2 PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE of SELF

Psychological Perspectives of the Self: Part Two

Carl Rogers and Humanistic Psychology

• Carl Rogers, an American psychologist, is a key figure in humanistic psychology, emphasizing self-actualization as an innate drive towards realizing one's potential.

• According to Rogers, all behavior is motivated by self-actualizing tendencies that guide individuals toward their full potential.

• A positive self-concept leads to feelings of well-being and a perception of the world as safe; conversely, a negative self-concept can result in unhappiness.

• The real self represents how we perceive ourselves authentically, while the ideal self embodies who we aspire to be based on societal influences and personal aspirations.

• Congruence occurs when there is alignment between the real and ideal selves, leading to greater self-worth; incongruence can cause maladjustment.

Gordon Allport's Trait Theory

• Gordon Allport identifies traits as essential characteristics that shape personality throughout life; these traits are categorized into cardinal, central, and secondary traits.

• Cardinal traits dominate personality; central traits form the core identity; secondary traits vary with situations.

• An example includes being primarily introverted (cardinal trait), but exhibiting some extroverted behaviors (secondary trait).

Eric Berne's Transactional Analysis

• Eric Berne developed transactional analysis focusing on three ego states: parent, adult, and child within each individual’s personality.

• The parent ego state encompasses authoritative voices—either nurturing or critical—while the adult ego state represents rational thinking.

• The child ego state has aspects like the natural child (playful), little professor (curious), and adoptive child (reactive).

• Transactions occur between these ego states during interactions; complementary transactions align similar states while cross transactions involve unexpected responses.

Greg Henriques' Domains of Self

• Henriques describes three separable domains of the human self: experiential self (first experience), private self (narrator/interpreter), and public persona (projected image).

• The experiential self processes immediate experiences while the private self interprets them through memory filters before projecting through the public persona.

Winnicott's True vs. False Self

• Winnicott likens individuals to onions with a true vulnerable core surrounded by protective layers known as false selves developed from early experiences.

• The false self emerges from inadequate maternal empathy or intrusion during childhood, serving as a defense mechanism against external realities.

• A healthy false self allows functioning in society without discomfort; an unhealthy one results in constant adaptation pressures leading to inner conflict.

Multiple vs. Unified Selves

• The debate exists between multiple autonomous selves versus a unified singular identity; multiple selves reflect varied behaviors across contexts while unified selves integrate these variations into one coherent identity.