Psychology

Social theories of personality have become an essential component of modern education programs over the past hundred years.  Many theorists contribute their professional insight to the ideas of how human beings are shaped by their social experiences with others.  It is believed that the personalities of people are influenced and shaped by the people around them, and there are a wide variety of ways in which social systems contribute their effects upon the individual (Ewen, 2003).  The human mind is a delicate and intricate organ, conducting mastery and oversight of the entire human body, yet the human mind is also always interacting with external influences upon the body (Kolb  Whishaw, 2008).  People develop ideas about themselves, pick up on behavioral styles, and are even physically affected through interaction with others, and the influence of the contextual human social system upon the person is not something which can be separated from the individual personality.

In studying social theories of personality, it is good to obtain a comprehensive overview of the masterminds who have contributed their professional expertise to the field.  Although there are a wide range of professionals who have proposed theories or alterations of theories, there are three men in particular who have left indelible impressions on the field.  Alfred Adler, Erich Fromm, and Erik Erikson have contributed formidable ideas to the understanding of human personality and its formation within the social context.  Alfred Adler was a Jewish Austrian medical doctor and psychologist at the turn of the 20th century, and he developed the perspective of people developing inferiority complexes based on their lack of democratic participation in social structures such as the family.  Erich Fromm was a Jewish German social psychologist, psychoanalyst, humanistic philosopher, and democratic socialist during the 20th century, and he put forth the idea that human beings form healthy personalities when they embrace their freedom and individuality as a part of their natures, separate from authoritarian structures.  Erik Erikson was a Jewish Danish-German-American developmental psychologist and psychoanalyst during the 20th century, and he postulated eight stages of human development, in which social relationships have a direct effect on developing a healthy personal identity.  By critically analyzing these three major contributors to the field of social theories of personality, a clearer overview can be formed in regard to the valuable ideas these men have shared in regard to understanding the human character.

Theory of Alfred Adler
Alfred Adler spent much of his professional life devoting himself to understanding the ways in which people relate to one another, especially within the family unit.  As an underlying theme to his professional work, Adler was intensely interested in helping people to overcome the superiority-inferiority dynamics involved in relationships (Adler, 2007).  In aiming to help social systems, like the family, to create a spirit of community feeling in regard to equality in relationships, Adler called attention to the ways in which relationships unhealthily cause one person to be oppressive of another person and aimed for solutions in which people, such as family members, could relate more healthily as democratic partners (Adler, Glueck,  Lind, 2006).  In situations such as when a wife was made to feel less important than or less of a person than her husband, the wife and husband were aided in coming to terms about how to better value the wife and her contributions to the family.  Similarly, if a mother was imposing too much control over a child, the child would be helped to feel empowered to voice his opinions.  Even in the situation of sibling relationships, older children were helped to view their younger siblings as equally important family members with unique needs and interests.  Balance within the family and within society, in regard to valuing all social roles and social identities, was an important part of what Adler was aiming to voice and accomplish.

Adler also aimed to spread the idea that the desires of the self are always countered by social and ethical demands.  When the individual goes outside of the bounds of what is considered socially appropriate and ethical, then society will places certain pressures or stressors on the individual to make changes in ones behavior (Carlson  Slavik, 2006).  When these natural stressors go unheeded or unaddressed, then the individual and the people to relating to the individual become stuck in a mutually unfulfilling relationship, which can only be aided by a return of the balance, satisfaction, and ethics in the social relationship.  Adler proposed that there are a multitude of ways in which a relationship can fall out of balance, usually marked by tendencies towards egotism, power, and aggression.  However, when people are committed to returning balance to their relationship through realization of the basic fact they are equally important individuals, then the superiority-inferiority complex shift to a mutually fulfilling relationship in which both or all parties within the system are receiving attention, help, and care.

A particularly interesting philosophy of Adler is marked by his interest in birth order and relationships between siblings (Durbin, 2004).  It was Adlers point of view that the firstborn child would be loved and nurtured by the parents until the arrival of the second child.  Upon the arrival of the second child, the first child would suffer feelings of jealously and a loss of being the primary focal point.  The first child would also serve to be a kind of caretaker for the younger child, adding pressure and responsibility to the serving the role of the eldest child.  In a three child family, the oldest child would suffer from having too much weight and responsibility on his shoulders, while the third and youngest child would suffer from being the pampered and overindulged baby.  Adler supposed that the second child would be the most successful, being able to avoid the pressures of caretaking as well as the stresses of being spoiled.  Although this aspect of Adlers theory receives much attention, it is important to highlight the fact that Adler himself was a second child.

Theory of Erich Fromm
The theory of Erich Fromm surrounds the basic idea that man is a free creature within nature whose true personality is to find fulfillment in ones own liberty and separation from authoritarian demands.  Within a social context, Fromm discerned that the human personality would interact best with others when oppressive forces were removed from the lives of individuals, allowing human beings to interact as free and autonomous creatures (Fromm, 1944).  Fromm believed that embracing free will was healthy, whereas escaping free will through the use of escape mechanisms brought about psychological and social disturbances.  In the modern world, one could view Fromm as a true libertarian, as his view of the human personality is rooted in the individual building up a true sense of individuality and freedom in every aspect of life.  Fromm believed that three main escape mechanisms from liberated living were automaton conformity, authoritarianism, and destructiveness, so Fromm naturally believed that individual thought, lack of hierarchy, and creativityrespect for others were the result of true liberated living (Fromm, 1992).

One of the unique elements of Fromms social theory of personality is a focus on the story of Adam and Eve.  Fromm believed that Adam and Eve were portrayed as being ashamed of their individuality from the universe, their advancement from animals to man in acquiring free will.  However, Fromm declared that Adam and Eve do not need to feel separated from nature, because they have the capacity to love and interact.  Although the evolution of humanity gave birth to free will, which is different from animals being connected to nature more completely, there is also the free decision which can be made by humans to love others, which consists of the common elements of care, responsibility, respect, and knowledge (Fromm, 2005).

An important part of Fromms ideology was that he believed that few people in modern society had reverence for the autonomy of their fellow human beings, much less the objective realization of what other people truly wanted and needed.  From the perspective of social theories of personality, it was essential for Fromm to help people to discover their own autonomy and to help them to value and discern the autonomy of other individuals.  As an ironic result of becoming more autonomous, social relationships would improve, due to the fact that the liberty of the other people was respected and valued and clear boundaries put into place regarding where one person ends and another person begins.  The concept of slavery in any form ran completely counter to Fromms philosophy, and this included slavery in family relationships, work relationships, and other social interactions.  The life role performed by any person could not be in any way be enslaved to the wills of another person.  It is interesting that through the birth of personal freedom, there would be an increased level of social connectedness, yet that is what Fromm postulated and believed (Bottomore  Fromm, 2004).  He had faith that love sprung directly from the consideration of the other person as a free and autonomous individual who is worthy of ones own unique needs, interests, and desires.  By valuing autonomy, Fromm helped to pave the way for people to resolve their neurotic and psychotic tendencies and restore peace to social relationships.

Theory of Erik Erikson
Erick Erickson postulated a theory which is the foundational model for analyzing the human personality in regard to social development across the life span.  He proposed eight phases of social human development, wherein if a person becomes stuck, then one suffers from psychological and social stress and trauma (Erikson, 1994).  The first phase is the infant stage in which a baby either learns to trust or mistrust ones caregiver.  The second phase is the early childhood stage in which a toddler either learns autonomy or shame and doubt in learning to explore the world.  The third phase is the middle childhood stage in which the child either learns initiative or guilt in planning or doing things on ones own.  The fourth phase is the older childhood stage in which the child learns either learns industry or inferiority in comparing oneself to others.  The fifth phase is the adolescent stage in which a teenager either learns identity or role confusion in questioning their own personalities and future goals.  The sixth phase is the young adult stage in which a young adult either learns intimacy or isolation in regard to finding a life mate.   The seventh phase is the middle adult stage in which a middle adult either learns generativity or stagnation in measuring life and professional accomplishments.  The eighth and final phase is the older adult stage in which an older adult either learns ego integrity or despair in regard to facing death and reflecting upon the past.  These structured phases put forth by Erikson are the developmental milestones of human maturity and progression within a social context (Van Wagner, 2010).  Here, the personality develops successfully with each successfully accomplished stage of life.

Human beings certainly have different social needs depending on the age, maturity, and developmental stage of life, and these social needs are able to be met and nurtured within a supportive or accommodating social context or the social needs are left unmet within an unsupportive or unaccommodating social context (Erikson, 1993).  From conception until death, the human person has definite social needs within the family and the greater social context (Burston, 2007).  While every stage may not be exactly fitted to each individual person, there is no doubt that the needs and values of babies, toddlers, younger children, older children, adolescents, young adults, middle adults, and older adults vary and change across time.  Erikson believed that it was essential for people to recognize where they are in life and where their family members are in life in regard to human social development, so that he could help people to become more aware of their developmental needs and more satisfied with their interpersonal relationships.

Conclusion
Social theories of personality point out the ways in which human relationships are instrumental in forming the personalities of every individual (John, Pervin,  Robins, 2008).  Alfred Adler devoted much of his professional life trying to help families and social units to construct working relationships and roles with one another which were based in equality and truly valuing the importance of the self as much as the importance of the other.  Erich Fromm was instrumental in supporting the idea of autonomy and free will in creating a peaceful and just society of interrelated individuals, marrying the essential holism of the self with the essential holism of the society.  Erik Erikson organized an easily understandable evaluation of the phases of life, in which each stage is directly related to natural changes in the personal and social needs of the maturing individual across the lifespan.  From each of these theorists, humanity has received a wealth of inspiration regarding how the personality of human beings is formed through various social interactions.  Although each theory is different, they are all valuable in helping to bring about a deeper understanding of the workings of the human mind, body, and soul in relation to how the individual personality is formed by the relationships with other people.  Just as the social context never leaves the environment of the individual, the individual never leaves the context of society.