Affliction Personality Profile: Wade Whitehouse

Affliction Personality

Personality Profile: Wade Whitehouse from Affliction

One of psychology's most basic and essential pursuits is the establishment of an accurate and comprehensive understanding of human personalities. There are several prominent theories regarding the formation and development of personality, but as of yet none has proven itself equally capable of explaining all aspects of personality, or every personality. Different specific theories of personality have been effectively applied to certain cases but have then gone to leave aspects of other cases insufficiently explained. In the following case study, two different major theories of personality -- psychodynamic personality theory and trait theory -- will be used to examine the personality of Wade Whitehouse, a fictional character and the protagonist of the film Affliction, showing the benefits of certain theories over others.

Psychodynamic personality theory is arguably the oldest theory of personality in the formalized discipline of psychology. Though there are actually several sub-theories within the realm of psychodynamics, such theories all find their basic roots in the concepts of psychoanalysis as put forth by Sigmund Freud. Simply put, psychodynamic personality theories assert that events and environments in early childhood and infancy shape and solidify personality, and that personality can be altered by consciously addressing early childhood issues. Trait theory, on the other hand, asserts that there are certain personality traits unique to individuals, as well as imposed by culture. According to trait theory, personality is determined by genetic factors and the overall environment into which one is born. Though events and environment might change the expression of personality, the underlying traits are believed to be "built in."

Wade Whitehouse: Personality Breakdown According to Psychodynamic Theory

Personality Factor

Structure

Process

Growth and development

Psychopathology

Change

Theoretical Description

Personality is based on early childhood events/environment

Later actions are motivated by repressed memories of the early childhood stages

The ability to cope with childhood influences dictates later ability to develop

Neuroses are caused by inadequate/inappropriate fixations and interactions during childhood

Psychoanalysis revealing repressed memories allows for change

Wade Whitehouse

Abusive father/withdrawn mother created untrusting underachiever

At once wants to kill his father and finally earn his love/respect

Static influences create a static life; sudden changes produce erratic and violent behavior

Lack of trust and self-worth leads to attempts of heroism to earn recognition

Mother's death leads to confrontation of father; succumbs to neuroses

Wade Whitehouse: Personality Breakdown According to Trait Theory

Personality Factor

Structure

Process

Growth and development

Psychopathology

Change

Theoretical Description

Personality is built on inborn traits, i.e. genetic differences

Motivation occurs from a combination of individual preferences, stronger traits win out

Traits remain largely static, while different circumstances lead to different manifestations

A change in situation that is not supported by traits leads to disordered behavior; some inborn

Physical changes to brain and conscious behavioral adjustments can create changes in personality, otherwise largely fixed

Wade Whitehouse

Gullibility -- which leads to his suspicions -- is a product of his birth

Willingness to believe theory and prove himself leads to more and more drastic choices

Gullibility leads first to mistrust of Jack, then doubt and disbelief concerning Jack's actions

Resolve conflicts with gullibility, leading to violent actions to restore order and control

Gullibility eventually loses prominence to desire for control and heroism; no change in personality, but change in interaction with externals

Description and Rationale of Personality Trait Theory

Personality theories come in several major forms; trait theories are generally concerned with external attitudes and behaviors that can lead to an understanding of various traits inherent internal traits. These theories have proven somewhat more consistent and effective in identifying and treating certain disorders as well as providing basic therapy than equivalent psychodynamic theories and methodologies (Bhar & Beck 2008; Smith 1999). The general underlying premise behind trait theories is that individuals have certain inborn personality traits, most likely determined by genetics, that continue to influence and affect behavior throughout life (Tzeng & Tzeng 1981). Though external situations and factors also influence the development of and manifestation of certain traits, trait theories place the primary burden of responsibility for the development of unique personalities on internal factors.

Many trait theory-based therapies involve coming to a conscious understanding of one's own traits, and how they can be adjusted and utilized to overcome certain disorders and situations, as opposed to other theories that look to remove or entirely alter certain underlying causes of psychological disorders and disturbances (Milrod 2009; Burgin 2009). When analyzing a given personality using trait theories, it is usually necessary for the individual being analyzed to fill out an extensive questionnaire which provides the researcher with information regarding how the individuals perceive things and react to these perceptions -- provides evidence, that is, of their personality traits (Edwards & Abbott 1973). Observations can also be made without the use of such instruments, provided that sufficient instances of behavior and evidence of attitudes can be observed from the detached perspective of the researcher.

Wade Whitehouse: Character Description

Like most decent protagonists, Wade Whitehouse is a very complex character, though he does not initially seem so. An underachiever and rather complacent individual, he nonetheless hold a position of some (though admittedly very little) authority as a policeman in the small New Hampshire town where he was born and raised. His marriage has ended and his ex-wife has ended up with custody of the couple's daughter, Jill, who treats her father in a manner that is already similar to his ex-wife's and which promises to grow even more so as time passes. Both regard him as a loser; he is not mean or overly selfish (at least, no more so than most human beings, and a good deal less than many), but there is simply nothing noteworthy about him. Wade seem to think little more of himself than his former wife and daughter do, though thoughts of winning custody of his daughter seem to inspire him to make something more of himself. Given that he has never really attempted to do this at any other point in his life, though, and the general lack of encouragement he receives, it should be of little surprise to movie goers or psychologists that his efforts are misguided and ultimately harmful.

Like most individuals, Wade has a fair amount of ambition, and also like many it has been latent for many years. But although this ambition has atrophied from years of disuse, it is quick to come back to full strength during his investigation of a possible murder. It comes back too strong, in fact, as Wade's life is quickly consumed with the idea of proving his friend Jack is a murdered and becoming the town hero for exposing the crime. His girlfriend ends up leaving him, he hits his daughter and causes her nose to bleed, and he ultimately -- though accidentally -- kills his father in a violent retaliation for years of abuse. Throughout the film, his brother Rolfe's narration -- and his dialogue with Wade -- suggests that Wade is never really in control, but is led by other's notions.

Character Analysis: Trait Theory

Recent research has shown that differences in resting brain wave patterns correlate to differences in personality (Hagemann et al. 2002). Though neurology is still far from being able to describe personality simply by examining patterns of brain waves, aggression and impulsive behavior have both been linked to increased brain activity at rest (Hagemann et al. 2002). It is at first difficult to determine whether or not Wade Whitehouse is actually an aggressive personality, or if it is simply the events of the plot that draw the aggression out of him, but his treatment of minor characters in the film (such as his ex-wife's new lover) suggests that aggression is very likely an inborn trait of his, and an EEG might bear this analysis out.

At the same time, conflicting research questions the validity of the claims made by Implicit Personality Theory, one of the major theories under the umbrella of trait theory. Specifically, researchers have questioned the methodology employed in identifying traits and the degree of their expression, which is necessarily a subjective task at some level (Tzeng & Tzeng 1981). This does not necessarily invalidate any findings that support the claims made by trait theory or its proponents, but it demands that increased attention be paid to empirical fact, without letting certain assumptions and hypotheses to color the interpretation of certain events or information. This is, ironically, one of the point made in the film Affliction -- Wade mistakes his beliefs for truths, at the urging of others (particularly his brother Rolfe, and also his father to an extent); having been basically insecure most of his life he becomes too sure of himself in the end.

Edwards and Abbott (1973), on the other hand, are careful to objectively identify the goal and methodology of personality theorists and typists. Personality cannot be measured or assessed directly, but rather is approached indirectly specifically by the study of traits (Edwards & Abbott 1973). In the case of Wade Whitehouse, then, it is only by the visible attributes of his character that we can hope to come to any understanding of his personality. In general, far more information about an individual than is available about Wade Whitehouse in Affliction is needed to form even a passably accurate description of their personality; typical inventories contain an average of over 200 individual items (Edwards & Abbott 1973). From what is shown in the film, however, it is clear that though Whitehouse exhibits aggressive behavior at several key points, it is not actually one of his primary personality traits.

Traits are usually measured by self-assessment of practices, beliefs, and attitudes, and though such self-reporting measures tend to be quite accurate as descriptive instruments, the lack of a solid theoretical basis to much of trait theories claims makes prediction of future behavior difficult (Smith 1999). In a way, this applies directly to Wade Whitehouse's situation; his behavior cannot really be predicted based on the simple observations of his personality traits. he has shown some tendency towards aggression, but he is also cowed by his father until his final retaliation. Likewise, his gullibility in the hands of his brother allows him to withhold belief in his friend. One of his traits, then, is a certain malleability, and his behavior is dependent on the circumstances and individuals that recognize this trait in him and use it to their own ends -- behavior predictions in trait theory must take environment into account.

To that end, it is essential to understand how the externally visible traits Wade Whitehouse exhibits in Affliction interact with the outside world and reflect the inner parts of his personality, as well. The flashbacks throughout the film detailing the abuse Wade and his brother Rolfe suffered at the hands of their father necessarily affected the way the inherent personality traits of each brother manifested in the external world (Epstein 1990). Wade's natural gullibility reflects an innocent -- almost a naive -- trust in others, and his father's abuse would have caused him to accept continued rejection and disappointment. The combination of his inborn trust and his rejection at the hands of his father creates the conflict in his personality that the plot of the film revolves around, and truly that forms the central conflict of the movie.

Other conclusions can be drawn about Wade Whitehouse directly from his externally observable traits, however, as a high degree of co-occurrence has been established between certain traits (Borkenau 1992). For instance, Wade Whitehouse's generally taciturn and withdrawn demeanor has been shown generally to co-occur with a lack of sociability (Borkenau 1992). Though Whitehouse has several clearly defined social roles in the film, Affliction also traces the breakdown of each of these roles as his latent ambition and his willingness to be manipulated by his brother slowly take over and begin to dominate is personality. The increasing dominance of these traits leads directly and systematically to the breakdown of his relationship with his girlfriend and daughter, the loss of his jobs and his status and role in the community, and eventually to the murder of his father and his friend. The film ends with Whitehouse having disappeared from town, severing his life-long social ties.

A key problem in the application of trait theory to real-world analysis is the effect of situation on the development and manifestation of traits (Steyer et al. 1999). Affliction is essentially a case study of this fact, as Wade Whitehouse exhibits several seemingly conflicting traits in the film. His suspicion of his friend Jack, which is central to the film's plot, does not equate well with his willingness to believe and be manipulated by his brother. The situations surrounding the different decisions he makes in the film dictate how his personality traits manifest themselves -- his suspicion of Jack is initially influenced by his latent ambition; Rofle's intervention -- and the instance of Wade's extreme gullibility and malleability -- occurs at their mother's funeral, when Whitehouse is especially vulnerable and actively seeking stability within his family ties. It is the circumstances surrounding these decisions in combination with the traits already prominent in his personality that resulted in his actions.