PSYC6214 Assignment 1 PDF

Preview

Summary

Assignment 1...

Description

James Rosewarne 19340085 PSYC6214 Assignment 1 Question 1: In the following academic essay I will apply my understanding of theories of personality with the use of two personality theories to the infamous Thomas Shelby from the series Peaky Blinders (2013). I will discuss the dynamics of his observable behaviour, interpersonal relationships and lifestyles, and I will compare and contrast the two theories I have selected using examples from the character’s life. Tommy Shelby is the son of Arthur and Mrs Shelby, the brother of Arthur, John, Ada, and Finn Shelby, the father of Charles and Ruby Shelby, and the spouse of Grace and Lizzie Shelby. He is the patriarch of the Shelby Family and the leader of the Peaky Blinders, a Birmingham criminal gang. Thomas was a Sergeant Major in WWI and was awarded a medal for bravery. His experiences in World War I left him disillusioned and plagued by nightmares, so he sets out to raise his family up the social ladder. Thomas Shelby became a Member of Parliament as a socialist politician after a vendetta with the New York Mafia, and during the year of the Wall Street Crash, while lending the chair of the illegal enterprise to his older brother, Arthur Shelby. Unlike the Shelby siblings, Thomas is a calm and perceptive man who uses his intellect and ruthlessness to protect himself and his family. His opponents see him as a fearsome foe, yet he is well-liked in his community. The Peaky Blinders have grown from a small Birmingham street gang to a nationwide enterprise that has gone toe-totoe with the New York Mafia under his leadership. From both lines of their family, Thomas Shelby and his siblings are Gypsies. It's likely that both of Thomas' parents are half Romani Gypsies; but, it's also possible that they have Irish Traveller background, as Polly notes that they shouldn't speak Shelta to the foster children, which is the language of Irish Travellers. Shelby is seen to be a sergeant major in the Small Heath Rifles, a non-commissioned officer in charge of the whole unit's well-being, morale, and training (all other sergeants and corporals answer to him as well as to the actual commanding officers). His immaculate performance in this job (made all the more difficult by his youth at the time) gained him unshakeable respect from both his unit and other veterans, and solidified his street reputation (Thomas Shelby, 2021). Psychodynamic Personality Theory: Psychodynamic theory's fundamental assumptions are surprisingly straightforward. These assumptions are also unique to the psychodynamic framework: no other personality theories accept these three concepts in their purest form (Bornstein, 2021). Assumption 1: The Unconscious Takes Priority The bulk of psychological processes, according to psychodynamic theorists, occur outside of conscious awareness. The mind's (or psyche's) processes are thought to be mostly unconscious in psychoanalytic terms. This essential principle of psychoanalysis is supported by research: Many of our mental processes - memories, motives, feelings, and so on—are essentially hidden from our consciousness (Bornstein, 2021). Assumption 2: The Importance of Early Experiences is Critical Psychodynamic theory is not the only one to believe that early childhood events have an impact on personality development and dynamics, but it is unique in how much it stresses

these events as determinants of personality development and dynamics. Early experiences, especially those that occur during the first weeks or months of life, according to the psychodynamic model, put in action personality processes that impact us years, if not decades later. This is especially true when it comes to events that are out of the ordinary (for example, losing a parent or sibling at a very early age) (Bornstein, 2021). Assumption 3: Psychic Causality The third core principle of psychodynamic theory is that nothing in mental life happens by chance—that no random thought, sensation, purpose, or behavior exists. Though few psychologists accept the principle of psychic causality exactly as psychoanalysts conceive it, most theorists and researchers agree that thoughts, motives, emotional responses, and expressed behaviors do not arise at random, but always stem from some combination of identifiable biological and psychological processes. Every thought and action we have is the product of biological or psychological influences, even something as seemingly insignificant as the bus seat we pick (Bornstein, 2021). Social Learning Theory: The core principle of Rotter's social learning theory is that personality is a reflection of a person's interaction with his environment. As a result, according to his thesis, we must evaluate both the individual and his environment in order to fully comprehend his behaviour. Rotter agreed, believing that personality is a set of potentials that a person employs to respond to specific situations. Rotter's personality and conduct can be changed at any time. According to him, altering the environment in which an individual finds himself and changing his way of thinking will cause a change in his behavior, and therefore his personality features will change as well. In contrast to psychoanalytic and rigorous behavioral theories, Rotter claims that we are motivated to act by our life goals and vision to maximize the rewards we would obtain (Sincero and Sincero, 2021). Four mediational mechanisms in the social learning theory help decide whether a new behavior is acquired: Attention: The degree to which we are aware of the conduct. Before we can mimic a behavior, it must first get our attention. Given the large number of actions we watch but do not mimic on a daily basis, it is clear that attention is critical in determining whether a behavior promotes imitation. Retention: Retention refers to how well we recall the activity. If we don't recall the behavior, we won't be able to do it. So, while a behavior may be observed, the observer will not repeat it unless a memory is developed. Because social learning takes time, it's important to remember what you've learned. Reproduction: Reproduction refers to the ability to perform the activity. This is the capacity to imitate a behavior that we see. It has an impact on our decision regarding whether or not to try out the behaviour. Even when we want to replicate an observed behavior, our physical abilities limit us. Motivation: Motivation is the desire to imitate a certain behaviour. Vicarious reinforcement is the term for this type of mediation. It entails learning via seeing the effects of one's actions on others rather than through direct experience.

The observer will look at the behaviour as well as the incentives and punishment that follow. If the observer believes the benefits outweigh the risks, they are more inclined to imitate the behaviour. However, if the observer does not value the vicarious reinforcement highly enough, they will not mimic the behavior. Throughout the series, there is little or almost no detail about Tommy’s past, particularly his childhood. However his time spent as a tunneler during the war is seen from flashbacks shown in the series. Tommy and his brothers are almost never seen eating or drinking anything besides whiskey and cigarettes. As well as drinking morphine, sniffing cocaine and smoking brown opium, and we almost never see him smile. These addictive traits stem from his depression and suicidal tendencies which become more evident towards the end of the series where he tries to to shoot himself and knowingly walks through a field full of landmines without a care in the world. From the little of what we know about Tommy’s mother, she is spoken about being depressed and delusional, meaning that the depressive traits displayed by Tommy could be genetic, and if not, then his habits have become a product of his environment, as well as his PTSD from the war. Tommy could have observed his mothers behaviour and habits as a child and this affects him now as an adult and it almost definitely is also because of his harsh alcohol and drug filled environment that he lives in, Birmingham during the 1920’s. Tommy’s aunt Polly Gray also says that it is a gypsies curse, and they all go crazy in the end. Throughout the series Tommy is always seen with a weapon on him, this could indicate a constant need for control. Because during scenes where he appears to have been beaten or outplayed, he has breakdowns, anxiety attacks, hallucinations and even suicide attempts. On multiple occasions we see Tommy have hallucinations from the war, being in the tunnels and hallucinations of his wife that was shot by one of his enemies. Schizophrenia is characterised by hallucinations or delusions, or both. His dead wife's hallucinations could be a manifestation and incarnation of his inner remorse over her death. As a kind of retribution for her death, his imagination created her. She gives him a choice between life and death, but it is in his hands, and the option is obvious to him: life. However, he so desperately wants to die, to end it all, that he suffers because he must live. Tommy is also a typical narcissist, displaying traits like selfishness, a sense of entitlement, a lack of empathy, and a desire for admiration. With his lack of respect for anybody outside his family, this is especially apparent in the earlier seasons. He only shows respect to individuals he pities or feels will assist him in some manner, shape, or form. This could be due to the fact that his father abandoned them when they were very young, creating a lot of stress on Tommy, being the oldest brother and having to become the man of the house. Thomas has a growing sense of entitlement in society, and he is never content with his work, both legal and illegal. It was also seen in the most recent season, after he had obtained a seat in parliament. Thomas Shelby, played by the extremely talented Cillian Murphy, is without a doubt one of the most intriguing characters to feature in any series and serves as the show's center point. The entire story is centered around him and his family's climb to prominence under Tommy's guidance. But it's his cool and calculated manner to operate his empire that makes this British mobster such an intriguing character, despite being perhaps one of the least heroic protagonists out there, verging on being worse than the villains in most programs (Groom, 2021). His addictive habits, depression, schizophrenia and narcissistic traits could be a product of his upbringing with his unstable mother and because of his father abandoning

them. However it can also very well be a product of the environment that he grew up in, and the environment that he still lives in.

REFERENCES: Bornstein, R., 2021. The Psychodynamic Perspective. [online] Noba. Available at: [Accessed 29 October 2021]. Groom, G., 2021. The Psychology of Thomas Shelby: Sympathy for the Devil - Sarcastic Fox. [online] Sarcastic Fox. Available at: [Accessed 29 October 2021].

Onlinemswprograms.com. 2021. What is Social Learning Theory? Social Work Theories and Approaches. [online] Available at: [Accessed 29 October 2021]. Peaky Blinders. 2013. Season 1-5. Directed by Tom Harper, Otto Bathurst, Colm McCarthy, Tim Mielants, David Caffrey, Anthony Byrne. Written by Steven Knight, Toby Finlay, Stephan Russel. [Online Series]. First Broadcast 2013. United Kingdom: BBC Studios. Peaky Blinders Wiki. 2021. Thomas Shelby. [online] Available at: [Accessed 29 October 2021]. Sincero, S. and Sincero, S., 2021. Behaviourist Theories of Personality - Skinner and Rotter. [online] Explorable.com. Available at: [Accessed 29 October 2021]....