Freud vs. Rogers: the Theory of Personality

Famous psychological theorists, Sigmund Freud and Carl Rogers, possibly two of the greatest thinkers of our time, both made much advancement in the field of psychology with their theories, clinical evidence, and expertise. Some views they shared, others they did not. However, both psychologists theorized that people have a ‘hidden' personality within them, one which they are not aware of. Although both theories were developed through many years of clinical experience, they are each based on their own, inherently different assumptions; although both theories include a ‘hidden personality', the concept of human nature and the role it plays in the rationale behind human motivation are diametrically opposed.

In Freud's view, humans are primarily driven by sexual and aggressive instincts, and seek unlimited gratification of all desires. However, the endless pursuit of pleasure, driven by the id, or unconscious, directly conflicts with society, as the uncontrolled satisfaction of personal pleasure is not acceptable. Social, cultural, religious, and moral restraints are all factors. Freud believed that inherent sexual and aggressive energy, prevented from being expressed, would cause "civilization to be miserable, and the forfeiture of happiness." Freud's psychoanalytic view of personality theory is based on the concept that much of human behavior is determined by forces outside our awareness. That the relation between the person and society is controlled by primitive and destructive urges buried deep within us. It is these urges, Freud claimed, that form the basis of the hidden self. Therefore, in Freud's view the essence of human nature is destructive. In fact, Freud theorized that people have an unconscious mind that would, if permitted, manifest itself in incest, murder and other activities which are considered crimes in contemporary society. Freud believed the control of these instincts is necessary for society to exist. Certainly these restrictions would