JEFFREY S.

MANZANO, BS Psych

THEORIES OF PERSONALITY FUNCTIONAL AUTONOMY. Allport’s conception of

functional autonomy and personality development holds that emotionally
Gordon Allport healthy adults are not tied to or driven by childhood conflicts.

“As the individual matures, the bond with the past is broken.”
◘ Allport stated that we reflect both our heredity and our
environment. Heredity provides the personality with raw
materials (such as physique, intelligence, and temperament)
that may be shaped, expanded, or limited by the conditions of
our environment.
◘ Personality = discrete, or discontinuous.
◘ Primitive biological urges and reflexes drive infant behavior,
whereas adult functioning is more psychological in nature.
◘ He emphasized the conscious rather than the unconscious,
the present and future rather than the past, uniqueness of
personality rather than proposing generalities or similarities
for large groups of people
◘ He chose to study the normal rather than the abnormal
personality.
A. PRESERVATIVE FUNCTIONAL
AUTONOMY
 Concerned with such behaviors as addictions and repetitive
physical actions such as habitual (routine) ways of performing
some everyday task. The behaviors continue or persevere on
their own without any external reward.
B. PROPRIATE FUNCTIONAL AUTONOMY
 “We enjoy doing what we do well.”
 Propriate motives are unique to the individual. The ego
determines which motives will be maintained and which will
be discarded. We retain motives that enhance our self-
esteem or selfimage.
 An “organizing process” that maintains our sense of self. It
determines how we perceive the world, what we remember
from our experiences, and how our thoughts are directed.
This organizing process is governed by the following three
principles:
ORGANIZING THE ENERGY LEVEL
(explains how we acquire new motives)

PERSONALITY DEFINED
““Personality is the dynamic organization within the individual of those MASTERY AND COMPETENCE
(level at which we choose to satisfy motives)
psychophysical systems that determine . . . characteristic behavior
and thought” (Allport, 1961, p. 28).
PROPRIATE PATTERNING
(striving for consistency and integration of personality)
PERSONALITY TRAITS
1. Personality traits are real and exist within each of us.
2. Traits determine or cause behavior. DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPIUM
3. Traits can be demonstrated empirically.
4. Traits are interrelated; they may overlap, even though they Infants begin to distinguish between
Bodily Self their own fingers and the object they
represent different characteristics
are grasping.
5. Traits vary with the situation.
Self-identity is enhanced when
children learn their name and see
1-4 yrs Self-Identity
themselves as distinct from other
PERSONAL DISPOSITIONS people.
(Individual Traits) Self-esteem develops when they
Self-Esteem discover that they can accomplish
things on their own.
CARDINAL TRAITS
In this stage, children come to
CENTRAL TRAITS Extension of Self recognize the objects and people
4-6 yrs that are part of their own world.
SECONDARY TRAITS
Incorporating how children see and
Self-Image
would like to see themselves.
CARDINAL TRAITS Children realize that reason and
 “ruling passion” (ex. sadism and chauvinism) 6–12 yrs Rational Coper logic can be applied to solving
CENTRAL TRAITS everyday problems.
 These are the kinds of characteristics we would Adolescence Propriate Striving
Adolescents begin to formulate
mention when discussing a friend’s personality or plans and goals for the future.
writing a letter of recommendation. Normal, mature adults are
SECONDARY TRAITS functionally autonomous,
 may be so inconspicuous or weak that only a close independent of childhood motives.
Adult Adulthood
friend would notice evidence of them (ex. minor They function rationally in the
present and consciously create their
preference for a particular type of music or food)
own lifestyles.
 JEFFREY S. MANZANO, BS Psych

PARENT–CHILD INTERACTIONS ALLPPORT’S SUGGESTED METHODS

 Infant–mother bond as a source of affection and security. FOR
 If the mother or primary caregiver provides sufficient affection and
ASSESSING PERSONALITY
security, the proprium will develop gradually and steadily, and the
child will achieve positive psychological growth. → Constitutional and physiological diagnosis
 If childhood needs are frustrated, however, the child becomes → Cultural setting, membership, role
insecure, aggressive, demanding, jealous, and self-centered. → Personal documents and case studies
Psychological growth is stunted. The result is a neurotic adult who → Self-appraisal
functions at the level of childhood drives. → Conduct analysis
→ Ratings
→ Tests and scales
THE HEALTHY ADULT PERSONALITY → Projective techniques
→ Depth analysis
The mature adult… → Expressive behavior
1) extends his or her sense of self to people and to activities beyond → Synoptic procedures (combining information from several
the self. sources in a synopsis
2) relates warmly to other people, exhibiting intimacy, compassion,
and tolerance.
3) self-acceptance helps him or her achieve emotional security.
4) holds a realistic perception of life, develops personal skills, and
makes a commitment to some type of work
5) has a sense of humor and self-objectification
6) subscribes to a unifying philosophy of life

QUESTIONS ABOUT HUMAN NATURE

◘ His theory presents an optimistic view of adults in conscious

control of their lives, rationally attending to current situations,
planning for the future, and actively fashioning an identity.
◘ Allport took a moderate stance on the question of free will
versus determinism.
◘ On the nature-nurture issue,he believed that both heredity
and environment influence personality.
◘ Allport believed in each person’s uniqueness.
◘ To Allport, the ultimate and necessary goal of life is not to
reduce tension, but rather TO INCREASE TENSION,
impelling us to seek new sensations and challenges.