PAPER

Personality Psychology

“The Psychological Theory of Traits by Gordon. W. Allport: brief

history, views on human beings, theoretical points, and
personality structure (traits, proprium, functional autonomy) “

Lecturer of Courses :
Dr. Dina Sukma, S.Psi., M.Pd.

Arranged By Group11
Name and NIM :
1. Cici Masrira (20006056)
2. Desi Tria Herliyani (20006010)
3. Leli Teti Suryani (20006082)
4. Panji Wiryatama (20006031)

GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING DEPARTMENT

FACULTY OF SCIENCE EDUCATION
UNIVERSITAS NEGERI PADANG
2021

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 FOREWORD

Praise Allah SWT. Who has given us His grace and guidance so that we can complete this paper
assignment entitled " The Psychological Theory of Traits by Gordon. W. Allport: brief history,
views on human beings, theoretical points, and personality structure (traits, proprium, functional
autonomy) " on time. The purpose of writing this paper is to fulfill the tasks given in the
Personality Psychology. In addition, this paper also aims to add insight into the The Psychological
Theory of Traits by Gordon. W. Allport: brief history, views on human beings, theoretical points,
and personality structure (traits, proprium, functional autonomy) Materials and Formulate
Learning for readers and also for writers. We would like to thank Mrs. Dr. Dina Sukma, S.Psi.,
M.Pd. as a lecturer in the Personality Psychology Course who always motivates us to carry out this
paper assignment so that we can add knowledge and insight in accordance with the field of study we
are engaged in. We also thank all those who shared some of their knowledge so that we can
complete this paper. Regardless of all that, we are fully aware, the paper we write is still far from
perfect. Therefore, we are open to receiving any constructive input and criticism from readers so
that we can make good and correct improvements to the paper. Finally, we ask that this paper be
useful and can add insight to readers.

Padang, 8 November 2021

Team

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

FOREWORD ........................................................................................................2

TABLE OF CONTENTS......................................................................................3

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION

1. Background ...........................................................................................4

2. Formulation of The Problem ................................................................4

3. Purpose of Material...............................................................................4

CHAPTER II DISCUSSION

1. Brief History ......................................................................................5

2. Views on Human Beings ...................................................................8
3. Theoretical Points ..............................................................................8
4. Personality Structure………………………………………………..10

CHAPTER III SUMMARY

A. Conclusion ................................................................................................9
B. Suggestion ................................................................................................9

BIBLIOGRAPHY ...............................................................................................10

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 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background
Most of the best minds in psychology seek to increase the precision and
quantification of tracing motives not to the bottom. Amid tendencies, Gordon Allport calmly
follows his own mind, encouraging investigative inquiry into individual cases and focusing
on awareness. Allport's reluctance to follow this stream of contemporary thought has
sometimes resulted in his formulations being old-fashioned and outdated. But on other
occasions he emerged as a pioneer of new and very radical ideas. Despite his conservative
views, he managed to put forward a synthesis between traditional psychological thought and
personality theory, in a way that was probably better than any other theorist of his time.

The difference between Allport and previous psychological figures, led Allport to
provide a different definition of personality. According to him personality is: "The dynamic
organization in the psychophysical system of the individual that determines his unique
adjustment to the environment. A dynamic phenomenon that has psychological and
physiological elements, develops and changes, plays an active role in the functioning of the
individual.

B. Formulation of The Problem

1. What The Brief History of The Psychological Theory of Traits by Gordon. W. Allport
2. What The Views on Human Beings of Theory of Traits by Gordon. W. Allport
3. What The Theoretical Points of Theory of Traits by Gordon. W. Allport
4. What The Personality Structure of Theory of Traits by Gordon. W. Allport

C. Purpose of Material
1. Knowing Brief History of The Psychological Theory of Traits by Gordon. W. Allport
2. Knowing Views on Human Beings of Theory of Traits by Gordon. W. Allport
3. Knowing Theoretical Points of Theory of Traits by Gordon. W. Allport
4. Knowing Personality Structure of Theory of Traits by Gordon. W. Allport

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 CHAPTER II

DISCUSSION

A. Brief History
Gordon Willard Allport was born on November 11, 1897 in Montezuma, Indiana. He
is the youngest of four siblings. His mother, Nellie Wise Allport was a teacher and his father,
John E. Allport was a businessman who later decided to become a doctor. Allport's mother
was so devoted to her religion that the teachings were applied to her domestic life. Therefore,
Allport spent a childhood filled with struggles for the attention of the few friends he had, as
he was rarely allowed to play with his older siblings. Allport admitted that basically he is not
a person who has high enthusiasm and curiosity, Allport is very dependent on others and
lacks inspiration. But he has a good ability with words, even though he is not quite proficient
in sports.
In 1915, Allport graduated second in his class and received a scholarship to Harvard
University. After getting A.B. Bachelor of Philosophy and Economics from Harvard in 1919,
Allport traveled to Istanbul, Turkey to teach philosophy and economics. After a year of
teaching, he returned to Harvard to complete his studies. Allport earned his Ph.D. Psychology
in 1922. Continuing from 1922-1924 he continued his studies abroad, namely Berlin. Which
later he received international attention, and was known as the German Psychological
Interpreter in the US. He has received many awards, one of which is the President of The
American Psychology Association.
In an essay entitled 'Pattern and Growth in Personality', Gordon Allport recounts his
experience with the psychiatrist Sigmund Freud. Upon meeting Freud for the first time,
Allport was greeted by silence. Freud didn't say hello and didn't say a word, until finally
Allport opened the conversation by recounting what he had seen on the way to Freud's
residence. "I saw a small child on public transportation who was very afraid of his body
getting dirty, he changed seats, even asked his mother not to allow people with dirty bodies to
sit next to him". Freud asked again "Is that little boy you?". This incident was truly
unforgettable by Allport, which made him believe that it was time for psychology to no
longer just dive deep into past experiences (the subconscious), but to begin exploring the
realm of consciousness and the motivations in it.

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B. ViewsonHumanBeings
In general, Allport's theory is positive about humans, Allport's theory has helped
humans to see themselves as good and hopeful creatures. This can be seen from his theory,
namely "the picture of human nature is positive, full of hope and flattering". Seeing a positive
person and what it is is one of the definitions of a healthy person, this is the strength and
power of Allport's theory. The following is explained in detail :
1. Humans consist of several basic components such as a positive outlook, hopeful, and
flattering.
This is different from Freud's opinion which states that individuals do not have a
view of life because according to Freud the traits that appear now are a picture of him in
the past (childhood) so that if in childhood he has bad qualities, now or tomorrow the
individual is remains bad and unchangeable. On the other hand, Allport is more optimistic
about human nature that humans have some positive views that are able to think ahead so
that new hopes will emerge. If an individual has a bad experience in childhood, then that
experience is not used as a basis for describing a person's personality at this time or in the
future. Because according to Allport, individuals have broad minds that can change their
way of thinking.
2. Humans are healthy individuals
Allport and Freud have several different views. Freud did not believe that mature
and healthy people are controlled and ruled by the subconscious mind, a power that cannot
be seen and influenced. But Allport believes that these unconscious forces are an important
influence on the behavior of neuritis. However, healthy individuals who function on a
rational and conscious level are fully aware of the forces that guide them and can control
those forces as well. So according to Allport a person's thoughts today are not images of
the past. In contrast to the neuritis person, the person who operates in the views and
experiences of childhood and the healthy personality functions on a different and higher
level.
3. Humans need motivation to be successful
Humans are conscious and rational creatures, acting based on what they hope can be
achieved, not based on primitive desires or traumatic experiences in the past. Motivation is
the most absolute thing and must be owned by someone in carrying out daily activities,

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 without the motivation of one's work it will be difficult to achieve success. Allport believes
that this is very important because a healthy personality is not guided by unconscious
forces or experiences of childhood, but rather the individual has the motivation to be able
to think realistically so that long-term life goals can be realized.

C. Theoretical Points

Personality according to Allport is a dynamic organization within the individual as a

psychophysical system, that is, determining the typical way of adjusting to oneself and the
surrounding environment. And why Allport uses the term dynamic organization is because the
reality of personality is always evolving and changing from time to time, although basically
there are important components that bind and connect the various components within the
personality itself. Personality is not a mental that is exclusively exclusive, but all the
components that make up the personality is a unified whole that surrounds a person's body
and soul. And in this statement Allport uses the term psychophysical.

In the use of the term "typical" Allport says that each individual behaves in his own
way, because each individual has his own personality. because two individuals cannot
possibly have the same personality. And so no two people behave the same way.

Personality is different from character because character implies certain behavioral

norms based on the value of individual actions. So in describing an individual's character, the
words "good" and "bad" are often used. Allport argues that character is an ethical concept and
states that "we prefer to define character as personality being evaluated, whereas personality
is character being evaluated" (character is personality evaluated and personality in character
devalued. 1961, p 32).

Personality and temperament are closely related to biological or physiological factors

and therefore undergo little change in development. The role of heredity or basis here is more
important/greater than other aspects of personality. For Allport temperament is a special part
of personality which is given this definition: "Temperature is a characteristic symptom of an
individual's emotional nature, including the susceptibility to emotional stimulation, the
strength and speed of reaction, the quality of the strength of his mood, fluctuations and
intensity of moods, these symptoms. depends on constitutional factors and is therefore

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 primarily hereditary.” (Allport, 1951, p. 54).

D. Personality Structure

1. Traits

Traits according to Allport's theory are generalized mental/neuropsychic systems

capable of directing stimuli that will produce adaptive or expressive behavior. The
emphasis on individuality and the conclusion that tendencies are not confined to a small
number of stimuli or reactions, but the whole human person. The statement "neuropsychic
system" shows the affirmative answer given by Allport to the question of whether "traits"
really exist in individuals. Allport argued that a trait could be characterized not by its rigid
independent nature but primarily by its centralizing quality. So the nature tends to have a
center and around it the effect is functioning. The freedom of general traits to be defined
arbitrarily is one of its weaknesses as an accurate representation of behavior. Allport then
classifies traits in 2 forms :

 Individual Traits: unique in a person and shows their character.

 Common Traits: behavior performed by a number of people, for example as part of

culture.

2. Proprium

Proprium is a term coined by Allport which indicates all the functions of the self or
ego. It is also called a proprietary function rather than personality. These functions are
physical awareness, self-identity, self-esteem, self-extension, rational thinking, self-image,
propriate stiving, and the function of knowing. These are vital parts of personality. The
proprium is not present at birth but develops in the development of the individual. Allport
uses the word proprium rather than self because it is easier to understand as a general
personality trait or function. There are seven aspects to the development of the proporium :

 Bodily Self: stages 1-3. In the first 3 years, babies become more concerned about
their existence and distinguish their bodies from the objects around them.

 Self Identity: children prove and find their identity remains irrespective of changes
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 in their environment.

 Self-esteem: children begin to be proud of the achievements (achievements) they

have achieved.

 Extension of self: 4-5th stage. ages 4 to 6 years. At this time children recognize the
objects around them and the people around them.

 Self-image: children develop an actual and idealistic image of themselves and their
behavior and become more concerned with satisfaction (or dissatisfaction) with
parental expectations.

 Self as a rational coper: stage 6. Age 6-12 years, children begin to apply reason and
knowledge to reach solutions to problems they face in everyday life.

 Propriate striving: stage 7. In early adolescence (before teenage) begins to form

long-term goals and plans.

3. Functional Autonomy

Functional autonomy views adult motivation as diverse, self-sustaining systems,

growth antecedent systems, but functionally unrelated. Functional autonomy is also the
driving force and shaping behavior of the present and independent of the past. What he did
was simply devoted to a different purpose than before. Example: A hunter will still hunt
even if there is no instrumental value (just like hunting). Perseverative Functional
Autonomy: includes forms of addiction, circular mechanisms, repetitive or routine actions.
Healthy adults are characterized by an ordered and congruent set of traits that function for
the most part rationally and consciously.

So to understand adults it is necessary to understand their intentions and

aspirations. Example: The act of a child babbling repeatedly, unfinished tasks get
interrupted and tend to be remembered than completed tasks. Propriate Functional
Autonomy: includes learned interests, values, sentiments, basic motives, personal
dispositions, self-image and lifestyle.

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 Humans are always in the process of becoming more integral and the most important
unifying force is the propriate function, which is the pursuit of goals that shape personality.
Example: A person who wants to become a doctor is not an innate trait or because it is
necessary but learns to live.

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 CHAPTER III

SUMMARY

A. Conclusion
Personality according to Allport is a dynamic organization within the individual as a
psychophysical system, that is, determining the typical way of adjusting to oneself and the
surrounding environment. In addition, the personality structure is in the form of traits or traits,
intentions, types, and proparium. According to Allport, human nature is 1) humans consist of
several basic components such as positive, hopeful, and flattering views, 2) humans are
healthy individuals, 3) humans need motivation to achieve success. Allport also describes
mature personality traits including self-expansion, Able to establish warm relationships with
others, Has a realistic orientation, Philosophy of life, Able to avoid overreacting to a problem,
Realistic perceptions, skills and assignments. Allport emphasized that the influence of a
person's existence in the present is not only in his theory of personality but also in his view of
motivation. And also emphasizes that past or past lives can no longer explain a person's future
behavior except as motivation. So Allport only focuses on individual life in the future rather
than in the past.

B. Suggestion
Thus what the author can describe about the material that is the subject of this
paper, of course there are still many shortcomings and weaknesses, due to limited
knowledge and lack of references or references that have to do with the title of this paper.
The author hopes that readers can provide constructive criticism and suggestions to the
author for the perfection of this paper. Hopefully this paper can be useful for writers,
especially for readers in general.

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 Bibliography

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Feist Jess dan J. Feist, Gregory. (2011). Teori Kepribadian Theories of Personality,
Jakarta: Selemba Humanika.
Fudyartanta, Ki. (2012). Psikologi Kepribadian. Jakarta : Raja Grafindo Persada. Gerald,
C. (2005). Teori dan Praktek Konseling dan Psikoterapi, Bandung: Eresco.
Sofyan, Willis. (2004).Konseling Individu: Teori Dan Peraktek, Bandung:
Alfabetha. Sumadi,S. (2006).Psikologi Kepribadian, Jakarta: Raja Grafindo
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Yusuf, S. & Nurikhsan, J. (2008). Teori Kepribadian. Bandung: Remaja RosdaKarya.

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