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Gordon Allport Essay - 1,590 words

Gordon Allport Introduction A major part of modern psychologists consider Gordon Allport the greatest psychologist (the second
after Freud) who made valuable contribution into development of the world psychology. Allport rooted in the scientific traditions of
American psychology, grounded in the insights of Freud's psychoanalysis, and expressed an organismic vision of each individual's
unique adjustment to his or her environment (Moss 27). While most of them agree that he introduced a lot of interesting and
effective theories, some psychologists examine his biography together with his works. Some psychologists have argued that because
Gordon Allports life was closely related to his works, and some of them have countered that position by demonstrating that Gordon
Allports theories are influenced by his life experience. Many researchers agree that Allports psychological positions were gained
working as a teacher in colleges at various parts of our world. Some psychologists consider that Gordon Allport liked works of
Sigmund Freud and in particular, these works converted him to studying psychology more thoroughly. Lets examine Gordon Allports
biography more carefully.

Biography Gordon Allport was a well-known psychologist. He was born in Montezuma (Indiana) on November 11, 1897. He got
education in Harvard University and studied in universities of Berlin, Hamburg and Cambridge. Gordon Allport taught in Roberts
College (Constantinople, Turkey), in Harvard and Dortmund College. He is well known as a specialist in the field of theory of
personality and social psychology. Allport invented the theory of functional autonomy, according to which the means can become the
aims. This theory became very popular and influenced modern opinions concerning motivation of adults as a result of development of
inherited or premature motivation.

In 1937-1949 Gordon Allport was the editor of Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology. His works include Studies in Expressive
Movement (1933), Personality, a Psychological Interpretation (1937), The Nature of Prejudice (1954), Becoming: Basic
Considerations for a Psychology of Personality (1955). He died in Cambridge (Massachusetts) in 1967. Gordon Allport: Genius in
Psychology I would like to start from one of the stories, that is always mentioned in his biographies. When he was a 22 year-old
young man, he went to Vienna. There he met Sigmund Freud.

When he came to Freuds office, Sigmund kept silence. Gordon didnt know what to do and decided to tell one of his stories to break
the silence. He remembered the story about a small boy, who was very upset because he had to sit where an ugly dirty man was
sitting before. Gordon Allport thought these feelings were inherited from mother, who was very tidy and a very neat woman.
However, Freud proposed his own idea that the boy was Gordon Allport himself. Of course, Freud was right. This discovery forced
Gordon to realize the importance of deep psychoanalysis and the depth of psychology itself.

He understood that psychology of behaviorism is often not as deep as Freuds approach. Lets revert to Gordons theories and
examine them more thoroughly. Gordon examined the concept of opportunistic functioning. According to it, the necessity to satisfy
biological demands is the thing that motivates people. He spoke about opportunistic functioning within the limits of biological and
reactive beginning. On the other hand, he understood that the theory of opportunistic functioning couldnt explain other features and
motives of human behavior.

He tried to find the answer and examined a lot of psychological works. However he came to conclusion that it is necessary to give
another definition, which will be able to satisfy all definitions for the concept. So he came to the concept of the proprium or the self.
As far as Gordon focused attention on the concept of proprium, he tried to give the most comprehensive definition to it. First of all,
he considered that proprium consisted of several components of experience that you see central, essential and warm. According to
Gordon Allport, the self or proprium has seven functions. They are as follows: sense of body This function of proprium develops
during the first two years of life.

Gordon gives the following example to demonstrate sense of body as the aspect of proprium. Lets suppose you filling the cup with
your saliva and then drinking it. You have the feeling of inappropriate action. Why? Its the substance from your own body, but you
feel that it is foreign to you. This is a good demonstration of the sense of the body. self-identity This aspect of self also develops
during the first two years of life.

According to Gordon Allport, a man realizes himself as continuing. He realizes the existence as part, present and future. A man also
recognizes himself an individual, who is different from other people. self-esteem This aspect of self develops between two and four
years old. Gordon Allport claims that we start to realize our value, as well as value to other individuals. self-extension This aspect
develops between four and six years old. Some people ass
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Essay Tags: allport, gordon, psychology, trait, social psychology This is an Essay sample / Research paper, you can use it for your research of:
Gordon Allport

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