Personology of Murray
CHAPTER 5
Henry Murray: Personology
For me, personality is [a] jungle without boundaries.
—HENRY MURRAY
The Life of Murray (1893–1988)
Childhood Depression and Compensation
Education
The Influence of Carl Jung
The Harvard Psychological Clinic
Principles of Personology
The Divisions of Personality
The Id
The Superego
The Ego
Needs: The Motivators of Behavior
Types of Needs
Characteristics of Needs
Questions About Human Nature
Assessment in Murray’s Theory
The OSS Assessment Program
The Thematic Apperception Test
Research on Murray’s Theory
The Need for Affiliation
The Need for Achievement
Reflections on Murray’s Theory
Chapter Summary
Review Questions
Suggested Readings
Personality Development in Childhood
Complexes
Stages of Development
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PART TWO
The Neopsychoanalytic Approach
Henry Murray designed an approach to personality that includes conscious and unconscious forces; the influence of the past, present, and future; and the impact of physiological and sociological factors. The influence of Freudian psychoanalysis can be seen in Murray’s recognition of the effect on adult behavior of childhood experiences and in his notions of the id, ego, and superego. Although Freud’s imprint is clear, Murray gave unique interpretations to these phenomena. His deviations from orthodox psychoanalysis are so extensive that his system must be classified with the neo-Freudians rather than with the Freudian loyalists.
Two distinctive features of Murray’s system are a sophisticated approach to human needs and the data source on which he based his theory. His proposed list of needs is still widely used in personality research and assessment and in clinical treatment. His data, unlike those of theorists discussed in earlier chapters, come from so-called normal individuals (undergraduate male students at Harvard University) rather than from patients undergoing
Henry Murray: Personology
For me, personality is [a] jungle without boundaries.
—HENRY MURRAY
The Life of Murray (1893–1988)
Childhood Depression and Compensation
Education
The Influence of Carl Jung
The Harvard Psychological Clinic
Principles of Personology
The Divisions of Personality
The Id
The Superego
The Ego
Needs: The Motivators of Behavior
Types of Needs
Characteristics of Needs
Questions About Human Nature
Assessment in Murray’s Theory
The OSS Assessment Program
The Thematic Apperception Test
Research on Murray’s Theory
The Need for Affiliation
The Need for Achievement
Reflections on Murray’s Theory
Chapter Summary
Review Questions
Suggested Readings
Personality Development in Childhood
Complexes
Stages of Development
181
06257_06_ch5_p181-204.indd 181
1/30/08 1:09:11 PM
182
PART TWO
The Neopsychoanalytic Approach
Henry Murray designed an approach to personality that includes conscious and unconscious forces; the influence of the past, present, and future; and the impact of physiological and sociological factors. The influence of Freudian psychoanalysis can be seen in Murray’s recognition of the effect on adult behavior of childhood experiences and in his notions of the id, ego, and superego. Although Freud’s imprint is clear, Murray gave unique interpretations to these phenomena. His deviations from orthodox psychoanalysis are so extensive that his system must be classified with the neo-Freudians rather than with the Freudian loyalists.
Two distinctive features of Murray’s system are a sophisticated approach to human needs and the data source on which he based his theory. His proposed list of needs is still widely used in personality research and assessment and in clinical treatment. His data, unlike those of theorists discussed in earlier chapters, come from so-called normal individuals (undergraduate male students at Harvard University) rather than from patients undergoing