THEORY OF PERSONALITY

HUMANISTIC

PSYCHOANALYSIS
ERICH FROMM

SUBMITTED BY:

SHERALYN D. SUMALBAG
MSGC

SUBMITTED TO:

DR. MA. RUBY HIYASMIN MALICDEM-DELOS SANTOS

June 2, 2019
 I. SUMMARY OF THE THEORY

Erich Fromm’s basic thesis is that modern-day people have been torn away from their
prehistoric union with nature and also with one another, yet they have the power of reasoning,
foresight, and imagination. This combination of lack of animal instincts and presence of rational
thought makes humans the freaks of the universe. Self-awareness contributes to feelings of
loneliness, isolation, and homelessness. To escape from these feelings, people strive to become
reunited with nature and with their fellow human beings.
Fromm’s humanistic psychoanalysis assumes that humanity’s separation from the natural world
has produced feelings of loneliness and isolation, a condition called basic anxiety.
Fromm was very interested in historical and cultural perspectives on human nature, not
just psychological perspectives. The changes in the human condition lead to feelings of anxiety,
isolation, and powerlessness. The cost is freedom and this cost far exceeds the benefits. Humans
have two alternatives: to escape from freedom into interpersonal dependencies to move to self-
realization through productive love and work
We no have no powerful instincts to adapt to the changing world. Instead, we have
acquired the facility to reason, called the human dilemma . There are Humans face fundamental
dichotomies, the first is life and death. The second is that humans are capable of conceptualizing
the goal of complete self-realization but are also aware that life is too short to reach that goal.
The third is that people are ultimately alone, yet we cannot tolerate isolation.

Only distinctive human needs can move people toward a reunion with the natural world.
These existential needs have emerged during the evolution of human culture, growing out of
their attempts to find an answer to their existence and to avoid becoming insane Health
individuals are better able to find ways to reunite with the world productively solving the human
needs of relatedness.

There are three basic ways. First is the Submission it is the search for a domineering
partner. Second is the Power it is the search for a submissive partner. Finally is the Love it is the
the only route to become united with the world and help the person achieve individuality and
integrity .
 The four basic elements of genuine love are care, responsibility, respect and knowledge.
Transcendence is the the urge to rise above a passive and accidental existence and into the
“realm of purposefulness and freedom”. Rootedness is the need to establish roots or to feel at
home in the world again. Without Rootedness, the feelings of isolation and helplessness can
become unbearable . Can be productive or unproductive as in separation from the mother or not
(fixation). A sense of identity is the the capacity to be aware of ourselves as a separate entity.
Historically humans identified more closely with their clan and did not see themselves as
existing apart from the group. Now a days, people identify attachments with institutions. A frame
of orientation (being split off from nature, humans need a road map to make their way through
the world. We need to put things into a framework. A road map without a goal or destination is
worthless .

As children become more independent from their mothers they gain more freedom to
express their individuality. However, at the same time they experience the burden of freedom,
that is, the loss of security from being with mother. This causes basic anxiety.
There are three primary mechanisms of escape. First is the Authoritarianism it is the
tendency to give up the independence of one’s own individual self and to fuse one’s self with
somebody or something outside oneself, in order to acquire the strength which the individual is
lacking. This can happen with a powerful partner and is called masochism or it can happen by
dominated in the unity with another person called sadism by controlling and exploiting others.
Second is the destructiveness it is rooted in the feelings of aloneness, isolation, and
powerlessness, and it seeks to do away with other people, destroying others to acquire a feeling
of lost power . Finally, is the conformity, it is when people who conform to try to escape from a
sense of aloneness and isolation by giving up their individuality and becoming whatever other
people desire them to be. The more they conform the more powerless they feel; the more
powerless they feel the more they must conform. People can break the cycle of conformity and
powerless only by achieving self-realization and positive freedom. Positive Freedom can be
attained by the individuals spontaneous and full expression of their rational and emotional
potential. Positive Freedom is a successful solution to the human dilemma of being part of the
natural world and maintaining individuality . Love and work are the twin components of positive
freedom.
 II. KNOWLEDGE GAINED

Upon reading the book and some information about Fromm’s theory I gained knowledge that
for Erich Fromm, everybody’s main goal in life is to become stronger, freer, more Noble
essentially, the person you were meant to be. This is representative of his humanistic perspective,
which was revolutionary for such an important figure in psychology at the time. When
Psychoanalytic theory is referenced, some people make the mistake of viewing it as a rigid and
specific entity made up of clearly define concepts, dynamics, and approaches proposed by the
father of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud.

III. HOW WILL THE THEORY BE APPLIED IN YOUR WORK AS A

GUIDANCE FACILITATOR/ WORKER

According to Fromm it is important to help the clients to know themselves and maintain a
good and clear communication and as a Guidance counselor it is really important that the client
we’re dealing with, is well aware of him/herself if not, it will be hard to acquire informations
from him/her regarding the situations. Mainly because without knowing ourselves , we cannot
know any other person or thing. Because communication is so important, as a counselor I must
relate as one human being to another with utter concentration and utter sincerity. This can be
done through talking and establishing a good relationship with the client and that’s how I will
apply this theory.

IV. OVER ALL INSIGHT OF THE THEORY / PRESENTATION

On my overview about this theory Fromm believed that healthy people rely on some
combination of all five character orientations. Their survival as healthy individuals depends on
their ability to receive things from other people, to take things when appropriate, to preserve
things, to exchange things, and to work, love, and think productively. Fromm views that people
today have been carried away from their prehistoric union with nature and also with one another,
yet they have the power of reasoning, foresight, and imagination. He assumes that humanity’s
separation from the natural world has produced feelings of loneliness and isolation, a condition
called basic anxiety. Self-awareness contributes to feelings of loneliness, isolation, and
homelessness. To escape from these feelings, people strive to become reunited with nature and
with their fellow human beings. Fromm was very interested in historical and cultural
perspectives on human nature, not just psychological perspectives. The changes in the human
condition lead to feelings of anxiety, isolation, and powerlessness. The cost is freedom and this
cost far exceeds the benefits. Humans have two alternatives: to escape from freedom into
interpersonal dependencies or to move to self-realization through productive love and work.