In this paper I will identify and explain my husband and my own personality. I will do so by comparing different traits using three different theories from the studies from this course. I will fist compare the Myer-Brigs Type Indicator (MBTI) that was created using Carl Jung’s personality theory. Next, I will compare our traits using Alfred Adler’s theory, compared to our birth order. Then, I will use Abraham Maslow’s theory and compare my husbands and my own self-esteem. After, I explore both my husband’s and my own traits I will then use the three traits I discovers about myself and explain how it fit with my biblical world view. Finally, I will give my theory on why God has given me these traits and how he might want me to use these traits …show more content…
to make the world a better place. Let’s start by looking at the MBTI results for both my husband and myself. Years ago, we were having a hard time with our marriage and went to marriage counseling.
The counselor gave us the MBTI test to help us better understand the differences in our personalities and how that may impact our relationship. This assessment was created in the 1920’s by two women based off Carl Jung’s analytical psychology theory (Schultz, 2016). The biggest difference in our results were Jeff was an introvert while I was an extrovert. This may have been what originally brought us together and possible why we were having friction in our marriage. Of note; “we naturally tend to understand everything in terms of our own type” (Jung, 2017). With that in mind that may have been what was causing some of the rift we were experiencing. Let’s look closer at our personality …show more content…
types. Jeff in an INTJ which means his personality is introvert, intuitive, thinking, and judging. This is known as the “mastermind” personality and he is a reserved people who enjoys being alone (http://www.personalityperfect.com, 2018). He is very good with his hands and can take thinks apart just to put them back together again. He taught himself how to build a car engine and choose the profession of a welder because he like to develop plans and then build from them. He does not have many friends but the few he does he values a great deal holding very meaningful friendships. He hates small talk and does not enjoy parties with people he does not know. He is extremely smart and has held jobs that require complex blueprints, measurements, and math to accurately complete. He prefers alone time and can feel overwhelmed or drained if not given his own time to relax. All of this is reflective of the INTJ personality and lots of these traits are very different from mine. My personality was ENFP which means I am an extrovert who is intuitive, feeling, and perceiving. This is known as the “champion” personality and I am very outgoing and drive energy from being around others. (http://www.personalityperfect.com, 2018). I am good at reading people and thrive in environments that involve working in teams or with groups of people. I chose a career in the military and when I got out I continues to follow jobs where I could help others. I have many friends but like my husband I only have a few who I value as close. Unlike Jeff I tend to enjoy small talk and love parties and being around a bunch of people I don’t know. I am drawn to new experiences and love meeting new people and hearing about their lives. In addition, unlike Jeff I am not good with technical things or processes, math is definitely not something I am good at. While I also enjoy my alone time I mostly thrive in social environment and when alone for too long I start to feel sad or depressed. To combat this feeling, I will call a friend and make plans for a coffee or lunch date and once I get that social interaction I feel much better. He prefers alone time and can feel overwhelmed or drained if not given his own time to relax. All of this is reflective of the ENFP personality and lots of these traits are very different from Jeff’s. Due to our opposite personalities I believe we were drawn to each other out of interest of traits that we did not have in ourselfes. For example, I was impressed with how smart Jeff was and how well he could fix complex problems. I was also intrigued by how well he worked with his hands and saw him as the strong silent type. Jeff was drawn to my ability to read people and be able to interact with them in away that made them feel comfortable. He told me I was a little intimating at first and as he got to know me a fell for my big heart. Sadly, the same thing that drew us to each other also hindered our relationship in ways. He would feel left out when were in large groups because I would be all over the place socializing, while he preferred to stay in one place and keep to himself. I would feel left out because he would always be working on his car and I felt like he would rather be building an engine than hang out with me. Thankfully, with some counseling we were able to overcome our differences and learn to embrace them and make our relationship stronger verses letting it cause rifts in our relationship. Another interesting comparison Jeff and I have is birth order, we both grew up with one sibling of the same sex and were the youngest child. Alfred Adler has an individual psychology theory that bases personality characteristics from birth order. Even though Jeff and I have opposite personalities, in Adler’s theory we did find some similar traits of being the youngest child. “Adler believed that, compared to others their age, only children tend to be more mature, feel more comfortable around adults and even do better in intellectual and creative pursuits” (Topness, 2017). Jeff and I both matured faster than our siblings as well as our some of our peers and thrive in intellectual and creative environments. On the down side we both struggled with dependency of childhood which was a negative trait Adler believed cam from being the youngest born child (Schultz, 2017). We both struggled with adjusting to be an adult and sought out the military to give us the stability we lost when we left home. Another trait that Adler noted was binge drinking tended to be a problem for last born children and both my husband and I have struggled with this in our lives (Schultz, 2017). I found this theory to be very accurate and the comparison of my husband and I very interesting based on the fact we had such different personalities. In my final comparison is used Abraham Maslow’s Need-Hierarchy theory to compare my husband and I self-esteem.
Maslow’s theory is based on basic needs he believes need to be meet and if not will negatively impact a person. I was intrigued on his view on esteem as my husband and I married young and were both still trying to figure out who were. We have been together for seventeen years and our self-esteem has changed based on how loved we felt by each other. There are may periods in our marriage where we both had low self-esteem because we were not getting certain needs meet from each other and were not quite sure how to draw improve our esteem based on our own self-worth. With some counseling and guidance, we were able to work on building our own self-esteem as well as help build each other up. The more confidant we became in ourselves the easier it was to help boost each others self-esteem and with that we grew and foster a healthier marriage. Maslow believed that; “positive self-esteem further leads them to trust their instincts and is less worried about what is going to happen in the future” ("Self-esteem and Motivation – Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs",
2018). In addition to studying three different personality traits and comparing them to my husband I reflected on why God may have given me these traits and how they fit with my biblical world view. My outgoing personality trait has made it easy for me to talk to others and because of this and my ability to put others at ease I make a good nurturer. This trait drew my husband to me and the outcome is a seventeen-year marriage and two beautiful children. In addition, I believe God gave me this trait to ensure I could easily help others in times of need. God wants us to use our traits to help others and guides us on this in the bible; “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God” (Hebrews 13:16). By using my personality to helps those around me I am making the world a better place and doing God’s work. As far as being the youngest child, I believe it taught me many things good and bad. By seeing to fill the void I had struggling to be an adult I ended up in the military serving my country. I believe that was God’s path for me, so I could mature and grow in a steady environment. My binge drinking helped me learn how to not be so judgmental of others struggling with their mistakes and show empathy and understanding to help them become better versions of themselves. My struggle with self esteem and having my needs met had the same impact enabling me to be a positive force to those around me. God wants his people to be comfortable in their own selves and knows this is not easy and a different proses for everyone. A student in one of my classes said that just like we all have different fingerprints so is our personalities. I believe God made us this way and gave us our traits to help guide us to a better path and to help grow a better world. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). This paper explored the different personality traits of my husband and my self-using three theories. The Meyer-Briggs assessment from Carl Jung help me explore how our different personalities drew us together as well as caused conflict. In addition, Carl Jung’s theory of being the youngest born child showed me how we had similar upbringing which resulted in a similar struggle to adjust to adulthood. Then, I used Abraham Maslow’s theory to explore our self esteem and how it impacted each other when our needs were not meet verses being meet. I believe that all of this is part of God’s bigger plan for me to thrive in this world and make it better for those around me. Knowing this I hope to understand myself and my marriage in a way that will continue to cause us to thrive in life and give our children a strong foundation to grow from.
This is a theory in psychology from 1943 that lists our needs in a hierarchal format and says that the needs of the most basic level must be fulfilled before higher needs are desired. You must meet all your biological and physiological needs before you are concerned about your relationship or esteem needs. Psychologists have criticized this theory throughout the years, for example, Saul McLeod says in his essay explaining Maslow’s Theory, “Personal opinion is always prone to bias, which reduces the validity of any data obtained. Therefore Maslow 's operational definition of self-actualization must not be blindly accepted as scientific fact” (Simple Psychology). Using a theory that has not been rigorously proven weakens the author’s argument. Most readers, however, are not familiar with the theory or it’s controversy, and would take it at face
The book Personality Plus by Florence Littauer explains the importance of learning and understanding the people who surround us with all their strengths and weaknesses to build valuable and strong relationships. The book is also helpful with its personality test which helps the reader to analyze him or herself from the clear point of view and
Our book was divided into different chapters on various theorists and explained the major theories of personality that were proposed by the different psychologists. One of the theories that we learned about was the trait theories. Gordan Allport introduced the trait theory and his theory suggested that individual personalities are primarily composed of broad dispositions’. Eysenck’s three dimensions of Personality was also a part of the trait theory. Eysenck developed that model of personality upon three universal trails. And at last, the trait theory had the Big five dimensions which proposed that there are give basic dimensions of personality. One of the four conclusions in our textbook suggested that “until more unambiguous empirical research is available, the best one can do is to evaluate the various theories personally, and to accept concepts that make sense and reject those that do not”(531).
Maslow believed that there was a hierarchy of five innate needs that influence people’s behaviors (Schultz & Schultz, 2013, p.246-247). In a pyramid fashion, at the base are physiological needs, followed by safety needs, then belonginess and love needs, succeeded by esteem needs, and finally the need for self-actualization. Maslow claimed that lower order needs must be at least partially satisfied before higher level needs are addressed. Furthermore, behavior is dominated by solely one need
Hergenhahn, B.R., & Olson, M.H. (1999). An Introduction to Theories of Personality. United States of America: Prentice Hall
According to Carl Jung’s typology theory each individual develops personal preferences which become the foundation for how they face life’s challenges and interact with others. Based on this knowledge Isabel Briggs Myers developed the Myers-Briggs Type indicator (MBTI). This test helps individuals identify and study their individual preference and those of others. After taking the Jung Typology Test, which is based on the MBTI, it was confirmed that my four dominate personality preferences are Introversion, iNtuition, Thinking and Judging. Each personality preference is discussed in detail including strengths and weaknesses. The combination of the four make me a INTJ of the world. This is also discussed in detail including strengths, weaknesses,
Unlike many of his colleagues at the time who were focusing on psychopathology, or what is wrong with individuals, he focused on how individuals are motivated to fulfill their potential and what needs govern their respective behaviors (McLeod)). Maslow developed the hierarchy over time, adjusting from a rigid structure where needs must be met before being able to achieve a higher level, to where the individuals can experience and behave in ways across the hierarchy multiple times daily depending on their needs. The hierarchy is comprised of 5 levels; Physiological, Safety and Security, Love and Belonging, Esteem, and Self-Actualization. The bottom two levels are considered basic needs, or deficiency needs because once the needs are met they cease to be a driving factor, unlike psychological needs. Loving and Belonging and Esteem needs are considered psychological needs, and are different from basic needs because they don’t stem from a lack of something, but rather the desire to grow. Maslow theorizes that individual’s decisions and behavior are determined based on their current level of needs, and the ideal level to achieve full potential culminates in self-actualization; however, operating on this level cannot be achieved until the preceding levels of needs have been
The Jung Typology Test is designed to give the participant a 4-letter formula which describes strength preferences of one’s personality type. The formula is based on whether the participant favors Extraversion or Introversion, Sensing or iNtuition, Thinking or Feeling, and Judging or Perceiving when it comes to the participant’s general attitude. One will also receive a Temperament, which is based on one’s personality type formula, and can be used to make somewhat accurate predictions of the participants preferred behavior. In this essay I will discuss the results that I received after taking the test. Having a personality type that prefers extraversion, sensing, feeling, and judging comes with many strengths and weaknesses when working in
A Comparison of the Main Approaches to Personality Psychology Psychology of personality is a difficult concept to define and quantify, therefore most personality theories, however different they may be in other respects, share the basic assumption, that personality is a particular pattern of behaviour and thinking, that prevails across time and situations and differentiates one person from another. Most theories attempting to explain personality represent part of the classic psychological Nature verse Nurture debate. In other words, is personality “inherited”, or developed through our interactions with the environment. In addition, we shall compare and contrast two of the main approaches to personality psychology by concentrating on Psychoanalytical Theory (Freud) and Social Learning Theory (Bandura). By looking at the Psychodynamic approach, developed by Freud, we can argue that it emphasizes the interplay of unconscious psychological processes in determining human thought, feelings, and behaviours.
Magnavita, J. J. (2002). Theories of personality: Contemporary approaches to the science of personality. New York: Wiley.
Hergehhahn, B. R. and Olson, M. H. (1999). An Introduction to Theories of Personality. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
...theories of nature and nurture as a precursor of personality may enable an individual to obtain a clear perspective of its evolution. However, in the study of personality, it is very important to understand the different theoretical approaches within its realm. It is important for the same reason that not one person is the same and neither are personalities; and for the very same reason why personality theorist’ differ when describing the concept and nature of humanity.
The Hierarchy of needs theory, by Maslow, shows the basic and the advanced needs that the person should fulfill to reach his or her highest potential. That is why the theory is best depicted as a pyramid including seven stages. The first stage is physiological needs: water, body temperature, sleep, and sex. When one satisfies those needs, he or she can go to the next stage. Safety needs is the second stage. Here, the person is concerned about his safety and stability, so he tries to find a good job to support himself financially, and also find a good home in a safe place. The third stage is belongingness and love. To love and be loved and accepted becomes very important in this stage, so the person starts to worry about his relationships. Being accepted and loved will lead successfully to the fourth stage, which is esteem needs. In this level, the person is more concerned about achieving and gaining approval. Ones those needs are fulfilled, the cognitive needs come to be a priority. This fifth level is attained by seeking knowledge and explor...
Similarly, Maslow's theory also reflects that humans have an internal force to reach their highest potential (Maslow, 1968). Maslow examined the hierarchy of basic human needs and developed a pyramid of requirements which motivates human beings and shapes their personality. At the bottom of his pyramid are found the basic physiological motivations which are necessary for survival such as food and shelter. The next level incorporates the need for safety, both physical and psychological. This is followed by love and belongingness which relate to receiving and giving affection. Presuming the love need is met, the next level up is the need for esteem which includes the feeling of self-esteem and self-respect. At the top of the pyramid stands the complex need for self-actualization which is a meta-need as per Maslow (1964) and we can reach it through peak experiences. It is the highest level of growth when someone reached her or his capacity to the fullest. Maslow estimated that only 1 percent of people ever really fulfil this need (Maslow,
Personality is the expression of a person’s traits according to ones feelings, mentality and behavior. It involves understanding individuals’ traits such as withdrawal and willpower and how various parts of an individual link together to form personality. Personality expresses itself from within an individual and is comparatively regular throughout in an individual’s life. Different people have different personalities dependent on factors such as environment and genetic composition. Our personality is dependent on the success or failure of our development in the eight stages of life. This is proposed by Erik Erikson. Success in the development stages lead to virtues while the failure leads to malignancies.