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Theodore Millon Theorist Personality Psychology Essay

Part.

Theory Related to Final Project

Key Concepts

Historical Context and Historical Figures

Validity and Accuracy

Applicability of Theory Today

Connection to Final Project

Neo-Freudian Theories

Psychodynamic. Tripartite division of self but less about psychosexual development than Freud. Builds on Freuds theory of the unconscious, using dreams and other symbols but more reliance on and social and cultural influence on personality.

Carl Jung, Alfred Adler, Erik Erikson, Karen Horney, Henry Stack Sullivan.

More so than Freud, with more empirical research. For example, Erikson develop empirically testable models to compare psychic structures with cultural institutions (Cote, 1993).

Still useful in psychotherapy, but less so in relation to normally functioning adults, in I/O psychology, in severe clinical disorders like schizophrenia, or in general clinical settings.

Will be used as a key means of comparing Millons theories with alternative theories of personality.

Humanists

Person-centered, focusing on individual liberty and free will. Human nature is essentially good, and individuals seek fulfillment and self-realization.

Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers. Initially an extension of Neo-Freudianism. Heavy reliance on subjectivity and perceptions. Optimism about human nature.

Little to none. The humanistic theories are often abstract, and do not lend themselves well to empirical testing. In fact, some humanists actively rejected scientific methods and prefer qualitative analyses (McLeod, 2015).

Useful adjunct to other theories but less so when scientific methods would be called for and expected. Useful in psychotherapy and life coaching scenarios and can help in the human resources setting.

A useful theoretical approach for studying personality, which can interface with the evolutionary perspective.

Trait Theory

Deterministic. People have ingrained personalities that are somewhat immutable. Constructs like extraversion/introversion.

Allport; Eysenck; Cattell, Adorno. Roots in Neo-Freudian theories but focus more on predicting than on analyzing the past.

Substantial empirical data because the personalty constructs are deliberately designed to be measurable.

Substantial application in the I/O setting, in human resources, and in education. Can help with job placement. However, the deterministic nature of trait theory can lead to biases.

Because of its empirical nature, trait theory can be incorporated into my research.

Social Learning Theory

Personality is dynamic and shaped by...

…of the assumption that personality can be changed through changing attitudes and behaviors.

Aligns well with the evolutionary perspective of personality.

Biological

Deterministic, and related in part to trait theory. Biology and genetics determine personality. Personality is hard-wired in the brain and central nervous system.

Eysenck. A blend of neuroscience research with trait theory. Grays reinforcement sensitivity theory.

Fully grounded in the scientific method and empiricism. Uses methodologies used in neurobiology and neuroscience.

Applicable to a wide variety of clinical settings, including criminology and psychiatric disorders. Can allow for psychiatric medications to combine with psychotherapies for behavioral and personality change.

Combines well with Millons theory of personality, and can show how genetics can also influence the evolution of personality.

References

Burger, J.M. (2019). Personality. Boston: Cengage. eBook.

Cote, J. E. (1993). Foundations of a Psychoanalytic Social Psychology: Neo-Eriksonian Propositions Regarding the Relationship between Psychic Structure and Cultural Institutions. Developmental Review 13(1): 31-53.

Eysenck, H. J. (1990). Biological dimensions of personality. In L. A. Pervin (Ed.),Handbook of personality: Theory and research(pp. 244-276). New York, NY, US: Guilford Press.

McLeod, S.…

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