Theory Tables For Psych 645, University Of Phoenix Materials

Theory Tablespsych645 Version 11university Of Phoenix Materialtheory

Complete the tables as a Learning Team for each respective week, beginning with Week Two. Each week’s table should include key figures, key concepts of personality formation, explanations of disordered personality, scientific credibility, comprehensiveness, and applicability. Submit the completed tables to your instructor in Week Five.

Paper For Above instruction

The development of personality theories over time has been characterized by diverse perspectives, each emphasizing different mechanisms, factors, and influences shaping human personality. These theories provide a framework for understanding individual differences, the origins of personality traits, and the manifestation of personality disorders. This paper explores the key theories introduced across Weeks Two to Five, examining their key figures, core concepts, explanations of disordered personalities, scientific credibility, comprehensiveness, and applicability in current psychological practice.

Week Two: Psychodynamic Theory

The psychodynamic theory, predominantly associated with Sigmund Freud, is one of the earliest frameworks for understanding personality development. Freud's pioneering work emphasized the influence of unconscious processes, childhood experiences, and internal conflicts in shaping personality. Key figures in this realm include Freud himself, Carl Jung, Alfred Adler, and Erik Erikson. Their collective focus was on understanding how internal drives, such as libido and aggression, interact with early experiences to influence personality traits and behaviors.

The core concepts of psychodynamic theory revolve around the structures of the mind—id, ego, and superego—and the defense mechanisms employed to manage conflicts. Freud proposed that personality malfunctions, or disorders, arise from unresolved unconscious conflicts, often rooted in childhood. Psychoanalytic therapy aims to make these unconscious conflicts conscious to facilitate resolution.

Scientific credibility of psychodynamic theories has been a subject of debate. While it introduced innovative ideas about the unconscious and childhood influences, empirical support remains limited due to challenges in operationalizing concepts and measuring unconscious processes. Nevertheless, the theory's depth and emphasis on early experiences have significantly influenced psychotherapeutic practices.

In terms of comprehensiveness, the psychodynamic perspective offers rich insights into personality structure and development, but it often lacks predictive power and is criticized for its subjective nature. Its applicability remains strong in clinical settings, particularly in mental health therapy, psychoanalysis, and understanding personality disorders.

Week Three: Humanistic Theory

Humanistic psychology emerged as a reaction to the deterministic views of psychoanalysis and behaviorism, emphasizing free will, personal growth, and self-actualization. Key figures include Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow. Rogers focused on the importance of a nurturing environment and unconditional positive regard in fostering healthy personality development, while Maslow emphasized a hierarchy of needs culminating in self-actualization.

Core concepts center around the innate drive toward personal growth, self-awareness, and authenticity. Disorders are often viewed as a consequence of incongruence between one’s self-concept and experiences, leading to psychological distress. The humanistic approach promotes therapeutic environments that foster acceptance and facilitate self-discovery.

The scientific credibility of humanistic theories is somewhat limited by their subjective and qualitative nature. However, they bring valuable perspectives on motivation, well-being, and the importance of personal agency. The theory's emphasis on holistic understanding makes it highly applicable in counseling, education, and promoting mental health.

While lacking in empirical rigor compared to other models, humanistic psychology contributes significantly to therapeutic practices emphasizing empathy, client-centered therapy, and personal development. Its comprehensive view on human potential and resilience remains influential in contemporary psychology.

Week Four: Behavioral, Cognitive, and Social Cognitive Theories

The behavioral approach, rooted in the theories of B.F. Skinner and John Watson, emphasizes observable behaviors and the environmental contingencies that shape them. It posits that personality is a result of learned responses through conditioning. Key concepts include operant and classical conditioning, reinforcement, and punishment.

Disordered personalities, from this perspective, result from maladaptive learning histories. Behavioral therapies aim to modify behavior through systematic desensitization, reinforcement techniques, or extinction processes.

Scientific credibility for behavioral theories is high due to its empirical basis and replicability. Its focus on measurable behaviors makes it a practical approach for treatment, particularly in managing anxiety, phobias, and behavioral problems.

The cognitive theory, advanced by Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis, introduces the role of internal mental processes—thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes—in shaping personality. Cognitive theories argue that dysfunctional thinking patterns contribute to psychological disorders.

Applying this framework allows for targeted interventions like cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which effectively addresses maladaptive thought patterns and behaviors. Its scientific credibility is robust, supported by extensive research demonstrating efficacy across numerous psychological conditions.

Social cognitive theories, led by Albert Bandura, integrate social influences and observational learning into personality development. The concept of reciprocal determinism—that personal factors, behavior, and environment interact—highlights the dynamic nature of personality.

This approach underscores self-efficacy beliefs and modeling in acquiring new behaviors, making it highly relevant in educational and therapeutic settings. Its scientific support is considerable, especially in studies on self-efficacy and observational learning.

Week Five: Trait and Biologically Oriented Theories

The trait theory, exemplified by the work of Gordon Allport, Raymond Cattell, and Robert McCrae and Paul Costa, conceptualizes personality as a set of enduring traits that predispose individuals to behave in certain ways. The Five-Factor Model (Big Five)—openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism—is widely accepted.

Disorders are often seen as extreme manifestations of traits or dysregulations therein. Trait theories are primarily descriptive but also predictive of behavior and interpersonal outcomes.

The scientific credibility of trait theories is high due to their empirical foundations, extensive psychometric testing, and cross-cultural validations. They are practical for personality assessment and research, with applications in clinical, organizational, and educational contexts.

Biologically oriented theories focus on genetic, neurochemical, and brain structure influences on personality. Theories like Eysenck's have linked temperament dimensions to biological processes, emphasizing consistency in personality traits across lifespan.

Research supports the biological basis for many personality traits, with neuroimaging and genetic studies providing evidence of biological underpinnings. These theories are highly applicable in understanding the biological aspects of personality disorders and individual differences.

Conclusion

The evolution of personality theories reflects the expanding understanding of human complexity. Psychodynamic, humanistic, behavioral, cognitive, social cognitive, trait, and biological theories each contribute unique insights, with varying degrees of scientific support and practical application. Integrating these perspectives offers a comprehensive approach to understanding personality and addressing personality disorders in clinical practice, research, and everyday life.

References

• Carlson, N. R. (2013). Physiology of Behavior (11th ed.). Pearson.
• Funder, D. C. (2019). The Personality Puzzle (7th ed.). W.W. Norton & Company.
• McCrae, R. R., & Costa, P. T. (2008). The Five-Factor Theory of Personality. In O. P. John, R. W. Robins, & L. A. Pervin (Eds.), Handbook of Personality: Theory and Research (3rd ed., pp. 159-181). Guilford Press.
• Freud, S. (1917). Labelled as "The Theory of Psychoanalysis". The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud, Vol. 14. Basic Books.
• Maslow, A. H. (1954). Motivation and Personality. Harper & Row.
• Bandura, A. (1986). Social Foundations of Thought and Action. Prentice-Hall.
• Ellis, A. (1962). Reason and Emotion in Psychotherapy. Lyle Stuart.
• Eysenck, H. J. (1967). The Biological Basis of Personality. Duckworth.
• Rogers, C. R. (1951). Client-Centered Therapy. Houghton Mifflin.
• Allport, G. W. (1937). Personality: A Psychological Interpretation. Holt, Rinehart & Winston.