Name: Hamda Abid Karim

ERP ID: 28488

Chapter 13: Personality Reflec on Paper 2

Freud's asser on that our unconscious comprises the id raises a profound ques on: from
where does the id originate? Is it an innate gi bestowed upon us by nature, or is it molded
by the nurturing forces of our environment? I believe that the capacity for ins ncts is indeed
rooted in nature, but the specifics of what to form and how to form them are sculpted
through nurture. Our primary socializa on, predominantly facilitated by the family, and
secondary socializa on, encompassing educa on and media, bestow upon us the knowledge
and norms that guide our ins ncts. This understanding underscores the importance of
determining the right age for introducing sex educa on and teaching children about their
bodies, thus shaping their future percep ons and behaviors. Freud's explora on of defense
mechanisms, including the intriguing concept of displacement, resonates with real-life
scenarios. I can't help but recall mes when I uninten onally vented my frustra ons on my
siblings a er a challenging day at university. This example illustrates how Freud's theories
have prac cal applica ons in our daily lives.
Nevertheless, Freud's framework falls short in considering the profound influence of culture
on personality. It's essen al to acknowledge the cultural factors that mold our psyche and
impact when and how our id, ego, and superego manifest themselves. While individual
differences exist, certain situa ons, such as schools or colleges, demand conformity to a
par cular behavioral standard, emphasizing the interplay between our internal desires and
external expecta ons.
I agree with what Skinner and Walter Mischel say about how situa ons can affect how
people act. It's like how we adjust how we behave depending on where we are and who
we're with. This shows that our personali es can change because of different situa ons, and
it makes each person unique.
How do people grow self-confidence? It comes from their self-esteem or self-efficacy or
maybe it comes naturally to certain. Also, certain people become more confident in a certain
environment, but others don’t.
It's interes ng when I look at twins who grew up together but s ll have different levels of
confidence and feel differently about themselves. This makes me think about whether it's
because they see themselves differently or if they just have some conscious and unconscious
thoughts they don't even know about.
Having studied sociology before, I can relate to a few things. I've heard about things like self-
esteem, feeling inferior, and personality traits before, but this chapter made me understand
them be er. I saw how they connect to big debates about whether we are born a certain
way does our experiences shape us, or whether we learn it from society.
Is the psychological test accurate? Although self-measure helps to collect data its validity will
be at risk. Tests like behavioral assessment and projec ve methods help in ge ng data but,
people could behave differently for a few hours of tests or surveys.