Theories of personality
Personality is a person's characteristic pattern of thinking, feeling, and behaving, and psychologists explain it in very different ways.
Psychodynamic views
Sigmund Freud proposed that personality has three parts: the id (instinctive drives), the ego (reality-based reasoning), and the superego (conscience). He believed unconscious conflicts shape behaviour and that the ego uses defence mechanisms, such as repression and projection, to reduce anxiety. Later theorists such as Carl Jung and Karen Horney revised his ideas.
Humanistic views
Humanistic psychologists focused on growth and free will. Abraham Maslow described a hierarchy of needs, from physiological and safety needs up to love, esteem, and self-actualisation, reaching one's full potential. Carl Rogers emphasised self-concept and argued that unconditional positive regard helps people grow.
Trait theories
Trait theorists describe personality in terms of stable characteristics. The widely used Big Five model includes openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism (often remembered as OCEAN). Traits are fairly stable in adulthood and are influenced by both genes and environment.
Flashcard
Openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism
Check your understanding
A person who is organised, dependable, and careful about deadlines scores high on which Big Five trait?