Personality Development (Core Concepts in Therapy)

171 Pages·2003·0.54 MB·English

by  Valerie Simanowitz, Peter Pearce

Personality development 13/8/03 9:57 AM Page 1
C O R E C O N C E P T S I N T H E R A P Y
S E R I E S E D I T O R : M I C H A E L J A C O B S
Personality Development
This book draws out the essence of a range of personality theories in
a clear and accessible way, moving from the seminal works of Freud
and other prominent analytical theorists, to the stage theories of
Erikson and Levinson and the development of personality as it is
viewed in existential and person-centred theory. The text:
• Highlights the salient points of different personality theories
• Critiques the theories
• Examines important aspects of personality development neglected
by previous books on this topic such as spirituality and the
development of racial identity and gender
The book reflects strongly on the context from which the theories
sprang and seeks to trace how this context has influenced the
theorists and their disciples. It also highlights the similarities between
the concepts and structure of many of the theories. The authors, both
experienced counsellors and trainers, evaluate which elements of the
theories can be useful to the work of the therapist in the twenty first
century and give examples from their case work. Personality Development
Personality Development is a valuable new resource for practitioners,
lecturers and trainers as well as students of counselling,
psychotherapy and psychology.
Valerie Simanowitz is an experienced counselling practitioner,
supervisor and trainer. She currently works independently, as a part-
time counsellor at a young asylum seekers project in Worthing and as
a supervisor at a drop-in centre for young people in Eastbourne.
Formerly, she was Director of the Diploma in Person-Centred
Counselling (BACP accredited) at Lewisham College.
Peter Pearce is an experienced therapist, trainer and supervisor who
has worked within the NHS since 1988 and is currently Primary Tutor
on the Degree in Counselling (BACP accredited) at the Metanoia
Institute, London. He also has experience as a family support worker,
an outreach worker supporting people returning home from long-
stay hospitals and as a residential worker with adults with learning
disabilities.
Cover design: Barker/Hilsdon
Valerie Simanowitz • Peter Pearce
Personality Development Simanowitz • Pearce
PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT
Core concepts in therapy
Series editor: Michael Jacobs
Over the last ten years a significant shift has taken place in the rela-
tions between representatives of different schools of therapy. Instead
of the competitive and often hostile reactions we once expected from
each other, therapists from different points along the spectrum of
approaches are much more interested in where they overlap and
where they differ. There is a new sense of openness to cross-
orientation learning.
The Core Concepts in Therapy series compares and contrasts the use
of similar terms across a range of the therapeutic models, and seeks to
identify where different terms appear to denote similar concepts.
Each book is authored by two therapists, each one from a distinctly
different orientation; and where possible each one from a different
continent, so that an international dimension becomes a feature of
this network of ideas.
Each of these short volumes examines a key concept in psycho-
logical therapy, setting out comparative positions in a spirit of free
and critical enquiry, but without the need to prove one model
superior to another. The books are fully referenced and point beyond
themselves to the wider literature on each topic.
List of forthcoming and published titles:
Barden & Stimpson: Words and Symbols
Dinesh Bhugra & Dilys Davies: Models of Psychopathology
Paul Brinich & Christopher Shelley: The Self and Personality Structure
Jenifer Elton-Wilson & Gabrielle Syme: Objectives and Outcomes
Dawn Freshwater & Chris Robertson: Emotions and Needs
Jan Grant & Jim Crawley: Transference and Projection
Richard J. Hazler & Nick Barwick: The Therapeutic Environment
David Edwards & Michael Jacobs: Conscious and Unconscious
Hilde Rapp & John Davy: Resistance, Barriers and Defences
John Rowan & Michael Jacobs: The Therapist’s Use of Self
Lynn Seiser & Colin Wastell: Interventions and Techniques
Valerie Simanowitz & Peter Pearce: Personality Development
Nick Totton & Michael Jacobs: Character and Personality Types
Kenneth C. Wallis & James L. Poulton: Internalization
PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT
Valerie Simanowitz
and
Peter Pearce
Open University Press
Open University Press
McGraw-Hill Education
McGraw-Hill House
Shoppenhangers Road
Maidenhead
Berkshire
England
SL6 2QL
email:
Contents
Acknowledgements ix
Series editor’s preface x
Preface xiii
1 Psychoanalytic/psychodynamic developmental theories 1
Sigmund Freud’s developmental stage theory 1
The oral stage 4
The anal stage 5
The phallic stage 7
The latency stage 9
The genital stage 10
Karl Abraham on psychosexual stages 10
Anna Freud and ego psychology 12
Object relations theory 13
Melanie Klein 14
W.R.D. Fairbairn 17
D.W. Winnicott 19
Margaret Mahler 21
Heinz Kohut 23
John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth: attachment theory 25
Daniel Stern 28
Conclusions 29
2 The developmental theories of Erikson and Levinson 30
Erik H. Erikson 31
Erikson’s eight-stage life cycle 33
Stage 1. Infancy: trust versus mistrust 34
vi Personality development
Stage 2. Early childhood: autonomy versus shame
and doubt 35
Stages 3 and 4. Play age: initiative versus guilt;
School age: industry versus inferiority 35
Stage 5. Adolescence: identity versus identity
diffusion 38
Stage 6. Early adulthood: intimacy versus
self-absorption 40
Stage 7. Adulthood: generativity versus stagnation 41
Stage 8. Old age: integrity versus despair 42
The application of the theory to therapy 43
Daniel Levinson: the seasons of a man’s life 44
The significance of transitions 45
The research 46
The eras 46
Erikson and Levinson: similarities and differences 48
3 Personality development in person-centred theory 50
Elements of developmental theory in Rogers’ 19
propositions 50
The development of the self and the self-concept 52
Conditions of worth 53
The locus of evaluation/The outcomes of conditions
of worth 54
Disturbance, distortion, denial 55
David Mearns’ and Brian Thorne’s developments of
Rogers’ theory: configurations of self 56
Conditions conducive to awareness and change 58
The fully functioning person 59
The seven-stage developmental model of counselling 60
M. Cooper on person-centred developmental theory 62
4 Existential approaches 65
Background 65
Scientific reductionism versus (inter) subjectivity 66
Scientific determinism versus freedom and choice 66
‘Thrownness’ 67
Authenticity 67
Ontological anxiety 67
Being-in-the-world 69
Existential views on personality development 70
Early development 71
Contents vii
Later development 71
Conclusions 72
5 Moral development 73
Lawrence Kohlberg: six stages of moral development 73
Three levels of moral stages: pre-conventional,
conventional and post-conventional 75
The distinctive features of moral judgement 76
Theories of moral development: cognitive-
developmental, socialization and psychoanalytic 77
Carol Gilligan’s feminist critique of Kohlberg’s
developmental theory 79
6 Feminist critiques of developmental theories 87
Freud and penis envy 88
Critiques of psychoanalytic and object relations
developmental theories: Dorothy Dinnerstein,
Nancy Chodorow and Jessica Benjamin 91
Feminist critiques of humanistic developmental theory 102
Conclusions 103
7 Cultural factors in personality development 105
The revised Cross model of the development of black
identity 107
Stage 1: the pre-encounter stage 107
Stage 2: the encounter stage 109
Stage 3: the immersion and ‘emersion’ stage 110
Stage 4: internalization 111
Other models of black identity 114
Paul Pedersen’s ten frequent assumptions of cultural
bias in counselling 115
8 Transpersonal and psycho-spiritual psychology 117
Carl Jung and the spiritual dimension 118
Roberto Assagioli and psychosynthesis 119
Ken Wilber’s levels of consciousness and the pre/trans
fallacy 122
James Fowler’s faith development model 125
Psychological crisis and spiritual emergence 126
viii Personality development
9 Conclusion 128
References 136
Index 145
Acknowledgements
For help, support, generosity and encouragement from Arnold
Simanowitz, Philippa Donald, Sue Daniels, John Barry (Brighton
University Library) and Leni Gillman.