Freud vs. Rogers: Personality Theories Compared

Introduction

Sigmund Freud and Carl Rogers are two of the twentieth century's most renowned figures in psychology. Both psychologists made countless advancements in their field and are greatly revered by psychologists and the general public alike for their efforts and ingenuity. Another important similarity between the two men is that both proposed influential theories of personality and psychotherapy — and both men's theories continue to be viewed as controversial by some segments of the field. This paper discusses the contributions of each man in these respective areas and considers their broader impact on our understanding of human personality.

Freud's Theory of Personality

Sigmund Freud's personality theories center on three structural elements: the id, the ego, and the superego. Freud believed that the key to a healthy personality is a true balance among these three elements, all of which work together to create complex individuals.

The id, according to Freud, is present in a person from birth. It encompasses instinctive, or primal, behavior and is the source of all psychic energy, making it the most important component of personality. Freud also believed that this primary element is driven by the "pleasure principle," which essentially means the immediate gratification of desires, wants, and needs. In the absence of such gratification, a person will feel anxious — or, in the case of an infant, will cry until those needs are met. Left unchecked, the id would be profoundly disruptive in social life, prompting individuals to seize whatever they want without regard for consequences.

The ego is the component that most directly balances the id. It deals with reality and develops out of the id in order to ensure that its impulses are managed in socially acceptable ways. The ego functions both consciously and subconsciously and operates on the "reality principle," meaning that it strives to satisfy the id within the constraints of the real world.

The final component of personality is the superego. Largely subconscious, the superego gives individuals a sense of right and wrong and emerges during the late toddler years. It has two parts: the ego ideal and the conscience. As Cherry explains, "the superego acts to perfect and civilize our behavior. It works to suppress all unacceptable urges of the id and struggles to make the ego act upon idealistic standards rather than upon realistic principles. The superego is present in the conscious, preconscious, and unconscious."¹

Rogers' Theory of Personality

Carl Rogers also developed a theory of personality. Though primarily a therapist, Rogers offered rich explanations of how personality forms through a set of interconnected concepts. His framework centers on three key ideas.

According to Rogers, every individual possesses a "hidden actualizing tendency." Dagmar Pescitelli describes this tendency as constructive and directional — ever-present in all people and incapable of being destroyed until the individual themselves ceases to exist.²

The concept of "self" is the foundation of Rogers' theory. The self includes "awareness of being and functioning and establishes [itself] through interaction with other individuals."³

The third element of Rogers' framework is the self-actualizing tendency — "a distinctly psychological form of the actualizing tendency related to this 'self.' It involves the actualization of that portion of experience symbolized in the self (Rogers, 1959)," as Pescitelli explains. This component can serve as a kind of inner drive that pushes individuals to seek out new perspectives and experiences, fostering continued personal growth.