Personality psychology chapter9 psychosocial theories

Mahler’s Theory• Initial state of infant—fusion or symbiosis with mother – Differentiation between self and mother does not exist • Development represents a process of separation- indiv

Chapter Nine

Psychosocial Theories

Object Relation Theories

• Theories focusing on relations with others

• Primary tasks in life focus on relations with others

• Many theories with some overlap:

– Patterns of relating to others established

in early childhood

– Patterns recur throughout life

Mahler’s Theory

• Initial state of infant—fusion or symbiosis with

mother

– Differentiation between self and mother does not exist

• Development represents a process of separation- individuation

– This need is in conflict with the need to be taken care of

– If process goes too fast = separation anxiety

– At age 3, stable representation of mother develops, which is

derived from experiences

– Uses image as lens to view mother in future

– Uses image to generalize to other people

• These patterns form the core of adult patterns of relationships

Self Psychology (Kohut)

• Relationships create the structure for the self

• Initial needs involving others (selfobject) are

narcissistic

• Responding to a child’s narcissistic needs in an

empathic accepting way establishes a sense of self

• Initial sense of self is grandiose

• Grandiosity eventually evolves into ambition and self-esteem

• Love illustrates an adult form of mirroring—people

represent selfobjects for each other and demonstrate mutual mirroring

Attachment Theory

• Attachment—basic element of human nature involving an emotional connection to others

• Infant attachment

– Carries survival benefits (proximity maintenance)

– Develops as mother (caretaker) responds to infant’s needs and provides a dependable base from which the infant can explore the world and retreat from threat

• Patterns of infant attachment—Strange Situation Test

– Secure attachment—distress at mother’s departure and happy enthusiasm at return

– Insecure attachments:

• Ambivalent—unusually upset at departure; approach, rejection, and anger at return

• Avoidant—calm at departure; avoidance and rejection at return

Adult Attachment Patterns

• Idea that working models of relationships developed in childhood carry over into adulthood (Hazan and

Shaver)

– Relationships of Secure people:

• More happy; friendly; trusting; longer lasting

• Mental model of love: It’s real and it stays

– Relationships of Avoidant people:

• Less accepting of lovers’ imperfections

• Mental model of love: Cynical, romantic love doesn’t last

– Relationships of Ambivalent people

• Obsessive; preoccupied; extremes of emotions, sexual attraction, and jealousy; love at first sight

• Mental model of love: Falling in love is easy, but doesn’t last

Alternate Conceptualization

of Adult Attachment

• Two dimensional approach

– Self (positive vs negative) / Other (trustworthy vs not trustworthy)

–

Trustworthy Not Trustworthy

Positive Secure

(Secure) Dismissing

Negative Preoccupied

(Ambivalent) Fearful

Other

Self

(Avo idanc e) (Hazan and ShaverLabels)

Stability and Specificity

• Stability

– Mixed findings that suggest overall a moderate level of stability across time

– Review of literature suggests a prototype for close

relationships arises in infancy and persists in the face of new experience

– Those who show patterns of change over time may be those who are insecure, but have periods of security

• Specificity

– People demonstrate different patterns for relationships

in different contexts (close friends, groups)

Other Implications

of Adult Attachment

• Avoidant:

– Socialize less at work; greater desire to keep busy

– Seek less support during stress; provide less support to stress partners – Less responsive caregiving

– Greater use of distancing coping

• Ambivalent:

– Unhappiness with job recognition and security

– Higher levels of compulsive caregiving

– Higher levels of self-criticism and wishful thinking coping

• Pairings:

– STABLE— Secure – Secure; Avoidant men – Ambivalent women

– UNSTABLE— Ambivalent – Ambivalent; Avoidant – Avoidant;

Ambivalent men – Avoidant women

Psychosocial Development

• Developed by Erik Erikson

• Stages from birth to old age (life-span development)

– Each stage characterized by a central conflict around which growth potential and vulnerability are high

• No single stage is more important than another

• Central themes

– Ego identity and its development is critically important

• Develops from transactions with social reality

• Changes in response to events in social environment

– Competency and personal adequacy

• Competency is key motivator of behavior

• Competence results from mastery of a stage

Early Psychosocial Stages

• Infancy (Year 1) — Trust vs Mistrust

– Basis for proving the world is predictable and developing the ego

strength of hope

• Early Childhood (Years 2–3) — Autonomy vs

Shame and Doubt

– Basis for feelings of control and competency and developing the

ego strength of will

• Preschool (Years 3–5) — Initiative vs Guilt

– Basis for a sense of power in the world and developing the ego

strength of purpose

• School Age (Years 5–11) — Industry vs Inferiority

– Basis for sense of value, citizenship, and developing the ego

strength of competence

• Identity vs Role Confusion (Years

12–20)

– Basis for an integrated sense of private and social self and developing the ego

strength of fidelity

– Role confusion can create difficulties

selecting a career and cause the person

to identify with popular heros and groups

Later Psychosocial Stages

• Young Adulthood (20s) — Intimacy vs Isolation

– Basis for close, warm relationships and developing the ego

strength of love

• Adulthood (to 60s) — Generativity vs Stagnation

– Basis for positively influencing the future and developing the ego

strength of care

• Old Age — Ego Identity vs Despair

– Basis for sense of order and meaning in life and developing the

ego strength of wisdom

The Epigenetic Principle

• Core issues of each conflict exist simultaneously, but are particularly focal at a given stage

• Implications:

– Outcome of earlier crisis influences

orientation to later one

– Solutions for a crisis, prepare one for

upcoming crises

– Resolutions of previous crises are

reshaped at each new stage

Erikson’s Link to Other Psychosocial Theories

• Issues of trust permeate all theories

– Object relation theories imply a sense of trust required for an investment of energy

in others

– Trust is a key issue in secure attachment

• Similar to those in ego psychology with a focus on

relationships

• Since childhood experience is seen as an important

determinant of adult behavior, emphasis is on childhood assessment

– Play as a means of assessment allows expression of concerns not possible with words

Problems in Behavior

• Problems are rooted in relationship issues

• Narcissism may stem from inadequate childhood mirroring (Kohut)

• Insecure attachment creates risk for depression

• Play therapy techniques for children

• Emphasis on role of relationships

• Desire to restore sense of connectedness with others

• Therapist uses role to allow patient to reorganize

problematic parts of self and ways of relating to others