3.

Personality and Self-Concepts

(Theories by Carl Jung, Gordon
Allport and Sigmund Freud)
(4+2)
Devadason Robert Peter, PhD
 Personality
• Personality
– Concept of personality
– Classification of personality
– Factors influencing personality
– Implications in teaching and learning
 What is personality?
• The unique combination of patterns that
influence behaviour, thought, motivation, and
emotion in a human being
• It drives individuals to consistently think, feel, and
behave in specific ways; in essence, it is what
makes each individual unique
• study of personality, including the
psychodynamic, neo-Freudian, learning,
humanistic, biological, trait, and cultural
perspectives
Approaches to studying personality
• Psychodynamic theory, originating with Sigmund
Freud, posits that human behaviour is the result
of the interaction among various components of
the mind (the id, ego, and superego) and that
personality develops according to a series of
psychosexual developmental stages
• Neo-Freudian theorists, such as Adler, Erikson,
Carl Jung, and Horney, expanded on Freud’s
theories but focused more on the social
environment and on the effects of culture on
personality.
Approaches to studying personality
• Learning theories, such as behaviourism (Skinner),
regard an individuals’ actions as ultimately being
responses to external stimuli. Social learning theory
believes that personality and behaviour are
determined by an individual’s cognition about the
world around them.
• Humanistic theory argues that an individual’s
subjective free will is the most important determinant
of behaviour. Humanistic psychologists such as
Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers believed that people
strive to become self-actualized—the “best version” of
themselves.
Approaches to studying personality
• Biological approaches focus on the role of genetics and
the brain in shaping personality. Related to this,
evolutionary theories explore how variation in
individual personalities variance may be rooted in
natural selection.
• Trait theorists (Gordon Allport) believe personality can
be conceptualized as a set of common traits, or
characteristic ways of behaving, that every individual
exhibits to some degree. In this view, such personality
traits are different from person to person but within an
individual are stable over time and place
Sigmund Freud (Froid) - personality
development
Freud’s structural theory of personality
• 3 levels of the mind – conscious, pre/sub-
conscious, unconscious (most influential)
• places great emphasis on the role of unconscious
psychological conflicts in shaping behaviour and
personality
• human behaviour is the result of the interactions
among three component parts of the mind: the
id, ego, and superego
• personality is formed through conflicts among
three fundamental structures of the human mind:
the id, ego, and superego
Conflict within the mind: According to Freud, the job of
the ego is to balance the aggressive/pleasure-seeking
drives of the id with the moral control of the superego.
 Ego

Super
-ego Id
 3 divisions of the mind - Id
• Primitive (biological, unconscious), basic drives,
wishes & wants; dominates in early childhood
• Operates on the Pleasure Principle of immediate
gratification
• Libido: life force/instinct (need to
survive/procreate)
• Thanatos: death force instinct causing all acts of
aggression/destruction
• Primary process: create wishful images &
fantasies without realistic means
 3 divisions of the mind - Ego
• Develops as adjunct to Id (to mediate the Id)
• Operates on the Reality Principle
• Secondary Process: adaptive measures taken
by mind to assess needs & ability to get
desires
3 divisions of the mind – Super Ego
• Operates on the Morality Principle
• Conscience: develops as one learns what
society and others expect of behaviour and
desires
• Ego Ideal: what we believe should aspire to
be, to be a ‘perfect’ person
 Ego

Super-ego Id
• Id and Super Ego both strive to dominate, and the
Ego mediates between them
• Intrapsychic Conflicts: disharmony between the
Id, Ego and/or Super Ego which was thought to
be the root of all mental illnesses and neuroses
• 3 types of Anxiety: Reality Anxiety (real threats in
environment); Neurotic Anxiety (Id break-through
threatens); Moral Anxiety (Super Ego conflicts)
Freud’s Psychosexual Stages of
Development
 How exactly do the psychosexual
stages work?
• children go through a series of psychosexual stages
that lead to the development of the adult personality.
• personality developed through a series of childhood
stages in which the pleasure-seeking energies of
the id become focused on certain erogenous areas
• An erogenous zone is characterized as an area of the
body that is particularly sensitive to stimulation.
• During the five psychosexual stages, which are the oral,
anal, phallic, latent and genital stages, the erogenous
zone associated with each stage serves as a source of
pleasure
• This psychosexual energy, or libido, was described as
the driving force behind behaviour
• Psychoanalytic theory suggested that personality is
mostly established by the age of five. Early experiences
play a large role in personality development and
continue to influence behavior later in life.
• So what happens during each stage? What if a person
fails to progress through a stage completely or
favourably? If these psychosexual stages are completed
successfully, a healthy personality is the result.
• If certain issues are not resolved at the appropriate
stage, fixations can occur. A fixation is a persistent
focus on an earlier psychosexual stage. Until this
conflict is resolved, the individual will remain "stuck" in
this stage. For example, a person who is fixated at the
oral stage may be over-dependent on others and may
seek oral stimulation through smoking, drinking, or
eating.
 Oral Stage (Birth to 1 year)
• Erogenous Zone: Mouth
• During the oral stage, the infant's primary source of
interaction occurs through the mouth, so the rooting and
sucking reflex is especially important. The mouth is vital for
eating, and the infant derives pleasure from oral
stimulation through gratifying activities such as tasting and
sucking.
• Because the infant is entirely dependent upon caretakers
(who are responsible for feeding the child), the child also
develops a sense of trust and comfort through this oral
stimulation.
• The primary conflict at this stage is the weaning process--
the child must become less dependent upon caretakers. If
fixation occurs at this stage, Freud believed the individual
would have issues with dependency or aggression. Oral
fixation can result in problems with drinking, eating,
smoking, or nail biting.
 Anal Stage (1 to 3 years)
• Erogenous Zone: Bowel and Bladder Control
• During the anal stage, the primary focus of the libido was
on controlling bladder and bowel movements.
• The major conflict at this stage is toilet training--the child
has to learn to control his or her bodily needs.
• Developing this control leads to a sense of accomplishment
and independence.
• Success at this stage is dependent upon the way in which
parents ​approach toilet training.
• Parents who utilize praise and rewards for using the toilet
at the appropriate time encourage positive outcomes and
help children feel capable and productive.
 Anal Stage (1 to 3 years)
• Positive experiences during this stage served as the basis
for people to become competent, productive, and creative
adults.
• However, not all parents provide the support and
encouragement that children need during this stage.
Instead, some parents punish, ridicule or shame a child for
accidents.
• Inappropriate parental responses can result in negative
outcomes.
• If parents take an approach that is too lenient, an anal-
expulsive personality could develop in which the individual
has a messy, wasteful, or destructive personality.
• If parents are too strict or begin toilet training too early, an
anal-retentive personality develops in which the individual
is stringent, orderly, rigid, and obsessive.
 Phallic Stage (3 to 6 years)
• Erogenous Zone: Genitals (not in an adult way)
• Freud suggested that during the phallic stage, the primary
focus of the libido is on the genitals.
• At this age, children also begin to discover the differences
between males and females.​
• Freud also believed that boys begin to view their fathers as
a rival for the mother’s affections.
• The Oedipus complex describes these feelings of wanting to
possess the mother and the desire to replace the father.
• However, the child also fears that he will be punished by
the father for these feelings, a fear Freud termed castration
anxiety.
Resolve conflict through
identification with same Homosexuality – result of failure to resolve at the phallic stage
sex parent – rise of
gender specific roles
 Phallic Stage (3 to 6 years)
• The term Electra complex has been used to described a
similar set of feelings experienced by young girls. Freud,
however, believed that girls instead experience penis envy.
• Eventually, the child begins to identify (a means of
resolving the complex/conflict) with the same-sex parent
as a means of vicariously possessing the other parent.
• For girls, however, Freud believed that penis envy was
never fully resolved and that all women remain somewhat
fixated on this stage.
• Psychologists such as Karen Horney disputed this theory,
calling it both inaccurate and demeaning to women.
• Instead, Horney proposed that men experience feelings of
inferiority because they cannot give birth to children, a
concept she referred to as womb envy.
 Latent Stage (6 to puberty)
• Erogenous Zone: Sexual Feelings Are Inactive
• During this stage, the superego continues to develop while the id's
energies are suppressed. Children develop social skills, values and
relationships with peers and adults outside of the family.
• The development of the ego and superego contribute to this period
of calm. The stage begins around the time that children enter into
school and become more concerned with peer relationships,
hobbies, and other interests.
• The latent period is a time of exploration in which the sexual energy
repressed or dormant. This energy is still present, but it is
sublimated into other areas such as intellectual pursuits and social
interactions. This stage is important in the development of social
and communication skills and self-confidence.
• As with the other psychosexual stages, Freud believed that it was
possible for children to become fixated or "stuck" in this phase.
Fixation at this stage can result in immaturity and an inability to
form fulfilling relationships as an adult.
 Genital Stage (puberty to death)
• Erogenous Zone: Maturing Sexual Interests
• The onset of puberty causes the libido to become active once again.
During the final stage of psychosexual development, the individual
develops a strong sexual interest in the opposite sex. This stage
begins during puberty but last throughout the rest of a person's life.
• Where in earlier stages the focus was solely on individual needs,
interest in the welfare of others grows during this stage. If the other
stages have been completed successfully, the individual should now
be well-balanced, warm, and caring. The goal of this stage is to
establish a balance between the various life areas.
• Unlike the many of the earlier stages of development, Freud
believed that the ego and superego were fully formed and
functioning at this point. Younger children are ruled by the id, which
demands immediate satisfaction of the most basic needs and
wants. Teens in the genital stage of development are able to
balance their most basic urges against the need to conform to the
demands of reality and social norms.
 Defence Mechanisms (to distort
reality)
• Defence mechanisms are psychological strategies that
are unconsciously used to protect a person from
anxiety arising from unacceptable thoughts or feelings.
• We use defence mechanisms to protect ourselves from
feelings of anxiety or guilt, which arise because we feel
threatened, or because our id or superego becomes
too demanding. They are not under our conscious
control, and are non-voluntaristic.
• Ego-defence mechanisms are natural and
normal. When they get out of proportion (i.e., used
with frequency), neuroses develop, such as anxiety
states, phobias, obsessions, or hysteria.
 Defence mechanism
• In order to deal with conflict and problems in
life, Freud stated that the ego employs a range
of defence mechanisms.
• Defence mechanisms operate at an
unconscious level and help ward off
unpleasant feelings (i.e., anxiety) or make
good things feel better for the individual
Temper tantrums
 Defence mechanisms – from another source

U r homosexual but you resolve this conflict by overtly

hating homosexuals. U love someone so badly but cant
get to her – u resolve this conflict by overtly showing
that you hate her/ignore her.
 Freudian Slip
• A Freudian slip is a verbal or memory mistake
that is believed to be linked to the
unconscious mind. These slips supposedly
reveal the real secret thoughts and feelings
that people hold. Typical examples include an
individual calling his or her spouse by an ex's
name, saying the wrong word, or even
misinterpreting a written or spoken word.
 What was Freud’s most important
contribution to personality?
• He created so much controversy that there
were two camps – one on his side and the
other on the opposite side
• Both were conducting experiments to prove
they are right and the other wrong – thus
creating a conducive environment for the
development of personality theories
• https://www.verywellmind.com/freuds-
stages-of-psychosexual-development-2795962
• https://www.simplypsychology.org/defense-
mechanisms.html
Gordon Allport – Trait Theory of
Personality
 Gordon Allport (from USA)
• Pioneering psychologist often referred to as one
of the founders of personality psychology.
• Rejected two of the dominant schools of thought
in psychology at the time, psychoanalysis (Freud)
and behaviourism (dominant in USA), in favour of
his own approach that stressed the importance of
individual differences and situational variables.
• Best remembered for his contributions to the
trait theory of personality.
 Meeting with Freud
• In 1922, Allport travelled to Vienna, Austria, to meet the famous
psychoanalyst.
• After entering Freud's office, he sat down nervously and told a story
about a young boy he had seen on the train during his travels to
Vienna.
• The boy, Allport explained, was afraid of getting dirty and refused to
sit where a dirty-looking man had previously sat.
• Allport theorized that the child had acquired the behaviour from his
mother, who appeared to be very domineering.
• Freud studied Allport for a moment and then asked, "And was that
little boy you?“
• Allport viewed the experience as an attempt by Freud to turn a
simple observation into an analysis of Allport's supposed
unconscious memory of his own childhood (Can you see how
Freudian psychologists become obsessed with relating observation
into an analysis of the persons past?).
 Trait theory of personality
• The experience would later serve as a reminder that
psychoanalysis tended to dig too deeply.
• Behaviourism, on the other hand, Allport believed, did
not dig deeply enough.
• Instead, Allport chose to reject both psychoanalysis
and behaviourism and embraced his own unique
approach to personality.
• Allport began developing this theory by going through
a dictionary and noting every term he found that
described a personality trait. After compiling a list of
4,500 ​different traits, he organized them into three
different trait categories
 3 different trait categories
• Cardinal traits: These are traits that dominate
an individual's entire personality.
• People with such personalities can become so
well-known for these traits that their names
are often synonymous with these qualities.
• Consider the origin and meaning of the
following descriptive terms: Machiavellian,
narcissistic, Don Juan, Christ-like, etc.
• Cardinal traits are thought to be quite rare.
 3 different trait categories
• Central traits: Common traits that make up
our personalities. Traits such as kindness,
honesty, and friendliness are all examples of
central traits.
• Secondary traits: These are traits that are only
present under certain conditions and
circumstances. An example of a secondary
trait would be getting nervous before
delivering a speech to a large group of people.
• https://www.verywellmind.com/gordon-
allport-biography-2795508
• https://www.verywellmind.com/trait-theory-
of-personality-2795955
Carl Jung
 Carl Jung (1875-1961)
• Swiss psychiatrist who proposed a theory of
psychological types
• His theory was taken and extended by Katharine Briggs
and her daughter, Isabel Myers, personality enthusiasts
who had studied his work extensively
• They developed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator which
classified people into 16 different types on the basis of
four dichotomies:
– Introversion-Extroversion,
– Sensing-Intuition,
– Thinking-Feeling, and
– Judging-Perceiving.
 Carl Jung (1875-1961)
• The first three were adapted from Jung and
the last developed by Myers-Briggs.
• So, for example, a person could be
Extroverted-Sensing-Feeling-Perceiving (ESFP)
or Introverted-INtuition-Thinking-Judging
(INTJ).
[Introversion-Extroversion, Sensing-Intuition, Thinking-Feeling, and
Judging-Perceiving]
• The Myers-Briggs types are the most popular
pop-psych system.
 Take the 16-Type Jungian Personality
Test online at
• https://psychcentral.com/quizzes/personality/
start.php
Get details of the 16
personality types by Isabel
Briggs Myers and Katharine
Cook Briggs!

https://www.personalityperfect.com/ul
timate-16-personality-types-overview/
 Self-concepts (in-complete)
• Meaning of self-concept
• Types of self-concept
• Factors influencing development of self-
concept
• Implications in teaching and learning

(This section Not Complete)

 Meaning of self-concept
• Who are you? What makes you “you”?
• “I’m a mother,” “I’m a therapist,” “I’m a
believer,” or “I’m a great friend.”
• “I am excellent at my job” or “I’m an
accomplished musician,” or “I’m a successful
athlete.”
• traits: “I’m a kind-hearted person,” “I’m
intelligent and hard-working,” or “I’m laid-
back and easy-going.”