SESSION 6: ROGERS THEORY OF PERSONALITY

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SESSION 6 ROGERS THEORY OF PERSONALITY

• The aim of this session is to
• 1. Explore Rogers Theory of Personality.
• 2. Examine the nature of Self and
  Self-Actualisation
• 3. Understand what is meant by Self-Concept
• 4. Introduce Organismic Valuing and Conditions
  of Worth
• 5. Experiential Group Work on Presentation

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ROGERS THEORY OF PERSONALITY

• Personality theories have offered a wide variety
  of explanations for behaviour and what
  constitutes the person.
• Rogers theory of personality evolved out of his
  theory of client-centred therapy (Rogers, 1959).
• Rogers approach to the study of persons is
  phenomenological and idiographic.

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ACUTALISING TENDENCY

• Rogers (1959) maintains that the human
  organism has an underlying actualising
  tendency, which aims to develop all capacities
  in ways that enhance the organism and move it
  toward autonomy.
• This tendency is directional, constructive and
  present in all living things.
• It encompasses all motivations tension, need,
  creative as well as pleasure-seeking tendencies

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ACUTALISING TENDENCY

• Only the organism as a whole has this tendency,
  parts of it (such as the self) do not.
• Maddie (1996) describes it as a biological
  pressure to fulfill the genetic blueprint.
• - each person thereby has a fundamental mandate
  to fulfill their potential.

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SELF

• The human organisms phenomenal field includes
  all experiences available at a given moment, both
  conscious and unconscious (Rogers, 1959).
• As development occurs, a portion of this field
  becomes differentiated and this becomes the
  persons self.
• The self is a central construct in this
  theory. It develops through interactions with
  others and involves awareness of being and
  functioning (Pescitelli, 1996).

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SELF-CONCEPT

• The self-concept is the organised set of
  characteristics that the individual perceives as
  peculiar to him/her-self (Ryckman, 1993, p.
  106).
• It is based largely on the social evaluations
  he/she experienced.

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SELF-ACTUALISING TENDENCY

• Involves the actualisation of that portion of
  experience symbolised in the self (Pescitelli,
  1996).
• - it may be seen as a push to experience oneself
  in a way that is consistent with ones conscious
  view of what one is (Maddie, 1996).
• Connected to the development of the self-concept
  and self-acutalisation are secondary needs
  (assumed to be learned in childhood)
• - the need for positive regard from others and
  the need for positive self-regard (an
  internalised version of the former).
• These lead to the favouring of behaviour that is
  consistent with the persons self-concept
  (Maddie, 1996).

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ORGANISMIC VALUING AND CONDITIONS OF WORTH

• When significant others in the persons world
  (usually parents) provide regard that is
  conditional, rather than unconditional, the
  person introjects the desired values, making them
  his/her own, and acquires conditions of worth
  (Rogers, 1959).
• The self-concept then becomes based on these
  standards of value rather than on organismic
  evaluation.

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ORGANISMIC VALUING AND CONDITIONS OF WORTH

• These conditions of worth disturb the
  organismic valuing process, which is a fluid,
  ongoing process whereby experiences are
  accurately symbolised and valued according to
  optimal enhancement of the organism and self
  (Rogers, 1959).
• The need for positive self-regard leads to a
  selective perception of experience in terms of
  the conditions of worth that now exist.

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ORGANISMIC VALUING AND CONDITIONS OF WORTH

• Those experiences in accordance with these
  conditions are perceived and symbolised
  accurately in awareness, while those that are not
  are distorted or denied into awareness
  (Pescitelli, 1996).
• This leads to an incongruence between the self
  as perceived and the actual experience of the
  organism, resulting in possible confusion,
  tension and unhelpful behaviour patterns
• - such estrangement is common in the human
  condition.
• -experiences can be perceived as threatening
  without conscious awareness, a form of
  discrimination without awareness that can result
  in anxiety.

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FULLY FUNCTIONING PERSON AND THE SELF

• Theoretically, an individual may develop
  optimally and avoid the previously described
  outcomes if they experience only unconditional
  positive regard and no conditions of worth
  develop
• - the need for positive regard from others and
  positive self-regard would match organismic
  evaluation and there would be congruence between
  self and experience, with full psychological
  adjustment as a result (Rogers, 1959).

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FULLY FUNCTIONING PERSON AND THE SELF

• The ideal human condition is embodied in the
  fully functioning person who is
• Open to experience
• Trusting in his/her own organism
• Expresses feelings freely
• Acts independently
• Creative
• Lives a richer life (the good life).

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FULLY FUNCTIONING PERSON AND THE SELF

• The good life is a process not a state of
  being. It is a direction, not a destination,
  Rogers, 1959, p. 186).
• For the vast majority of people who do not have
  an optimal childhood, change can occur and
  psychological maturity can be developed through
  therapy/professional counselling, in which the
  aim is
• - to dissolve the conditions of worth, achieve a
  self congruence with experience and restore the
  organismic valuing process (Rogers, 1959).

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THE SELF-CONCEPT

• The Individuals Perceptions of Self
• Acquired Early in Childhood
• Reflected in the attitudes expressed by others
  
• Reinforced by interaction with others

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THE ORGANISMIC SELF

• The Inner Life of the Person
• Present from Birth
• Aims to Mature and Self-actualise
• Moves towards Harmony and Integration

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THE THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP

• Questions social workers need to keep in mind
  include
• 1. Will you reflect conditions of worth?
• 2. Will you impose conditions of worth?
• A fundamental tenet of the person-centred
  Rogerian model is that clients behaviour needs
  to be viewed separately since behaviour is
  contingent upon the current circumstances of
  difficulties the person is experiencing
• - very often people respond to life events in
  ways that may be negative or counter-productive
  but which seem to be the appropriate or only
  solution to that person at that time. Therapeutic
  movement takes place in the counsellors ability
  to see beyond this to the person him/herself.

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CRITICISIMS OF THE MODEL

• Rogers conception of the self is rather broad
• - no description of a variation of self, two
  extremes
• - specific concepts related to identity and
  identity development are missing
• While the idea of an actualising tendency makes
  sense
• - there is no specifics offered as to what some
  of the inherent capacities that maintain and
  enhance life might be (Pescitelli, 1996).

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CRITICISIMS OF THE MODEL

• While it is useful for both therapist and client
  to have a belief in unlimited possibilities
• - applying this idea of all human beings in a
  theory of personality sets up the logical
  requirement of precision regarding what the
  potentialities might be (Maddie, 1996).

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EXERCISE 6.1

• In groups of 3
• 1. Think about formative life experiences
  where
• a) you felt conditions of worth were being
  imposed on you
• How did this make you feel?
• b) where you felt affirmed as a person?
• How did this make you feel?

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EXERCISE 6.2

• Staying in groups of 3
• Discuss what you think are the positive
  influences of
• 1. Rogers Person-Centred Theory
• 2. Rogers Theory of Personality
• 3. How might it influence you in your
  relationships and work with clients