Tv_Character_Evaluation

TV Character Evaluation Richard Mason University of Phoenix Axia College Material Appendix D TV Character Evaluation Part I Write a summary of 350-700 words identifying the contributions of Freud, Jung, and Rogers. To this day, Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) is the best known and most influential of the psychodynamic theorists (Psychology: An Introduction, 2005). Freud created a whole new way of studying the human behavior. Human behavior had always been studied focusing on consciousness- thoughts and feelings we knew that we had. Freud stressed the unconscious- thoughts and feelings that we were not aware that we had. Freud developed psychoanalysis- his theory of personality and the therapy that he invented. Freud believed that an individual’s personality is present at birth and that their personality changes though the experiences they face in their life as they grow older. Freud theorized that personality is formed around three structures: the id, the ego, and the superego (Psychology: An Introduction, 2005). The id is all of the unconscious things that search for ways to express them and it is the only structure that is present when an individual is born. It operates according to the pleasure principle—that is, it tries to obtain immediate pleasure and to avoid pain (Psychology: An Introduction, 2005). The ego controls all thinking and reasoning. The ego operates by the reality principle- suppressing the id’s desires until it can find a way to do it safely and successfully. The superego not present at birth. It is the moral balance- it helps us realize what is right and wrong, it guides us through life helping us make our decisions. The collective unconscious, Jung’s most original concept, comprises the memories and behavior patterns that are inherited from past generations and therefore are shared by all humans (Psychology: An Introduction, 2005). Jung believed that all people have the same patterns of behavior, and that basic human personalities are similar because they are passed on through genetics. Jung believed that people are classified in two general categories, introverts and extroverts, and that everyone has both aspects of these, but one is more dominant. Jung found that there were eight different personality types, which were comprised of introversion and extroversion, with varying functions such as, sensing, thinking, perceiving, and feeling. Feeling is when a person understands the value of conscious activity. Thinking allows a person to understand the meaning of things through logic and mental activity. Sensing is how a person knows something is in existence, and perception is a subconsciously understanding of where ones knowledge is derived from. The goal of life is to fulfill this genetic blueprint, to become the best of whatever each of us is inherently capable of becoming (Psychology: An Introduction, 2005). According to Carl Rogers, taking a humanistic approach, a person is born with a set personality, and that behaviors can be changed and controlled once a person understood these personalities and behaviors, and this awareness of being is established through interaction with others and the environment. Rogers most noted theory was the “self-actualization tendency”, which states that self-actualization is the primary motivator and can only be achieved when personal basic and mental needs are met. Rogers believed that personality was based on life experiences, and that a person would be “fully” functional if they are raised in a healthy home environment where there they are accepted and praised. The combinations of these theorists and theories have helped psychology in understanding human personality, and most of these studies are still used currently today. References Psychology: An Introduction, 2005- Textbook Part II Choose three of your favorite television characters; past or present. Complete the following matrix describing the characters’ personalities from the point of view of the three theorists, Jung, Freud, and Rogers. TV Character | Jung | Rogers | Freud | 1. Roseanne Conner (Roseanne) | Roseanne is an extrovert. She seems to think she needs to be the center of attention. It is apparent that the behaviors were passed down as her mother acts the same way she does. She does not think logically. | Roseanne was brought up in a less than loving home. The basic mental and loving needs were not met as she grew up. She didn’t learn healthy behaviors and therefore, she is not fully functioning | Roseanne is very impulsive. It is apparent that her id takes control. Roseanne is quick to judge and criticize, only to avoid the pain of others doing it to her. | 2. Elka Ostrovsky (Hot in Cleveland) | Elka is an extrovert. She does not think logically. | Elka escaped from the Nazis. It is apparent that the experience of this had made her a hard shell. Elka has had a hard life it explains why she has a “hard” personality. | Elka allows her id to take control. She does things impulsively and doesn’t care if she hurts anyone’s feelings. This is a defense mechanism. Elka’s superego is almost non-existent. At her age, morals are a thing of the past. | 3. Victoria Chase (Hot in Cleveland) | Victoria is an extrovert. She thinks everything is always about her and if it isn’t, she finds a way to make it about her. | Victoria was ignored as a child. Her father was an actor and she wanted to become an actress. She succeeded and became a soap actress. Her striving to become a power actress went to her head. She now believes that she’s a world famous actress and the world revolves around her | Victoria is very impulsive and does things that she knows are wrong to get the outcome she wants. She lets her id take control and her superego is used very lightly. |