Over the course of this semester, we have reviewed several personality theories including those of Freud, Jung, Horney, Adler, Staats, Rogers, Maslow, and trait theories. For your assignment, I would like you to use these Personality theories as lenses through which to analyze someone you know. This person may be a personal acquaintance or family member; he/she may also be in the media or a historical figure. To write your research essay, you will need to learn more about this persons life, including details about his/her upbringing, major life decisions, temperament, social circles, and even vices.
I would like you to reflect on this persons life using at least four of the personality theories AND including at least one humanistic psychologist (Rogers or Maslow) discussed in the course.
You should answer the following questions within your research essay:
1. Pretend you are a personality theorist. Explain, from each perspective, how you would make sense of the persons life choices, behavior, and temperament?
2. What views on human nature are inherent in each theory (e.g., what motivates humans, do humans have free-will) and how does this influence our understanding of the person?
3. Do you feel this person could have benefited from therapy? If so, therapy based on which theory? Why?
4. Consider any recent developments in the field of personality. How do these inform our understanding of the person? Do they provide new insights or are they reinventions of the wheel? Explain.
