The psychoanalytic theory was developed by Sigmund Freud, a Vienna-based psychologist who lived between 1856 and 1939 (Guntrip, 2018). The psychoanalytic theory holds that personality and human behavior are the outward display of the interactions of the mind’s three structures: the id, ego, and superego. The id is the most primitive facet of the three structures and demands instant gratification of the self. Au contraire, the superego acknowledges that people must behave according to socially-accepted rules and uphold morals. The ego is the mind structure that mediates in the conflict between the id and the superego. The ego is pragmatic and rational. According to the psychoanalytic theory, the self-concept develops through childhood and is molded as the individual interacts with others while growing up. Sigmund Freud divides the development process into five psychosexual phases (Guntrip, 2018). In each stage, the child faces a conflict between social expectations and biological drives. Traumas, frustrations, and guilt of any unsuccessful stage are repressed to the unconscious part of the brain and may affect behavior in the course of development.
Benefits of the psychoanalytic theory
The psychoanalytic theory brilliantly explains the development of the self. Firstly, the model holds that the self emerges from the interactions of the mind and its development starts from childhood (Busch, 2013). It is recommendable that the theory acknowledges the impacts of childhood experiences in the development of the self. Naturally, some people are introverts due to their childhood experiences. Secondly, it is beneficial that the psychoanalytic theory does not assume that the self-concept develops in isolation but rather depends on social interactions throughout the growth process. Admittedly, unconscious suppressed thoughts due to the conflicts between biological drives and social expectations may influence not only the self but also how an individual interacts with others.
Limitations of the psychoanalytic theory
A primary weakness of the psychoanalytic approach is that it relies more on pathology rather than empirical data to explain the development of the self and influences of social interactions. Notably, Sigmund Freud based his theories on patients’ sufferings and experiences and rarely took data (Busch, 2013). Secondly, critics have noted that the psychoanalytic theory focuses much on the sexual and cognitive tensions while ignoring the impacts of culture on the development of the self and well as social interactions (Busch, 2013). Notably, culture influences how people perceive themselves and interact with others.
Behaviorism Theory
Behaviorism, also popular as behavioral psychology, is a learning-based theory that holds that people learn all behaviors by interacting with the environment. Unlike the psychoanalytic theory, which focuses on the processes of the mind, behaviorism specifically and objectively analyses observable behavior (Staddon, 2014). Simply, people’s self-concept depends on how individuals’ interact with others. The self or personality as well as how individual interact with others depends on whether deeds are negatively or positively reinforced. Personality develops throughout the lifespan; people who mostly interact with extroverts are likely to be social and outgoing since they learn this behavior. Social interactions/behaviors that are rewarded are likely to be repeated in future while those that are punished are likely to stop.
Benefits of behaviorism theory
Behaviorism acknowledges that personality and social interactions are not static but rather depend on the person’s environment. This explains why some people are extroverts during childhood but introverts in adulthood (Staddon, 2014). Also, this explains how people become good leaders by interacting with better leaders. Social interactions with positive results facilitate more interactions of similar nature.
Limitations of behaviorism
A major weakness of the behavioral approach is limited and biased since it only focuses on the influences of the environment without considering inert factors such as feelings, thoughts, and moods. Admittedly, personality and social interactions are not determined only external impulses but also internal influences and free will (Staddon, 2014). Secondly, the theory assumes that self-concept and ability to interact with others can only develop of dwindling through reinforcement and punishment.
PART 2
The influence of social psychology on employees dealing with verbally aggressive customers in the workplace
Given that social psychology holds that the behavior, feelings, and thoughts of individuals are influenced by the imagined or actual presence of others, social psychologists may ask the question “does the presence of CCTV cameras reduce the likelihood of aggression among employees while dealing with verbally aggressive customers at the workplace?” This is because the theory states that people tend to act differently when they think that someone else is watching them.
In order to answer the research question, this study will embrace an experimental research design and the study will be conducted in a fast-food eatery. The exercise that will run for 30 days will try to analyze how servers at KenChic Eatery respond to verbally aggressive customers. 20 students from Excel College will be requested to pretend to be random aggressive customers. After the first 15 days, CCTVs will be erected at KenChic Eatery and observations will continue for the next 15 days. Apart from observational data, the researcher will administer surveys with the servers before and after the exercise.
I would use this method to capture the attitude, thoughts, and feelings of these workers when dealing with verbally aggressive consumers before and after CCTV channels are erected at KenChic Eatery. This data will help answer the research question since it will show whether the perception of being watched through CCTVs, reduces the likelihood of workers responding with aggression to verbally aggressive workers.
If I were to conduct this study, findings would show that most workers tend to be rough, aggressive, and irritated while dealing with verbally aggressive customers. However, the imagined notion of being watched by a supervisor through CCTV makes most workers behave calmly and with respect will dealing with similar clients. As Thibaut (2017) notes, these findings would support the social psychology theory since individuals change their behavior due to the imagined presence of others.
Reference
ListBusch, Fred. 2013. Creating a psychoanalytic mind: A psychoanalytic method and theory. London: Routledge.
Guntrip, Harry. 2018. Psychoanalytic theory, therapy and the self. London: Routledge.
Staddon, John. 2014. The new behaviorism. New York: Psychology Press.
Thibaut, John. 2017. The social psychology of groups. New York: Routledge.
