THE CASE OF JIM Semantic Differential: Phenomenological Theory

THE CASE OF JIM Semantic Differential: Phenomenological Theory

THE CASE OF JIM Semantic Differential: Phenomenological Theory

Assignment: “The Case of Jim” in Ch 6 of Personality

The body or text (i.e., not restating the question in your answer, not including your references or your signature) of your initial response should be at least 300 words of text to be considered substantive.

Title of Activity: In class discussion of the case study of Jim, Week Three

Objective: Review the concepts of the case study in Ch. 6 of Personality and then relate Jim’s case to the theorists discussed during the week.

1.    Read “The Case of Jim” in Ch. 6 of Personality.

2.    Discuss the role of the case using the humanistic model and methods of assessment

THE CASE OF JIM Semantic Differential: Phenomenological Theory

Jim completed ratings of the concepts self, ideal self, father, and mother using the semantic differential (Chapter 5), a simple rating scale. Although the semantic differential is not the exact measure recommended by Rogers, its results can be related to Rogerian theory since its procedures have a phenomenological quality and assess perceptions of self and ideal self.

First, consider how Jim perceives his self. Based on the semantic differential, Jim sees himself as intelligent, friendly, sincere, kind, and basically good—as a wise person who is humane and interested in people.

At the same time, other ratings suggest that he does not feel free to be expressive and uninhibited. Thus, he rates himself as reserved, introverted, inhibited, tense, moral, and conforming. There is a curious mixture of perceptions: being involved, deep, sensitive, and kind while also being competitive, selfish, and disapproving. There is also the interesting combination of perceiving himself as being good and masculine but simultaneously weak and insecure. One gets the impression of an individual who would like to believe that he is basically good and capable of genuine interpersonal relationships at the same time that he is bothered by serious inhibitions and high standards for himself and others.

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This impression comes into sharper focus when we consider the individual who has a gap between his intellectual and emotional estimate individual who has a gap between his intellectual and emotional estimates of himself. As Rogers would put it, we observe an individual who is without self-consistency, who lacks a sense of congruence between self and experience. Compared to the earlier data, involving the Rorschach (Chapter 4), we begin here to get another picture of Jim. We learn of his popularity and success through high school and of his good relationship with his father.

We find support for the suggestions from the projective tests of anxiety and difficulties with women. Indeed, we learn of Jim’s fears of ejaculating too quickly and not being able to satisfy women. However, we also find an individual who believes himself to be basically good and interested in doing humane things. We become aware of an individual who has a view of his self and a view of his ideal self, and of an individual who is frustrated because of the feelings that leave a gap between the two.

Given the opportunity to talk about himself and what he would like to be, Jim talks about his desire to be warmer, more relaxed, and stronger.