Differences Between Trait And Psychodynamic Theories Psychology Essay

Differences Between Trait And Psychodynamic Theories Psychology Essay Personality theories concentrate on how traits are developed and how behaviour is generated. Personality traits are durable dispositions of behaviour that occur across a variety of situations. They are like tendencies; a persons predisposition to react in a certain way in various different situations. Trait theories focus on indentifying the characteristics we possess and the degree to which we possess them. However trait theories are starting to address concerns such as how behaviours are developed, how traits are generated and how our goals and motivations affect the development of traits and the degree to which we possess them (Mischel, 1996). On the other hand, psychodynamic theories of human behaviour assume that human lives are ruled by internal unconscious forces and that these forces; which may be images, opinions, or feelings are the chief determinants of who they are and what they do (Kaslow, Magnavita Patterson, 2002).This essay will relate trait theory in comparison to p sychodynamic theory. Gordon Allports trait theory views personality as a combination of stable internal characteristics that an individual displays in a given situation. Conversely, Sigmund Freuds psychodynamic approach emphasizes the interplay of unconscious irrational forces struggling for control in shaping ones personality. Freud believes that human functioning is influenced by three basic structures of the mind: the id, the ego, and the superego, which emerge developmentally. The id, as stated by Freud, is present at birth and works on the pleasure principle. The ego operates on the reality principle and attempts to satisfy the id while obeying societys rules. The emergence of the ego for Freud symbolizes the origin of consciousness and he refers it as the superego; which is the internalized rules of parents in society (Bernstein, Penner, Clarke-Stewart Roy, 2011). On the other side of the coin, Allport argues that varying strengths of many qualities or traits actually determine the personality of a person. Allport had three categories of traits: the cardinal traits, the central traits, and lastly the secondary traits. The cardinal traits govern and shape a persons behavior. Central traits are characteristics that others use to describe another individual. Secondary traits are circumstantial. More recently, trait theorists have indentified five main factors that make up personality; Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism (Pastorino Doyle-Portillo, 2012).Thus one can assert that traits are relatively stable predispositions to behave in a certain way whereas psychodynamic theory deals with unconscious motivations and conflicts in ones head. Allport uses the concept of personal disposition and the idiographic approach which focuses on studying one person at a time to explain that every human being possesses unique traits that create a personalised type of behaviour in a particular situation. He also specifies that traits are exclusive characteristics to a particular person alone which generates consistent and specific behaviour patterns (Carducci, 2009). On the contrary, psychodynamic theorists focus on group behaviour and making comparisons between people while describing dynamic interactions between individuals (Jarvis, 2004). Thus one can affirm that the trait approach to personality focuses on predicting a specific individual behavior whereas psychodynamic theories centre on predicting typical behaviour of a group of people. Psychodynamic theorists believe that many of our actions depend on hidden beliefs and emotions. These unconscious forces can bring a change in an individuals behaviour and personality. When a person meets other individuals; he involuntarily experiences a must to act as they do so as not to be rejected. Thus, he represses more of his tendencies to be more compatible with the norms of society (Collins ORourke, 2008). In contrast, an individuals behaviour is likely to stay relatively consistent across a broad range of situations over the course of time due to the enduring and stabilizing impact of traits (Mischel, 1996). Hence one can argue that trait theory focuses on constancy in personality while psychodynamic theory hints at change in personality. Trait researchers usually study the processes behind the behaviour related with a specific trait. For example, some psychologists are keen in examining the underlying concerns of shy people which keep them away from the social world (Burger, 2010). Nonetheless psychodynamic theories stress upon the importance of early childhood experiences, the significance of repressed feelings and internal disputes between the conscious and unconscious forces that manipulate our thoughts and behaviour (Plotnik Kouyoumdjian, 2010). Therefore one can state that trait theory focuses on indentifying the mechanisms underlying behaviour while psychodynamic theory emphasizes on describing personality and predicting behaviour instead of explaining why people behave the way they do. Early research has shown that natural physical endowment is more important than environment in determining personality in the sense that it is not simply likely to produce a light or superficial impact on the image that an individual projects vis-Ã  -vis others in the society but rather it is the prime factor which decides whether he or she will be favourably or unfavourably perceived by others in the community. However ownership of a specific trait does not guarantee success in a specific field; for example, honesty, self-confidence and the ability to motivate others are some of the few characteristics which determine leadership. More recent research study showed that an individual possessing the traits mentioned above does not necessarily score high on leadership performance. Combination of both the leadership traits and management skills are needed to create effective leaders (Novick, Morrow Mays, 2007). On the other hand, Freuds psychodynamic theory emphasize hugely on the disp utes between conscious and unconscious forces that manipulate our views and actions (Plotnik Kouyoumdjian, 2010). Thus one can claim that trait theories integrate both the nature and nurture approach when shaping personality while psychodynamic theories rely mainly on the conscious and unconscious forces when predicting an individuals behaviour. To conclude; trait theorists are more concerned with indentifying individual characteristics which when combined can be used to describe personality. Proponents of the psychodynamic theory rely heavily on the dynamic forces of the subconscious to explain the perceptions, and behaviours of individuals. These behaviours can lead people to behave in ways that are ineffective and even self-destructive (Mischel, 1996).

Symbols and Symbolism in The Great Gatsby :: Great Gatsby Essays

Symbolism in The Great Gatsby  Ã‚   In The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald presents a novel with intricate symbolism. Fitzgerald integrates symbolism into the heart of the novel so strongly that it is necessary to read the book several times to gain any level of understanding. The overtones and connotations that Fitzgerald gives to the dialogues, settings, and actions is a major reason why The Great Gatsby is one of the classics of the 20th century. Three themes dominate the text of The Great Gatsby. They are time / loss, appearance / mutability, and perspective. Most of the novel's thematic structure falls neatly into one of these categories. In order to satisfactorily understand the novel, we must examine the roles of these three themes. The word time appears 450 times in the novel either by itself or in a compound word. Fitzgerald obviously wanted to emphasize the importance of time to the overall design of the book. Time is most important to Gatsby's character. Gatsby's relationship with time is a major aspect to the plot. He wants to erase five years from not only his own life but also Daisy's. Gatsby's response to Nick, telling him that he can repeat the past, is symbolic of the tragic irony that is behind Gatsby's fate. Gatsby exclaims on page 116, "Can't repeat the past? Why of course you can!" Gatsby cannot accept Daisy until she erases the last three years of her life by telling Tom that she never loved him to his face. Gatsby fully believes what he says and thinks (or desperately hopes) that that is true about Daisy. At one part of the story he actually tells Nick how, as soon as Tom is out of the picture, he and Daisy were going to go to Memphis so they could get married at her white house just like it were five years before hand. In another scene, when Gatsby and Nick go to the Buchanans' for lunch towards the end of the book, Gatsby sees Daisy's and Tom's child for the first time. Nick describes Gatsby's expression as one of genuine surprise and suggests that Gatsby probably never before believed in the girl's existence. Gatsby is so caught up in his dream that he becomes vulnerable to the world's brutal reality. Fitzgerald masterfully creates a time symbolism in the scene when Daisy and Gatsby meet for the first time in five years.

Terrorism Essay

Many people regard war as the only solution to coo interact terrorism, but there are others that disagree. In this essay I will be discussing and comparing the o option of war to alternative options that can replace it. The first two options both involved the military. Option one involved using nit elegance to locate and bomb terrorist training camps, and option two was to take over or destabilize governments that are sympathetic to the terrorist by sending in trained troop s. In comparing this to war noticed that these options are actually quite similar.By bombing the terrorist camps this would cause them to retaliate, and the end result would be a war. Option TV&'0 would also end up as a war because after your troops have invaded the count rye the country would fight back causing you to have to train more troops to send into battle. Options 3 and 4 are focused on inward focus meaning not getting involved in any issues abroad and focusing on why terrorists would attack you? These tw o pop actions are much better because there would be no war unless the terrorists attacked first.Wit h no war there would be no dead soldiers which would in turn boost the economy because t here would be more workers. Options 5 and 6 involve outreach, meaning that instead of going to war we wow old contact and find out what the terrorists want. This outreach would also involve e developing relationships with different communities in our own country and elsewhere. B lid inning these relationships with other countries would help us form stronger bonds with to hers. Thus we would become less of a target for terrorists.

Should Teenagers Undergo Elective Cosmetic Surgery

On January 4, 2013 at 10:21 pm a corporation by the name of Dheng Nhiee published this quote, â€Å"Plastic surgery is an option for everyone, but it is never a necessity†. As confirmed by many surgeons in the field of cosmetic based procedures, most of the patients seeking purely beauty care see enhancing their physical appearance as the only, or at least the best, fix for the destructive problems they face, such as harassment or personal insecurities. These thoughts are especially expected in minors, therefore the question is, should teenagers be allowed to undergo elective cosmetic surgery for the hopeful benefits of an improved body image? While some choose to believe that altering your figure is something that will compliment your life†¦show more content†¦Knowing that reason is mandatory. So say that today is the day you walk across that stage and receive the diploma you have put so much effort into. Graduating is a big deal, therefore it is legitimate to s how your appreciation for the hard work put forth by the successor in the form giving. Yet, through an article from Deseret News it is known that there are parents responsible for gifting their child with the ability to change the way they naturally and beautifully are as an â€Å"I’m so proud of you† present (Lois M. Collins). But what are you proud of again, mom? The fact that I am capable of reaching my full potential without the enlargement of my breasts or the reshaping of my nose? Often the real issue doesn’t lie within the supposedly faultful feature, maybe it lies within why this feature feels like such a burden. Insecurity has to be a part of the picture to even consider making permanent alterations to yourself and insecurity is often the result of judgments through comparison. A cosmetic nurse by the name of Matty Samaei has stated that numerous teenagers â€Å"watch the Kardashians and come to me with pictures they see on Instagram of models--t hey want to look like that† (Carroll). This experienced provider brings up one of the most devastating things this generation has faced, the undeniable impact society has on everyone