Self Analysis
Personality Traits and Characteristics
Kelsey Matousek
Columbia College
Abstract
I have applied Carl Jung and Erik Erikson’s theories to my own personality. I examined myself, took a Jung typology test and interviewed family to try and gain the most accurate information to work with. I thoroughly review the concepts of both psychologists’ theories on personality. I surprising found analyzing myself very difficult, but it has proven to be a very interesting learning experience. This self-analysis has helped me identify problems with my personality and given me a drive to change them.
Personality Traits and Characteristics I had assumed that analyzing my own personality would be an easier task than analyzing the personality of a famous historical person. I made this assumption based on the thought that I knew myself extremely well. However, as I sat down to write this analysis, I drew a blank. I was unsure what to write about my own personality traits and characteristics. As a result of this difficulty, I completed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to achieve some insight into my own personality. I also interviewed family members to gather information about my personality that was clear and unbiased. The two approaches I have chosen to complete this self-analysis are Carl Jung’s Attitude and Functions and Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages of Development theories. Carl Jung’s personality theories cover an extremely wide array of ideas regarding the human psyche, or all psychological processes. As a result of this I have chosen to focus on his theories of attitudes and functions. According to Jung, psychological types are a result of various combinations of two basic attitudes and four functions. These attitudes and functions are responsible for our ways of perceiving the environment and orienting experiences. The two basic attitudes of Jung’s theory are extraversion, in which the psyche is oriented outward to the objective world, and introversion, in which the
Kelsey Matousek
Columbia College
Abstract
I have applied Carl Jung and Erik Erikson’s theories to my own personality. I examined myself, took a Jung typology test and interviewed family to try and gain the most accurate information to work with. I thoroughly review the concepts of both psychologists’ theories on personality. I surprising found analyzing myself very difficult, but it has proven to be a very interesting learning experience. This self-analysis has helped me identify problems with my personality and given me a drive to change them.
Personality Traits and Characteristics I had assumed that analyzing my own personality would be an easier task than analyzing the personality of a famous historical person. I made this assumption based on the thought that I knew myself extremely well. However, as I sat down to write this analysis, I drew a blank. I was unsure what to write about my own personality traits and characteristics. As a result of this difficulty, I completed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to achieve some insight into my own personality. I also interviewed family members to gather information about my personality that was clear and unbiased. The two approaches I have chosen to complete this self-analysis are Carl Jung’s Attitude and Functions and Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages of Development theories. Carl Jung’s personality theories cover an extremely wide array of ideas regarding the human psyche, or all psychological processes. As a result of this I have chosen to focus on his theories of attitudes and functions. According to Jung, psychological types are a result of various combinations of two basic attitudes and four functions. These attitudes and functions are responsible for our ways of perceiving the environment and orienting experiences. The two basic attitudes of Jung’s theory are extraversion, in which the psyche is oriented outward to the objective world, and introversion, in which the
References: Benziger, K. (2007, May 3). The physiology of type (part 1). Retrieved from http://www.cgjungpage.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=834&Itemid=40 Engler, B. (2009). Personality theories. (8th ed). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. Heiss, M. (2007, August 20). Isfj profile. Retrieved from http://typelogic.com/isfj.html Personality test based on C. Jung and I. Briggs Myers type theory. (2013). Retrieved from http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp