Log out Go to App
Go to App

Learning Materials

Features

Discover

Chapter 12: Problem 1

(a) Why might Allport's reaction to Freud's question during their meeting in 1920 ("And was that little boy you?") be regarded as excessive? What might this imply about Allport's personality? About his theory? (b) Allport regards the very young child as an "unsocialized horror." What might this imply about his personality? About his theory?

Short Answer

Expert verified
Allport might be regarded as excessive in his reaction to Freud's question because it revealed his defensiveness and attachment to his theories. His description of a young child being an 'unsocialized horror' implied in his theory the importance of societal influences in shaping an individual's personality. It might also suggest in his personal life a tendency to conform to societal norms.

Step by step solution

01

Analyzing Allport's reaction

Allport might have been defensive at Freud's question because Freud was implying that individuals' personalities are rooted in their childhood experiences. This contradicts Allport's own theory that stresses on the importance of the present and future in shaping individuals' personalities. This reaction might imply that Allport was sensitive and perhaps a bit impulsive in responding to any perceived threats to his theories.
02

Implication on Allport's personality and theory

The defensive response suggests that Allport was deeply attached to his theories and perhaps less open to those of others, showcasing a part of his individual personality. On the theoretical level, his reaction emphasizes the fundamental difference between Freud's and his understanding of human personality. While Freud focused heavily on childhood experiences, Allport's theory emphasizes the uniqueness, current rational behaviors, and future orientation of individuals.
03

Analyzing Allport's view on a young child

When Allport referred to the very young child as an 'unsocialized horror,' he was emphasizing the role of socialization in shaping an individual's personality, reflecting that children, without the influence of learned societal norms, can be quite unrestrained.
04

Implication on Allport's personality and theory

This view could suggest that Allport, in his personal life, might have had a strong belief in the importance of societal norms and conventions. With respect to his theory, it underscored the idea that personality is dynamic and continually shaped by present experiences and societal interactions, and is not simply a product of past events.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Start your free trial

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

(a) Allport stresses the conscious and concrete aspects of personality, whereas Freud prefers to probe deeply into the unconscious. Which approach do you prefer? Why? (b) Traits have proved much more popular among psychological researchers during the past few decades than psychoanalytic constructs. How can this be explained?

A terrorist blows up a building in a hated foreign country. How might Allport explain the terrorist's behavior?

Consider this statement by Allport: "since we think about ourselves so much of the time, it is comforting to assume \(\ldots\) that we really know the score.... [But] this is not an easy assignment. [As] Santayana wrote, 'Nothing requires a rarer intellectual heroism than willingness to see one's equation written out." Do you agree or disagree? Why?

Allport argues that the healthy adult shows compassion for the considerable difficulties in living faced by all human beings, and he is highly critical of the person who feels that "he and his kind matter, no one else. His church, his family, and his nation make a safe unit, but all else is alien, dangerous, [and] to be excluded from his petty formula for survival." Do you agree or disagree? Why?

An explorer spends months in frozen wastelands, which involves severe hardships. A kamikaze pilot sacrifices his life during World War II. Allport argues that these behaviors cannot be explained by a Freudian pleasure principle, since they are painful and unpleasant. How might Freud defend the pleasure principle in each case?
See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Psychology Textbooks

Cognition and Development

Read Explanation

Careers in Psychology

Read Explanation

Famous Psychologists

Read Explanation

Issues and Debates in Psychology

Read Explanation

Stress

Read Explanation

Individual Differences Psychology

Read Explanation
View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free