One of the most enduring and important contributions to the study of psychology is the development of the first comprehensive theory of personality. This evolution began in the early 20th century with the work of Austrian psychoanalysts Sigmund Freud and Alfred Adler. Together, these men established the first modern theories of personality that sought to explain individual behavior based on the unconscious mind and its relationship with the rest of the organism.
Sigmund Freud brought to the psychology world the concept of the psychodynamic theory of personality. In this approach, he argued that the unconscious mind is at the core of all human behavior and is shaped by previous personal experiences. According to Freud, the unconscious mind holds a great deal of repressed feelings and desires that, when not effectively avoided or kept in check, can lead to undesirable behavior. He viewed therapy as a means of helping individuals to recognize, bring to light, and work through these unresolved emotions and drives.
Meanwhile, Alfred Adler developed something of a “rival" school of psychoanalytic thinking known as individual psychology. Although still largely rooted in Freud’s discoveries, Adler believed that unconscious motivations are not the only influencing factor upon behavior. Instead, people are also driven by their needs for power and subordination, as well as their need for unity and connectedness within their community. This interplay between the unconscious and more conscious forces was known as the concept of human holism—the idea that individuals are inextricably connected to the rest of their social sphere and that understanding each part of the person requires knowledge of the larger system as a whole.
A third and key contributor to theories of personality was American psychologist William James. He, too, was keenly interested in the unconscious mind but sought to connect it to an even higher form of cognition—the spiritual and moral consciousness. Instead of viewing humans as driven by the needs of the mind, James proposed that all behaviors are directed by a person’s overriding conception of him or herself, as well as his or her relationship to the greater universe.
The integration of these various theories into one coherent approach was accomplished through the influential theories of Swiss doctor Carl Jung. Based on James’s notion of a higher spiritual and moral consciousness, Jung proposed various ways in which the unconscious could be reconciled with conscious mental processes. His work laid the foundation for the development of a more unified, integrated, and multi-dimensional approach to the study of personality.
To this day, these pioneers of psychoanalytic theory continue to influence theories of personality. They remain a cornerstone in many clinical interventions, providing insight into the complexity of the mind and providing invaluable tools of self-understanding to millions of people seeking to make sense of their lives. Without their invaluable contributions, the science of psychology and its understanding of the human condition would not be where it is today.