week 4
see attached.
2 years ago 10
386week4discussion.docx
335week4discussion.docx
386week4discussion.docx
Readings:
This week’s readings explore family stress. It is important to note that many types of families exist including chosen families and partners without children. Thus, this week’s readings encompass a snapshot of a few familial stress concerns inclusive of a review of past and current theories in the literature.
Reconstituted and Surrogate Families
You may have heard the African proverb "It takes a village to raise a child."
Referencing the different definitions, or examples, of how families (e.g., Stepfamilies, Adoptive Families, Foster Families, Natural Families, etc.) are defined in this week's readings, discuss what the concept of a "village" may look like within these examples.
Draw from your personal experiences. If you are comfortable sharing, possibly reference the difference in how your were raised, with how your best friend might have been raised. Or reference scenarios that may have been shared with you.
Given what you have learned so far in this class, can you identify any patterns, or types of stress that might have existed for any member of the village? If so, what advise could you offer now to help ameliorate or reduce this stress?
Use proper APA style citations when referencing reading materials and please provide thoughtful and substantive responses to the posts of at least two of your classmates.
Classmate post 1:
I spent most of my childhood in a natural/nuclear family as my parents divorced when I was 12. My mom met my now stepfather when I was 13 and my dad was with my stepmother right after they split apart, so the transition period from a nuclear family to a stepfamily was very brief for me. Since I was older I feel I have a very good grasp on the differences of these two family dynamics.
Starting with my time in a natural family I would say that the concept of "village" was very standard other then my most of my father's family living multiple states away. There was never any doubt of who are village was as I was a firm part of the family and there was never any hesitation for any family (parts of my village) to help me.
Then for my stepfamily I was very fortunate as my stepfathers family was already very open to remarriage/stepfamily that I was considered apart of their family as soon as they started dating. My stepmothers family was not as open and I was definitely treated different compared to their biological grandchildren/nieces. This strain with my father and stepmother led to a strain with most of my fathers side of the family to the point I don't consider them a part of my village anymore (currently trying to have a relationship with my father for my children's sake but that's a whole different story). This dynamic changed showed that there are many things that can strain your village and not every person is willing to take in a emotional connection with you and I believe my age was a major factor in this as well. People connected to my sister more (she was 6) rather then me (13) and I believe a lot of people didn't want to make the effort as I was older so presumably I would be on my own sooner.
This weeks learning really enlightened the stress my mom and stepfather were under. My mom was the "rarer" case of the primary caregiver for my stepbrother as my stepdad was a single parent before he was with my mom. In the handbook by Pryor (2004) it states that their may be a strain based on age but my (step)brother was around three when introduced to our family and his mother unfortunately passed away so my mom was able to take in a more prominent parenting style with him; he also refers to her as his mom (he does know who is birth mother is and remains in contact with his maternal grandparents). Some advice I would give my stepfather knowing what I know now for his time being a lone parent is to rely on his village as much as possible as he had plethora of people to help support him. Then the advice I would give my mom entering a stepfamily where she would be taking on the primary role of her partners son is also to reach out to your village for help and to ask for breaks when needed as going from the primary caregiver of two girls who were older to adding a toddler boy is a difficult transition and it is ok and necessary to at times remove yourself from the situation.
Resource:
Pryor, J. (2004). Parenting in reconstituted and surrogate families. In Handbook of Parenting: Theory and Research for Practice (pp. 110-129). SAGE Publications Ltd, https://doi.org/10.4135/9781848608160
Classmate post 2:
I feel that the concept of a "village" includes all of the people involved in the development of a child. The types of familial dynamics that were discussed in this weeks readings are fairly common and the types of family units that were expressed in the readings were ones that I have had personal experience with. The three main suggested units are dual-parent households, single-parent households, and reconstitued families (families with step-parents/adoption). The saying it takes a "village" to raise a child, means to say that it takes a lot of resources all pooled together to develope a child in a healthy way. Each text describes this but two key themes that were touched on where financial support and social support. Being able to balance these two variables seemed to be a big undertaking for each family unit as in the first text Jobs, marriage, and parenting by Jenkins and Turner (2004) states. Equal-sharers of responsibility, especially financially can have great influence over familial relationships and developments of a child (Jenkins & Turner, 2004). The idea being that in families where a parents is forced to work all the time to financially support a child, the child loses out on that social connection and other social responsibilities but alternatively if the financial support is not met then the quality of life for the family also diminishes. This balance is incredibly difficult to achieve and as the text stated, dual-parent households even recognized this difficulty primarily in the first 3 years of the child's life until more traditional forms of care like school this imbalance tended to work out and more equitable sharing of responsibilities took place. This lead to a more sustainable and less strenuous environment in the family unit. From my personal experience I've grown up in a dual-parent household but have had friends come from all types of family structures. Both my best friends growing up lived in single-mother households, one to divorce, the other widowed. I have had good friends that have reconstituted familial structures with step-parents taking on a greater parental role than their biological counterparts and everything in between. I feel that a pattern I've noticed in my personal experience is that dual-parent families are ideal for development of children, that's not to say that any of the other parental structures aren't fruitful or are bad but they certainly put more strain on all parties involved as in dual-parent households responsibilities can be shared more equitably. Hardships are less likely to be endured as income is more reliably brought in in cases where both parents work and this allows more time for the parents to spend time with their children. I feel that there's a lot of stress in any parenting and while I'm not a parent yet I do recognize the stress that I put on my parents growing up and still do to a degree. The idea of being financially and sociably responsible for not only myself but others around me is a challenge I haven't faced yet but appears to be a daunting one. This compiled with the constant worries that you're failing at parenting or worry for your child's well being would be an incredibly large stressor for myself personally. I can imagine that this is a common fear that lots of parents have and it's one that's hard to console. My best advice from the experiences I've had and lessons I've learned that I'll implement if I become a parent one day is to try your best. I know it sounds simple and standard but that's all you can do. Put your best foot forward, be transparent with your children, and try and teach them the way you know best. There's going to be stress no matter what as we've learned from earlier chapters the two main sources that seem to continue influencing stress are family and work obligations. Ideally I'd try and control what you can and set goals for yourself. Financial planning and social budgetting can help a lot in terms of reducing stress levels as it can give a sense of structure to your life. Balancing work and social life is an important component that I've noticed for successful parents through the readings. Work too much, miss out on social development, work too little, run the risk of financial struggles. This balancing act is only amplified when the variables get changed in the case of single-parent homes or single-earner homes. It's stated in the text that single-mothers report more stress as they feel they have to fulfil both parent roles and this is an added stressor sociably as well (Martin, Emery, & Peris). Physcological Ultimately the thing I'd recommend the most is working on balancing obligations to familial activities and work obligations. If you can do that I think you'll be much more likely to succeed based on the patterns I've noticed in these readings.
References:
Perry-Jenkins, M., & Turner, E. (2004). Jobs, marriage, and parenting: working it out in dual-earner families. In Handbook of Contemporary Families: Considering the Past, Contemplating the Future (pp. 155-173). SAGE Publications, Inc., https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412976022
Martin, M., Emery, R., & Peris, T. (2004). Single-parent families: risks, resilience, and change. In Handbook of Contemporary Families: Considering the Past, Contemplating the Future (pp. 282-301). SAGE Publications, Inc., https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412976022
Journal post:
Reflecting on the week's readings, what do you find to be the most relevant takeaways from the week's lessons? What did you discover? How can you apply what you have learned or share it with others?
335week4discussion.docx
DISCUSSION #4
Readings for this session in both Allen (2016) and your UMGC module (n.d.) take you in a very different direction away from psychoanalytic thinking and into the area of humanistic psychology as an explanatory model in personality development. This force in personality moves you away from a perspective on human nature that focuses on humans needing support for growth toward an existential one that celebrates the uniqueness of the individual and the person's inherent ability to face universal life challenges. Needs such as those proposed by Fromm for relatedness, identity, and transcendence define the human experience. Moreover, some form of "actualizing" tendency as envisioned by both Maslow and Rogers propels individuals to grow in positive ways shaped by culture. This positive perspective on human behavior helped to give rise to the popular field of "positive psychology"- a focus on what people do well rather than on dysfunctional behavior. Whether transcending or actualizing ... people can, and do, move in the direction of growth and fulfillment of their potential. Such development begins in childhood as illustrated through the area of social-emotional development discussed by Thompson (2021).
Your Task
1. Main Entry: Start a new thread, and update the topic title, identifying the post as uniquely yours (e.g., Joes thoughts on …; Research gone wild…). Within the body of your post, clearly identify each segment of the required response in order to facilitate discussion development.
a. Fromm, Rogers, and Maslow all discuss the nature of human needs. Select any two of these theorists and compare and contrast their views on needs as influences on personality and functioning as discussed by Allen (2016).
b. Each humanistic theorist also discusses transcendence or actualization. What do these concepts mean? Maslow believed that we must be true to our nature and use of our talents in striving toward self-actualization. How are you striving toward this goal? Be specific.
c. Discuss any point in the Thompson reading around social-emotional development that captured your interest. Explain.
2. Post Constructive Peer Feedback: In addition to posting your Main Entry, respond to at least TWO (2) of your classmates' entries. In four (4) or more sentences, provide constructive feedback. Do you agree with the points presented? Why? Do you have some additional thoughts to share? Share them. When providing your feedback present the logic behind it.
Classmate post 1:
a. Fromm, Rogers, and Maslow all discuss the nature of human needs. Select any two of these theorists and compare and contrast their views on needs as influences on personality and functioning as discussed by Allen (2016).
Fromm and Maslow, though approaching the understanding of human needs from different perspectives, converge on the idea that these needs play a vital role in shaping personality and providing a sense of fulfillment (Allen, 2016, p. 209). Fromm emphasizes the existential nature of human needs, asserting that concepts like love, rootedness, unity, and stimulation contribute to an individual's inner development and sense of self. He contends that these needs must be met for one's existence to have meaning, reflecting a more holistic view of personality influenced by various life experiences and desires (Allen, 2016, p. 208).
In contrast, Maslow adopts a hierarchical model, organizing human needs into a pyramid structure ranging from physiological needs to self-actualization (Allen, 2016, p. 266). He believes that fulfilling these needs, including love and belongingness, esteem, and safety and security, is crucial for achieving self-actualization. Maslow identifies self-actualizers as rare individuals who fully utilize their talents and potential, embodying creativity, self-acceptance, and philosophical outlooks (Allen, 2016, p. 266). Both theorists recognize the significance of fulfilling needs, whether existential or hierarchical, in shaping personality and fostering personal growth.
Similarly, Carl Rogers, a pioneer in humanistic psychology, emphasizes the importance of self-actualization and the holistic nature of individuals (Allen, 2016, p. 234). Rogers promotes a person-centered approach, emphasizing self-understanding and the inherent ability of individuals to solve psychological problems. He challenges Freudian perspectives and asserts that humans are inherently sensitive, creative, and adaptive creatures (Allen, 2016, p. 237). Rogers introduces the concept of the General Actualizing Tendency, highlighting the organism's innate ability to develop and build upon its capacities (Allen, 2016, p. 238). He also discusses self-actualization as a lifelong process of realizing one's potential, underscoring the significance of positive conditions for growth, such as unconditional positive regard and accurate empathy (Allen, 2016, p. 239).
b. Each humanistic theorist also discusses transcendence or actualization. What do these concepts mean? Maslow believed that we must be true to our nature and use of our talents in striving toward self-actualization. How are you striving toward this goal? Be specific.
Transcendence, as defined by Erich Fromm, represents the pinnacle of human consciousness attained when individuals look beyond themselves, embracing a broader perspective that includes concern for others (Allen, 2016, p. 211). During this transformative process, individuals shift from a passive role as a "creature" to an intentional and purposeful "creator," embodying a meaningful existence. Self-actualization, a lifelong process according to Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow, involves realizing one's potential for becoming a fully functioning individual (Allen, 2016, pp. 238, 264).
While Rogers believed that most individuals could achieve self-actualization, Maslow posited that only a few could reach this level. In Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, self-actualization is considered a fundamental need, driven by an intrinsic compulsion to become the best version of oneself (Allen, 2016, p. 264). The narrator reflects on their journey toward self-actualization by being open, enjoying the process, and understanding their core strengths, such as communication, to contribute meaningfully to the world.
Fromm's concept of transcendence highlights the transformative change necessary for purposeful existence from an initially passive state, with the potential for both creative and destructive progress. Rogers, too, views self-actualization as a manifestation of a human tendency beyond the general actualizing tendency, emphasizing openness to life experiences and existential perspectives (Allen, 2016, pp. 211, 238). Meanwhile, Maslow equates self-fulfillment with self-actualization, emphasizing the realization of individual capabilities. The narrator contemplates reaching self-actualization, acknowledging steps already taken and future aspirations, such as retirement, travel, and volunteering (Allen, 2016, p. 267).
c. Discuss any point in the Thompson reading around social-emotional development that captured your interest. Explain.
One aspect of Thompson's reading on social-emotional development that particularly caught my interest is the concept of social referencing in infants (Thompson, 2014). The idea that infants, as early as the end of their first year, display an awareness that other people, especially their mothers, have distinct perceptions, feelings, and mental states is fascinating. This is exemplified through the process of social referencing, where infants instinctively turn to their mother's face when encountering an unfamiliar person or situation (Feinman, 1992).
The example provided in the text, where infants gauge the emotional expression on their mother's face to determine the safety or danger of a situation, highlights the depth of social understanding even in very young children. If the mother appears calm and reassuring, the infant responds positively, interpreting the situation as safe. Conversely, if the mother expresses fear or distress, the infant reacts with wariness or distress, recognizing the potential danger signaled by the mother's emotions.
This early demonstration of social referencing indicates not only the cognitive and emotional capacities of infants but also their ability to use social cues to navigate and make sense of their environment. It emphasizes the intricate nature of the parent-child relationship and how infants rely on the emotional signals from their caregivers to shape their own responses to the world around them. This insight into the early stages of social-emotional development lays the groundwork for understanding the profound impact of early experiences and relationships on a child's emotional intelligence and social interactions.
Allen, B.P. (2016). Personality theories: development, growth, and diversity (5th ed.). Psychology Press. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315665115
Chapter 8: The Sociopsychological Approach to Personality: Erich Fromm
Chapter 9: Every Person Is to Be Prized: Carl Rogers
Chapter 10: Becoming All That One Can Be: Abraham Maslow
Thompson, R. (2014). Social and personality development in childhood. Diener Education Fund.
Classmate Post 2:
Erich Fromm: born March 23, 1900 – March 18, 1980. Born in Frankfurt, Germany, and was initially considered to be from the Freudian branch of the psychological tree. Fromm is important in the history of personality theories because he was paramount in the reasoning of personality research being taken away from psychiatry, psychoanalysis and given over to psychology and allied sciences (Allen 2016). Fromm today would be considered self-transcendence. He placed his views on sociopsychology orientation, the sociological study of people that sheds light on their psychological nature (Allen 2016). A humanistic psychoanalyst is one who believes in the essential worth and dignity of each person. Existentialism is an approach to understanding each person’s most immediate experience, the conditions of his or her existence, and the necessity of exercising freedom of choice in a chaotic world. Fromm believed that people experience the same dilemmas that derive from human existence and most people share existential needs. From was a socialist with a humanistic approach. He believed in humanistic communitarian socialism, a political system embracing economic, social, and moral functions. (Allen 2016). Erich believed that people require a goal that provides purpose in life to feel whole and these goals transcend individuals beyond their immediate self.
Carl Ranson Rogers, January 8, 1902 – February 4, 1987, was born in Oak Park, Illinois. Rogers was important to modern psychology because of his views on humanistic principles. He was considered self-actualization. His views have received more validation than any other humanistic psychologist. Ranson also adopted a lot of Freud’s ideology but later figured out that Freuds ideals conflicted with the scientific aspect of his schooling. Unlike Freudians he would not adopt an authoritarian approach with patients. Rogers held multiple positions including teaching and therapy and The Ohio State University, and several others. He was the first psychologist to be awarded the Scientific Contribution Award and the Distinguished Professional Contribution Award. Rogers believed in self-affirmation which he considered to will to decide or choose (Allen 2016). He created an at atmosphere where people made their own choices. Rogers based the core of his beliefs off two other philosophical orientations, existentialism, and existential psychotherapy. Before rogers, Rollo May was the lead practitioner and addressed six existential issues. The first is the person is centered on themselves. The second process involves self-affirmation. The third is the need for all people to participate with other beings. The fourth process is the subjective side of centeredness is awareness. The fifth is self-consciousness and the sixth involves anxiety. From these principles, rogers were able to expand on them using testable hypotheses.
Erich Fromm and Carl Rogers were both influential figures in psychology; Fromm emphasized cultural and societal factors, while Rogers focused on individual experiences. Rogers took a non-directive approach with clients, whereas Fromm's psychoanalytic approach was more hands-on. Fromm’s work had shades of spirituality, whereas Rogers’s work was much more analytical.
Self-actualization means to live to your full potential and to become the best version of yourself. Self-transcendence means to improve yourself using something greater than yourself, like religion or humanity. I believe that my life is a mixture of both. I have recently eliminated a lot of negativities from my life and motivated myself to get into school and quit certain vices that I have, but none of it would be possible without recently giving my life to God. Religion and self-motivation play a big part in my life.
What captured my interest in the Thompson reading pertaining to social and emotional competence is the quality effortful control which refers to children who are capable self-motivation and self-regulation.
Bem P. Allen. (2016). Personality Theories : Development, Growth, and Diversity: Vol. Fifth edition. Psychology Press.
386week4discussion.docx
Readings:
This week’s readings explore family stress. It is important to note that many types of families exist including chosen families and partners without children. Thus, this week’s readings encompass a snapshot of a few familial stress concerns inclusive of a review of past and current theories in the literature.
Reconstituted and Surrogate Families
You may have heard the African proverb "It takes a village to raise a child."
Referencing the different definitions, or examples, of how families (e.g., Stepfamilies, Adoptive Families, Foster Families, Natural Families, etc.) are defined in this week's readings, discuss what the concept of a "village" may look like within these examples.
Draw from your personal experiences. If you are comfortable sharing, possibly reference the difference in how your were raised, with how your best friend might have been raised. Or reference scenarios that may have been shared with you.
Given what you have learned so far in this class, can you identify any patterns, or types of stress that might have existed for any member of the village? If so, what advise could you offer now to help ameliorate or reduce this stress?
Use proper APA style citations when referencing reading materials and please provide thoughtful and substantive responses to the posts of at least two of your classmates.
Classmate post 1:
I spent most of my childhood in a natural/nuclear family as my parents divorced when I was 12. My mom met my now stepfather when I was 13 and my dad was with my stepmother right after they split apart, so the transition period from a nuclear family to a stepfamily was very brief for me. Since I was older I feel I have a very good grasp on the differences of these two family dynamics.
Starting with my time in a natural family I would say that the concept of "village" was very standard other then my most of my father's family living multiple states away. There was never any doubt of who are village was as I was a firm part of the family and there was never any hesitation for any family (parts of my village) to help me.
Then for my stepfamily I was very fortunate as my stepfathers family was already very open to remarriage/stepfamily that I was considered apart of their family as soon as they started dating. My stepmothers family was not as open and I was definitely treated different compared to their biological grandchildren/nieces. This strain with my father and stepmother led to a strain with most of my fathers side of the family to the point I don't consider them a part of my village anymore (currently trying to have a relationship with my father for my children's sake but that's a whole different story). This dynamic changed showed that there are many things that can strain your village and not every person is willing to take in a emotional connection with you and I believe my age was a major factor in this as well. People connected to my sister more (she was 6) rather then me (13) and I believe a lot of people didn't want to make the effort as I was older so presumably I would be on my own sooner.
This weeks learning really enlightened the stress my mom and stepfather were under. My mom was the "rarer" case of the primary caregiver for my stepbrother as my stepdad was a single parent before he was with my mom. In the handbook by Pryor (2004) it states that their may be a strain based on age but my (step)brother was around three when introduced to our family and his mother unfortunately passed away so my mom was able to take in a more prominent parenting style with him; he also refers to her as his mom (he does know who is birth mother is and remains in contact with his maternal grandparents). Some advice I would give my stepfather knowing what I know now for his time being a lone parent is to rely on his village as much as possible as he had plethora of people to help support him. Then the advice I would give my mom entering a stepfamily where she would be taking on the primary role of her partners son is also to reach out to your village for help and to ask for breaks when needed as going from the primary caregiver of two girls who were older to adding a toddler boy is a difficult transition and it is ok and necessary to at times remove yourself from the situation.
Resource:
Pryor, J. (2004). Parenting in reconstituted and surrogate families. In Handbook of Parenting: Theory and Research for Practice (pp. 110-129). SAGE Publications Ltd, https://doi.org/10.4135/9781848608160
Classmate post 2:
I feel that the concept of a "village" includes all of the people involved in the development of a child. The types of familial dynamics that were discussed in this weeks readings are fairly common and the types of family units that were expressed in the readings were ones that I have had personal experience with. The three main suggested units are dual-parent households, single-parent households, and reconstitued families (families with step-parents/adoption). The saying it takes a "village" to raise a child, means to say that it takes a lot of resources all pooled together to develope a child in a healthy way. Each text describes this but two key themes that were touched on where financial support and social support. Being able to balance these two variables seemed to be a big undertaking for each family unit as in the first text Jobs, marriage, and parenting by Jenkins and Turner (2004) states. Equal-sharers of responsibility, especially financially can have great influence over familial relationships and developments of a child (Jenkins & Turner, 2004). The idea being that in families where a parents is forced to work all the time to financially support a child, the child loses out on that social connection and other social responsibilities but alternatively if the financial support is not met then the quality of life for the family also diminishes. This balance is incredibly difficult to achieve and as the text stated, dual-parent households even recognized this difficulty primarily in the first 3 years of the child's life until more traditional forms of care like school this imbalance tended to work out and more equitable sharing of responsibilities took place. This lead to a more sustainable and less strenuous environment in the family unit. From my personal experience I've grown up in a dual-parent household but have had friends come from all types of family structures. Both my best friends growing up lived in single-mother households, one to divorce, the other widowed. I have had good friends that have reconstituted familial structures with step-parents taking on a greater parental role than their biological counterparts and everything in between. I feel that a pattern I've noticed in my personal experience is that dual-parent families are ideal for development of children, that's not to say that any of the other parental structures aren't fruitful or are bad but they certainly put more strain on all parties involved as in dual-parent households responsibilities can be shared more equitably. Hardships are less likely to be endured as income is more reliably brought in in cases where both parents work and this allows more time for the parents to spend time with their children. I feel that there's a lot of stress in any parenting and while I'm not a parent yet I do recognize the stress that I put on my parents growing up and still do to a degree. The idea of being financially and sociably responsible for not only myself but others around me is a challenge I haven't faced yet but appears to be a daunting one. This compiled with the constant worries that you're failing at parenting or worry for your child's well being would be an incredibly large stressor for myself personally. I can imagine that this is a common fear that lots of parents have and it's one that's hard to console. My best advice from the experiences I've had and lessons I've learned that I'll implement if I become a parent one day is to try your best. I know it sounds simple and standard but that's all you can do. Put your best foot forward, be transparent with your children, and try and teach them the way you know best. There's going to be stress no matter what as we've learned from earlier chapters the two main sources that seem to continue influencing stress are family and work obligations. Ideally I'd try and control what you can and set goals for yourself. Financial planning and social budgetting can help a lot in terms of reducing stress levels as it can give a sense of structure to your life. Balancing work and social life is an important component that I've noticed for successful parents through the readings. Work too much, miss out on social development, work too little, run the risk of financial struggles. This balancing act is only amplified when the variables get changed in the case of single-parent homes or single-earner homes. It's stated in the text that single-mothers report more stress as they feel they have to fulfil both parent roles and this is an added stressor sociably as well (Martin, Emery, & Peris). Physcological Ultimately the thing I'd recommend the most is working on balancing obligations to familial activities and work obligations. If you can do that I think you'll be much more likely to succeed based on the patterns I've noticed in these readings.
References:
Perry-Jenkins, M., & Turner, E. (2004). Jobs, marriage, and parenting: working it out in dual-earner families. In Handbook of Contemporary Families: Considering the Past, Contemplating the Future (pp. 155-173). SAGE Publications, Inc., https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412976022
Martin, M., Emery, R., & Peris, T. (2004). Single-parent families: risks, resilience, and change. In Handbook of Contemporary Families: Considering the Past, Contemplating the Future (pp. 282-301). SAGE Publications, Inc., https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412976022
Journal post:
Reflecting on the week's readings, what do you find to be the most relevant takeaways from the week's lessons? What did you discover? How can you apply what you have learned or share it with others?
335week4discussion.docx
DISCUSSION #4
Readings for this session in both Allen (2016) and your UMGC module (n.d.) take you in a very different direction away from psychoanalytic thinking and into the area of humanistic psychology as an explanatory model in personality development. This force in personality moves you away from a perspective on human nature that focuses on humans needing support for growth toward an existential one that celebrates the uniqueness of the individual and the person's inherent ability to face universal life challenges. Needs such as those proposed by Fromm for relatedness, identity, and transcendence define the human experience. Moreover, some form of "actualizing" tendency as envisioned by both Maslow and Rogers propels individuals to grow in positive ways shaped by culture. This positive perspective on human behavior helped to give rise to the popular field of "positive psychology"- a focus on what people do well rather than on dysfunctional behavior. Whether transcending or actualizing ... people can, and do, move in the direction of growth and fulfillment of their potential. Such development begins in childhood as illustrated through the area of social-emotional development discussed by Thompson (2021).
Your Task
1. Main Entry: Start a new thread, and update the topic title, identifying the post as uniquely yours (e.g., Joes thoughts on …; Research gone wild…). Within the body of your post, clearly identify each segment of the required response in order to facilitate discussion development.
a. Fromm, Rogers, and Maslow all discuss the nature of human needs. Select any two of these theorists and compare and contrast their views on needs as influences on personality and functioning as discussed by Allen (2016).
b. Each humanistic theorist also discusses transcendence or actualization. What do these concepts mean? Maslow believed that we must be true to our nature and use of our talents in striving toward self-actualization. How are you striving toward this goal? Be specific.
c. Discuss any point in the Thompson reading around social-emotional development that captured your interest. Explain.
2. Post Constructive Peer Feedback: In addition to posting your Main Entry, respond to at least TWO (2) of your classmates' entries. In four (4) or more sentences, provide constructive feedback. Do you agree with the points presented? Why? Do you have some additional thoughts to share? Share them. When providing your feedback present the logic behind it.
Classmate post 1:
a. Fromm, Rogers, and Maslow all discuss the nature of human needs. Select any two of these theorists and compare and contrast their views on needs as influences on personality and functioning as discussed by Allen (2016).
Fromm and Maslow, though approaching the understanding of human needs from different perspectives, converge on the idea that these needs play a vital role in shaping personality and providing a sense of fulfillment (Allen, 2016, p. 209). Fromm emphasizes the existential nature of human needs, asserting that concepts like love, rootedness, unity, and stimulation contribute to an individual's inner development and sense of self. He contends that these needs must be met for one's existence to have meaning, reflecting a more holistic view of personality influenced by various life experiences and desires (Allen, 2016, p. 208).
In contrast, Maslow adopts a hierarchical model, organizing human needs into a pyramid structure ranging from physiological needs to self-actualization (Allen, 2016, p. 266). He believes that fulfilling these needs, including love and belongingness, esteem, and safety and security, is crucial for achieving self-actualization. Maslow identifies self-actualizers as rare individuals who fully utilize their talents and potential, embodying creativity, self-acceptance, and philosophical outlooks (Allen, 2016, p. 266). Both theorists recognize the significance of fulfilling needs, whether existential or hierarchical, in shaping personality and fostering personal growth.
Similarly, Carl Rogers, a pioneer in humanistic psychology, emphasizes the importance of self-actualization and the holistic nature of individuals (Allen, 2016, p. 234). Rogers promotes a person-centered approach, emphasizing self-understanding and the inherent ability of individuals to solve psychological problems. He challenges Freudian perspectives and asserts that humans are inherently sensitive, creative, and adaptive creatures (Allen, 2016, p. 237). Rogers introduces the concept of the General Actualizing Tendency, highlighting the organism's innate ability to develop and build upon its capacities (Allen, 2016, p. 238). He also discusses self-actualization as a lifelong process of realizing one's potential, underscoring the significance of positive conditions for growth, such as unconditional positive regard and accurate empathy (Allen, 2016, p. 239).
b. Each humanistic theorist also discusses transcendence or actualization. What do these concepts mean? Maslow believed that we must be true to our nature and use of our talents in striving toward self-actualization. How are you striving toward this goal? Be specific.
Transcendence, as defined by Erich Fromm, represents the pinnacle of human consciousness attained when individuals look beyond themselves, embracing a broader perspective that includes concern for others (Allen, 2016, p. 211). During this transformative process, individuals shift from a passive role as a "creature" to an intentional and purposeful "creator," embodying a meaningful existence. Self-actualization, a lifelong process according to Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow, involves realizing one's potential for becoming a fully functioning individual (Allen, 2016, pp. 238, 264).
While Rogers believed that most individuals could achieve self-actualization, Maslow posited that only a few could reach this level. In Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, self-actualization is considered a fundamental need, driven by an intrinsic compulsion to become the best version of oneself (Allen, 2016, p. 264). The narrator reflects on their journey toward self-actualization by being open, enjoying the process, and understanding their core strengths, such as communication, to contribute meaningfully to the world.
Fromm's concept of transcendence highlights the transformative change necessary for purposeful existence from an initially passive state, with the potential for both creative and destructive progress. Rogers, too, views self-actualization as a manifestation of a human tendency beyond the general actualizing tendency, emphasizing openness to life experiences and existential perspectives (Allen, 2016, pp. 211, 238). Meanwhile, Maslow equates self-fulfillment with self-actualization, emphasizing the realization of individual capabilities. The narrator contemplates reaching self-actualization, acknowledging steps already taken and future aspirations, such as retirement, travel, and volunteering (Allen, 2016, p. 267).
c. Discuss any point in the Thompson reading around social-emotional development that captured your interest. Explain.
One aspect of Thompson's reading on social-emotional development that particularly caught my interest is the concept of social referencing in infants (Thompson, 2014). The idea that infants, as early as the end of their first year, display an awareness that other people, especially their mothers, have distinct perceptions, feelings, and mental states is fascinating. This is exemplified through the process of social referencing, where infants instinctively turn to their mother's face when encountering an unfamiliar person or situation (Feinman, 1992).
The example provided in the text, where infants gauge the emotional expression on their mother's face to determine the safety or danger of a situation, highlights the depth of social understanding even in very young children. If the mother appears calm and reassuring, the infant responds positively, interpreting the situation as safe. Conversely, if the mother expresses fear or distress, the infant reacts with wariness or distress, recognizing the potential danger signaled by the mother's emotions.
This early demonstration of social referencing indicates not only the cognitive and emotional capacities of infants but also their ability to use social cues to navigate and make sense of their environment. It emphasizes the intricate nature of the parent-child relationship and how infants rely on the emotional signals from their caregivers to shape their own responses to the world around them. This insight into the early stages of social-emotional development lays the groundwork for understanding the profound impact of early experiences and relationships on a child's emotional intelligence and social interactions.
Allen, B.P. (2016). Personality theories: development, growth, and diversity (5th ed.). Psychology Press. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315665115
Chapter 8: The Sociopsychological Approach to Personality: Erich Fromm
Chapter 9: Every Person Is to Be Prized: Carl Rogers
Chapter 10: Becoming All That One Can Be: Abraham Maslow
Thompson, R. (2014). Social and personality development in childhood. Diener Education Fund.
Classmate Post 2:
Erich Fromm: born March 23, 1900 – March 18, 1980. Born in Frankfurt, Germany, and was initially considered to be from the Freudian branch of the psychological tree. Fromm is important in the history of personality theories because he was paramount in the reasoning of personality research being taken away from psychiatry, psychoanalysis and given over to psychology and allied sciences (Allen 2016). Fromm today would be considered self-transcendence. He placed his views on sociopsychology orientation, the sociological study of people that sheds light on their psychological nature (Allen 2016). A humanistic psychoanalyst is one who believes in the essential worth and dignity of each person. Existentialism is an approach to understanding each person’s most immediate experience, the conditions of his or her existence, and the necessity of exercising freedom of choice in a chaotic world. Fromm believed that people experience the same dilemmas that derive from human existence and most people share existential needs. From was a socialist with a humanistic approach. He believed in humanistic communitarian socialism, a political system embracing economic, social, and moral functions. (Allen 2016). Erich believed that people require a goal that provides purpose in life to feel whole and these goals transcend individuals beyond their immediate self.
Carl Ranson Rogers, January 8, 1902 – February 4, 1987, was born in Oak Park, Illinois. Rogers was important to modern psychology because of his views on humanistic principles. He was considered self-actualization. His views have received more validation than any other humanistic psychologist. Ranson also adopted a lot of Freud’s ideology but later figured out that Freuds ideals conflicted with the scientific aspect of his schooling. Unlike Freudians he would not adopt an authoritarian approach with patients. Rogers held multiple positions including teaching and therapy and The Ohio State University, and several others. He was the first psychologist to be awarded the Scientific Contribution Award and the Distinguished Professional Contribution Award. Rogers believed in self-affirmation which he considered to will to decide or choose (Allen 2016). He created an at atmosphere where people made their own choices. Rogers based the core of his beliefs off two other philosophical orientations, existentialism, and existential psychotherapy. Before rogers, Rollo May was the lead practitioner and addressed six existential issues. The first is the person is centered on themselves. The second process involves self-affirmation. The third is the need for all people to participate with other beings. The fourth process is the subjective side of centeredness is awareness. The fifth is self-consciousness and the sixth involves anxiety. From these principles, rogers were able to expand on them using testable hypotheses.
Erich Fromm and Carl Rogers were both influential figures in psychology; Fromm emphasized cultural and societal factors, while Rogers focused on individual experiences. Rogers took a non-directive approach with clients, whereas Fromm's psychoanalytic approach was more hands-on. Fromm’s work had shades of spirituality, whereas Rogers’s work was much more analytical.
Self-actualization means to live to your full potential and to become the best version of yourself. Self-transcendence means to improve yourself using something greater than yourself, like religion or humanity. I believe that my life is a mixture of both. I have recently eliminated a lot of negativities from my life and motivated myself to get into school and quit certain vices that I have, but none of it would be possible without recently giving my life to God. Religion and self-motivation play a big part in my life.
What captured my interest in the Thompson reading pertaining to social and emotional competence is the quality effortful control which refers to children who are capable self-motivation and self-regulation.
Bem P. Allen. (2016). Personality Theories : Development, Growth, and Diversity: Vol. Fifth edition. Psychology Press.