Analyzing Rogers Theory

Running Head : Rogers ' Personality Theory

Analyzing Carl Rogers ' Person-Centered Theory

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Analyzing Carl Rogers ' Person-Centered Theory

Introduction

Many theories presented by psychologists with regard to the development of the human personality and behavior are based on a set of requirements wherein the personality of an individual is based on how the individual copes with various stages in their growth . However , there were a number of psychologists who approached the study of psychology in a more personal manner . This will present Carl Rogers ' theory

of personality , the elements he presented as parts of the individual 's personality , the role of society to the development of one 's personality and the reason why there are differences in two individuals personalities

Goal of the Development of Personality

Carl Rogers was considered to be a humanistic psychologist since he believed that any individual has the capability to become better individuals by their willingness to accept responsibility of his or her own life . For him , the goal of an individual 's personality development is the pursuit of meaningful and long-lasting relationships that is mutually satisfactory between the individuals involved . He stated that if the similarity between the experiences and communication between two individuals , the deeper and more meaningful the relationship between these two individuals will be . This is because the similarity between two individuals would result to communication that is reciprocated . The relationship between the two individuals would move toward a more improved psychological adjustment and development between the individuals (Firman Gila 1997

Rogers reached this conclusion based on his experiences when working with individuals during his practice . Based on the experiences he had with his patients , he concluded that a person 's personality is influenced by the individual 's experiences and that how the world perceives them is the constant struggle that individuals would need to meet and satisfy (Firman Gila 1997

Elements of Rogers ' Theory of Personality

Rogers stated that there are two main elements of an individual 's personality . The first is the element of the organism . The organism is the focus of all experiences . That is , it is the center of everything that is potentially available to the awareness that is going on within the organism that is dependent on both the subjective and external realities . For individuals to be able to deal on what could be considered as real or otherwise , an individual must be able to have some form of conception of a standard of what is reality . Failure to have any conception of this reality may cause the individual to have misconceptions about the external world (Firman Gila 1997

The other element of the personality of an individual is the self , or self-concept . This is the center of Rogers ' theory . He described it as a fluid and changing gestalt , a process , but at any given moment it is a specific entity (Firman Gila 1997 ,

. 463 . The self is important in the experience of the individual because individuals create an ideal...