THEORIST

ALFRED ADLER KAREN HORNEY ERIC FROMM GORDON ALLPORT CARL ROGERS
Individual Psychology Psychoanalytic Social Humanistic Psychoanalysis Psychology of Individual Person-Centered Theory
He was full of curiosity Horney felt that men were His take on this is that the Allport also identified the As an individual is a subject to
about nature and would envious of a woman’s ability basic position of man is to existence of what he termed many external forces, the
lead expeditions of cousins to bear children. The stand apart from nature due genotypes and phenotypes- nature part will always come
to find mice, squirrels, degree to which men are to his ability to be aware of internal and external conditions into play to the end of their
snakes, frogs, and anything driven to success may be himself and his consequential that motivate a person’s life. From all stages of human
else that could be dissected merely a substitute for the ability to be reflexive, These behaviour. He continued to development this is the
or pickled. fact that they cannot carry, abilities separate man from develop the field of personality longest one, the most
nurture and bear children. nature and make him stand psychology while examining the independent, and many would
Horney also thought that alone. nature of a person’s will. agree, the most fulfilling.
men were envious of
women because they fulfil
Nature their position in society by
Versus simply “being” whereas
men achieve their manhood
Nurture according to their ability to
provide and succeed.
The natural inferiority of Fromm’s major contributions
children. All children are, by to growth-oriented teachers,
nature, smaller, weaker, counsellors, and therapists
less socially and are his understanding of the
intellectually competent, ways in which cultures
than the adults around constrict or nurture human
them. Adler was not individuation (Fromm’s term
satisfied with only two for potentializing) and his
choices (Nature or nurture) discussion of the importance
as influencing the of existential-philosophical-
development of personality. religious factors in all human
(he had already debated growth.
freud on the topic)

Adler felt that social concern

was not simply inborn, nor
just learned, but
 combination of both: It is
based on an inate
disposition, but it has to be
nurtured to survive.
THEORIST
ALFRED ADLER KAREN HORNEY ERIC FROMM GORDON ALLPORT CARL ROGERS
Individual Psychology Psychoanalytic Social Humanistic Psychoanalysis Psychology of Individual Person-Centered Theory
Adler differed a great deal Perhaps the most significant Such strong influences Allport had profound and Humanistic psychology
from freud, who felt that the aspect of Horney’s new anticipated Eric fromm’s lasting influences on the field of emphasized the active role of
things that happened in the version of psychoanalysis proclivity for the committed, psychology, even though his the individual in shaping their
past (e.g. early childhood was her shift in emphasis, the analytical and the work is cited much less often internal and external worlds.
trauma), shape the nature both in theory and in unrestricted schools of than that other well-known Rogers advanced the field by
of people in the present. clinical practice, from the thought. figure. Part of his influence stressing that the human
Adler was essentially past to the present stemmed from his knack for person is an active, creative,
forward looking, Seeing attacking and broadly experiencing being who lives
motivation as a matter of conceptualizing important and in the present and subjectively
moving toward the future, interesting topics (e.g. rumor, respond to the current
rather than a product of our prejudice, religion, traits). perceptions, relationships, and
Past or pasts driving us with only Another part of his influence encounters.
our limited awareness as to resulted from the deep and
Present how and why. lasting impression he made on
his students during his long
Influences teaching career, many of whom
went on to have important
careers in this science.
 THEORIST
ALFRED ADLER KAREN HORNEY ERIC FROMM GORDON ALLPORT CARL ROGERS
Individual Psychology Psychoanalytic Social Humanistic Psychoanalysis Psychology of Individual Person-Centered Theory
Adler believed that we all The goal of this analysis is Fromm meant a road map or Unifying principle of life has a Rogers believed that every
have one basic desire and to basically change the consistent philosophy by sense of purpose, belief, or person can achieve their
goal: to belong and to feel person’s opinions and which we find our way goal in life. Propriate striving- goals, wishes and desires in
significant. There is one perception of life by seeking through the world. This need forces on life goals and life. When, or rather if they
central personality dynamic a person’s potential of self is expressed non-productively intentions. did so, self-actualization took
derived from the growth –realization. as a striving for irrational place.
and forward movement of goals and productively as
life itself. It is a future- movement toward rational
oriented striving toward a goal.
goal of significance,
superiority, or success. In
mental health disorders, it is
an unrealistic goal of
exaggerated significance or
Goals in superiority over others. The
early childhood feeling of
life in inferiority, for which one
aims to compensate, leads
considerin to the creation of a fictional
g the final goal which subjectively
seems to promise future
theory security and success. The
depth of the inferiority
feeling usually determines
the “final cause” of
behaviour
 THEORIST
ALFRED ADLER KAREN HORNEY ERIC FROMM GORDON ALLPORT CARL ROGERS
Individual Psychology Psychoanalytic Social Humanistic Psychoanalysis Psychology of Individual Person-Centered Theory
Since social interest and the Theory of personality not as Fromm’s critique of the The theme of unity isn’t shared Critics claims that the fully
desire for a feeling of well constructed as modern political order and by everyone. Learning theorists functioning person is a
community are significant Freudian theory ignores capitalist system led him to focus on discrete units of product of Western culture. In
concepts in Adler’s theory, roles of sociology and seek insights from medieval behaviour. other cultures, such an
there is more emphasis on anthropology in influencing feudalism. In escape from Eastern cultures, the
interpersonal relationships personality, observation to freedom, he found favour achievement of the group is
than on individual internal influenced by middle class with the lack of individual valued more highly than the
psychodynamics. Adler’s America. freedom, rigid structure, and achievement of any one
theory suffered from a obligations required on the person
number of critical problems members of medieval
including society.
1. Poor organization
Issues 2. The fact that he was
not a particularly
good writer
3. And that much of his
work was
incorporated into
other writers work.
 THEORIST
ALFRED ADLER KAREN HORNEY ERIC FROMM GORDON ALLPORT CARL ROGERS
Individual Psychology Psychoanalytic Social Humanistic Psychoanalysis Psychology of Individual Person-Centered Theory

High on generating research Low on generating research Very low on generating Moderate on generating Moderate on generating
research research research
High on its ability to Her theory fall short on its Fromm did not express his An explanatory system that Rogers wanted comparative
generate research, organize ability to generate research ideas for the purpose of makes use of trait concepts research, and he tried hard to
data, and guide the and to submit its terms to generating research, and his must embed the trait terms in a get the psychoanalysis to
practitioner. Adlerian theory falsifiability theory is among the least process theory that redeems record and test their therapy
has proposed that birth productive in terms of the promissory note if it is to
order plays significant role empirical study generate new findings and
in one’s life. The child’s deeper understanding
ordinal position in the family
plays big role in developing
this view of self and the
CRITERIA FOR
world and has a significant
EVALUATING
GENERATE impact on the child’s
A THEORY developing pattern of living
S life style.
RESEARCH

His ideas of the inferiority

complex, birth order,
community feeling and
social interest became
popular psychological
concept.
 THEORIST
ALFRED ADLER KAREN HORNEY ERIC FROMM GORDON ALLPORT CARL ROGERS
Individual Psychology Psychoanalytic Social Humanistic Psychoanalysis Psychology of Individual Person-Centered Theory

High in guiding action Low in guiding action Low in guiding action Moderate in guiding action Very high on practicality

People are motivated by Her guide to action of He has to find principles of Motive that existed once for Roger’s theory of the self is
GUIDES ACTION social factors and are practitioners is better but action and decision-making some practical reason later considered to be humanistic,
(PRACTICAL) responsible for their own there are few details on which replace the principle of exists for its own sake, in other existential, and
thoughts, feelings and exactly what to do with instincts. words, a motive that once a phenomenological. His theory
actions. If one understands patients. means to an end becomes an is based directly on the
an individual’s lifestyle, his end in itself; Allport’s most “phenomenal field” personality
behaviour makes sense. famous and controversial theory of Rogers elaboration
concept. of his own theory extensive.

Low on internal consistency Moderate on internal Low on internal consistency High on internal consistency Very high on internal
IS INTERNALLY
CRITERIA FOR consistency consistency
CONSISTENT It lacks operational Her theory has moderate Low on usefulness to the Allport argued that humans are Prochaska and Norcross(2003)
EVALUATING definitions. internal consistency and practitioner, internal consistent (“remarkably states Rogers “consistently
A THEORY uses terms and concepts in consistency, and parsimony. recognizable”) in personality stood for an empirical
different ways. Because it is quite broad in even though they may vary evaluation of psychotherapy”
scope from situation to situation

Moderate on parsimony Moderate on parsimony Low on parsimony High on parsimony High on parsimony

Simpler than other Karen Horney’s theory is Quite broad in scope It rates on parsimony and Provides a more simple and
competing theories because parsimonious yet systematic internal consistency and about parsimonious explanation for
it introduces the least new because it bridges the average on its ability to human.
IS assumptions about the interpersonal and generate research and to help
PARSIMONIOUS subject in question. This intrapsychic, and normal the practitioner.
scientific principle is based personality traits and
on choosing the simplest dysfunctional trais.
scientific explanation that
fits the evidence.
 THEORIST
ALFRED ADLER KAREN HORNEY ERIC FROMM GORDON ALLPORT CARL ROGERS
Individual Psychology Psychoanalytic Social Humanistic Psychoanalysis Psychology of Individual Person-Centered Theory

Low on falsification and Low on falsifiability Very low on falsifiability Low on falsifiability High on falsifiability
verification

Low on falsification because Few testable hypotheses The strength of Fromms’s As a consequence, his theory is Incongruent individuals, in
IS FALSIFIABLE many of its related research theory is lucid writings on a very narrow, being limited their pursuit of positive
(VERIFIABLE) findings can be explained by broad range of human mostly to a model of human regard, lead lives that include
other theories issues. As a scientific theory, motivation falseness and do not realize
however, Fromm’s theory their potential
rates very low on its ability to
generate research and to
lend itself to falsification

High on organizing data Very low on organizing High on organizing Low on organizing knowledge High on organizing knowledge
CRITERIA FOR knowledge knowledge
Adler’s individual psychology Her theory, however, in Man is born as a freak of Subject to change, not static, Roger’s person-centered
EVALUATING has had a broad impact on terms of neurotics is well nature, being within nature but growing and changing. theory is one of the most
A THEORY the social sciences. He organized (5) but not so and yet transcending it. He carefully constructed of all
pioneered ideas and with normal people has to find principles of personality theories, and it
techniques that became the action and decision making meets quite well each of the
basis for many theories that which replace the principles six criteria of a useful theory.
followed of instincts, he has to have
ORGANIZES frame of orientation which
KNOWN DATA permits him to organize a
consistent picture of the
world as a condition for
consistent actions.
 THEORIST
ALFRED ADLER KAREN HORNEY ERIC FROMM GORDON ALLPORT CARL ROGERS
Individual Psychology Psychoanalytic Social Humanistic Psychoanalysis Psychology of Individual Person-Centered Theory

High on social factor Social influences over High on social influences Social influences over biology Social influences over biology
biology
Constant factor is the stress Her emphasis on the social But our families mostly Gordon Allport’s contribution It intends to go beyond the
on social interactions and nature of humans as well as reflect our society and reflected a broad-based style of narrow limits of existing social
BIOLOGICAL social contribution; the more cultural influences places culture. Fromm emphasizes doing social psychology. He science methodologies.
VERSUS outgoing social interest, the her theory as more social that we soak up our society proposed attitude as a “mental
INFLUENCES ON less feelings of inferiority than bilogical with our mother’s milk. and neural state of readiness…
PERSONALITY the individual has. exerting a directive or dynamic
influence upon the individual’s
response to all objects and
situations with which it is
related”

High on uniqueness Similarities over uniqueness Uniqueness emphasized over Uniqueness over similarity Uniqueness over similarity
CONCEPT OF similarities
People are ultimately She places emphasis on the Another aspect of his theory On the six dimensions for a The main crux of Rogerian
HUMANITY
responsible for their own similarities between people is fairly unique to him; his concept of humanity, Allport theory is that the human
unique stle of life. rather than on their interest in the economic and rates higher than any other experience is unique to each
uniueness cultural roots of personality. theorist on conscious influences individual and, if given
No one before or since has and on the uniqueness of the appropriate conditions for self-
put it so directly; your individual. exploration and inquiry,
personality is to considerable people will shed defences
UNIQUENESS extent a reflection of such (“mask” or “false selves” as
VERSUS issues as social class, Rogers called them) and
SIMILARITY minority status, education, gravitate toward psychological
vocation, religious, and health.
philosophical backgrounds,
and so forth.
 THEORIST
ALFRED ADLER KAREN HORNEY ERIC FROMM GORDON ALLPORT CARL ROGERS
Individual Psychology Psychoanalytic Social Humanistic Psychoanalysis Psychology of Individual Person-Centered Theory

Very low causality Causality over teleology Low causality Teleology over causality Teleology over causality

On causality this theory is The relationship between For underlying the new ideas, Our behaviour is also guided by Rogers calls self –actualizing
teleological in nature (is cause and effect. including those of modern teleology that is human tendency, it provides the
CAUSALITY moving forward and physics, is a unifying order, behaviour is always guided by forward movement-the
VERSUS individuals are motivated by but it is not causality; it is past as well as by future. teleology-of everyone’s life.
TELEOLOGY future goals) purpose, and not the
purposed to the universe and
of man, but the purpose in
the universe and in man. In
other words, we seem to
inhabit a world of dynamic
process and structure.

CRITERIA FOR Average on unconscious Conscious over unconscious Average on unconscious Conscious over unconscious Conscious over unconscious
influences play equal roles influences
EVALUATING
A THEORY Adler saw people as forward She believed in the strength Fromm’s theory is a rather His own work would always “Consciousness, instead of
moving, social animals who and influence of the unique blend of Freud and emphasize conscious being the watchman over a
are motivated by goals they conscious, social motivation Marx. Freud, of course, motivations and current dangerous and unpredictable
CONSCIOUS set (both consciously an over the unconscious emphasized the unconscious, context. lot of impulses, of which few
VERSUS unconsciously) for the biological drives, repression, can be permitted to see the
UNCONSCIOUS future. and so on. We have learned light of day, becomes the
DETERMINANTS so well that it has all become comfortable inhabitant of a
OF BEHAVIOUR unconscious-the social society of impulses and
unconscious, to be precise. feelings and thoughts, which
are discovered to be very
satisfactory self-governing
when not fearfully guarded”
(Rogers, 1961)
 THEORIST
ALFRED ADLER KAREN HORNEY ERIC FROMM GORDON ALLPORT CARL ROGERS
Individual Psychology Psychoanalytic Social Humanistic Psychoanalysis Psychology of Individual Person-Centered Theory

Very high on free choice Free choice over Average free choice Free choice over determinism Free choice over determinism
determinism
DETERMINISM People were not free to Her theory of humanity is Free will or freedom defines Allport saw people as thinking, Unconditional positive regard
VERSUS make choices. deterministic while the a human being but it is a proactive, purposeful beings are that the person feels free
FREE CHOICE individual, to some extent, difficult attribute to achieve who are generally aware of to try things out and make
has free choice and incorporate in one’s life what they are doing and why. mistakes, even though this
because, surprisingly, many may lead to getting it worse at
people in the society try to times.
escape from freedom.

Very high on optimism Optimism over pessimism Average on optimism Optimism over Pessimism Optimism over pessimism

It is an optimistic feeling of Her theory is both Receptive orientations are Gordon Allport had a basically Humanistic psychologists try
confidence in oneself, and a optimistic and pessimistic not always negative, optimistic and hopeful view of to see people’s lives as those
CRITERIA FOR genuine interest in the with tendency toward the however, in moderate form, life. people would see them. They
welfare and well-being of curative power of human. they are accepting and tend to have an optimistic
EVALUATING
others. Individual optimistic perspective on human nature.
A THEORY
PESSIMISM psychology has very clearly
VERSUS pointed out that everyone
OPTIMISM who is deeply unhappy, the
neurotic and the desolate
person stem from among
those who were deprived in
their younger years of being
able to develop the feeling
of community the courage,
the optimism, and the self-
confidence that comes
directly from the sense of
belonging.