Henry Murray

Henry M.
Murray
May 13, 1893 - June 23, 1988
He earned his bachelor's degree in

history in 1915,
a medical degree from Columbia in

1919
then completed a doctorate in

biochemistry from Cambridge nine
years later.
His start in
psychology occurred
after reading Jung and
eventually arranging a
meeting with
him. During this
meeting, Jung
convinced Murray to
study psychoanalysis,
which he did at
Harvard University.
After competing his
training, Murray
actually began
teaching psychology
and psychoanalytic
theory at Harvard,
and he remained
there for the rest of
his professional
career.
Although considered a trait theorist,
Murray's medical background, combined
with his analytical training give a unique flair
to his research and writing.
This is probably most evident in his
development of the Thematic
Apperception Test (TAT), a personality test
designed to determine personality themes as
well as unconscious motivation.
He was focused on basic needs in
personality which he called psychogenic
needs.
He believed these needs were largely at
the unconscious level.
After researching this area, he
narrowed these needs down to 27,
although the list and names vary
STRUCTURE OF PERSONALITY
For me,
personality is
[a] jungle
without
boundaries. —
HENRY
MURRAY
Personality
1. Personality is located in
the brain “No brain, No
personality”
Personality
2. Personality is the
organized or governing agent
of the individual. Its
functions are to integrate the
conflicts and constraints to
which the individual is
exposed, to satisfy the
individual’s needs, and to
make plans for attainment of
future goals.
Tension Reduction
Personality
3. An individual’s personality continues to develop
over time and is constructed of all the events
that occur during the course of that person’s life.
Therefore, the study of a person’s past is of
great importance
Personality
4. Personality changes and progresses; it is not
fixed or static.
Personality
5. Emphasized the uniqueness of each person while
recognizing similarities among all people. As he
saw it, an individual human being is like no other
person, like some other people, and like every
other person
Structure of Personality
ID- To Murray, the id contains the primitive, amoral, and
lustful impulses described by Freud, but it also contains
desirable impulses, such as empathy and love and
innate impulses that society considers acceptable and
desirable
Superego-is shaped not only by parents and authority

figures, but also by the peer group and culture.
Ego-ideal - a component
of the superego that contains
the moral or ideal behaviors for
which a person should strive
Structure of Personality
Ego-To Murray, the conscious organizer of
behavior; this is a broader conception than
Freud’s. . It consciously reasons, decides, and
wills the direction of behavior. It functions not
only to suppress id pleasure but also to foster
pleasure by organizing and directing the
expression of acceptable id impulses.
Dynamics of Personality
Need
The behavior is driven by an internal
state of disequilibrium.
"potentiality or readiness to respond in a

certain way under certain given
circumstances" (1938).
A need involves a physicochemical

force in the brain that organizes and
directs intellectual and perceptual
abilities. Needs may arise either from
internal processes such as hunger or
thirst, or from events in the
environment. Needs arouse a level of
tension; the organism tries to reduce
this tension by acting to satisfy the
needs. Thus, needs energize and direct
Types of needs
1. Primary
2. Secondary
3. Reactive
4. Proactive
Murray's Psychogenic Needs
1. Abasement
To surrender and accept punishment
2. Achievement
To overcome obstacles and succeed
3. Acquisition
To obtain possessions
4. Affiliation
To make associations and friendships
5. Aggression
To injure others
6. Autonomy
To resist others and stand strong
7. Blameavoidance
To avoid blame and obey the rules
8. Construction
To build or create
9. Contrariance
To be unique
10. Counteraction
To defend honor
11. Defendance
To justify actions
12. Deference
To follow a superior, to serve
13. Dominance
To control and lead others
14. Exhibition
To attract attention
15. Exposition
To provide information, educate
16. Harmavoidance
To avoid pain
17. Infavoidance
To avoid failure, shame, or to conceal a weakness
18. Nurturance
To protect the helpless
19. Order
To arrange, organize, and be precise
20. Play
To relieve tension, have fun, or relax
20. Recognition
To gain approval and social status
22. Rejection
To exclude another
23. Sentience
To enjoy sensuous impressions
24. Sex
To form and enjoy an erotic relationship
25. Similance
To empathize
26. Succorance
To seek protection or sympathy
27. Understanding
To analyze and experience , to seek knowledge
Ambition Needs Achievement
Exhibition
Recognition
Materialistic Needs Acquisition
Construction
Order
Retention
Power Needs Abasement

Autonomy
Aggression
Blame Avoidance
Deference
Dominance
Affection Needs Affiliation

Nurturance
Play
Rejection
Succorance
Information Needs Cognizance

Exposition
Theories of
personality based
upon needs and
motives suggest that
our personalities are
a reflection of
behaviors controlled
by needs.
While some needs
are temporary and
changing, other needs
are more deeply
seated in our nature.
According to Murray,
these psychogenic
needs function mostly
on the unconscious
level, but play a major
role in our personality.
Characteristics/Interrelation of Needs
Prepotency
Fusion of needs
Subsidation
Press
Thema
Prepotency
Needs differ in
terms of the
urgency with which
they impel behavior
Fusion of Needs
Some needs are

complementary and
can be satisfi ed by
one behavior or a
set of behaviors.
Subsidiation
A situation in which
one need is
deactivated to aid in
the satisfaction of
another need
Press The influence of the
environment and past
events on the current
activation of a need.
Thema A combination of
press (the
environment) and
need (the
personality) that
brings order to our
behavior.
Personality Development in Childhood
Stage Stages Complex
The secure Claustral Complex- dependent on others, passive, and
existence experienced as a desire oriented toward safe, familiar
within the to be in small, warm, behaviors that worked in the past.
womb dark places that are safe feelings of insecurity and
and secluded helplessness that cause the person to
fear open spaces, falling, drowning,
fires, earthquakes, or simply any
situation involving novelty and
change
Anti-claustral or fear of suffocation and confinement

egression- form of the and manifests itself in a preference
claustral complex is for open spaces, fresh air, travel,
based on a need to movement, change, and novelty.
escape from restraining
womblike conditions.
The sensuous Oral complexes
enjoyment of oral succorance complex features a combination of mouth
sucking activities, passive tendencies, and the
nourishment need to be supported and protected.
while being Behavioral manifestations include
held sucking, kissing, eating, drinking,
and a hunger for affection, sympathy,
protection, and love.
oral aggression complex combines oral and aggressive
behaviors, including biting, spitting,
shouting, and verbal aggression such
as sarcasm.
oral rejection complex vomiting, being picky about food,
eating little, fearing oral
contamination (such as from
kissing), desiring seclusion, and
avoiding dependence on others
The pleasure Anal complexes
resulting from
defecation anal rejection complex Aggression is often part of this
complex and is shown in dropping
and throwing things, firing guns,
and setting off explosives. Persons
with this complex may be dirty and
disorganized.
anal retention complex is manifested in accumulating,

saving, and collecting things, and in
cleanliness, neatness, and
orderliness.

The pleasure Urethral/ Icarus Associated with excessive
accompanyi complex ambition, a distorted sense of self-
ng urination esteem, exhibitionism,
bedwetting, sexual cravings, and
self-love.
Genital Genital or castration literal fashion as a boy’s fantasy

pleasures complex that his penis might be cut off
(core of anxiety in adult males)
Instruments of Personality
Measurements
Explorations of Personality
TAT
His systems of needs
EPPS –Edwards Personal Preference Schedule
Personality Research Form (jackson,1967)
Jackson Personality Inventory
 http://cengagesites.com/academic/assets/sites/Schult
z_Ch05.pdf
 http://www.slideshare.net/loannplacido/henry-
murray
 http://www.wilderdom.com/personality/traits/Person
alityTraitsNeedsHenryMurray.html
 http://psychology.about.com/od/theoriesofpersonalit
y/a/psychogenic.htm
 http://psychology.about.com/od/theoriesofpersonalit
y/a/psychogenic.htm
 https://www.sesp.northwestern.edu/docs/publications
/1445272443490a0755b2726.pdf
 http://allpsych.com/personalitysynopsis/murray/#.VO
g05fmUfzp

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Henry Murray

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Henry M.

He earned his bachelor's degree in

a medical degree from Columbia in

then completed a doctorate in

Superego-is shaped not only by parents and authority

"potentiality or readiness to respond in a

A need involves a physicochemical

Power Needs Abasement

Affection Needs Affiliation

Information Needs Cognizance

Some needs are

Anti-claustral or fear of suffocation and confinement

anal retention complex is manifested in accumulating,

Stage Stages Complex

Genital Genital or castration literal fashion as a boy’s fantasy

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