PERSONALITY DYNAMICS

PERSONALITY = refers to important and relatively stable aspects of behavior.

Personality is the dynamic organization within the individual of those psychophysical
systems that determine his characteristics behavior and thought" (Allport, 1961, p. 28).
DYNAMICS = the pattern of change or growth of an object or phenomenon

Personality Traits: Idiographic vs. Nomothetic

There are two different views as to whether all traits exist in all people:
There are two different views as to whether all traits exist in all people:
 Idiographic: people have unique personality structures; thus some traits (cardinal
traits) are more important in understanding the structure of some people than
others
 Nomothetic: people's unique personalities can be understood as them having
relatively greater or lesser amounts of traits that are consistently across people (e.g.,
the NEO is nomothetic)
The Idiographic view emphasizes that each person has a unique psychological structure and
that some traits are possessed by only one person; and that there are times when it is
impossible to compare one person with others. This viewpoint also emphasizes that traits
may differ in importance from person to person (cardinal, central and secondary traits). It
tends to use case studies, bibliographical information, diaries etc for information gathering.

The Nomothetic view, on the other hand, emphasizes comparability among individuals but
sees people as unique in their combination of traits. This viewpoint sees traits as having the
same psychological meaning in everyone. The belief is that people differ only in the amount
of each trait. It is this which constitutes their uniqueness. This approach tends to use self-
report personality questions, factor analysis etc. People differ in their positions along a
continuum in the same set of traits.
Most contemporary psychologists tend towards a nomothetic approach (and the trait
approach is often viewed solely as a nomothetic approach these days), but they are aware
of how a trait may be slightly different from person to person in the way that it is expressed.

Two School of Thoughts regarding motivations of human behavior:

1. Humanistic Approach - supported by objective Psychologist and advances the Needs
Theory of Behavior.
2. Psychodynamic Approach - composed of clinicians or subjective psychologist.
THE NEEDS THEORY OF HUMAN MOTIVATION
• This theory states that throughout life, needs (desires, wishes and drives) motivate all.
When not fulfill, these needs place the individual under stress.

• Two kinds of motivation : Extrinsic and Intrinsic.

INTRINSIC –
EXTRINSIC -

• The needs that motivate behavior have been enumerated by McDougall & Murray,
Herbert Carroll, Louis Kaplan & Denis Baron.
HERBERT CARROLL
[ ] He divided the basic needs into four categories;
• Physical Security-
• Emotional Security
• Achievement
• Status
These are physical security, emotional security, mastery and status. The needs for physical
and emotional security pertain to the preservation of one’s self. The need for mastery and
status pertain to its enhancement. This need of mastery pertains to one’s feeling of success
or achievement in a certain area. The need for status includes the desire for favorable
attention and recognition

KAPLAN & BARON, et al

[ ] Believed that there are two groups of motivating forces which serve as mainsprings of
human behavior;
• Biological (Organic) Needs - physiological in nature and inherited as part of the organic
nature.
• Psychosocial (Learned) Needs - consist of group satisfaction that one learns to want. It
refers to the need for attaining full stature as an independent , self-sufficient individual.
Kaplan and Baron (1986) describe the characteristic of emotionally mature person: say that
who has the ability to withstand delay in gratification of needs. Who has a belief in long term
planning and is able to dealing and revising the expectations in terms of demands of
situations. An emotional mature child has the capacity to make effective adjustment with
himself, members of his family, his peer, society and culture. But maturity means not merely
the capacity for such attitude and functioning but also the capacity to enjoy the all
dimensions

MASLOW & McGREGOR'S HIERARCHY OF MOTIVES

[ ] Arranged the hierarchy of human motives from stronger and lower to weaker and higher.
• Physiological needs
• Safety needs
• Sense of belonging and love needs
• Esteem needs
• Need for self-actualization
• Cognitive needs
• Aesthetic needs

Douglas McGregor, an American social psychologist, developed his theory X and theory Y of
human motivation. It has been used in human resource management, organizational
behavior, and organizational development.

Theory X
In this theory management assumes employees are inherently lazy and will avoid work if they
can.
Because of this workers need to be closely supervised and comprehensive systems of controls
developed. According to this theory, employees will show little ambition without an enticing
incentive program and will avoid responsibility whenever they can.

Theory Y
In this theory management assumes employees are ambitious, self-motivated, anxious to
accept greater responsibility, and exercise self-control and self-direction.
It is believed that employees enjoy their mental and physical work activities.
It is also believed that employees have the desire to be imaginative and creative in their jobs
if they are given a chance.
There is an opportunity for greater productivity by giving employees the freedom to be their
best.
A Theory Y manager believes that, given the right conditions, most people will want to do
well at work and that there is a pool of unused creativity in the workforce.
They believe that the satisfaction of doing a good job is a strong motivation in itself.
A Theory Y manager will try to remove the barriers that prevent workers from fully
actualizing their potential.

PSYCHODYNAMICS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR

Psychodynamics = ('motivation to action'), define human behavior in terms of the inner
personality of the inner self (mental personality). This inner personality

Personality development depends on the interplay of instinct and environment during the
first five years of life.
Parental behavior is crucial to normal and abnormal development.
Personality and mental health problems in adulthood can usually be traced back to the first
five years.

Psychosexual Development
People – including children – are basically hedonistic – they are driven to seek pleasure by
gratifying the Id’s desires (Freud, 1920). Sources of pleasure are determined by the location
of the libido (life-force).

ID - The id is the primitive and instinctive component of personality. It operates on the

pleasure principle (Freud, 1920) which is the idea that every wishful impulse should be
satisfied immediately, regardless of the consequences.

EGO - It is the decision-making component of personality. The ego considers social realities
and norms, etiquette and rules in deciding how to behave.

SUPEREGO - incorporates the values and morals of society which are learned from one's
parents and others. It is similar to a conscience, which can punish the ego through causing
feelings of guilt.