Personality Disorders and Their Diagnoses: Personality Theories

Personality Theories: Personality Disorders and Their Diagnoses

Personality theorists often differ on how the term personality should be used. In fact, Gordon Allport, one of the first psychologists to focus on personality, had more than fifty different definitions for the term. According to Engler (2014), Allport's basic idea was that personality is the true nature of an individual that influences the way they behave and think. Carl Rogers, another influential psychologist, believed that personality is the organized and persistent individual perceptions that determine their experiences. Sigmund Freud, popularly referred to as the father of psychoanalysis, argued that personality is often concealed and it is not conscious or easily known. In light of all these conflicting definitions, one thing is evident: there are a variety of personality theories which attempt to define what personality is and how it influences the lives of people. The American Psychological Association, APA (2015) defines personality as the differing characteristic thought patterns that individuals possess, which influence the way they feel, think, and behave. APA posits that psychologists first have to learn differences in personality traits before they understand how these traits combine to make the individual. This text takes a look at three personality theories: the psychodynamic, humanistic, and social cognitive theories, and how they help us understand human personalities. It also examines psychological disorders and their diagnoses and whether people with these disorders should be given psychiatric labels.

How the psychodynamic, humanistic and social cognitive theories help in understanding human personality

Psychodynamic theories greatly borrow from Sigmund Freud and they consider the effects past or childhood experiences and the unconscious mind have on an individual's personality. Two examples of these theories are the psychosocial development stages by Erik Erikson and Freud's psychosexual stage theories. Freud believed there are three basic structures in the personality anatomy: the id, the superego, and the ego (Schultz and Schultz, 2013). The id determines the urges and needs a person has and the ego influences their ideals and socially accepted behavior. The superego determines our unconscious beliefs of what is right and wrong. On the other hand, Erikson believed that personality is formed through different stages that conflict. Only when conflicts at one stage are handled can it be termed successful. Psychodynamic theories are important because they emphasize the importance of a person's childhood. They also help in understanding defense mechanisms, which stem from conflicts between the conscious and the unconscious mind.

Humanistic theories focus on how unique each person is. They take a holistic approach -- that self-concept, individual experiences, and free will are essential in the development of the personality of a person (Schultz and Schultz, 2013). Human theorists such as Abraham Maslow and Carl Rogers held that a person's behavior is motivated by their need for personal growth, which is brought about by self-actualization (Engler, 2014). The humanistic approach is important in understanding human personality because it focuses on the individual as a whole rather than the unconscious. It does not solely rely on the performance of groups and it addresses people's inborn drive to achieve their best. By understanding self-fulfillment and free will, it is easier to understand the choices people make, the paths they choose, and their resultant consequences.

The social cognitive theory states that behaviors are learnt through modeling and observation. According to Engler (2014), self-efficacy is an important element of the social cognitive theory, which governs a person's thoughts, actions, and motivations. Famous psychologists associated with this theory were Albert Bandura and N.E Miller, who opined that children act as they see other do and they are motivated to further emulate this behavior once they receive rewards. This theory is important because it explains people's ability to learn and achieve new goals and to consider the consequences of behaviors when making choices. It helps us understand why people feel the need to belong and how they change their behavior in order to fit in with particular groups.

Psychological disorders and diagnoses

Also known as mental disorders, psychological disorders are behavioral patterns of feelings, thoughts, and emotions which affect the individual's day-to-day functions (APA, 2015). Some examples include: mood disorders such as depression, eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia, personality disorders such as antisocial behavior, and anxiety disorders. Engler (2013) claims psychological disorders often bring out the extremes of normal characteristics. Various causes of these disorders include: stress, childhood trauma, brain malfunctions and generic diseases. Diagnosis of psychological disorders comes after a psychological evaluation is done on an individual, who may have the behavioral symptoms or experiences. There are also a variety of home medical diagnostic tests available.

Labeling people with psychological disorders