Theories and their applications

¶ … psychological theories. It uses 3 sources and is in MLA format.

Psychologists have researched personality disorders and have formulated different theories presenting their own reasoning established via comprehensive research over a lifetime. I have attempted to draw similarities and contrasts between the psychoanalytical theory of Sigmund Freud and social cognition theory of Carl Rogers. They are both known figures in the field of psychoanalysis. Both the theories are logical and applicable in varied circumstances.

Personality disorders stem from the fact that personal satisfaction is not achieved due to the societal norms that humans have entrapped themselves in. Dissatisfaction creates conflicts and thus anxieties occur which cause personality disorders.

Discussion

Sigmund Freud was a one of the most eminent psychologists of all times. Freud is termed as the father of psychoanalysis. His theory of psychoanalysis entails the conscious and the unconscious. The conscious is what we are aware of like one's present perceptions, memories, thoughts, feelings etc. The unconscious is the memory that can be easily recalled. However, these entail the smaller part of the mind, the larger part consists of the unconscious, which includes all the things that are not easily available to the conscious mind. These include our drives and instincts.

According to him, the unconscious is the basis of our motivation to do or achieve anything. This motivational factor in the unconscious has 3 basic stages: Id, ego and superego. The Id is the demand for immediate needs. It is a need that emerges from the unconscious to the conscious level. The ego is when one satisfies a need when opportunity is presented. Superego is when obstacles are met while achieving the Id through the ego. The superego represents the society. Thus, what the Id wants and what the superego wants often has conflicts. This is because the Id wants the basic needs and the superego is governed by what the society allows us to need. So there develops a conflict between the inner needs and the needs that are generated due to the society. These conflicts create anxiety.

Freud's theory is rather complex. Carl's theory on the other hand is relatively simple to comprehend. Carl's whole theory revolves around "single source of life" which he terms as the actualization theory. He says that there is an inborn motivational factor in every form of life and not just humans. There is a need in humans to do the very best. This seeking of actualization forms the basis of motivation to achieve what we want. We seek air, water, and love; discover new things because it is human nature to try to reach actualization. He says that it is the conscious desire that motivates us and relates consciousness to ego. Carl does not include instincts like Freud. Freud on the other hand says that it is the unconscious that motivates us.

According to Carl, people form cultural and societal norms when seeking for actualization. When we created culture, it was for our betterment but it usually hampers actualization and we are at times entrapped in cultural and social norms. Every living creature knows what he likes or dislikes but society plays a significant role in what he needs, what is right and wrong. We are conditioned since childhood to what is good or bad and the criteria of which has been defined by the man made society. Conditional positive self-regard is when we like ourselves only when we meet standard that others have applied on us instead of attaining the actualization that we need. There is the "real self," what one really is, and "ideal self" what others want one to be. When there is a vast difference between the real and the ideal self, it is a threatening situation and the individual becomes anxious. This anxiety has to be overcome by defensive strategies. (Boreee 2002).

Carl's defensive strategies are similar to Freud's. Firstly there is denial. This is when the individual blocks the threatening situation completely and even keeps its memory out of the awareness. Perceptual distortion is similar to Freud's rationalization where the individual interprets the situation to be less threatening. (Boree 2002)

Freud gives an additional defensive theory of displacement where the impulses are redirected towards another target. When one cannot express oneself directly, he chanalizes the desires somewhere else or may even make him the target. There are also other defensive theories like projection, reaction formation etc. presented by Freud.