Until the middle of the 20th century, a clear conviction prevailed that man was initially a vicious, evil creature, and only external factors (for example, upbringing) restrain his animal instincts.
However, philosophers and psychologists had to rethink these ideas after two wars, during which a person showed himself not at all as a being torn by instincts. Numerous cases of heroism, sacrifice in the name of an idea, country, person led to the emergence of a humanistic theory of personality. Its creator is Abraham Maslow, who put forward the postulate of an initially good, spiritual person with innate spiritual needs. It is external negative factors that help to contain these needs.
Self actualization
The main term used by the humanistic theory of personality is the concept of self-actualization.
Revealing his moral potential in the process of spiritual and
personal development , a person becomes actualized. This means that he recognizes his innate needs, freeing himself from the oppression of negative external factors, and seeks to satisfy them. This process of improvement, approaching your "I" is called self-actualization. The humanistic
theory of personality development believes that a person always strives for self-realization because of his innate needs, and this process has no ending (since there is always something to strive for). Consequently, the personality is constantly striving for progressive development and cannot be at rest for a long time.
Theory of Erich Fromm
Many are perplexed to hear that a person is seen as an initially positive being. Why so much cruelty, anger, crime? The humanistic theory of personality believes that even in the most cruel people there are prerequisites for self-development, just these needs for them were blocked by negative social conditions. Each person can begin to realize these needs at any stage of his life's journey.
In this regard, one cannot fail to mention the name of the famous psychoanalyst Erich Fromm, who saw in man the desire for activity and love. The humanistic theory of personality E. Fromm puts forward a number of higher
existential needs that the individual has:
- the need to take care of someone (communication with others);
- the need to create (constructive);
- desire for security, stability (need for support);
- the need for awareness of their uniqueness;
- the need for an explanatory belief system;
- need in the sense of life (it must be an object).
Fromm believed that the pressure of external factors drowns out these needs, as a result of which a person does not act as he wants. This contradiction causes a strong personality conflict. The humanist theory of personality put forward by Fromm shows how two opposing aspirations struggle in a person: to preserve their identity and not to remain outside of society, of people. Here, an individual comes to the aid of rationalization, when he independently makes a choice - to obey the norms of society now or reckon with his needs.