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Running Head: PERSONALITY THEORIES

PERSONALITY THEORIES 3

Personality Theories

Sigmund Freud and Carl Gustav Jung definitions of personality have both similarities and differences, as the two were initially friends and colleagues. The two famous psycho-analysists take unique approaches to defining personality, hence the similarities and differences evident in their personality theories. According to Freud, McGuire, Manheim, Jung, Hull, and McGlashan (1994), the two psycho-analysists base their personality theories on the presumption that an individual’s mind possess level of unconsciousness and consciousness. In addition, in their theories, Freud and Jung seek to give a description of factors that aid to develop, nurture, and determine an individual’s personality. Moreover, both their theories attempt to give answers to basic questions regarding the personality nature of individuals as well as examine specific personality is inborn, whether it is as a result of learnt behavior, or if it is as a result of influence by unconscious or conscious forces (Freud, McGuire, Manheim, Jung, Hull, & McGlashan, 1994).

While Freud’s personality theory is known as psychoanalysis, Jung’s is referred to as analytical psychology. In his view, Freud considers human behavior or personality to be motivated by predispositions, which are powerful forces that motivate people’s conduct and actions (Freud, McGuire, Manheim, Jung, Hull, & McGlashan, 1994). Freud argues that the aim of human behavior is to attain pleasure or avoid pain in any way. Jung too agrees that human behavior is driven by longings that are innately physiological. Jung also concurs with Freud that these human instincts have a psychic origin and are recurring action modes that occur, producing a psychological state that results in a behavior that eventually obtains pleasure. In Freud’s definition of personality, he explains the personality structure by use of a topographic model comprising of the unconscious, preconscious, and conscious. Similarly, Jung definition of the structure of personality includes the conscious and unconscious aspects. On the other hand, Freud, McGuire, Manheim, Jung, Hull, and McGlashan (1994) state that Jung’s theory is different because he believes that difficult situations cause the unconscious mind to exhibit within the conscious mind, creating or altering an individual’s personality; or sometimes the two components fuse together, an individual’s personality is also created of altered.

According to Jung and Freud’s theories, culture has a major influence on people’s personality. Jung says that people’s personality as indicated in the theories, are a reflection of people’s common experiences throughout the world, including cultural ways of facing death, being independent, etc. Jung argued that through culture and cultural symbols including heroes, maidens, sages, and trickster, people acquire various personalities. These, as well as other aspects presented in cultural folklore and fairy tales influence people’s personalities (Freud, McGuire, Manheim, Jung, Hull, & McGlashan, 1994). Hence, Jung views that the task of integrating aspects of an individual’s cultural background in itself, is part of a process of self-realization in life. With regard to this cultural orientation of individuals toward self-realization, Jung differed with the belief that Freud holds—stating that individual’s personality is not influenced merely by past events engrained in one’s culture. Freud holds that the anticipated humanistic movement emphasized on self-actualization and orientation toward the culture.

Freud proponents add that culture plays a part in people’s personality, adding that traits such as jealousy are mainly based on culture. In addition, Freud’s theory insinuates that cultural influences are responsible for the differences between personalities of men and women because those personalities are not biologically based, which often grant greater privileges to males. Personality of historically public figures such as Gandhi and Adolf Hitler are usually examined based on the historic time periods they lived. This causes personalities of people like Hitler, which would otherwise be considered extreme today, not to be exaggerated but played down.

In examining Freud and Jung’s theories on personality, it is important to have their differences in the context of personalities of each of them as well as in the cultural time period in which they both lived and worked.

References

Freud, S., McGuire, W., Manheim, R., Jung, C. G., Hull, R. F. C., & McGlashan, A. (1994). The Freud-Jung Letters: The Correspondence Between Sigmund Freud and CG Jung (Vol. 94). Princeton University Press.