Biological and humanistic approaches to personality
Shauntale Mc Glory
PSY 250
University of Phoenix
Personality is defined as the personal differences in characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving that differentiate a person from another. According to the American Psychology Association, personality develops through a repeated pattern of thoughts, outlook and behavior that occurs throughout a person’s lifespan (2016). Numerous theories seek to explain personality development. The essay is going to discuss both the biological theories that consider genetics as the common factor and individuals being a product of the environment they reside. The biological perspective on personality is largely based on the internal physiological …show more content…
The humanistic theory states that every individual has the free will to make various choices in their lives. Secondly, the theory assumes that people are by nature good and that they harbor the need to better themselves and the world and only develop negative traits as a result of learning. Also, the theory believes that people attain success and fulfillment once they have fulfilled all their needs and achieved self-actualization. Finally, the approach vehemently focuses on the present and believes the past or future reality is inconsequential in a person’s growth (Mc Leod, 2015). On the other hand, the biological explanations of personality development believe that an individual outlook is as a result of the genetic traits that are passed to them by their parents. Biological perspectives also think that a person’s thoughts about themselves play a crucial role in how people see themselves and interact with others as opposed to feelings. Additionally, the past regarding an individual 's family behavior and attribute are important in determining the success of an individual. It is because the genetic link with such persons ascertain the kind of an individual one
Shauntale Mc Glory
PSY 250
University of Phoenix
Personality is defined as the personal differences in characteristic patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving that differentiate a person from another. According to the American Psychology Association, personality develops through a repeated pattern of thoughts, outlook and behavior that occurs throughout a person’s lifespan (2016). Numerous theories seek to explain personality development. The essay is going to discuss both the biological theories that consider genetics as the common factor and individuals being a product of the environment they reside. The biological perspective on personality is largely based on the internal physiological …show more content…
The humanistic theory states that every individual has the free will to make various choices in their lives. Secondly, the theory assumes that people are by nature good and that they harbor the need to better themselves and the world and only develop negative traits as a result of learning. Also, the theory believes that people attain success and fulfillment once they have fulfilled all their needs and achieved self-actualization. Finally, the approach vehemently focuses on the present and believes the past or future reality is inconsequential in a person’s growth (Mc Leod, 2015). On the other hand, the biological explanations of personality development believe that an individual outlook is as a result of the genetic traits that are passed to them by their parents. Biological perspectives also think that a person’s thoughts about themselves play a crucial role in how people see themselves and interact with others as opposed to feelings. Additionally, the past regarding an individual 's family behavior and attribute are important in determining the success of an individual. It is because the genetic link with such persons ascertain the kind of an individual one