Self-Concept
Self-concept is how a person thinks of themselves and is capable of changing. A person's self-concept is not limited to just one way of perceiving themselves either. As children begin to grow their self-concept begins to develop as well. This develops out of a self-schema which is based on previous actions in situations and knowledge. Markus and Wurf are the theorists who defined self-concept by being able to have multiple self representations. In younger children concrete examples are used to define self-concepts and in adolescents and adults self-concepts are categorical and can have abstract elements.
Possible Selves/ Future Selves
Along with the concept of self, there is the concept of future self. Which is how someone thinks their future self could be, this can be based on what the person wants to become, or what they don't want to become.
Self-concept is how a person thinks of themselves and is capable of changing. A person's self-concept is not limited to just one way of perceiving themselves either. As children begin to grow their self-concept begins to develop as well. This develops out of a self-schema which is based on previous actions in situations and knowledge. Markus and Wurf are the theorists who defined self-concept by being able to have multiple self representations. In younger children concrete examples are used to define self-concepts and in adolescents and adults self-concepts are categorical and can have abstract elements.
Possible Selves/ Future Selves
Along with the concept of self, there is the concept of future self. Which is how someone thinks their future self could be, this can be based on what the person wants to become, or what they don't want to become.
Sigmund Freud's Theory
Freud's theory of personality is broken into three parts: id, ego, and superego. His theory says that to be a healthy individual they must maintain an equal balance of all three components.
The id is a person's libido and focuses on pleasure and is located in the unconscious. The id is what a person wants and is driven to achieve pleasure by any means necessary.
The ego of a person is based on reality and what the current situation is. Freud claims that this is located in the conscious and unconscious and begins to present in early childhood as an effort to deal with the id
The superego of a person is their morality and how it causes them to behave. Freud breaks the superego into two parts: the ego ideal and the conscience. The ego ideal is what parents and teachers set as the standard and give rules. A person goes by a ego ideal to present good behavior. The conscience is where information about wrong or bag things is stored in the superego.
Freud's theory of personality is broken into three parts: id, ego, and superego. His theory says that to be a healthy individual they must maintain an equal balance of all three components.
The id is a person's libido and focuses on pleasure and is located in the unconscious. The id is what a person wants and is driven to achieve pleasure by any means necessary.
The ego of a person is based on reality and what the current situation is. Freud claims that this is located in the conscious and unconscious and begins to present in early childhood as an effort to deal with the id
The superego of a person is their morality and how it causes them to behave. Freud breaks the superego into two parts: the ego ideal and the conscience. The ego ideal is what parents and teachers set as the standard and give rules. A person goes by a ego ideal to present good behavior. The conscience is where information about wrong or bag things is stored in the superego.
Freud's Psychosexual Stages of Development
Freud believed that a persons personality and psychosexual development are related. There are five stages of Freud's theory and each has a conflict that must be over come to move on to the next stage. The stages of this theory are: oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital stages.
Oral Stage
This stage occurs during infancy and since the sucking reflex is the infants focus, then it releases the built up energy and get pleasure through oral stimulation.
Anal Stage
This stage occurs during toddlerhood and the focus is on the bladder and anal regions. This is when children should be potty trained so they realize that they can control their bodily functions.
Phallic Stage
During this stage of early childhood the focus in on the genitalia. This is when boys and girls realize they are different form one another. The Oedipus Complex and Electra Complex occur a this time too. The Oedipus Complex is when a boy develops romantic feelings for his mother, but keeps then internal because he realizes that his father is bigger. The Electra Complex is when a girl developed romantic feelings for her father but also keeps them internal because she realizes that her mother is with him.
Latency Stage
During this stage ego and superego develop which suppresses the libido. This is when the focus is on building social skills and excelling in education.
Genital Stage
This is Freud's final stage of psychosexual development and the focus is directed back to the genitals for the purpose of reproduction. Also the Oedipus and Electra Complexes are resolves and the child goes through puberty and develops romantic relationships.
Freud believed that a persons personality and psychosexual development are related. There are five stages of Freud's theory and each has a conflict that must be over come to move on to the next stage. The stages of this theory are: oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital stages.
Oral Stage
This stage occurs during infancy and since the sucking reflex is the infants focus, then it releases the built up energy and get pleasure through oral stimulation.
Anal Stage
This stage occurs during toddlerhood and the focus is on the bladder and anal regions. This is when children should be potty trained so they realize that they can control their bodily functions.
Phallic Stage
During this stage of early childhood the focus in on the genitalia. This is when boys and girls realize they are different form one another. The Oedipus Complex and Electra Complex occur a this time too. The Oedipus Complex is when a boy develops romantic feelings for his mother, but keeps then internal because he realizes that his father is bigger. The Electra Complex is when a girl developed romantic feelings for her father but also keeps them internal because she realizes that her mother is with him.
Latency Stage
During this stage ego and superego develop which suppresses the libido. This is when the focus is on building social skills and excelling in education.
Genital Stage
This is Freud's final stage of psychosexual development and the focus is directed back to the genitals for the purpose of reproduction. Also the Oedipus and Electra Complexes are resolves and the child goes through puberty and develops romantic relationships.
Erikson's Eight Stages of Man
Erikson's theory accepted parts Freud's theory but instead of being about the sexual aspects, Erikson focused on the cultural and social aspects. In this theory each stage builds off of the pervious one and each stage presents a crises to help balance out an individuals life. Each crisis is positively resolved somehow, not all crises are solved the same because of individual differences, and then the individual moves on to the next stage. Erikson's theory is that people develop their personalities within the eight stages.
Erikson's theory accepted parts Freud's theory but instead of being about the sexual aspects, Erikson focused on the cultural and social aspects. In this theory each stage builds off of the pervious one and each stage presents a crises to help balance out an individuals life. Each crisis is positively resolved somehow, not all crises are solved the same because of individual differences, and then the individual moves on to the next stage. Erikson's theory is that people develop their personalities within the eight stages.
Marcia's Identity Statuses
The focus of Marcia's theory is career an religious and political ideology and boils down to two questions: Has crisis been experienced while searching for his or her identity, and has a commitment been to an identity? Crisis is when many options are presented to an adolescent and they have to make a choice. Commitment the focus of investing into what the person chosen. The final commitment may take some time because the adolescent may test the options to see what is the best fit. Marcia's different identity statuses are: identity diffusion, identity foreclosure, identity moratorium, and identity achievement. This theory explains that a person can experience these identity statuses multiple times throughout their lifespan and not all of them will remain stable.
Identity Diffusion is when an individual not experienced neither crisis or commitment yet.
Identity Foreclosure is when someone is committed to an identity but has not experienced a crisis yet.
Identity Moratorium is when someone is experiencing a crisis but has yet to make a commitment.
Identity Achievement is when an individual has experienced crisis an has committed to an identity.
How has this influenced my development
I have a good understanding of my self concept I think. I see my future self as an occupational therapist. I experienced crisis while trying to commit to what college to attend and I'm sure I will do the same for when I have to chose what OT program to attend. While growing up I feel like I accordingly went through Freud's stages of psychosexual development and fixations on a specific stage. I also have a good understanding of where the lines are drawn for distinguishing my id, ego , and superego.
How will this understanding influence my career path
To be an occupational therapist you would have to understand the different theories on identity development to best assess your patients. It is also important to make sure they have a positive self-concept they can make progress in therapy and see their future self as a recovered, functional member of society.