1. AP Psychology
12/20/13

2. The Grinch’s personality
Today, we are analyzing the Grinch’s personality from three perspectives: Sigmund Freud, Carl Rogers, & Alfred Adler.

3. Sigmund Freud
Psychodynamic approach: focuses on the past and the subconscious.

4. Carl Rogers
Humanistic approach: focuses on relationships.

5. Alfred Adler
Psychodynamic/humanistic: the power of the past, but in social relationships.

6. Freud Three parts of the human mind:
Ego: mostly conscious, operates on “reality principle.” Mediator.
Superego: your “conscience.” Both conscious and unconscious. Fights the id.
Id: unconscious psychic energy that operates on “pleasure principle”—wants to fulfill basic biological drives.

7. Freud

8. Freud’s psychosexual stages & fixation
Oral stage: focus on mouth—sucking, biting, chewing as infant. Nail biting, alcoholism, smoking as adult. Sarcastic and manipulative personality.
Anal stage: focus on control (from toilet training). Anal-retentive personalities are neat and orderly. Anal-expulsive personalities are rebellious and disorganized.
Phallic stage: Obsession with genitals—Oedipus complex & Electra complex. Adult personality is marked by vanity and domination.
Fixation: unresolved conflicts from a stage lead to an emphasis (fixation) in adulthood.

9. Freudian defense mechanisms
Repression: sends anxiety-inducing thoughts to the unconscious. Freudian slips and dreams are these thoughts reaching consciousness.
Regression: reverting to an older behavior to find comfort in anxiety.
Reaction formation: adopting an opposite thought in the face of an anxiety-inducing one.
Projection: insecurity about self that is then seen in other people.
Rationalization: justifying dangerous behavior with a new explanation to ignore reality.
Displacement: inappropriate sexual or aggressive impulses are transferred to a new target.

10. Rogers
Self-actualization: all people have the ability to reach their full potential.
In order to do so, however, a positive environment is needed (genuineness, acceptance, and empathy).

11. Rogers’ environmental factors
Genuineness: people must be open and honest.
Acceptance: people value you for who you are—called positive regard. Unconditional positive regard is displayed in spite of any events.
Empathy: recognition of how others are feeling.
These factors nurture growth.

12. Rogers’ personality ideas
Self-concept: human environment leads to your idea of who you are. This includes your morals, idea of self-worth, etc. It is positive or negative, depending on if you have met your “ideal self.”
Incongruence: gap between real self and ideal self.
Living a congruent life makes you a fully functioning person.

13. Fully-functioning person
Someone in touch with who they want to be. Called the “good life” by Rogers.
Open to experiences
Living each moment fully
Trust in judgment
Responsible for own actions
Enhanced creativity
Reliable and productive
“Good life”—experiences are
more intense

14. Adler
Like Freud, believes that childhood influences personality. Unlike Freud, social over sexual influence.
Holistic approach: cannot divide personality (id, ego, superego), but most look at entire individual.

15. Adler: goals
Goal-oriented behavior: all of human behavior is driven toward some sort of goal. For most of us, it is to belong (we are social creatures).
Another primary struggle: to overcome inferiority by reaching superiority.

16. Adler: personality
According to Adler, showing social interest is a mark of a healthy personality. It is innate but needs to be nurtured by family/environment.
Style of life: whatever beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors you adopt to reach your goals. Typically you choose a style to overcome inferiority.

17. Superiority/Inferiority
Primary feelings of inferiority: as a child, you are small, weak, and dependent.
Secondary feelings of inferiority: any physiological/environmental handicap or negative parenting.
Inferiority complex: belief that you are not as good as others. Marked by feeling inadequate, inferior, and anxious.
Superiority complex: belief that you are better than others. Typically masks another inferiority. Marked by arrogance, egotism, and flamboyance.

18. How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
Analyze the Grinch according to your perspective.

19. Groups
Discuss in groups for 10 minutes. Present findings to class and then discuss.