Ancient Wisdom for the Modern World

Unraveling the Mysteries of Personality

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Ancient philosophical teachings from around the world have long considered personality to be a distinct combination of traits. For example, Buddhist thinkers identified five constituents of personality, while ancient Greek philosophers associated individual traits with different parts of the body. Many early classifications also described bodily humors as foundations of stable traits.( Shiraev, 2016)

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Ancient philosophers also developed specific theories about how personality traits are formed and influenced. Hinduism suggests various combinations of traits based on an individual's stages of development. Islamic tradition distinguishes between several levels of personality traits according to the quality of the nafs - self or soul.( Shiraev, 2016)

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Astrological explanations of personality traits were also popular in ancient times and also today. These explanations typically associate specific personality traits with celestial bodies, such as the planets Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars.

Overall, ancient philosophical teachings provide a rich and divers perspective on the nature of personality. They offer insights on how personality traits are formed, how they can be classified, and how they can influence our behavior

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References

 

Shiraev, E. (2016). Personality Theories. SAGE Publications, Inc. (US). https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781506300795

The Hidden Forces That Drive Our Behavior

The influence of psychoanalysis on the studies of personality

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Psychoanalysis has had a profound influence on the studies of personality. It has generated new and intriguing theories, as well as new applications of those theories. Psychoanalysis has also generated a growing public interest in psychology worldwide, motivating many people to read psychology books and take psychology classes. (Shiraev, 2016)

Theories of Personality

Psychoanalysis has influenced the studies of personality in a number of ways. One way is by providing new theories about how personality develops and how it functions. For example, Freud's theory of psychosexual development suggests that personality is shaped by early childhood experiences and that unconscious forces play a significant role in behavior. Erikson's theory of psychosocial development suggests that personality develops in stages and that each stage is associated with a different challenge. (Shiraev, 2016)

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Ego Psychology

Egp psychology is a branch of psychoanalysis that focuses on the role of the ego in personality development and functioning. Ego psychologists believe that the ego is responsible for mediating between the demands of the id which is the unconscious part of the personality that is driven by pleasure-seeking impulses and the superego which is the moralistic part of the personality. Anna Freud, Erik Erikson, and Karen Horney were all prominent ego psychologists. (Shiraev, 2016)

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Defense Mechanisms

Defense mechanisms are unconscious psychological processes that people use to protect themselves from anxiety and other unpleasant emotions. Defense mechanisms can be adaptive or maladaptive. Adaptive defense mechanisms help people to cope with stress and adversity in a healthy way while maladaptive defense mechanisms can lead to self-destructive behavior or mental illness. (Shiraev, 2016)

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Identity Crisis

Erikson coined the term identity crisis to describe the inner state of tension that people experience when they are struggling to develop a sense of self. Identity crises are common during adolescence, but they can occur at any point in life.

Authoritarian Personality

Fromm's research on authoritarian personality helped shed light on the psychological factors that contribute to fascism and other forms of authoritarian rule. Authoritarian personalities tend to be highly submissive to authority figures and intolerant of dissent.

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Psychological Testing

Psychoanalysts have also made significant contributions to the development of psychological tests. For example, the Rorschach test and the Thematic Apperception Test were both developed by psychoanalysts. These tests are projective tests, which means that they are designed to measure unconscious aspects of personality.(Shiraev, 2016) 

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Social Psychology

Psychoanalysis has also influenced the field of social psychology. For example, psychoanalytic concepts such as the unconscious mind, repression, and projection have been used to explain a wide range of phenomena, such as prejudice, conformity, and groupthink.

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Psychological Therapy

Psychoanalysis has also had a major impact on the development of psychological therapy. Psychoanalytic therapy is a type of talk therapy that focuses on helping people to understand and resolve their unconscious conflicts. (Shiraev, 2016)

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Views of Sexuality

Psychoanalysis has had a significant impact on our views of sexuality. Freud's theory of psychosexual development suggests that sexuality begins to develop in early childhood and that it is influenced by early childhood experiences. Psychoanalysis has also helped to raise awareness of the role that unconscious factors play in sexual behavior.

Psychoanalysis has been criticized for several reasons. Psychoanalytic theories are complex to test scientifically and time-consuming and expensive. Some say that psychoanalysis is too focused on the negative aspects of human nature.

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References

Shiraev, E. (2016). Personality Theories. SAGE Publications, Inc. (US). https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781506300795

The Dark Side of Personality

  How Authoritarianism Leads to Prejudice

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The concept of the authoritarian personality is a psychological theory that attempts to explain how people come to hold prejudiced and discriminatory attitudes toward other social groups. Authoritarian personalities are characterized by a number of traits including:

• Conventionalism - a strong adherence to traditional values and norms
  
• Authoritarian submission - a tendency to submit to authority figures and to endorse authoritarian values
• Authoritarian aggression - a tendency to be aggressive and hostile towards those who violate traditional values or challenge authority.
• Anti-intraception - a distrust of subjectivity and imagination
• Superstition and stereotypy - a belief in mysticism and a tendency to think in rigid categories.
• Power and toughness - a concern with dominance and submission
• Destructiveness and cynicism - a hostile and cynical view of human nature
• Projectivity - a tendency to project one's own negative qualities onto others.
• Exaggerated concerns over sex - an excessive preoccupation with sex and sexuality.

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Research has shown that people who score high on measures of authoritarian personality are more likely to hold prejudiced attitudes towards a variety of social groups including racial and ethnic minorities,   LGBT+ people, and immigrants. This is because authoritarian personalities tend to view the world in terms of black-and-white categories, with good people on one side and bad people on the other. They also tend to be suspicious of and hostile towards those who are different from them

It is important to note that not everyone who is prejudiced has an authoritarian personality. However, research has shown that authoritarian personality is a strong predictor of prejudice.

Here are some ways to reduce prejudice against other social groups:

1. Educate people about the dangers of prejudice and discrimination
2. Promote intergroup contact and cooperation
3. Challenge negative stereotypes and misconceptions.
4. Advocate for policies that promote diversity and inclusion.

By taking these steps, we can help to create a more just and equitable society for all.

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References

Osborne, D., Satherley, N., Little, T. D., & Sibley, C. G. (2021). Authoritarianism and Social Dominance Predict Annual Increases in Generalized Prejudice. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 12(7), 1136-1145. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550620969608