by John Hobbs

Created on: January 18, 2009

To compare different ideals of personality development' there will be a number of crucial factors which need to be analysed. This will include contrast of thought as well as likeness in ideas; ultimately the strengths and weaknesses of both types of theory will be critically examined. This will help build up in intricate detail a greater understanding into the different ideas of personality development and provide a solid base in which to evaluate methodically which type of theory holds the more concrete explanations with supporting empirical and anecdotal evidence. This will be achieved by analysing Freud's theory of personality development in great detail which will represent The Psychodynamic based models. The trait-Based theory which will be evaluated and used for comparison will be Eysenck's Big Three' approach.

This article will begin by introducing the prominent ideology within these two fields of research. To give an insight into general personality theory the consensus argues that like animals, humans are born with a set of instincts and motivations which form the basic ideals of our personality (Friedman & Schustack, 2006). This is particularly evident in the Freudian model (Psychodynamic) of personality development. The model proposed a theory of Psychosexual Development which was defined by five different stages.

For the purpose of this article and to prevent an over-descriptive view of the theory only the first two stages will be outlined and evaluated to give a general idea of Freudian concepts. Stage 1 (Oral Stage) occurred roughly between birth up until the age of one. During this period the Libido (Psychic Energy from the Id- structure of the mind containing our instincts and drives) is focused around the mouth as feeding becomes the primary source of pleasure. Thus when they are fed, they are in turn gratified. The crucial notion for this stage is the factor of dependency as gratification can only be met with the involvement of others; in most cases this is the mother. Moreover, through this interaction between the child and the caregiver, Freud proposed the child's libidinal energy is invested and their first attachment is formed.

In terms of personality the experience of this first attachment whether pleasant or unpleasant will have a direct affect on the child's relationships throughout their adult lives. Two types of personality types can develop as a result of overindulgence (Oral Receptive) or under-indulgence (Oral Aggressive) from

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