Gordon Allport, a US psychologist and educator, developed an original theory of personality. He set forth that the self organises you deep inside, and accounts for such as unity of personality and continuity of personal memories. The adult personality has something unique about it. Allport sought to understand human behavior and believed that most human behaviour is aligned to a deep desire to function in some way that expresses the self. This he calls appropriate functioning. Propriate functioning can be future-oriented too.
Propriate comes from the word proprium, which is a self-concept: Doing things in keeping with what you really are, that is propriate functioning. But the word proprium never caught on. It may be postulated that your deep self may take in the aspects of your experience that you come to feel are most essential (as opposed to incidental).
Functional autonomy with Allport means “Perseverative Functional Autonomy” and consists mainly of habits. Propriate functional autonomy is somewhat more self-directed than habits.
Allport’s understanding of the deep and often hidden desire to function so as to self-express oneself became a developmental theory. In it, the self has seven functions that tend to arise at certain times of one’s life: For example, the self-image can rise between years four and six. The time periods Allport allots for his proprium stages are very close to the time periods of Freud’s stages of libido development. Allport thinks that as the proprium develops, we can develop personal traits or personal dispositions, that is, concrete behaviour consistencies that can be quite easily recognized. And according to him there are common traits or dispositions within any particular culture. Some traits are more closely tied to the proprium (oness self) than others.
Proprium is a non-essential property common to all the members of a class and attribute. The Proprium was a term coined by Allport which represents the positive, creative, growth-seeking, and forward-moving quality of human nature. Through this concept he listed seven stages of development.
The Sense of Bodily Self, which is a sense of one’s own body, including bodily sensations, attests to one’s existence and therefore remains a lifelong anchor for self-awareness.
The level of security a person has about his status in the group, and The Sense of Self-identity, which is the second aspect of the proprium is self-identity.
This is most evident when the child, through acquiring language, recognizes himself as a distinct and constant point of reference.
The Sense of Self-esteem or Pride, which is an individual’s evaluation of himself and the urge to wan to do everything for oneself and take all of the credit
The Sense of Self-extension, occurs during the third year of life, which states that even though some things are not inside my physical body they are still very much a part of one’s life.
The Self-image, or how others view “me” is another aspect of self-hood that emerges during childhood.
The Sense of Self as a Rational-Coper occurs between the ages of six and twelve in which the child begins to realize fully that he has the rational capacity to find solutions to life’s problems, so that they can cope effectively with reality demands.
Propriate Striving, which Allport believed to be the core problem for the adolescent. It is the selection of the occupation or other life goal, the adolescent knows that their future must follow a plan, and in this sense makes them lose. their childhood.
Sense of body develops in the first two years of life. We have one, we feel its closeness, its warmth. It has boundaries that pain and injury, touch and movement, make us aware of. Allport had a favorite demonstration of this aspect of self: Imagine spitting saliva into a cup — and then drinking it down! What’s the problem? It’s the same stuff you swallow all day long! But, of course, it has gone out from your bodily self and become, thereby, foreign to you.
Self-identity also develops in the first two years. There comes a point were we recognize ourselves as continuing, as having a past, present, and future. We see ourselves as individual entities, separate and different from others. We even have a name! Will you be the same person when you wake up tomorrow? Of course — we take that continuity for granted.
Self-esteem develops between two and four years old. There also comes a time when we recognize that we have value, to others and to ourselves. This is especially tied to a continuing development of our competencies. This, for Allport, is what the “anal” stage is really all about! Self-extension develops between four and six. Certain things, people, and events around us also come to be thought of as central and warm, essential to my existence. “My” is very close to “me!” Some people define themselves in terms of their parents, spouse, or children, their clan, gang, community, college, or nation. Some find their identity in activities: I’m a psychologist, a student, a bricklayer. Some find identity in a place: my house, my hometown. When my child does something wrong, why do I feel guilty? If someone scratches my car, why do I feel like they just punches me?
Self-image also develops between four and six. This is the “looking-glass self,” the me as others see me. This is the impression I make on others, my “look,” my social esteem or status, including my sexual identity. It is the beginning of what conscience, ideal self and persona.
Rational coping is learned predominantly in the years from six till twelve. The child begins to develop his or her abilities to deal with life’s problems rationally and effectively. This is analogous to Erikson’s “industry.” Propriate striving doesn’t usually begin till after twelve years old. This is my self as goals, ideal, plans, vocations, callings, a sense of direction, a sense of purpose. The culmination of propriate striving, according to Allport, is the ability to say that I am the proprietor of my life.
From MPC-003 Personality: Theories and Assessment – IGNOU
Gordon Allport, a US psychologist and educator, developed an original theory of personality. He set forth that the self organises you deep inside, and accounts for such as unity of personality and continuity of personal memories. The adult personality has something unique about it. Allport sought to understand human behavior and believed that most human behaviour is aligned to a deep desire to function in some way that expresses the self. This he calls appropriate functioning. Propriate functioning can be future-oriented too.
Propriate comes from the word proprium, which is a self-concept: Doing things in keeping with what you really are, that is propriate functioning. But the word proprium never caught on. It may be postulated that your deep self may take in the aspects of your experience that you come to feel are most essential (as opposed to incidental).
Functional autonomy with Allport means “Perseverative Functional Autonomy” and consists mainly of habits. Propriate functional autonomy is somewhat more self-directed than habits.
Allport’s understanding of the deep and often hidden desire to function so as to self-express oneself became a developmental theory. In it, the self has seven functions that tend to arise at certain times of one’s life: For example, the self-image can rise between years four and six. The time periods Allport allots for his proprium stages are very close to the time periods of Freud’s stages of libido development. Allport thinks that as the proprium develops, we can develop personal traits or personal dispositions, that is, concrete behaviour consistencies that can be quite easily recognized. And according to him there are common traits or dispositions within any particular culture. Some traits are more closely tied to the proprium (oness self) than others.
Proprium is a non-essential property common to all the members of a class and attribute. The Proprium was a term coined by Allport which represents the positive, creative, growth-seeking, and forward-moving quality of human nature. Through this concept he listed seven stages of development.
Sense of body develops in the first two years of life. We have one, we feel its closeness, its warmth. It has boundaries that pain and injury, touch and movement, make us aware of. Allport had a favorite demonstration of this aspect of self: Imagine spitting saliva into a cup — and then drinking it down! What’s the problem? It’s the same stuff you swallow all day long! But, of course, it has gone out from your bodily self and become, thereby, foreign to you.
Self-identity also develops in the first two years. There comes a point were we recognize ourselves as continuing, as having a past, present, and future. We see ourselves as individual entities, separate and different from others. We even have a name! Will you be the same person when you wake up tomorrow? Of course — we take that continuity for granted.
Self-esteem develops between two and four years old. There also comes a time when we recognize that we have value, to others and to ourselves. This is especially tied to a continuing development of our competencies. This, for Allport, is what the “anal” stage is really all about! Self-extension develops between four and six. Certain things, people, and events around us also come to be thought of as central and warm, essential to my existence. “My” is very close to “me!” Some people define themselves in terms of their parents, spouse, or children, their clan, gang, community, college, or nation. Some find their identity in activities: I’m a psychologist, a student, a bricklayer. Some find identity in a place: my house, my hometown. When my child does something wrong, why do I feel guilty? If someone scratches my car, why do I feel like they just punches me?
Self-image also develops between four and six. This is the “looking-glass self,” the me as others see me. This is the impression I make on others, my “look,” my social esteem or status, including my sexual identity. It is the beginning of what conscience, ideal self and persona.
Rational coping is learned predominantly in the years from six till twelve. The child begins to develop his or her abilities to deal with life’s problems rationally and effectively. This is analogous to Erikson’s “industry.” Propriate striving doesn’t usually begin till after twelve years old. This is my self as goals, ideal, plans, vocations, callings, a sense of direction, a sense of purpose. The culmination of propriate striving, according to Allport, is the ability to say that I am the proprietor of my life.
From MPC-003 Personality: Theories and Assessment – IGNOU