Lesson 1: Intro to Personality Theory TAXONOMY - A taxonomy is a classification

of things according to their natural

PERSONALITY relationships.
● Latin word, “persona”. Masks worn by
Roman actors. (Theory > Hypothesis > Research >
● A pattern of relatively permanent Research Data)
traits and unique characteristics that
give both consistency and individuality Characteristics of a useful theory
to a person’s behavior. GENERATES RESEARCH
FALSIFIABLE
TRAITS ORGANIZES DATA
● It contributes to individual differences GUIDES ACTION
in behavior. Pattern of traits is different INTERNALLY CONSISTENT
for each individual. PARSIMONIOUS
Example: perfectionist, loyal, kind ● All theories are a reflection of their
authors' personal backgrounds,
CHARACTERISTICS childhood experiences, philosophy 0f
● These are unique qualities of an life, interpersonal relationships, and
individual that include such attributes unique manner of looking at the world.
as temperament, physique, and
intelligence. PERSPECTIVES IN TOP
Example: cheerful, sad, tall PSYCHODYNAMIC - Psychodynamic
approaches have focused on the importance
THEORY of early childhood experience and on
● A set of related assumptions that relationships with parents as guiding forces
allows scientists to use logical that shape personality development.
deductive reasoning to formulate HUMANISTIC-EXISTENTIAL - The primary
testable hypotheses. assumption of the humanistic approach is
- A single assumption can never fill all that people strive toward meaning, growth,
the requirements of an adequate well-being, happiness, and psychological
theory. health.
- The components of a theory are not DISPOSITIONAL - Unique and long-term
proven facts in the sense that their tendencies to behave in particular ways are
validity has been absolutely the essence of our personality.
established. BIOLOGICAL EVOLUTIONARY - This theory
- It must suggest the possibility that emphasizes that what we think, feel, and do
scientists in the future might develop is always an interaction between nature
the necessary means to test it. (biological) and nurture (environment).
LEARNING-SOCIAL COGNITIVE - All
Theory and its relatives behaviors are learned through association
PHILOSOPHY - Theories do not deal with and/or its consequences.
“oughts” and “shoulds.”
SPECULATION - Theories rely on Dimensions for concept of humanity
speculation, but theory relies on empirical ● Determinism vs. Free Choice
observations. ● Pessimism vs. Optimism
HYPOTHESIS - A good theory is capable of ● Causality vs. Theology
generating many hypotheses. ● Conscious vs. Unconscious
● Biological vs. Social Influences
● Uniqueness vs. Similarities
Lesson 2: Psychoanalytic Theory LEVELS OF MENTAL LIFE
Unconscious Mind - The unconscious
SIGMUND FREUD contains all those drives, urges, or instincts
that are beyond our awareness but that
Biography nevertheless motivate most of our words,
● Born May 6, 1856. Czech Republic. feelings, and actions. Freud believed that
● Died Sept. 23, 1939 in London. unconsciousness is the explanation for
● Firstborn among 7 children of Jacob repression and he thinks that portion of our
and Amalie Freud. His Father has 2 unconsciousness comes from phylogenetic
sons from his previous marriage. endowment.
Preconscious Mind - The preconscious level
Notable Experiences of the mind contains all those elements that
● He isn’t close with his siblings. He felt are not conscious but can become conscious
hostility towards Julius but felt guilty either quite readily or with some difficulty.
when Julies died. Comes from two sources; from the
● In 1885, he studied at University of unconscious and conscious perception.
Vienna with Jean-Martin Charcot. Conscious Mind - It is the only level of
● He learned the hypnotic technique for mental life directly available to us. This refers
treating hysteria through hypnosis to mental elements in awareness at any given
from Charcot. point in time. Ideas can reach consciousness
from two different directions; external world
His journey to fame and preconscious.
● In 1886, he assumed that his
knowledge about male hysteria would THE PROVINCES OF THE MIND
gain him recognition but many Id (Pleasure Principle) - The id has no
physicians already knew about it. contact with reality, yet it strives constantly to
● He discovered the free association reduce tension by satisfying basic desires.
technique. Ego (Reality Principle) - It is the only region
● Josef Breur taught Freud about of the mind in contact with reality.
catharsis. Superego (Moral Principle) - It has no
● Freud wanted to collaborate with contact with the outside world and therefore
Breur but Breur declined so he turnedis unrealistic in its demands for perfection.
to Wilhelm Fliess. Two Subsystems of Superego:
● Conscience, tells us what we should
His personal crises not do (If unmet, it results to guilt)
● He had begun to analyze his own ● Ego, ideal tells us what we should do
dreams. He initiated the practice of (If unmet, it results to inferiority)
analyzing himself daily.
● He realizes that he is now in DYNAMICS OF PERSONALITY
middle-age yet hasn't accomplished “For Freud, people are motivated to seek
anything so he abandoned his pleasure and to reduce tension and anxiety.”
theories.
DRIVE
His professional relationships ● It is the motivational principle, to
● Vienna Psychoanalytic Society, explain the driving forces behind
formerly known as Wednesday people’s actions. It originates in the id,
Psychological Society. Created in but they come under the control of the
1902 with Freud, Adler, Stekel, ego.
Kahane and Reitler.
 a. SEX (Eros) - The aim of the sexual DEFENSE MECHANISMS
drive is pleasure, but this pleasure is ● Defense mechanisms are normal and
not limited to genital satisfaction. universally used. When carried to
Freud believed that the entire body is extremes, it can lead to compulsive,
invested with libido; libido as the repetitive, and neurotic behavior.
psychic and pleasurable feelings a. REPRESSION - Whenever the ego is
associated with gratification of the life threatened by undesirable id
instincts impulses, it protects itself by forcing
The body parts that are capable of threatening objects to the
producing sexual pleasure are called unconscious.
erogenous zones. b. DENIAL - It involves denying the
existence of some external threat or
Manifestations of Sex traumatic event that has occurred.
● Narcissism c. REACTION FORMATION - It is
Primary Narcissism - Usually occurs adopting an exaggerated disguise
during infancy because infants are than its original form.
self centered. d. DISPLACEMENT - Redirection of
Secondary Narcissism - Usually unacceptable urges into a variety of
occurs during puberty when their people or objects so that the original
libido is redirected back to their ego. impulse will be disguised or
● Love - Develops when people invest concealed.
their libido on an object or person e. FIXATION - It is remaining in the
other than themselves. current psychological stage due to
● Sadism - The need for sexual anxiety.
pleasure by inflicting pain or f. REGRESSION - It is a reversion to
humiliation on another person. an earlier stage because of stress and
● Masochism - The need to experience anxiety. It is usually temporary.
sexual pleasure from suffering pain g. PROJECTION - It is attributing the
and humiliation inflicted either by unwanted impulse to an external
themselves or by others. object, usually to another person.
h. INTROJECTION - Incorporation of
a. AGGRESSION (Thanatos) - It is positive qualities of another person
considered as the destructive drive. into their own ego.
i. SUBLIMATION - Repression of
ANXIETY genital aim by substituting a cultural or
● Only the ego can produce or feel social aim.
anxiety, j. RATIONALIZATION - It involves
a. NEUROTIC ANXIETY - The ego’s reinterpreting our behavior to make it
dependence on the id results in seem more rational and acceptable to
neurotic anxiety. us.
b. MORAL ANXIETY - The ego’s
dependence on the superego STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT (Freud)
produces moral anxiety. 1. Freud's developmental theory is
c. REALISTIC ANXIETY - The ego’s almost exclusively a discussion of
dependence on the outer world leads early childhood.
to realistic anxiety. This is when we 2. To Freud, the first 4 or 5 years of life,
feel fear because of possible danger. or the infantile stage, are the most
crucial for personality formation.
1. ORAL STAGE - The sexual aim of 5. GENITAL STAGE - Adolescents give
early oral activity is to incorporate or up autoeroticism and direct their
receive into one’s body the sexual energy toward another person
object-choice, that is, the nipple. instead of toward themselves.
Oral-Receptive Phase - Infants feel Erogenous Zone - Genitals
no ambivalence toward the
pleasurable object and their needs are Lesson 3: Individual Psychology
usually satisfied with a minimum of
frustration and anxiety. ALFRED ADLER
Oral-Sadistic Phase - Infants usually
respond through biting, cooing, Biography
closing their mouth, smiling, and ● Born Feb 7, 1870. Rudolfsheim,
crying. Vienna.
Erogenous Zone - Mouth ● Died March 28, 1937 due to heart
2. ANAL STAGE - This period is attack.
characterized by satisfaction gained ● Mother, Pauline. Father, Leopold. 6
through aggressive behavior and siblings.
through the excretory function.
Early Anal Period - children often Notable Experiences
behave aggressively toward their ● He was a weak boy due to
parents for frustrating them with toilet pneumonia. Wanted to be a physician
training. when his younger brother died.
Children who grow into anal ● Always competes with his 1st born
characters - overly resistant. brother, Sigmun Adler.
Adults who grow into anal ● His Father threatened to remove him
characters - orderliness, stinginess, from school to be a shoemaker if he
and obstinacy. won’t do well in university.
Erogenous Zone - Anus ● He started as an eye specialist turned
3. PHALLIC STAGE - This stage is to psychiatrist and general medicine.
marked for the first time by a ● He was the President of Vienna
dichotomy between male and female Psychoanalytic Society with Freud.
development. But due to their different perspectives
Oedipus Complex - a theory Adler resigned then formed Free
proposing that children have Psychoanalytic Society with the
possessive sexual desires for their former members of VPS then later
opposite-sex parent while viewing called Individual Psychology.
their same-sex parent as a rival.
Electra Complex - describe a girl's Difference from Psychoanalysis
sense of competition with her mother - Adler was of the idea that the human
for the affection of her father. personality was a social construction,
Erogenous Zone - Genitals with birth order having a significant
Boys - oedipus complex = castration part in determining development.
anxiety - in contrast to Sigmund Freud, who
Girls - electra complex = penis envy thought that the human instinct and
4. LATENCY STAGE - Parents during many problems individuals
this stage attempt to punish or experienced were traceable to their
discourage sexual activity. Success of sexually-based conflicts.
suppression would lead to transfer of
energy to friendships, hobbies, school
and other activities.
TENETS OF ADLERIAN THEORY ● The value of all human activity must
● The one dynamic force behind be seen from the viewpoint of social
people’s behavior is the striving for interest.
success or superiority. - Natural condition of human species
- Activate the feeling of inferiority. that binds society together.
a. Striving for superiority
Limited to people who strive for What contributes to social interests?
personal superiority over others. - It originates from mother-child
b. Striving for success relationships during early months of
People who are motivated by highly infancy.
developed social interests.
● The self consisted personality
What guides individuals on their decision structure develops into a person’s
to strive for superiority or success? style of life.
- Final goal has great significance - It is a product of interactions of
because it unifies personality and heredity, environment and a person's
renders all behavior comprehensible. creative power.
What determines the Final Goal?
- Final goal is a product of creative People with a healthy and useful style of
power and that is people’s ability to life actively struggle to solve 3 major
freely shape their behavior and create problems of life:
their own personality. - neighborly love, sexual love and
occupation
● People’s subjective perceptions
shape their behavior and personality. FOUR BASIC STYLES OF LIFE
- This subjective, fictional final goal 1. DOMINANT TYPE - This displays a
guides our style of life, gives unity to ruling attitude with social awareness.
our personality. Such a person behaves without
regard for others.
● Personality is unified and self 2. GETTING TYPE - They expect to
consistent. receive satisfaction from others and
- Adler believes that each person is become dependent on them.
unique and indivisible. 3. AVOIDING TYPE - This person
makes no attempt in facing his or her
Several ways in which the entire person problems. He or she avoids possible
operates with unity and self-consistency: failures.
a. Organ Dialect - The body’s organs 4. SOCIALLY USEFUL TYPE - This
speak a language which is usually person cooperates with others and
more expressive and discloses the acts in accordance with their needs.
individual’s opinion more clearly than
words able to do. ● Style of life is molded by people’s
b. Harmony of conscious and creative power.
unconscious - The conscious life - Each person is empowered with the
becomes unconscious as soon as we freedom to create his own style of life
fail to understand it and as soon as because all people are responsible for
we understand an unconscious who they are and how they behave.
tendency it has already become
conscious.
ABNORMAL DEVELOPMENT There are four modes of setting up a
For Adler, one underlying factor that distance between a person’s problems and
contributes to all types of maladjustments his or her own self:
is underdeveloped social interest. a. Moving backward - The tendency to
1. Setting goals that are too high. safeguard one’s fictional goal of
2. Living in their private world. superiority by psychologically
3. Having a rigid and dogmatic style of reverting to a more secured period of
life. life.
b. Standing still - People who use this
External Factors in Maladjustment do not move in any directions for they
1. Exaggerated physical deficiencies - avoid responsibility.
They sometimes develop exaggerated c. Hesitating - Their procrastination
feelings of inferiority because they eventually gives them the excuse “it’s
overcompensate for their inadequacy. too late now”.
2. Pampered style of life - People with d. Constructing obstacles - The
this kind of style of life as weak social tendency for people to create
interest but strong desire to obstacles they can surpass in order to
perpetuate the pampered parasitic protect their self-esteem and prestige.
relationship
3. Neglected style of life - Abused and FAMILY CONSTELLATION
mistreated children will develop weak a. FIRSTBORN CHILDREN - They have
social interests and tend to create a intensified power and superiority, high
neglected style of life. anxiety and overprotective
tendencies.
SAFEGUARDING TENDENCIES b. SECONDBORN CHILDREN - The
“Adler believed that people use different ways secondborn typically matures toward
to protect their inflated sense of moderate competitiveness, having a
self-esteem against public disgrace”. healthy desire to overtake the older
● EXCUSES - These are typically rival.
expressed in the “Yes, but” or “if only” c. YOUNGER CHILDREN - They are the
format. These excuses protect a weak most pampered and run a high risk of
sense of self-worth and deceive being a problem child.
people into believing that they are d. ONLY CHILDREN - They are socially
more superior than they really are. mature and tend to develop
● AGGRESSION - This is used by exaggerated sense of superiority and
people to protect their fragile an inflated self-concept.
self-esteem.
a. DEPRECIATION - The tendency to Lesson 4: Analytical Psychology
undervalue other people's
achievement and overvalue one’s CARL JUNG
own.
b. ACCUSATION - The tendency to Biography
blame others for one’s failure and to ● Born July 26, 1875. Kesswil,
seek revenge. Switzerland.
c. SELF-ACCUSATION - This is marked ● Father, Johann. Minister. Mother,
by self-torture and guilt as a way of Emilie. Theologian.
hurting people who are close to them. ● His mother’s family had a tradition of
spiritualism and mysticism.
● WITHDRAWAL - The safeguarding
tendency through distance.
 ● COLLECTIVE UNCONSCIOUS -
Notable Experiences Contents of this level are inherited
● His mother was hospitalized when he and pass from generation to the next
was young, due to that separation he as a potential. It influences an
felt distrust of love. individual’s thoughts, feelings and
● He saw his mother as having two actions.
separate dispositions.
● During his school years, he became ARCHETYPES
aware of his two separate aspects of These are ancient images that derive from
himself. He called these No. 1 and the collective unconscious.
No. 2 personalities. ● PERSONA - The side of personality
● Jung was invited by Freud to Vienna that people show to the world.
where they had a 13 hour long ● SHADOW - It represents qualities we
conversation. Jung became the do not wish to acknowledge but
President of the International attempt to hide it from others and to
Psychoanalytic Association. ourselves.
● Jung disagreed with Freud's focus on ● ANIMA - Feminine side of men.
sexuality as a key motivating ● ANIMUS - Masculine side of women.
behavioral force, as well as believing ● GREAT MOTHER - Everyone, man or
Freud's concept of the unconscious as woman, possesses a great mother
too limited and overly negative. archetype.
● Jung recognized then that he needed ● WISE OLD MAN - Archetype of
more than one woman to satisfy the wisdom and meaning and symbolizes
two aspects of his personality. pre-existing knowledge of the
mysteries of life.
Difference from Psychoanalysis ● HERO - It is represented by
- Jung came to disagree with Freud's mythology and legends as a powerful
role of sexuality. person who fights against odds to
- The direction of the forces that vanish evil.
influence personality. ● SELF - It pulls together all other
- Emphasis on explaining the archetypes and unites them in the
unconscious. process of self realization.

ANALYTICAL PSYCHOLOGY SELF-REALIZATION

Adler emphasized collective Other references call it Psychological
unconsciousness which includes elements Rebirth or Individuation. The process of
that we have never experienced but which becoming an individual or whole person.
have come down to us by our ancestors.
People who have gone this process have
LEVELS OF PSYCHE done the following:
● CONSCIOUS - Images that are - Achieved realization of self.
sensed by the ego – center of - Minimized persona.
consciousness. - Recognized anima and animus.
● PERSONAL UNCONSCIOUS - - Acquired workable balance between
Embraces all repressed, forgotten or introversion and extraversion.
subliminally perceived experiences of - Must have elevated all four of the
an individual. functions to a superior position.
Contents of the personal unconscious
are called complexes.
PSYCHOLOGICAL TYPES - INTUITING - Involves perception
● ATTITUDE - A predisposition to act or beyond the workings of
react in a characteristic direction. He consciousness.
emphasized that each individual has a. Extraverted Intuitive - They
both an introverted and extroverted suppress their sensations and are
attitude. guided by guesses contrary to
- INTROVERSION - These people sensory data.
perceive the external world, of course, b. Introverted Intuitive - Guided by
but they do so selectively and with unconscious perception of facts that
their own subjective view. are basically subjective and have no
- EXTRAVERSION - Extraverts are resemblance to external reality.
more influenced by their surroundings
than by their inner world. STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT
Jung believed that personality develops
● FUNCTIONS - Both introversion and through a series of stages.
extraversion can combine with any
one or more of four functions, forming ● CHILDHOOD - It was like an early
eight possible orientations, or types. morning sun, full of potential but still
- THINKING - Logical intellectual lacks brilliance.
activity that produces a chain of ideas. - ANARCHIC - Characterized by
a. Extraverted Thinking - People rely chaotic and sporadic consciousness.
heavily on concrete thoughts and in - MONARCHIC - Characterized by the
accordance with society’s rules. development of ego and by the
b. Introverted Thinking - Their beginning of logical and verbal
interpretation is colored more by the thinking.
internal meaning they bring with them - DUALISTIC - Characterized by the
than by the objective facts. rise of the ego as the perceiver and
- FEELING - The process of evaluating the division of ego into subjective and
an idea or event. By using our objective.
feelings, it tells us an object's value or ● YOUTH - The morning sun is youth,
worth. climbing toward the zenith, but
a. Extraverted Feeling - People use unaware of the impending decline.
objective data to make evaluations; ● MIDDLE LIFE - The early afternoon
guided by external values and widely sun; brilliant like the late morning sun,
accepted standards of judgment. but obviously headed for the sunset.
b. Introverted Feeling - They base their ● OLD AGE - The evening sun; its once
value judgments on subjective bright consciousness now markedly
perceptions. dimmed.
- SENSING - Receives physical stimuli
and transmits them to perceptual Lesson 5: Psychoanalytic Social
consciousness. Theory
a. Extraverted Sensing - People
perceive external stimuli objectively in KAREN HORNEY
much the same way that stimuli exist
in reality. Biography
b. Introverted Sensing - Guided by ● Born September 18, 1885. Germany.
interpretation of sense stimuli rather ● Karen is a child of a 50 year old man
than stimuli itself. who was a sea captain and his
second wife.
 ● Her older siblings were favored more Horney believed that each person begins life
by her parents therefore she felt with potential for healthy development.
unloved and unwanted.
What contributes to a healthy
Notable Experiences development of individuals?
● She is the only daughter of his father's - People need favorable conditions for
second family. She also resents her growth like a loving environment.
older favored brother. - If parents will not be able to instill
● Without her father’s permission she those needs, the child will develop
studied to become a physician basic hostility that leads to basic
specialized in psychiatry and she was anxiety.
independent. ● BASIC ANXIETY - Feeling of being
● Because of that she felt the need to isolated and helpless in a world
merge with great men. She met Oskar conceived as potentially hostile. It
Horney, a political science student permeates all relationships with others
then. Oskar and Karen stayed in and leads to unhealthy ways of trying
Berlin until they separated and to cope with people.
divorced. They had 3 daughters.
How can we protect ourselves from
Difference from Psychoanalysis anxiety?
- Horney cautioned that strict ● AFFECTION - In their search for
adherence to Psychoanalysis would affection, some people may try to
lead to stagnation. purchase love with self-effacing
- Horney objected to Freud’s ideas on compliance, material goods, or sexual
feminine psychology. favors.
● SUBMISSIVENESS - Neurotics may
IMPACT OF SOCIAL AND CULTURAL submit themselves to people in order
CONDITIONS to gain affection.
Impact of Childhood - Childhood is the age ● POWER, PRESTIGE &
from which the vast majority of problems POSSESSION - Power is a defense
arise. against the real or imagined hostility
- Horney insisted that these debilitating of others and to dominate others;
experiences can almost invariably be Prestige is expressed as a tendency
traced to lack of genuine warmth and to humiliate others and Possession
affection. acts as a buffer against destitution
Impact of Culture - Karen repeatedly and poverty and manifests itself as a
emphasized cultural influences as the primary tendency to deprive others.
bases for both neurotic and normal ● WITHDRAWAL - By psychologically
personality development. withdrawing, neurotics feel that they
- Modern culture is based on cannot be hurt by other people.
competition among individuals.
- Competitiveness and the basic NEUROTIC NEEDS
hostility spawn result in feelings of ● Moving towards people -
isolation. Desperately striving for affection and
- Genuine love can be a healthy, approval of others is referred to as
growth-producing experience; but the morbid dependency.
desperate need for love provides a ● Moving against people - Appearing
fertile ground for the development of tough or ruthless, motivated by a
neuroses. strong need to exploit others for their
benefit.
 ● Moving away from people - ● Self-Contempt - Expressed by
Expression of needs of privacy, belittling, doubting and discrediting
independence and self sufficiency. self.
● Self-Frustration - Stems from self
INTRAPSYCHIC CONFLICTS hatred and designed to actualize an
● IDEALIZED SELF-IMAGE - An inflated self image frequently shackled
extravagant positive view of self that by taboos against enjoyment.
exists only in an individual’s belief ● Self-Torment - Torture of oneself thru
system can solve feelings of inflicting harm.
alienation. ● Self Destructive Actions and
3 Aspects of Idealized Self-Image Impulses - Either physical or
● Neurotic Search for Glory - psychological like abusing alcohol and
Incorporating idealized self image to drugs, working too hard, driving
goals, self concept and relation with recklessly, etc.
others.
- Need for Perfection - Drive to mold Lesson 6: Humanistic Psychoanalysis
the whole personality striving towards
an imaginary picture of perfection. ERICH FROMM
- Neurotic Ambition - Compulsive
drive toward superiority. Biography
- Drive toward a vindictive triumph - ● Born March 23, 1900. Germany.
Its chief aim is to put others to shame ● Only child of middle class Jewish
or defeat them through one’s success parents.
to attain power. ● Father, son of a rabbi. Mother,
● Neurotic Claims - Building a fantasy Talmudic Scholar.
world that is out of sync with the real
world. They proclaim that they are Notable Experiences
special and entitled to be treated in ● His childhood was less ideal. He
accordance with their idealized view of described his parents as neurotics as
themselves. he saw his father as moody and his
● Neurotic Pride - A false pride based mother as prone to depression.
on an unrealistic view of the true self. ● He had several marital relationships
It is based on idealized self image of with women older than him which he
self and loudly proclaimed in order to saw as a mother figure.
protect and support glorified view of ● There were 3 remarkable childhood
self. experiences which contributed to his
works.
● SELF-HATRED - It is when they - He noticed the hatred between the
realized that their real self doesn’t countries in WW1.
match the demands of their ideal self. - He was at a loss in trying to
6 Major ways in which people express understand the suicide of a beautiful
self-hatred young artist who killed herself
● Relentless demand on the self - immediately after the death of her
Making demands on themselves that father.
don’t stop even when they achieve a - He had training with religious
measure of success. scholars.
● Merciless self-accusation - Taking
responsibility for things that they are
not accountable for and questioning
the virtue of their own emotions.
BASIC ASSUMPTIONS - Love - Love involves sharing and
Fromm believed that humans have been “torn communion with another, yet it allows
away” from their prehistoric union with nature. a person the freedom to be unique
They have no powerful instincts to adapt to a and separate.
changing world; instead, they have acquired Four Basic Elements of Genuine Love
the facility to reason—a condition Fromm 1. Care
called the human dilemma. 2. Responsibility
3. Respect
How come people experience human 4. Knowledge
dilemmas?
It’s because they have become separate from ● TRANSCENDENCE - Urge to rise
nature and yet have the capacity to be aware above a passive and accidental
of themselves as isolated beings. The human existence into the realm of
ability to reason is both a blessing and a purposefulness and freedom.
curse. ● ROOTEDNESS - Need to establish
- Blessing - It permits people to roots or to feel at home again in the
survive. world. This is to reduce feelings of
- Curse - It forces them to attempt to isolation and helplessness.
solve basic insoluble dichotomies. ● SENSE OF IDENTITY - Capacity to
be aware of ourselves as a separate
Basic insoluble dichotomies are “existential entity.
dichotomies” according to Fromm. ● FRAME OF ORIENTATION - It is a
● Life and Death - Self-awareness and map which helps humans to be less
reason tell us that we will die, but we confused and able to act purposefully
try to negate this dichotomy by and consistently.
postulating life after death.
● Self-Realization and Span of Life - MECHANISMS OF ESCAPE
Humans are capable of ● AUTHORITARIANISM - Tendency to
conceptualizing the goal of complete give up the independence of one’s
self-realization, but we also are aware own individual self and to fuse one’s
that life is too short to reach that goal. self with somebody or something
● Aloneness vs Union - They are outside oneself.
aware of themselves as separate ● DESTRUCTIVENESS - It seeks to do
individuals, and at the same time, they away with other people. In destroying
believe that their happiness depends people and objects, a person attempts
on uniting with their fellow human to restore lost feelings of power.
beings. ● CONFORMITY - Giving up
individuality and becoming whatever
HUMAN NEEDS other people desire them to be.
These existential needs have emerged during
evolution of human culture to find answers to What’s the solution to the human
existence and avoid being neurotic. dilemma?
● RELATEDNESS - Drive for union with - Positive Freedom - Represents
another person or other persons. overcoming loneliness, achieving
Three Basic Ways to Relate to the World union with the world and maintaining
- Submission - Such symbiosis may individuality.
block growth toward integrity and
psychological health.
- Power
How to attain positive freedom?
- Spontaneous and full expression of
both their rational and their emotional
potentialities. Fromm held that love
and work are the twin components of
positive freedom.

CHARACTER ORIENTATION
In Fromm’s theory, personality is reflected in
one’s character orientation.

Relatively permanent ways of relation to

people and things
● NON-PRODUCTIVE ORIENTATION -
Orientations that fail people to move
closer to positive freedom.
- Receptive - The only way they can
relate to the world is through receiving
things. They are more concerned with
receiving than giving.
- Exploitative - They aggressively take
what they desire rather than passively
receiving it.
- Hoarding - Rather than valuing
things, they seek to save that which
they have already obtained.
- Marketing - They see themselves as
commodities; they have the ability to
sell themselves in terms of making
other people believe that they are
skillful.
● PRODUCTIVE ORIENTATION -
- Working - Productive people work for
positive freedom and continuing
realization of potential.
- Loving - Healthy people possess
biophilia or love of life – concerned
with growth and development.
- Reasoning - Healthy people see
others as they are not as they would
wish them to be.