Overview of Individual Psychological and Analytical Psychology Personality Theories

Personality is complex, and described by many theorists over the years.  Alfred Adler developed the individual psychological theory to describe his take on personality.  Carl Gustav Jung described his opinions on personality through his analytical psychology theory.  Both Adler and Jung have shown courage to come out with these theories, exposing each theories strengths and limitations.  This paper will compare and contrast the two theories in relationship to each ones basic and underlying assumptions.  Each of the two theories has their own take on determinism and free will.  Opinions are also expressed on awareness of self, or whether the conscious or unconscious motivate human behavior.  Theorists, Adler and Jung, have developed personality theories both alike and different. 

Assumptions

Adler believed the driving force for human behavior is the desire for success or superiority, while Jung took a different approach.  “Jung believed that each person is motivated, not only by repressed experiences, but also by certain emotionally toned experiences inherited from our ancestors” (Feist & Feist, 2009, p. 98).  Alfred Adler’s individual psychological theory takes a positive approach to human nature.  This theory suggests that the driving force for human behavior is the desire for superiority or success.  Adler believed the manner that is used to strive for success or superiority is not based on reality, but his or her own subjective perception, by his or her personal fictions, or assumption of what the future holds.  “Personality is unified and self-consistent” (Feist & Feist, 2009, p. 74).  Adler’s beliefs that every individual is indivisible and unique lead him to believe that every individual has consistent behavior.  The individual psychological theory assumes that every individual is interested and driven by the best interest for society.  Adler developed the concept of style of life, which “includes a person’s goal, self-concept, feelings for others, and attitude toward the world” (Feist & Feist, 2009, p. 78).  Creative power assumes that every person is responsible for who he or she is as well as his or her behavior.  An individual’s creative power, “places them in control of their own lives, is responsible for their final goal, determines their method of striving for that goal, and contributes to the development of social interest” (Feist & Feist, 2009, p. 79). 

Carl Gustav Jung used concepts from Freud’s psychoanalytical theory, Adler’s individual psychological theory, and his own endeavors to create his own theory known as analytical psychology.  Jung’s theory was inspired by his work with Freud, schizophrenics, and the psychoanalytical community.  He developed a deep interest for the human mind, especially the unconscious, which he dedicated his life to.  Jung did not think he needed to be confined to natural science.  “He saw as empirical evidence the world of dream, myth, and folklore as the promising road to its deeper understanding and meaning” (“Analytical psychology,” 2013).  The Jungian theory gives way to both the personal and collective conscious. The collective unconscious, which is inherited from the human species, shapes behaviors, dreams, and attitudes, while the personal unconscious comprises an individual’s experiences and complexes.  While Adler believed that every individual is unique and indivisible, Jung believed “the contents of the collective unconscious are more or less the same for people in all cultures” (Feist & Feist, 2009, p. 104).  Jung suggests that the goal for analytical psychology is self-realization, also known as individuation, which is the process one takes to become a whole person or individual.  “Analytical psychology is essentially a psychology of opposites, and self-realization is the process of integrating the opposite poles into a single homogeneous individual” (Feist & Feist, 2009, p. 123). 

Deterministic versus free will

Determinism and free will are incompatible with one another.  Determinism is the idea that everything that has happened was the only thing that could have happened.  Also, everything that did not happen could not have happened regardless of the circumstances.  Determinism suggests that choices are not real and only an illusion to the “choice-maker.”  Free will is the concept that people are free to make choices “unconstrained by certain factors” (“Free will,” 2013).  Adler and Jung both lean farther toward the free will side of the determinism versus free will spectrum.  Both men believe that there are constraints to free will.  For Adler, these constraints are known as subjective perceptions, or fictions.  Feist and Feist (2009) give an example of one of Adler’s fictions, which is that people believe that they have free will (p. 73).  Because people believe they have free will, they act on it, thus making them responsible for the choices that they make.  Free will is a concept that cannot be proven, but it is the subjective perception of many people, yet it continues to guide many people’s lives. 

Jung’s constraints on free will include his believe of self-realization.  “True free will must involve self-realization, which is a maturing of the self that allows the dissolution of one's counter-productive obsessive, internal pre-occupations and assumptions, including unrecognized peer-pressure and the like,—all of which reduce our actual choices, thus reduce our freedom” (“Free will,” 2013).  Unless a person has developed self-realization, he or she is unable to have true free will.  Adler and Jung’s theories have similar ideas in this respect.

Awareness of Self

Adler and Jung have different views concerning the conscious and unconscious, and how they relate to the motives of behavior.  Adler did not depict a sharp contrast between the two states of mind, conscious and unconscious.  Adler did not believe that experiences and memories were repressed to the unconscious, never to be found again.  He believed that a thought can go in and out of consciousness when needed.  "Upon deeper inspection there appears (to be) no contrast between the conscious and the unconscious, that both cooperate for a higher purpose, that our thoughts and feelings become conscious as soon as we are faced with a difficulty, and unconscious as soon as our personality requires it” (Stein, n.d.).  The Adlerian individual psychological theory suggests that the motives of human behavior lye in the consciousness and that people are self-aware.

Unlike Adler, Jung believed that human behavior is directly connected to the connection between the self and the ego.  The self is the total psyche, which is composed of the conscious and unconscious; the ego is consciousness.  “Jungian psychology focuses on establishing and fostering the relationship between conscious and unconscious processes” (Frager & Fadiman, 2005, p. 56).  Individuation, also known as self-realization, is one of Jung’s concepts that describe a person who has learned to face and accept his or her unconscious.  Once a person has faced and accepted his or her unconscious, he or she “must allow the unconscious self to become the core of personality” (Feist & Feist, 2009, p. 123).  A person who is self-realized is self-aware of his or her motives and behaviors. 

Conclusion

Theorists, Adler and Jung, have developed personality theories both alike and different.  Each theorist has his own way of perceiving personality.  The individual psychological theory has basic assumptions much different from the assumptions of analytical psychology. For instance, Adler does not see a significant difference between the conscious and unconscious, which Jung believes that a large part of our personality is influenced by the unconscious.  One thing that both Adler and Jung do agree on is free will.    Adler thought that people are self-aware and completely responsible for his or her own actions.  Jung believed that it takes a large amount of effort to become self-aware, or self-realized, the time when a person is authentically him or herself and understands his or her motives and behaviors. 

References[N1] 

Analytical psychology. (2013). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Analytical_psychology

Feist, J., & Feist, G. J. (2009). Theories of personality (7th ed.) [University of Phoenix Custom Edition eBook]. New York, NY: McGraw Hill. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, PSY405 website.

Free Will. (2013). In Wikipedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_will

Stein, H. T. (n.d.). Classical Adlerian Quotes: Consciousness & Unconsciousness. Retrieved from http://pws.cablespeed.com/~htstein/dev-hts.gif

Frager, R., & Fadiman, J. (2005). Personality and Personal Growth (6th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Written Assignment Grading Form

Due Monday, Day 7, Week Two

Content and Development	Points Earned 10  /10
Prepare a 1050- to 1,400-word paper that is based on the theories of personality covered in the readings. Choose two and analyze the strengths and limitations of the theories. Compare and contrast them in relationship to: · Basic or underlying assumptions · Deterministic versus free will · Awareness of self (e.g., conscious versus unconscious motives for behavior)	Your paper meets the minimum word count. Your paper is  based on the theories of personality covered in the readings Your paper identifies and analyzes the strengths and limitations of two of the theories    Your paper compares and contrasts these theories in relationship to · Basic or underlying assumptions · Deterministic versus free will · Awareness of self (e.g., conscious versus unconscious motives for behavior) Your paper is comprehensive and links theory to examples, using the vocabulary correctly. Major points are stated clearly and the paper is well organized overall.  The introduction is well done. The conclusion needs to be more developed, reviewing major points.
The content is comprehensive, accurate, and persuasive
The paper links theory to relevant examples and uses the vocabulary of the theory correctly.
Major points are stated clearly; are supported by specific details, examples, or analysis; and are organized logically.
The introduction provides sufficient background on the topic and previews major points.
The conclusion is logical, flows from the body of the paper, and reviews the major points.
Readability and Style	Points Earned 2.5 /2.5
	Comments:
Paragraph transitions are present, logical, and maintain the flow throughout the paper.	Your paper is fairly well written; paragraph transitions are present and the paper has a good flow. Sentences are well constructed
The tone is appropriate to the content and assignment.
Sentences are complete, clear, and concise.
Sentences are well constructed, strong, and varied.
Sentence transitions are present and maintain the flow of thought.