Psychodynamic Theory is based on the idea that human behavior and relationships are shaped by conscious and unconscious influences. This theory places major importance on the experiences of one’s early childhood. Our personality, traits and behaviors are developed and cultivated because of the influences we have had or not had in our lives. This theory argues that many of our behaviors are in fact learned behaviors due to influences early on in our lives. We seem to live our lives and develop behaviors based on relationships we either had or did not have.
Unlike the Psychodynamic Theory, the Humanistic Theory argues that you are free to choose your own behavior rather than reacting to your environment or environmental influences. In this theory we are not looked at as “puppets on a string”, affected by other stimuli, but we make choices and engage in behaviors independent of any influences. We are free to live our lives how we choose.
We all seem to describe ourselves with traits. This is the trait theory. In this theory, genetic may give us our traits but we decide how those traits are expressed and or influenced. We decide mostly by our learning experiences, how we develop our skills and our ability to choose our own actions. Although we all have traits in our personalities, these traits can be influenced by different experiences which end up affecting certain behavior patterns.
We each have traits but with each theory we try to figure out how and why we have those traits. Was is because of genetics or was it because of my relationship with my mother? Was it because I decided to be this way? Each of these theories are different but they all strive to better understand human behavior and the human mind. Each of these theories are used to decipher or grade whether or not we have a healthy personality. Each theory has its own definition of a healthy personality as well.
Evidence has shown that many of our traits are given to us or influenced by...