Beyond the Contributions of Sigmund

Beyond the contributions of Sigmund Freud, Carl Rogers and Carl Jung may be the two most important individuals in the development of the modern study of psychology. Jung, having studied under Freud, expanded on Freud's concept of the libido and theorized that libido was the aspect of human behavior that controlled all other traits while Rogers was the first to offer that all individuals are born with a set personality but that said personality can be altered over time.

Both men's theories sprouted the growth of individualized psychological theories that are part of the regular study of psychology. Carl Rogers' contribution to the study of psychology, education, counseling, and conflict resolution has been considerable. Credited with founding the field of humanistic psychology, Rogers' has been extensively published in each of the mentioned fields. In his long career, he has authored sixteen books and over 200 professional articles. Rogers was one of the first psychologists to break away from the traditional psychoanalytic approach pioneered by Freud.

Instead, Rogers developed an approach that centered on the client. He espoused open communication and the empowering of individuals to achieve their full potentials. Rogers believed that each individual has the capacity within himself or herself the ability to understand his or her own personality. Through acquiring this understanding Rogers believed the individual was capable of altering his or her own self-concept, attitudes, and behavior. Like many young adults, Carl Rogers pursued several career options before pursing his doctorate in psychology.

He had originally planned a career in agriculture but quickly changed his mind and began his pursuit for a degree in religion. Shortly before graduating with his undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin, he again changed career objectives and ultimately graduated with a degree in history. Later he completed his masters and doctorate programs at Columbia University. Upon graduating with his doctorate, Rogers began his career in academia. Over several years he held positions at The Ohio State University, the University of Chicago, and the University of Wisconsin.

It was during this tenure at each of these institutions that Rogers was able to develop his unique approach to therapy that was originally described as "nondirective therapy" but has developed to be called "client-centered" therapy. Rogers eventually developed some conflicts with other faculty members at the University of Wisconsin what resulted in his deciding to leave the institution and the field of teaching.

His first post-academic position was with the Western Behavioral Studies Institute in La Jolla, California and later he and several professional colleagues formed a new research group called the Center for Studies of the Person. Rogers remained at said Center until his death in 1987 (Kirschenbaum, 2008). Rogers in his theory argued that all human beings are born with set behaviors and that the process of life is an attempt to achieve the highest level of each of life's qualities as possible.

Once a person reaches their fullest potential, they are accepted as being a fully functioning person. To obtain this state of being fully functioning, however, required that one be raised in an unconditionally positive environment. This means that children must be raised in an environment where they are accepted and praised. For Rogers this was the key to children living long and healthy lives. The popularity of Rogers' theories was partially due to his exceptional writing and speaking skills.

He was able to clearly and enthusiastically explain his concepts to his listeners and his emphasis on listening and empathic understanding was well received by those in and out of the field. His approach created a climate where the client is afforded dignity and equality with the therapist. The therapist no longer directed the therapy but was an equal participant in the process (Rogers, 1979). Rogers opposed psychoanalytic theory as being dehumanizing. Instead, Rogers developed a theory that viewed humans as being driven by activities that provided them with personal satisfaction.

His theories were built on an optimistic view of human nature and his belief that all individuals are in a constant struggle to obtain self-actualization. His critics, however, argue that Rogers' views were overly optimistic and naive. Despite his critics, Rogers' approach remained popular throughout his life and remain widely discussed. In the latter years of his life, Rogers ventured outside the area of psychology a bit by applying his theories to the area of conflict resolution.

Traveling worldwide, Rogers participated in negotiating sessions involving disputes between Protestants and Catholics, religious, racial, and ethnic differences in South Africa, racial disputes in the United States, and consumers and health care professionals in several jurisdictions. He was widely recognized as being successful at resolving serious differences in most of these difference scenarios. Carl Rogers was born and raised in the United States but Carl Jung was born and raised in Switzerland.

While Rogers was an extroverted, personable individual, Carl Jung was a highly introverted individual who preferred a solitary life. By his own admission, Jung was happiest when he was left alone with his thoughts (Wehr, 2001). Jung academic background was founded in the field of medicine. While attending medical school, Jung developed an interest in spirituality and it was this interest that eventually led to his becoming interested in psychiatry as a specialty.

As part of his graduation requirements Jung published his doctoral dissertation which was entitled, "On the Psychology and Pathology of So-Called Occult Phenomena. " During his career Jung enjoyed a long friendship and professional relationship with Sigmund Freud. Jung's relationship with Freud influenced greatly Jung's psychological theories and precipitated his interest in the subconscious mind. Jung spent many years studying the human mind based on dreams, myth, art and philosophy (Jung, 1968).

Eventually, however, Freud and Jung began to part ways both as friends and as professional colleagues as Jung's theories began to diverge from Freud's views. The primary source of difference between the two psychiatrists centered round Freud's strict reliance upon sex as the sole source of behavior motivation. Jung, like Freud, viewed the human psyche as existing in three parts but Jung classified these three parts much differently. Jung described the three parts as the ego (the conscious mind), the personal unconscious, and the collective unconscious.

For Jung, the collective unconscious was the cumulative experience and knowledge of the human species. The essence of Jung's theory was that every individual must go through a process of individuation in order to fully develop as a human being. The individuation process involves the conscious and unconscious parts of a person becoming completely integrated. Once this has occurred the person becomes his or her true self. Jung's theory of psychology is more complex and difficult to understand than is Rogers.

Breaking from Freud's psychoanalytic theory, Jung formed his own theory called Analytical.