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Dissociative Identity Disorder

Dissociative Identity Disorder or otherwise known as multiple personality disorder is a recognized mental disorder whereby the patient manifests at least two separate and distinct personalities. Usually, the patient is not aware and has little to no memory of the shift of personality. There are conflicting theories on how Dissociative Identity Disorder develops. One theory suggests that it may be caused by severe childhood trauma. Another theory suggests that the disorder is shaped by clinicians who inadvertently encourage patients to adopt multiple different roles and thus creates an alternative personality. In a dissociative personality disorder, which used to be called multiple personality disorder, two or more personalities succeed each other in the same person (Townsend, 2013). Whatever the cause of development, it is nonetheless recognized as a legitimate mental health disorder. Dissociative Identity Disorder has varied acceptance in society. Factors such as local culture, sp...
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Strengths and Limitations of the DSM-5 The Diagnostics and Statistical Manual is currently in its fifth edition, published in 2013. Informed by the medical model, it is the official diagnostic manual of mental disorders authorized by the American Psychiatric Association (APA, 2013). It honors and references the International Classification of Diseases, making it amongst the most controversial and polarizing books of the world; a  definitive resource in psychology for the United States, Europe, and Asia; however, no version of the DSM is without problems. It has engendered debate in the public arena as well as professional circles, often referred to as the “bible of psychiatry.” It is required reading for mental health clinicians who seek insurance reimbursement and for students in graduate courses for mental health professions. However, the DSM-5 is at odds with the core values some clinicians hold about clients and therapy, including the emphasis on the role of the the...
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Personality Psychology on Love

While the topic of romance and love has been at the root of man’s lament, it is still one that’s source eludes clear definition. Understanding romantic attachment through personality psychology might have saved a lot of poets some heartache.   A neo-analytical approach to explaining love, such that of Erik Erikson, sees love as the result of a healthy childhood where they are not stuck at the sixth stage of psychosocial developmental (Friedman & Schustack, 2016). In later years, a modern psychologist, Philip Shaver, and his associates explained that the nature of one’s childhood attachment is reflected in their adult relationships and how they perceive romantic attachment. Shaver explained there are three styles of romantic attachments, (a) secure lovers who easily form close relationships, (b) avoidant lovers who have trouble trusting others and feel uncomfortable being close and vulnerable, and (c) anxious-ambivalent lovers who want to have close relationships but are insecu...
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The Aggression and Hate We Teach

The subject of aggression and hate has always been one to inspire passionate discussion and opinions. The etiology of hostility can be explained by studying an individual’s personality from different schools of thought or through various personality theories. However, there are many possible explanations for an individual’s or a group’s aggression and hatred. Two Views to Explain Aggression and Hatred It can be a general inference that some aggressive or hateful behaviors are learned from those an individual is surrounded with or from their culture. The learning theory suggests a great deal of a child’s behavior is learned through modeled behavior, observed behavior, imitation, and vicarious learning (Friendman & Schustack, 2016). Consider the cycle of abuse as it occurs in domestic settings, domestic violence is perpetuated through generations. A husband hits his wife and/or his children. If the wife stays with her husband, it is a tacit expression of condoning the behavio...
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Gender Roles, Culture and Language

Today, cultural constructs rarely play a role in mainstream personality psychology. McCrae (2000) writes that old theories such as psychological anthropology that model the fundamental relationship between an individual and the larger society have not kept pace with the development of mainstream personality psychology. The author also explains the importance of understanding how culture is related to human nature and common sense and both will continue to be adaptive. McCrae (2002) also identifies three levels that might be labeled as transcultural, intercultural and intracultural understandings. He strongly believes that trait psychology should be the basis for new personality and culture studies.  One approach to understanding masculinity and femininity is through the trait psychology. Friedman and Schustack (2016) explain that while many psychologists agree these two terms are important traits, they have not in fact been properly identified and nobody has properly defined th...
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The Influence of Culture on Personality

Culture is a broad term encompassing many elements of a society. Those may include traditions, religions, languages, and other common understandings. Concisely described, culture is the visible manifestation of collective human intellectual achievement. The individual personality emerges from within a cultural context as a unique person, often expressing various aspects of their personality dependent on the context and salient cues ( Lewis-Fernández, & Kleinman, 1994). The relationship between culture and personality has been the subject of controversy for many years. Understanding the diverse cultures of the world need to central to understanding personality development before psychopathology, and the field of psychology can be a force for positive social change, at the roots of society – clinicians only heal social symptoms such as growing divorce rates, increased teenage aggression and shootings, or family degradation ( Lewis-Fernández, & Kleinman, 1994). Ties Between...
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Hormones' Affect on Personalities

There are quite a few broad areas of research that researchers to believe behavioral and personality characteristics are biologically determined; this author will discuss only two of them. Hormone research points to the effects of androgen on the physical development of the fetus, positing the exposure to this hormone during prenatal stages might also affect personality in gender-specific manners. Friedman and Schustack (2016) share two kinds of evidence to support this, (a) experimental data from animal studies and (b) studies of humans who have experienced prenatal hormonal anomalies. Furthermore, hormone research shows the connection between prenatal hormones and pubescent hormones and their effects on personality characteristics. Turner’s Syndrome is one example that may be considered as evidence for genetic or hormonal influences on personality; a result of prenatal abnormalities. Nicholson (1993) and Parsons (1980) explain that Turner’s Syndrome is diagnosed when a child is b...
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