension**.

- We have **freedom to be responsible** – the last human freedom is choosing your attitude.

- There is a **transhuman dimension** (ultimate meaning, God, or higher order).

- Each person is **highly personalised** with a unique mission.

### Structure of personality

- Three dimensions:

1. **Biological** (body)

2. **Psychological** (mind)

3. **Spiritual / noogenic** (meaning, freedom, conscience)

### Dynamics (motives)

- Primary motive = **will to meaning** (search for meaning is stronger than pleasure or power).

- Also **freedom of will** – we are not pushed by drives; we choose.

- When will to meaning is frustrated → **existential vacuum** (emptiness).

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## 4. Social Constructionism

### View of the person

- No fixed “human nature.” Personality is **created through social interaction, language, and culture**.

- Rejects essentialism – there is no core self.

- Who you are depends on **historical and cultural context**.

### Structure of personality

- **No fixed structure**. Personality is not a “thing” inside you.

- Instead: **discourses, language, positioning, narratives**.

- The self is a **story** we tell, constantly being reconstructed.

### Dynamics (motives)

- No internal “drive” like actualisation or will to meaning.

- Behaviour is driven by **social processes**: externalisation → objectification → internalisation.

- People act according to **positions within discourses**, which give them options and constraints.

- Power relations shape behaviour.

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## 5. African Perspectives

### View of the person

- **Holistic** (everything is a whole) and **anthropocentric** (human‑centred).

- **Unity of consciousness** – an African way of being, living, relating.

- Three orders (**macro, meso, micro**) blend together in daily life.

- People are **fundamentally religious** – no separation between spiritual and physical.

- **Ubuntu**: “A person is a person because of other people.”

### Structure of personality

- Nwoye’s **8 dimensions of the African self** (indivisible, holistic):

- Embodied, Generative, Communal, Melioristic, Narratological, Structural, Liminal, Transcendental/spiritual.

- The self is **extended** – includes community, ancestors, and spiritual realm.

### Dynamics (motives)

- Behaviour is driven by **external agents** (ancestors, spirits, sorcerers) – not just inner psychology.

- Collective survival (Ubuntu) is the guiding principle, not individual achievement.

- Harmony with **macro, meso, micro** orders maintains well‑being.

- **Religion and ancestors** constantly influence daily decisions.

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**Say “done” when you’ve reviewed these**, and I’ll give you **Optimal Development + Psychopathology** for each in the same simple style.