PSY/405 v6

Comparison Matrix – Team 3

Theories of Personality; PSY 405

Professor Fernanda Mendieta

Bushra Alabsi; Tiffany Daniels; Jennifer G; Jennifer Gaffney; Leslie Hardy

July 24, 2020

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Theory Comparison Matrix

Complete the following table by identifying the main tenets, describing the main ideas of the theory that are not present in other theories, and creating a
situational example for each theory. Each section of the matrix should be approximately 1 to 5 sentences.

Theory Main Tenets Main Differences From Other Theories Situational Example

The main belief that individuals are

often motivated by one necessity or
another. Psychoanalysis and
Holistic- behaviorism both suggest that
Dynamic humans have a low nature.
Theory
Abraham H. Maslow’s approach
suggests that we are persuaded as a
whole person and not just through
one of our functions.
In a situation where an individual is
struggling with the completion of
Maslow created a hierarchy of
goals they have set forth in life. One
needs for the average human.
would first have to gain control over
Frederick Irving Herzberg did not
the lower hierarchies of their life.
believe there was such a thing as a
They would then begin climbing up
“hierarchy of needs” at all.
the hierarchy ladder to mental
success.

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Theory Main Tenets
Person-centered therapy uses a non-
authorita2ve approach that allows clients to
take more of a lead in discussions so that, in
the process, they will discover their own
solu2ons. The therapist acts as a
compassionate facilitator, listening without
judgment and acknowledging the client’s
experience without moving the conversa2on
in another direc2on. The therapist is there to
Person-
encourage and support the client and to guide
Centered the therapeu2c process without interrup2ng
Theory or interfering with the client’s process of self-
discovery. When people enter person-
centered therapy, they are in a state
of incongruence, meaning there is a
difference between how they see
themselves and reality. Having an
accurate self-concept is key to client-this
kind of therapy.
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Main Differences From Other Theories Situational Example
A person may consider himself helpful to
others but oIen puts his own needs before
the needs of others. It is the hope of client-
centered therapists to help clients reach a
One major difference between humanis2c state of congruence or a match between
counselors and other therapists is that they self-concept and reality. Which just means
for people to see themselves as they
refer to those in therapy as 'clients', not
'pa2ents'. This is because they see the actually are. For example, if a person
therapist and client as equal partners considers herself a good chef, she would not
rather than as an expert trea2ng a doubt herself when it comes to cooking
pa2ent. Unlike other therapies, the client is meals. In person-centered therapy, the
responsible for improving his or her life, therapist does not try to change the client's
not the therapist. thinking in any way. The therapist merely
facilitates self-actualiza2on by providing a
comfortable environment for clients to
freely engage in focused, in-depth self-
explora2on

Theory Main Tenets
Choice – Freedom - Responsibility
Think about the Myth of Sisyphus by
Albert Camus, which essentially is
about a man trying to push a boulder
uphill is the quintessential
representation of the existential
personality (philosophybasics.com,
2020).Therefore, the main tenets of
existential psychology include doubt,
awareness of external influences that
contradict with their own, internal
conflict with their given
existence.Existentialism is about one’s
acceptance or rebellion in their own
perception of the world and
awareness, darkness, and personal
Existential
Psychology
accountability (philosophybasics.com,
2020).Thinking is existing and the
existential reality is not necessarily in
sync with the norm, but rather how a
person feels about their existence, and
they over think reality and how they
fit in (Existential Therapy, 2020).
Free will and personal responsibility
are key tenets in this area of
psychology. And a state of human
discontent is at the core of this theory
as well as trying to reconcile their
individual sense of displacement.
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Main Differences From Other Theories
Existential therapy is unique in that it
deals with those individuals that are in
a difficult struggle with philosophical
differences with what society imposes
on them and this line of therapy is for
obtaining success in one’s personal
responsibility for (Existential Therapy,
2020).Working on a tool for
accountability the goal to adjust in
society. There are similarities in other
humanistic theories because it deals
with a holistic (whole health) approach
(Existential Therapy, 2020).The
differences of existential psychology
from other theories is that the client is
not dealing with the past, but it is put
into perspective, but rather what is
happening in the present.
Mistakes of the past serve as insight
(Existential Therapy, 2020).
Existential psychology is literally
helping those that are maladjusted
based on a disturbance with their own
human existence
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Situational Example
In a situation with a nurse and patient it
is important to probe into the patient’s
meaning of their life as well their inner
perspective that may have a possible
disconnect with the common
understanding and purpose of life and
ultimately death (Existential Therapy,
2020).Freedom and assertiveness are the
goal to have these different types of
hyper-sensitive individuals realize their
place and purpose in society (Existential
Therapy, 2020).For a client in
psychotherapy it is important to
understand the meaning of existence for
an individual through creativity of the
individual and how they express and
relate with a different perspective than
the status quo (Existential Therapy,
2020).
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“I exist therefore I am” - De“I see many people die because they judge that life is not worth living. I see others paradoxically getting killed
for the ideas or illusions that give them a reason for living (what is called a reason for living is also an excellent reason for dying). I therefore
conclude that the meaning of life is the most urgent of questions.”
~ Albert Camus, 1955, The Myth of Sisyphus: On Existential Therapy Essays, p. 4 (Philosophybasics.com, 2020).

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References

Existential Therapy. (2020). Retrieved from Counseling-Directory.org: https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/existential-

therapy.html#:~:text=The%20broad%20tenets%20of%20existentialism,of%20personal%20accountability%20and%20responsibility.

Philosophybasics.com. (2020). Existentialism. Retrieved from Philosophybasics.com: https://www.philosophybasics.com/

branch_existentialism.html#:~:text=Existentialism%20is%20a%20philosophy%20that%20emphasizes%20individual%20existence%2

C%20freedom%20and%20choice.&text=It%20holds%20that%2C%20as%20there,life)%20is%20by%20embracing%20exist

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