Overview of psychoanalytic and psychosocial theories of personality
In the history of social sciences and humanities, various personality theories have been invented to explain the profound mechanism of the human psyche. Among them, several models are particularly prominent, including the psychoanalytic perspective. This theory focuses on the unconscious component of the mind, stating that it largely determines the behavior of a person across their lifetime. Furthermore, it is said by the proponent of the psychoanalytic theory that the unconscious mind is shaped by earlier childhood experience. In other words, the first decade of life becomes the foundation of the personality with its fears, aspirations, and desires. The profound unconscious elements manifest themselves through a variety of forms, such as dreams and association (May et al., 2018). The model has seen contributions by such renowned experts as Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud. As per some theorists, the sexual aspect has the strongest influence on the development of a person within the psychoanalytical framework.
The psychosocial theory introduces an alternative approach that views lifetime development of a person as a sequence of crucial stages. It was mainly developed by Erik Eriksson who outlined eight such stages. He argued that the innate motivation of a person came not from the unconscious mind but from conscious ideas, making them aware of its sources. Therefore, choices are dictated by conscious judgment and the necessity to meet one’s own needs rather than distant experiences of early childhood. Each stage of development is associated with a certain conflict, the complexity of which gradually increases to correspond with the age. The outcome of the previous dilemma determines the personal characteristics with which a person encounters the next choice (Maree, 2021). For example, infants learn to choose between trust and mistrust, and the conflict for young adults involves a clash of intimacy and isolation related to the complex feeling of love.
Similarities and differences
The psychoanalytical and psychosocial theories are fundamental for understanding of the profound mechanisms of the human mind. Both of these models acknowledge the importance of early childhood interaction and parents’ role in shaping the personality of their child. However, there are more differences than similarities between the theories. First of all, the psychosocial model proponents insist that personal development does not end after childhood, as Eriksson’s stages encompass the entirety of life (Kerpelman & Pittman, 2018). Indeed, pre-adolescence is important in both cases, but psychoanalysts view it as the ultimate determinant instead of simply one stage of development. Second, the two theories lay an emphasis on different themes that comprise the second major difference. The psychoanalytical perspective is centered around darker elements and feelings of sexual desire, fears, challenges, and stress (May et al., 2018). The psychosocial theory equally acknowledges the need of love, trust, acknowledgment, and friendship, generally becoming less focused on negative experiences and trauma.
Importance of the theories
In a book dedicated to personality theories, the two models in question will become an integral element of the discussion. More specifically, they are considered fundamental in the field of psychology due to their considerable contribution to research and practice. The psychoanalytical theory has millions of proponents across the globe, largely determining the approach to psychotherapy today. It is problem-oriented and based on renowned expert studies on the subject matter. The names of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung are well-known, providing a fundamental status to the theory. Erik Eriksson was Freud’s student and follower, and he did not attempt to undermine the master’s model. Instead, his psychosocial theory naturally developed the previous framework to encompass the entirety of a lifespan. To this day, Eriksson’s model informs social studies across the globe, having become integral to psychotherapy.
References
Kerpelman, J. L., & Pittman, J. F. (2018). Erikson and the relational context of identity: Strengthening connections with attachment theory. Identity, 18(4), 306–314.
Maree, J. G. (2021). The psychosocial development theory of Erik Erikson: Critical overview. Early Child Development and Care, 191(7-8), 1107–1121.
May, U., Haller, D., Mathes, B., Molnar, M., Slotkin, P., & Winter, D. (2018). On the history of psychoanalytic theory and practice, with an analysis of Freud’s patient record books. Routledge.