Theories of Personality October 3rd PDF

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Theories of Personality October 3rd...

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• Teliology A. Freud -Things that happen in the past determine how twer are like in the present B. Adler -Sees motivation as a mater of moving towards the future rather than being driven by the past (more of a let it go type of personality) -We are drawn towards our goals and ideals -Acknowledges that life is hard and uncertain but there is always room for change • Fictional Finalism Ex. “How many people believe in heaven?” -Most of us believe in it even though it could not be proven: “Blind Faith” A. Fictional The fact that it could not be proven B. Finalism C. The belief that human beings are more strongly motivated by the goals and ideals that they create for themselves and more influenced by future possibilities, than by past events such as childhood experiences. • Social Interest A. Second in importance to striving for perfection B. “Community Feeling” C. As social animals we don’t exist but thrive with others -Children must depend on their caretakers D. Social interest means we are socially interested in our society E. **Based on innate disposition but needs to be nurtured to survive** Example: Infants • “To some extent, innateness of this social interests…small children often show sympathy for others without having to do so. Notice when one baby in a nursery begins to cry, others begin to cry as well.” A. Selfishness becomes developmental • “Americans in particular tends to see social concern as a matter to be open and friendly, slapping people on the back by calling them by their first name. This is social context.” A. Social Concerns express in different ways but others do for their own ends -Caring for community, society, family, for life So social concern is a matter of being useful for others and a lack of concern is the very definition of ill/mental health. All failures are either neurotics, psychotics, criminals, drunkards, sucicidals, perverts, and prostitutes.” -NOT ALL ARE STRIVING FOR PERFECTION AND THOSE WHO AREN’T ARE MENTALLY ILL OR HAVE A FEELING OF INFERIORITY. i. Inferiority is a matter of being overwhelmed by it. • SELF PITY A. “Nothing good every happens to me” or “With my luck…” • ORGAN INFERIORITY A. “Each of us has weaker/stronger parts of our anatomy” -Some develop heart problems, some of us are born with liver/kidney problems, some of us

stutter or talk with a list, some of us have asthma, some have weak eyes. B. Adler couldn’t walk How we compensated for it: He developed his mind C. People live a life of despair because they were not able to compensate Organic inferiorities -Ex: Babies who are not dependent Psychological inferiorities -Ex: Some of us are told we are too ugly and some of us come to believe what we hear” • Natural Inferiority of children A. Difficulties growing up equals inferiority B. Inferiority Complex -IS NEUROSIS A LIFE SIZE PROBLEM C. Superiority Complex...