Personality in Human Beings Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Personality in Human Beings - Essay Example In this essay I shall shortly describe my own views on personality and then discuss some theories that are popular in their descriptions of the human personality. The theories of three theorists namely, Sigmund Freud (1856 - 1939), Carl Gustav Jung (1875 - 1961), Albert Bandura (1925- ), and their work on human personality shall be discussed here. In the process I shall envisage to understand the differences and similarities in the theories of psychoanalysis. In my perspective human personality is complex, and is constituted of many factors such as 1) physical attributes and genetic make-up, 2) cultural and ethnical background, 3) personal aptitudes and beliefs. The first two factors are largely inherited with little scope for alteration; like for example, skin color, height, propensity towards some inherited diseases, are inherited and do have a bearing on one's personality. The second two factors are socially constructed, partially inherited and partially changeable, but, nevertheless have great influence on the human personality. For example, the work-culture and perception of opportunities by a Chinese is more likely to be typically inherited from his/her parents and very specific to that ethnic and cultural background. I call it partially changeable because, the same Chinese immigrated to the U.S. ... The third set of factor is important and is mostly responsible for making a qualitative difference in one's personality. For example, physicist Stephen Hawking suffered from the degenerative Lou Gherig's Disease (www.hawking.org), but never allowed it to come in the way of his scientific quest. Battling with pneumonia, he lost his voice; but his sheer love for science and integrity made him to overcome all his set-backs. He is a good example of the power of personal beliefs and aptitudes, and what it can achieve, despite handicaps. Theories of Psychoanalysis Consciously or unconsciously, my concept of personality is derived from three theorists: Freud, Jung and Bandura. Importantly, the 'structure of personality' (Ewen 6) as per each construct shall be delineated here, with a further discussion of how they have helped in my understanding of the human personality. 'Construct' refers to "a set of terms and principles constructed or applied by the theorist" that constitutes a theory and they are useful in explaining the particular theory of personality and comparisons between them (Ewen 4); like for example Jung's theory of psyche and the human personality is marked by the terms and descriptions like the 'collective unconscious' and archetypes (Ewen 6). First in the discussion shall be Sigmund Freud. Von Schubert, Carus, and Schopenhauer, had already done some research in the field of 'unconscious' (Ewen 7-8). Freud's concept consists of the constructs - id, ego, and superego (Freud 1923 p.8). He holds that the human being is driven by powerful instincts which get activated when the body is mature. Human beings are born with an Id which may be understood as basic instincts like hunger, sleep and so on.

Analytical reviews Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 3

Analytical reviews - Assignment Example In the first section China, the Islamic world, Japan and Russia are all considered first, and then the narrative leads into the emergence of Europe and the Habsburg empire in particular. The period 1660 -1815 is identified as introducing â€Å"the financial revolution† which casts the conflicts of that period firmly in the domain of economics. This section is pretty factual, with some theorizing about the close relationship between stable financial systems and the ability to wage wars. The second section develops the thesis that major powers always exist in a shifting state which is relative to other powers around them. He sees the world as being a system which has a sort of inherent balance to it, and describes how the steady rise of Britain was due to good organization and the early application of industrial technology, allowing this tiny country to produce about 53% of the world’s iron, and consume about half of the raw cottono output of the globe (p. 151) This is, h owever, a shortlived achievement, and Britain is presented as a model case study to show how every power wanes when others catch up with the innovations that led it to prominence in the first place. A factor which influences the rise of a global power is that it concentrates more on production than on military strength, and a factor which influences its fall is the converse, as can be seen in the carnage of the first half of the twentieth century. The third section entitled â€Å"Today and Tomorrow† is the most insightful, because it traces the two world wars, the cold war, and the tensions that existed in the 1960s to 1980s between several world powers such as America, Europe, Russia and Japan. The book ends just before the fall of the Berlin Wall and the extraordinary collapse of Communism across wide tracts of the globe, which means that there is unfortunately no analysis of the rebalancing effect that this has had. Using the models presented earlier in the book, however, the reader is able to deduce that yet again the world has settled into a new balance of power, and yet again the declining superpower (America) is falling into the usual trap of investing in military campaigns. The strength of this book is in the sweeping connections it makes and the insight into relative power in the world. Part Two: Orientalism. Edward Said’s book, Orientalism, is justly famous because it approached world history from a refreshingly non-Western perspective and caused historians across the globe to re-evaluate all the history books that had been written with a largely unconscious Western bias. Said’s main thesis is that the concept of â€Å"orientalism† and labels like the East, Far East and Middle East are a fabrication of Western societies. He argues that the West sees itself as the norm, and the standard to which every culture should aspire, and that the colonial age deepened this instinctive feeling of superiority. The East is defined as a distant space which is â€Å"other† than the dominant West. It is cast in the role of contrast, displaying opposite features so that the West can compare itself, favorably of course, with a cultural counterpart. The book makes some strong points which are critical of Western European hegemony, and especially of French

The study of proxemics Essay Example for Free

The study of proxemics Essay The study of proxemics was introduced by Edward T. Hall in 1966 to describe the interactions between different people and the way that they act (Hall 1966). As Hall explained, the dynamics of proxemics is similar to that of gravity in that there are inverse influences that two bodies exert upon each other (Hall 1966). This concept is not some imaginary spatial boundary but is in fact a certain zone that is quantifiable and measurable. According to certain studies, the body spacing and posture that is essential in this understanding can vary and affect the proxemics between individuals (Hall 1966). The reason for this is that there are unintentional human behavioral reactions to any shifts or changes, such as changes in a person’s voice. There are different spheres for proxemics and different standards for such. The first sphere is the Intimate distance sphere which is around 1-18 inches in radius. This sphere is, as the name suggests, quite intimate and is accessible only to a select few. On a personal level, it can be said that this distance is used for physical intimacy such as touching or even whispering. The second sphere is the personal distance sphere which is used for interpersonal relations between friends (Hall 1966). Ranging from 1. 5-4 feet, this is associated with group dynamics or games that people usually play with each other. The next sphere is the social distance sphere which is utilized for interactions with unfamiliar people or acquaintances (Hall 1966). The sphere is considerably larger at this point, beginning from 4 feet and extending to as much as 12 feet. The final sphere is the public distance sphere which is from 12 feet to 25 feet. This is usually the distance that is used for public speaking (Hall 1966). At this level, there is no discernment on who can access. The relevance of all of this lies in understanding the nature of certain cultures or races. As the world continues to expand and races interact, there is a growing need to understand certain character differences and also to respect the personal space of people. Every person has a right to privacy but this is also correlated to the right to exist in a community. As such, studies such as personal space and proxemics aid in this understanding.

My High School Locker Essay -- Descriptive Essay, Descriptive Writing

"Here's your locker combination. Just go right down that hall," said Mrs. Breech pointing toward the sophomore hall. I walked into the sophomore hall so that I could find my locker and make sure that my combination worked. I turn the shiny black dial right to 27, left to 49, right again to 32. Clicking at each number, the lock clicked once more as I lifted the small silver latch. I was ecstatic that my clean, creamy white locker had the correct combination. That would make my life a lot easier when school started in two weeks. Â   On the first day of school, my locker is still clean and radiant in the fluorescent hall lighting. Gradually books accumulate on the bottom shelf, and syllabuses and lists of rules fill the top shelf. My cousin's large grey sweatshirt, complete with a cigarette burn hole, occupies the hook. Eventually these are joined by a myriad of assignments, which are prone to flying out if the door is opened. One day, on the top shelf, an odd green spot appears. There's moss growing in my locker. Â   The second quarter has begun and the huge amount of clutter in the ...

College List Essay

Pg. 211 Check Comprehension 1. The speaker addresses the happy leaves, the happy lines, and the happy rhymes. The listeners are asked to deliver what he feels to the women he loves. 2. In Sonnet 35 the speaker wants the same type of visual devotion from his wife as he is to her. 3. In Sonnet 35 the speaker compares his eyes to narcissus and his own-self infatuation. 4. In the first four lines the speaker writes his wives name in the sand twice and then the tide washes the names away both times. One speaker is Edmund Spenser and the other is his wife. Critical Thinking 1. The Physical and emotional state of the speaker is evolved around the desire of having the girl because he doesn?t have her he is starving and becoming unhealthy emotionally, he is depressed because his heart is throbbing without her. 2. The ?object of their pain? that the speaker is talking about is the inability for his wife to give affection to him, but he gives it to her. 3. It expresses morality and poetry as being the same because once it is written it begins to fade and morality begins to fade also. 4. Pg 213 Check Comprehension 1. In sonnet 31 the speaker addresses the moon. 2. In sonnet 31 the moon appears to the speaker weak, sickly, and pale. The speaker believes that the cause of the moons sadness is that it does not receive the love that it deserves. 3. The six benefits that the speaker attributes to sleep are the certain knot of peace, the baiting place of wit, the balm of woe, the poor man?s wealth, the prisoners release, and the indifferent judge between the high and low. 4. In sonnet 39 the speaker wants to sleep to shield or escape his sorrow. Critical Thinking 1. The connection between the appearance moon and the thoughts that the speaker utters is that they both have pale and sickly faces that look very sad. 2. The speaker is seeking escape from his sorrow though sleep by using it as a shield. 3. Judging by what is said in each sonnet you can make the conclusion that each speaker is yearning for his love because they got into a fight and were separated. 4. The speakers lover might scorn the moon because of it?s love for her. 5. Sonnet 39 talks about his desire to sleep are related to how people still deal with problems. People believe psychologically that it heals their problems.

Summary of the Novel Catcher in the Rye

Summary of the Novel Catcher in the Rye Catcher In The Rye Summary The story begins with a seventeen year-old Holden Caulfield’s description of his encounters with the students and the faculty of Pencey Prep, Agerstown in Pennsylvania. Holden criticizes them of being phony or superficial. Because of his poor performance academically, Holden is expelled from the school. He then packs and leaves the school after a physical clash with the roommate in the middle of the night. Holden boards a train to New York; however, he doesn’t want to return to the family and therefore checks into a hotel. In the Hotel, he dances with three tourist girls in the evening and gets into an awkward encounter with Sunny, a young prostitute who seems to be of his age. As the prostitute enters the room, Holden’s attitude changes and he becomes very uncomfortable with his situation. The prostitute becomes annoyed and leaves when Holden tells her that they need to talk, however, he pays for her time. Later, the prostitute and her pimp, Maurice, return to H olden’s room and demand for more pay than what was initially agreed on. Sunny goes ahead and takes five dollars from the wallet of Holden, and not to be enough, Holden is punched in the stomach by Maurice. Holden invites Sally Hayes, his old girlfriend, to see a musical. Sally agrees very excitedly and both of them meet for the play. They go skating after the play, and Holden hastily invites her to run away with him. However, Sally declines. Holdens mood is then deflated by Sally’s response. She walks away as Holden pleads with her to accept the apology; however, he gives up and retreats. Holden stays in the city for three days, characterized by loneliness and drunkenness. He finds himself in a museum at one point and there, he compares his life to the statues of Eskimos that were on display, which had not been changing for as long as he could remember. He eventually sneaks into the apartment of his parents when the parents are away. His sister, Phoebe, is the only person he can communicate with. Phoebe views him as a hero as she is unaware that Holden views her in a virtually identical manner. Holden shares his fantasy: he looks at himself as a guardian of children playing in t he rye field on a cliff’s edge, and his job as a guardian is to catch the children shall they wander near the brink. He misinterprets â€Å"catcher in the rye† to mean â€Å"saving children from losing their innocence.† In the middle of the night, Holden leaves the parent’s apartment and visits Mr. Antolini, a former English teacher. He is advised on life and offered a place to sleep. The advice from Mr. Antolini is at odds with his intentions of becoming catcher in the rye. When he wakes up in the night and finds Mr. Antolini patting his head in a flitty way, he is very much upset. He then leaves and spends the last afternoon roving the city, and questioning his interpretation of the actions of Mr. Antolini. Holden decides to head out west and his little sister, Phoebe decides to go with him. However, he refuses to have the company of the sister. The sister is upset and Holden cancels his plan. He then takes her to Central Park Zoo. As Phoebe rides the carousel, he realizes his mistake as he comes to the reality that he is not the â€Å"Catcher in the Rye and he needs help. The story concludes without much mention of the present day. However, Holden alludes to being in a mental hospital after getting sick and states that in September, he shall be attending another school.

Impact Of Colonialism And The Missionary Endeavor On Ibo...

The impact of colonialism and the missionary endeavor on Ibo society in ‘’Things Fall Apart’’ novel Introduction ‘’Things Fall Apart’’ novel tries to re-erect cultural, social as well as spiritual basics of traditional Igbo (Ibo) existence from the year 1850 and 1900. Conversely, the novel cannot be inferred like truthful societal and political olden times of Ibo society since it is a work of invented story. However, the novel describes disagreements and apprehensions in Igbo society. It also depicts changes initiated by colonial ruling and Christianity. The author asserts that European colonialism operates as a powerful as well as well-built mediator of the change within Ibo society (Achebe, 2000). Additionally, Christianity attracted the trivial associates of the Igbo society. Igbo and other societies were altered considerably due to this variety of deal with Europeans. A few societies expanded in dimension and authority as marketable centers, whereas others go through great losses in the course of slave invasion. Hostility get higher, and conflict tactics distort ed due to the coming of weapons. In articulating the accomplishment of Catholic Missionaries Hatch, Roman Catholics appeared to be most helpful within the endeavor, thereby protecting a paramount place within Igbo society. According to Chinua Achebe, Educational expansion was the invention of Igbo confined organization but not of British supervision. As a result, other operation schools such as Anglican schoolsShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Novel Things Fall Apart 1435 Words   |  6 Pagesbasics of traditional Igbo (Ibo) existence from the year 1850 and 1900. The novel cannot be fixed like truthful societal and political old times of Ibo society since it is a work of invented story. However, the novel describes disagreements and apprehensions in Igbo society. It also depicts changes initiated by colonial ruling and Christianity. The author mentions that European colonialism operates as a powerful as well as well-built mediator of the change within Ibo society. Additionally, ChristianityRead MoreThings Fall Apa rt By Chinua Achebe1829 Words   |  8 Pagesback up cultural, social, and spiritual basics of traditional Igbo (Ibo) existence from the year 1850 and 1900. The novel cannot be fixed like other societal and political old times of Ibo society since it is a fictional novel. However, the novel describes disagreements and anxiety that occurred in Igbo society. It also shows changes initiated by colonial ruling and Christianity. Colonialism affected the people in the Ibo society by destroying of their family’s relationships, friendships, their religionRead MoreNotes18856 Words   |  76 PagesChapter 4 Colonialism and the African Experience Virtually everything that has gone wrong in Africa since the advent of independence has been blamed on the legacies of colonialism. Is that fair? Virtually all colonial powers had â€Å"colonial missions.† What were these missions and why were they apparently such a disaster? Did any good come out of the African â€Å"colonial experience†? Introduction Colonization of Africa by European countries was a monumental milestone in  ­ the development