What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of The Humanistic Theory Of Personality?

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Humans are all fundamentally different from each other. There are no two people who are exactly alike, and everyone is unique in how they think, act, and feel. These aspects of the human psyche are usually attributed as being one 's personality. The question is, can personality be measured? If so, how? Psychologist have been hard at work for years trying to answer those very questions. After heavy research, four major theories of personality have surfaced. Among these models are the psychodynamic theory, the five factor theory, humanistic theory, and social-cognitive theory. In this essay, I will take a closer look at each or these theories, and discuss advantages and disadvantages of each. Psychodynamic theory of personality is perhaps the most famous and controversial. It was originally brought forth by Sigmund Freud and later modified by theorists such as Erik Erikson and Alfred Adler. An important component of this theory is Freud 's structure of personality. This includes the id, the ego, and the superego. The id includes our most primitive impulses, the ego is the principal decision maker, and the superego harbors our sense of morality. Freud …show more content…

Self-actualization is the drive to develop our innate potential to the fullest possible extent. Humanistic psychologists also believed that conditions of worth, or the expectations humans place on themselves for appropriate and inappropriate behavior, play a role in personality. Carl Rogers explained how failed self-actualization leads to psychological problems, and Abraham Maslow focused on people who had reached self-actualization and underwent peak experiences. One major advantage of this model is the appeal it has in it 's optimistic view of human nature. Unfortunately, studies suggest that this view is not realistic. Another disadvantage of this theory is that it 's extremely difficult to falsify. The last theory I will examine is the five factor

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