Neo-Freudian Theory
Freud garnered multiple supporters who altered his ideas to develop new theories
addressing personality. These theorists were known as neo-Freudians, and they established that
childhood incidences significantly influenced one’s personality (Posey & Cushing, 2019).
However, they concentrated more on the social surroundings and the impact of culture on one’s
personality. This was in contrast with Freud’s theory which emphasized that sex was a source of
energy and conflict, hence having a significant effect on personality. The theorists also agreed
with Freud that childhood experience had a huge impact on personality.
Our behaviors result from interactions among the id, ego, and superego, which are all
parts of the mind. A major function of our behaviors is sensory stimulation. If a certain behavior
feels good to a person, they will continue engaging in these behaviors. Another function of our
behaviors is escape, whereby everyone wants to get away from undesirable situations. Access to
attention and specific items are also a function of our behaviors as certain behaviors characterize
a need for something, which is either attention or an item.
There are different characteristics one can notice about people by being around them for a
few seconds. It is more likely to notice bad qualities in people before noticing the good ones. It is
important to note that feeling surrounded by bad or neutral qualities in others is caused by feeling
less supported naturally. However, by seeing the good characteristics in people, one can feel
happier and more confident. One can also become more productive and loving towards other
people. Thus, we should always notice the good characteristics in people instead of the bad ones.
Environmental factors have the biggest impact on personality development as they are
accidental, making them the best source of natural response. Parents and the family environment
have a huge impact on a child’s personality. For instance, a child raised in a calm environment
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may have a calm outlook on life. This is different from a child raised in a turbulent environment.
Such a child may develop aggression or other negative traits in life. Environmental factors that
impact one’s personality include childhood experiences, culture, geographic location, and life
experiences.
Some of the Christian ideas of personality suggest that religious beliefs have a positive
relationship with good individual characteristics. This means that religiosity and personality
traits both relate to one’s feelings, behaviors and thoughts. Being religious is a consistent
behavior across different cultures, suggesting that personality is related to religiosity. The Neo-
Freudian theory suggested that childhood experiences, the social environment, and culture
greatly impact personality (Posey & Cushing, 2019). As stated earlier, being religious is a
consistent behavior across certain cultures, and it impacts one’s personality.
Again, the environment in which religious people interact may impact their personalities
in the long run. One psychologist in the Neo-Freudian theory, Adler, believed social connections
enhanced working together for the betterment of all. Adler also focused on social motives for
behavior. Some of these motives include finding love in the long-term, which is the same in the
religious setting. Children brought up in a religious family may uphold everything they were
taught, which significantly influences their personalities. For instance, they are taught to enhance
equity and show empathy towards other people. They are also taught about the importance of
marriage and finding a long-term partner. Therefore, as they grow older, they uphold these
teachings even when they are older. In conclusion, childhood experiences, social environment,
and life experiences significantly impact one’s personality.
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References
Posey, A. J., & Cushing, J. (2019). Little freudian slippage: Coverage of the psychodynamic
perspective in the undergraduate personality course. Teaching of Psychology, 46(3), 251–
259. https://doi.org/10.1177/0098628319853941