Human Nature Allows a Person to Demonstrate

Human nature allows a person to demonstrate the cognitive, social and emotional behaviors that enable him or her to function in society and satisfy biological, psychological and emotional needs. The drive to display such behaviors is inborn but is shaped through environmental forces. New behaviors are learned and unlearned through experience and instruction. Functional human beings are able to read the situation, identify their goals and select from a repertoire the most appropriate behaviors to satisfy their needs. Psychodynamic theory explores how the conflict between inner drives and social expectations determine human behavior. Redecision theory attempts to influence human behavior through an exploration of childhood experiences and identifying dysfunctional decisions to replace them with more productive and relevant ones. Finally, constructivist theory seeks to increase the individual's level of consciousness and personal responsibility to encourage functional behavior learning.

THEORETICAL INTEGRATIVE FRAMEWORK ON HUMAN NATURE AND BEHAVIOR

A number of theories such as psychodynamic theory, redecision theory and constructivist theory are used to explain how human nature and behavior are shaped through the interaction of hereditary, environment and personal volition. These theories prescribe enriching explanations of how early childhood experiences may create impressions, meaning patterns and decisions that become rooted in the subconscious and shape human nature and behavior in future. However, the three theories possess sufficient similarities to be synthesized into an integrated framework to enable the therapist to empower the client to move from dysfunctional to functional behavior.

HUMAN NATURE, FUNCTION AND DYSFUNCTION

Human Nature

Human nature consists of the set of behaviors and feelings that an individual regularly displays. At the same time, human nature is something more than observable behaviors and the feelings that motivate the behaviors. Behaviors and feelings are transient and are prompted by some stimulus. Human nature is characterized by a sense of permanence and is more enduring than the behaviors and feelings that reflect it. It is based on the exercise of moral and practical reason (Hacker, 2010).

Human nature determines the specific feelings and behaviors that a stimulus may evoke in an individual. Human nature is therefore shaped by expectations as well as internal factors. Freud identified these as internal drives or wishes that create a sense of need or urgency (Bronson, 2000). Societal, cultural and environmental forces condition human nature to respond in particular ways to the urge. Therefore, human nature is shaped by the combination of societal forces and internal drives. These drives exist from the time an individual is born. Some of the drives are innate such as hunger, sleep and affection, while others are learnt through environmental conditioning. These include the need to be praised, the need to be independent, and so on.

While human nature is partially determined by hereditary, childhood experience (Gabbard, 2004) and societal influence, it is also involuntarily shaped by the unique perception of each individual. Perceptual processes are shaped by values and experiences and these determine the meaning and value individuals ascribe to the same object, event or person. These perceptions shape expectations, which ultimately influence human behavior. In this way, human nature determines human behavior and is shaped by it in turn. Human nature is therefore unique while being subject to universal influences. Human nature can also be shaped through voluntary effort based on conscious and rational thinking and decision making. Such an understanding of human nature allows room for appreciating the role of environmental factors while empowering individuals to shape human nature through personal effort.

Normal Human Functioning

Normal human development is a continuous process that takes place throughout life. Therefore, at no particular stage can one claim that an individual has become functional. Human functionality and dysfunctionality thus occur on a continuum. Generally, a functional human being can be identified as a person who progresses along the path towards independence, self-awareness, self-control in the pursuit of goal attainment. Therefore, a functional human being is goal oriented and strives towards some objective, e.g. knowledge, tranquility, wealth, and so on. He possesses motivation and functional autonomy (Carducci, 2009). These efforts are shaped by unique patterns of perception and behavior (Disque & Bitter, 1998). Functionality is also a societal concern. Therefore, only an individual with goals that do not conflict with societal values can be termed functional. In the pursuit of his goals, the functional individual is capable of acting independently on the strengths of his intelligence and personal traits. He is conscientious and emotionally stable (Landy & Conte, 2010). He or she can also collaborate with others through communication skills and the capacity for empathy. He does not pursue goals at the cost of emotional and interpersonal needs.

A functional human being also has a reasonable level of self-esteem and is capable of accepting positive as well negative criticism to shape his behavior accordingly. He can also control his emotions depending on social factors. Even while moderating his behavior and feelings as required by environmental situation, the functional human being possesses a stable personality and a sense of personal identity. He is not confused about his identity and can adjust his behavior while keeping his identity intact. At the same time, a functional human being is persistent and tries to think of ways of controlling or changing the environment to fulfill his needs. He interprets environmental and social cues intelligently and develops a response that brings him closer to his goals. The functional human being is also aware of his responsibilities and actively seeks it. Functional human behavior depends on positive and nurturing childhood experiences. In addition, identity, self-awareness, self-control and behavior modification are inculcated through an effective process of socialization.

Dysfunctional Human Behavior

Dysfunctional human behavior is based on irrational and unhealthy behaviors. A dysfunctional human being is not able to perceive environmental and social cues intelligently. At the same time, he or she does not possess self-monitoring and self-control which prevents him or her from developing positive feelings of identity and self-worth and adopting behaviors that lead to need or goal fulfillment. This failure to attain goals or have any clear set of goals in the first place leads to feelings of stress and anxiety, which in turn make the individual unable to deal with normal life problems (Ursano et al. 2004). Again, because of poor interpretation, low self-esteem and lack of self-regulating behaviors, the dysfunctional human being experiences depression. The dysfunctional human being possesses a weak sense of identity which causes him or her to experiment with different behaviors and adopting various habits. The weak sense of identity also makes the dysfunctional human being dependent on other for need fulfillment attainment. He or she does not possess a sense of personal responsibility in discharging his duties (Wells & Matthews, 2006). The dysfunctional human being experiences powerlessness, lack of control over the environment. He is not assertive and is less likely to be cooperative. The dysfunctional human being is motivated by negative forces such as punishment and negative reinforcement instead of positive factors like praise and self-actualization. Dysfunctional behavior is shaped by negative and disabling childhood experiences. Children who are repressed from expressing their emotions and fulfilling their needs independently grow up to become dependent and withdrawn individuals, incapable of working with other people in a goal-oriented way (Gordon, 2009). Their capacity to acknowledge inner drives and urges is reduced which leads to a weak self-image.

EVALUATION OF THEORIES

Evaluation of Psychodynamic Therapy

The psychodynamic therapy is based on the concepts developed by Freud psychodynamic therapy (Cardwell & Flanagan, 2005). Psychological problems are believed to be rooted in early childhood experiences and the quality of interpersonal relationships with influential individuals such as parents and caregivers. Early childhood experiences are believed to shape the stability of the individual's personality and ability to form social relationships in the future (Huprich, 2009). These early childhood experiences leave impressions on the unconscious which influence behaviors but remain unperceived by the person, making it difficult to detect and deal with dysfunctional behaviors.

Psychodynamic therapy is based on the premise that human dysfunctionality is based on poor functioning of the ego functions (Leichsenring et al. 2006) and because of factors and motives lying within the unconscious (Huprich, 2009). Hence, psychodynamic therapy aims to resolve repetitive conflicts by bringing the unconscious motives and drives to the consciousness of the individual to develop insight (Leichsenring et al. 2006) and self-awareness (Miller, 2010). Psychodynamic therapy places special emphasis on the quality of interpersonal relationship between the client and the therapist and its role in enabling the client to reflect and express the negative experiences and impressions formed during early childhood (Weiner, 2009). Free association is a commonly used technique to bring underlying motives into the conscious. Huprich (2009) states that psychodynamic therapy enables individuals to change their mental perceptions and improve their interactions, thereby moving from dependant individuals to independent individuals. The interaction between therapist and client is not one-sided; rather it involves a process of negotiation through which different dimensions of the self emerge and influence the therapeutic alliance (Wiseman et al. 2012). Such collaboration is successful when the therapist strives to build a relationship with the client that is based on respect and the desire to mutually cooperate (Kazantzis & Kellis, 2012). The psychodynamic therapy can also be applied to investigate intellectual disabilities in addition to personality and behavioral issues by exploring the role of social stigmatization and social rejection on the reinforcement of such disabilities (Whitehouse et al. 2006).

The psychodynamic therapy supports my description of functional human behavior as being demonstrated through an independent individual while dysfunctional behavior being reflected in low self-esteem and dependence on others. It also supports the idea that human nature and personality are shaped by early childhood experiences and that dysfunctional behavior can be overcome by strengthening the sense of self-awareness and self-control.

Evaluation of Redecision Therapy

Redecision therapy is based on the assumption that problems of dysfunctional human personalities are rooted in decisions taken by the unconscious part of the self during early childhood to ensure survival and to meet the expectations of parents and other significant individuals (Joines, 2004). The ego is categorized into the adult ego stage, the child ego stage (itself divided into the Free Child state and the Adapted Child state) and the parent ego state. The early childhood decisions are taken by the Free Child state and the individual becomes locked into that behavior even when it no longer meets the environmental requirements (Thompson, 2003). Redecision therapy recognizes that games are played on the minds of young children to influence their self-perceptions and control their behavior. As a result, the child starts believing in a certain narrative or script that shapes his or her sense of personal worth and identity. Redecision therapy seeks to overcome this deterministic force by making the client recognize his or her power of choice and desire to be in the present instead of the past (Hoyt, 2011). Therefore, it is of utmost importance for the therapist to dispel the notion in the mind of the client that the therapist will bring about the change in behavior. The therapist has to forge a contract with the client where the client acknowledges his or her conviction that he or she is the agent of change (Gladfelter, 1999). Redecision therapy believes in giving the responsibility for change to the clients and to make changes on their own. It seeks to reinstate the client's sense of power, self-determination and well-being (Hoyt, 2011). Once the contract has been established, the therapist engages the client to relive the critical scene where he or she made the decision or formed an impression of the personal self to please a parent or significant elder. Then, using the sense of personal agency and control, the client is encouraged to make a redecision to shape a behavior that is more functional and suits the environmental demands of the present (Brabender et al. 2004). The client enters the Free Child state when the decision was made to experience the scene once again. The impasse is identified through deconfusing the client (Hook, 1997). Then the client invokes the sense of personal agency and control with the help of emotional support from the therapist to make the redecision. The experience of reentering the past and reliving it can be emotionally draining and a source of anxiety for the individual. Hence it is important to build the necessary levels of motivation and readiness to relive painful experiences.

The redecision therapy is also supports my understanding of human nature and dysfunctional behavior by acknowledging the pervasive influence of early childhood experiences along with the power to diminish the influence of the early negative experience by revisiting the event and changing the decision. The role of the unconscious in making it difficult to identify the cause of dysfunctional behavior is also held by the redecision therapy theorists. It also supports my understanding of functional human behavior as interpreting the environment and shaping one's responses to attain satisfaction of one's goals and needs.

Evaluation of Constructivist Therapy

Constructivist therapy is based on an overarching theory that comprises a number of theoretical approaches (Mahong & Granvold, 2005). This makes it an extremely flexible approach for understanding and dealing with dysfunctional personalities and behavior. Constructivist theory is based on the premise that human beings try to make sense of the environment by categorizing their experiences. Over time, this becomes automatic and the similarities and differences between objects, events and people become assumed. These categorizations illuminate patterns and meanings that guide decision making and interpersonal interactions. Emotions also play an important and influential role in forming the ordering patterns. As new experiences are incorporated into the memory, the existing arrangements are altered to accommodate more recent experiences. This makes it dynamic process (Mahong & Granvold, 2005). Dysfunctional behavior arises when it is based on faulty assumptions leading to inaccurate ordering of information from the environment. Dysfunctional behavior can be corrected by identifying the problems in the arrangement and constructing a reordered structure. Neimeyer (1993) recognizes that individuals experience tension between retaining existing patterns or arrangements and constructing new ones. As a result of this tension, the individual experiences a pressure to change existing structures to incorporate the changed circumstances. Despite this apparent tension, people are continually creating and recreating their understanding of reality unconsciously (Neukrug, 2011). Therefore, constructivist therapy seeks to avoid putting the client through such anxiety by encouraging the client to explore new patterns without letting go of existing ones. This makes it a form of dialectic process. Accepting the client's interpretation as valid helps to gain commitment and encourages emotional awareness and expression. Hypothesis development is encouraged which are then tested in a make-believe world by assuming different identities and engaging in role plays to shift perspectives.

The therapist is required to be caring and compassionate and encourage the client to focus on the present (Mahoney, 2003). The therapist should accept the client's theory of change to encourage expression of emotional blocks and reduce the anxiety that may be experienced from integrating contradicting systems of meaning (Fall et al. 2010).

Constructivist therapy supports my understanding of human nature and functional behavior by emphasizing the ability of individuals to change their patterns of thinking through personal effort and willingness. More importantly, it recognizes the continuous development towards functional behavior. My view of behavior as existing along a continuum of functional and dysfunctional behavior is borne out by the constructivist theory that emphasizes the continual process of organizing and reorganizing the patterns of meaning in the mind. It also encourages expression and articulation of needs and problems to develop a goal orientation in the client.