Personality Theories-pp. 380-404-May性格心理学之16.doc

Personality Theories-8th Edition Chapter 14- Existential Psychoanalysis -existentialism and psychoanalysis grew out of the same cultural situation -both seek to understand anxiety, despair and the alienation -problem went deeper than neurotic repression -Kierkegaard, Nietzsche and other forerunners of the existentialist position believed that forces of disintegration were gradually destroying individuals’ inner emotional and spiritual life-producing despair and alienation from self and society -May brings together psychoanalytic tradition in psych and the existentialist movement in philosophy -father of American existential psychology -helped underscore the importance of philosophy, values and the theory of personality ROLLO MAY (1909-1994) -born in Ada, Ohio, grew up in Marine City, Michigan -came to hate the disease of anti-intellectualism -Graduated from Oberlin College-received A.B. in 1930 -impact from Greek philosophy and mythology -went to Vienna and studied briefly with Adler -Europe’s tragic view of human nature prevented May from ever accepting a mechanistic concept of the person -American psychology seemed naive and simplistic after return to US -enrolled at Union Theological Seminary in NY-intent in asking questions -meanings of despair, suicide, anxiety and learn counterparts: courage, joy and intensity of living -parents divorced while at Union-served as an advisor to students at Michigan State college -received B.D. in 1938 -Columbia university- Ph.D. in clinical psychology -Tuberculosis in his early thirties-no medication at that time-read a lot -illness helped him to appreciate an existential point of view -Book The Meaning of Anxiety by May- encourage a genuine union between psychology and philosophy and to demonstrate the importance of values for psychology The Existential Attitude: -Existentialism-movement in contemporary philosophy and psychology that sprang up spontaneously in different parts of Europe and among different schools of tho