Personality Theory Paper
The Pursuit of Happyness
PSYCH/645 Personality Theories
Donna Belvin
March 1, 2015
Instructor: Juliet Fenyk

Introduction In the biographical film The Pursuit of Happyness, the central character Chris Gardner is a self- employed salesman with a girlfriend and five year old son, who has spent his life savings on medical machines. The sale of the medical machines is not producing consistent income and the lifestyle of his family suffers leading to his girlfriend leaving him, but Chris insists on his son being left with him. During this time Chris life changes and he becomes homeless with his five year old son and his determination is to succeed. Chris is able to enter an internship where he is …show more content…

According to psychoanalytic theory the urges and drives of an individual were sexual, aggressive, and inherently bad (Lahey, 2009). According to the psychoanalytic theory Chris motivation would be based on his selfishness (id), and inability of the ego and superego to balance his actions (Lahey, 2009).
Social, cultural, and environmental factors influencing Chris behavior Maslow’s humanistic theory places value on the person as good, and their ability to obtain the highest goal as motivation. Maslow theory presents the vital pulse of what makes an individual go further, and not give up. The situation of Chris, an African-American man, with a five year old son, living homeless is relevant socially, culturally, and environmentally. The way in which each level of the paradigm on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, propelled Chris and his condition into the self-actualization to become productive and effective, demonstrates that need (deficiency) being met will ensure the best outcome.

Conclusion Chris motivation utilizing Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is connected and presents a very good example of how under the most challenging situations when the need is met the next level of the paradigm is apparent, and satisfaction is only generated by fulfilling the self - actualization of the individual