A psychobiographical study of Antwone Fisher
- Authors: Wannenburg, Nicola
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Fisher, Antwone Quenton , Psychology -- Biographical methods , Psychoanalysis , Abused children -- Biography
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:3219 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012939
- Description: Psychobiographical researchers methodically formulate life histories and interpret them by means of psychological theories. The research typically focuses on exemplary and completed lives. The cases that are studied are usually of individuals who are of particular interest to society as a result of excelling in their particular fields, be they to society’s benefit or detriment. Antwone Fisher was chosen for this study using purposive sampling as he meets the psychobiographical requirement of being an extraordinary individual. Fisher grew up in the Foster Care System and faced many abusive experiences as child. Despite difficult beginnings, Fisher developed into a stable and creative adult who excels as a poet, screenwriter and film director. The primary aim of this study is to describe and interpret the life of Antwone Fisher through Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development. The data was processed and analysed using Miles and Hubermans’ general view of qualitative analyses as well as Alexander’s method of asking the data questions. This study contributes to the development of psychobiographical research in South Africa as well as to personality and developmental theory.
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- Authors: Wannenburg, Nicola
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Fisher, Antwone Quenton , Psychology -- Biographical methods , Psychoanalysis , Abused children -- Biography
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:3219 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1012939
- Description: Psychobiographical researchers methodically formulate life histories and interpret them by means of psychological theories. The research typically focuses on exemplary and completed lives. The cases that are studied are usually of individuals who are of particular interest to society as a result of excelling in their particular fields, be they to society’s benefit or detriment. Antwone Fisher was chosen for this study using purposive sampling as he meets the psychobiographical requirement of being an extraordinary individual. Fisher grew up in the Foster Care System and faced many abusive experiences as child. Despite difficult beginnings, Fisher developed into a stable and creative adult who excels as a poet, screenwriter and film director. The primary aim of this study is to describe and interpret the life of Antwone Fisher through Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development. The data was processed and analysed using Miles and Hubermans’ general view of qualitative analyses as well as Alexander’s method of asking the data questions. This study contributes to the development of psychobiographical research in South Africa as well as to personality and developmental theory.
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A psychobiography of Helen Martins
- Authors: Mitchell, Donna Leigh
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Martins, Helen Elizabeth, 1897-1976 -- Criticism and interpretation , Psychology -- Biographical methods , Women sculptors -- Psychology , Psychohistory , Personality -- Social aspects , Personality -- Age factors , Personality assessment , Personality change
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:3204 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011670 , Martins, Helen Elizabeth, 1897-1976 -- Criticism and interpretation , Psychology -- Biographical methods , Women sculptors -- Psychology , Psychohistory , Personality -- Social aspects , Personality -- Age factors , Personality assessment , Personality change
- Description: Helen Martins devoted approximately the last thirty years of her life to converting her family home into a unique fantasy world which she named the Owl House. Since her death in 1976 the Owl House has become a national monument and museum in South Africa. Throughout her life Helen was considered by most of the surrounding villagers to have been strange, and she withdrew increasingly from society. However, she appeared to have contained a desire for human connection. There are several instances in which she expressed this desire, such as through the numerous letters which she wrote to fellow artists. The existing body of literature on Helen illustrates the complex nature of her personality; however the question of which personality style she best typifies has remained unanswered. In order to answer this question a psychobiography was conducted on Helen. Psychobiographies entail a biographical representation of a person's life history to which a psychological theory is applied. The psychological theory utilised within the current study was Millon's (1969/1996) Biosocial- Learning Theory. Thus, the chief objective of this study was to describe and interpret Helen's personality style through the use of Millon's (1969/1996) Biosocial-Learning Theory. Alexander's model of data extraction and Miles and Huberman's three step approach were implemented in order to reduce, organise and analyse the data. The findings of this study reflected that Helen deteriorated from one of Millon's (1969/1996) proposed personality styles to another as she aged. The current findings may illuminate Helen's motives for obsessively devoting her life to the creation of her fantasy world.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Mitchell, Donna Leigh
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Martins, Helen Elizabeth, 1897-1976 -- Criticism and interpretation , Psychology -- Biographical methods , Women sculptors -- Psychology , Psychohistory , Personality -- Social aspects , Personality -- Age factors , Personality assessment , Personality change
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MSc
- Identifier: vital:3204 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1011670 , Martins, Helen Elizabeth, 1897-1976 -- Criticism and interpretation , Psychology -- Biographical methods , Women sculptors -- Psychology , Psychohistory , Personality -- Social aspects , Personality -- Age factors , Personality assessment , Personality change
- Description: Helen Martins devoted approximately the last thirty years of her life to converting her family home into a unique fantasy world which she named the Owl House. Since her death in 1976 the Owl House has become a national monument and museum in South Africa. Throughout her life Helen was considered by most of the surrounding villagers to have been strange, and she withdrew increasingly from society. However, she appeared to have contained a desire for human connection. There are several instances in which she expressed this desire, such as through the numerous letters which she wrote to fellow artists. The existing body of literature on Helen illustrates the complex nature of her personality; however the question of which personality style she best typifies has remained unanswered. In order to answer this question a psychobiography was conducted on Helen. Psychobiographies entail a biographical representation of a person's life history to which a psychological theory is applied. The psychological theory utilised within the current study was Millon's (1969/1996) Biosocial- Learning Theory. Thus, the chief objective of this study was to describe and interpret Helen's personality style through the use of Millon's (1969/1996) Biosocial-Learning Theory. Alexander's model of data extraction and Miles and Huberman's three step approach were implemented in order to reduce, organise and analyse the data. The findings of this study reflected that Helen deteriorated from one of Millon's (1969/1996) proposed personality styles to another as she aged. The current findings may illuminate Helen's motives for obsessively devoting her life to the creation of her fantasy world.
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Michael Jackson : a psychobiography
- Authors: Ruiters, Jeremy John
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Jackson, Michael, 1958-2009 , Psychology -- Biographical methods , Psychoanalysis , African American singers -- Biography
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3228 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013061
- Description: In a psychobiography a psychological theory is used as a framework to uncover the story of an individual. The psychobiographical approach to research tends to be underutilised. The result of this is that an important area for the application of psychobiographical theory and the study of completed lives is neglected. The value of psychobiographical studies has been advocated by many scholars in the field of psychobiographical research for the development and testing of theories relating to human development. The subject under investigation in this psychobiography is Michael Jackson. Although much has been written about Jackson, not much of the existing literature adopts a psychological focus. The sampling procedure was purposive, as the subject was deliberately selected. The aim of this research was to explore and describe the life of Jackson through the use of the psychobiographical case method. Life history material in the form of biographies, newspaper articles, documentaries and interviews aided in creating a biographical sketch of Jackson's life. The progression of Jackson's personality development was analysed using Erikson’s psychosocial development theory. The data collection and analysis were conducted according to Yin's analytical generalisation which consists of two main strategies: (1) using a theoretical framework as a guide to determine what data are relevant, and (2) developing a matrix as a descriptive framework for organising and integrating the data. Furthermore, the process of data analysis was aided by the use of guidelines prepared by Alexander with Erikson’s psychosocial development as the theoretical framework. This research undertaking can be recognised as a positive demonstration of the value of Erikson’s psychosocial developmental theory in understanding the process of Michael Jackson's personality development. Recommendations regarding future research that utilises the psychobiographical research design and methodology have been made.
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- Authors: Ruiters, Jeremy John
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Jackson, Michael, 1958-2009 , Psychology -- Biographical methods , Psychoanalysis , African American singers -- Biography
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3228 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013061
- Description: In a psychobiography a psychological theory is used as a framework to uncover the story of an individual. The psychobiographical approach to research tends to be underutilised. The result of this is that an important area for the application of psychobiographical theory and the study of completed lives is neglected. The value of psychobiographical studies has been advocated by many scholars in the field of psychobiographical research for the development and testing of theories relating to human development. The subject under investigation in this psychobiography is Michael Jackson. Although much has been written about Jackson, not much of the existing literature adopts a psychological focus. The sampling procedure was purposive, as the subject was deliberately selected. The aim of this research was to explore and describe the life of Jackson through the use of the psychobiographical case method. Life history material in the form of biographies, newspaper articles, documentaries and interviews aided in creating a biographical sketch of Jackson's life. The progression of Jackson's personality development was analysed using Erikson’s psychosocial development theory. The data collection and analysis were conducted according to Yin's analytical generalisation which consists of two main strategies: (1) using a theoretical framework as a guide to determine what data are relevant, and (2) developing a matrix as a descriptive framework for organising and integrating the data. Furthermore, the process of data analysis was aided by the use of guidelines prepared by Alexander with Erikson’s psychosocial development as the theoretical framework. This research undertaking can be recognised as a positive demonstration of the value of Erikson’s psychosocial developmental theory in understanding the process of Michael Jackson's personality development. Recommendations regarding future research that utilises the psychobiographical research design and methodology have been made.
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The personality of an entrepreneur : a psychobiography of Steve Jobs
- Authors: Ndoro, Tinashe T R
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Jobs, Steve, 1955-2011 -- Psychology , Personality assessment , Psychology -- Biographical methods , Businesspeople -- Psychology , Psychohistory , Entrepreneurship -- United States , Businesspeople -- United States
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:833 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013215
- Description: From Integrative Summary: There has been a growing interest in successful entrepreneurs. Research on entrepreneurship has focused on the identification of personality variables that would assist in the prediction of entrepreneurial success. The present study moves away from attempting to predict entrepreneurial success and instead focuses on exploring and describing the personality of a successful entrepreneur. A psychobiographical case study was adopted by the researcher to explore and describe the extent to which Steve Jobs demonstrated the entrepreneurial characteristics identified by Rauch and Frese (2007). A personality trait approach to entrepreneurship was adopted in the study. The study also attempted to explore the socio-cultural and economic context within which Jobs practised his entrepreneurial activities. Jobs was a successful entrepreneur who co-founded Apple and founded NeXT and Pixar, which were all companies that transformed various technological industries. His entrepreneurial orientation allowed him to produce innovative products that transformed society in various sectors which included personal computing, mobile phones, music, retail stores and films (Isaacson, 2011). A qualitative approach was adopted in the study. The data collection and analysis was guided by the three linked sub-processes proposed by Miles and Huberman (2002) which involved data reduction, data display and conclusion drawing and verification. The findings of this study showed that Jobs demonstrated, at varying levels, all the entrepreneurial characteristics identified by Rauch and Frese (2007) which included a need of achievement, risk-taking, innovativeness, autonomy, locus of control and self-efficacy. The researcher however noted that the desire for autonomy, risk-taking, innovativeness and self-efficacy were the most dominant characteristics driving his entrepreneurial orientation. The research thesis adopted the structure of a teaching case which can be used to explore and discuss the personality trait perspective to entrepreneurship in a classroom setting. The findings of the study can be recognised as positively contributing to the growing field of psychobiographical research on exceptional individuals, including entrepreneurs. The study can be considered as a foundation for future studies which will add to the body of knowledge relating to entrepreneurship and personality.
- Full Text:
- Authors: Ndoro, Tinashe T R
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Jobs, Steve, 1955-2011 -- Psychology , Personality assessment , Psychology -- Biographical methods , Businesspeople -- Psychology , Psychohistory , Entrepreneurship -- United States , Businesspeople -- United States
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: vital:833 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1013215
- Description: From Integrative Summary: There has been a growing interest in successful entrepreneurs. Research on entrepreneurship has focused on the identification of personality variables that would assist in the prediction of entrepreneurial success. The present study moves away from attempting to predict entrepreneurial success and instead focuses on exploring and describing the personality of a successful entrepreneur. A psychobiographical case study was adopted by the researcher to explore and describe the extent to which Steve Jobs demonstrated the entrepreneurial characteristics identified by Rauch and Frese (2007). A personality trait approach to entrepreneurship was adopted in the study. The study also attempted to explore the socio-cultural and economic context within which Jobs practised his entrepreneurial activities. Jobs was a successful entrepreneur who co-founded Apple and founded NeXT and Pixar, which were all companies that transformed various technological industries. His entrepreneurial orientation allowed him to produce innovative products that transformed society in various sectors which included personal computing, mobile phones, music, retail stores and films (Isaacson, 2011). A qualitative approach was adopted in the study. The data collection and analysis was guided by the three linked sub-processes proposed by Miles and Huberman (2002) which involved data reduction, data display and conclusion drawing and verification. The findings of this study showed that Jobs demonstrated, at varying levels, all the entrepreneurial characteristics identified by Rauch and Frese (2007) which included a need of achievement, risk-taking, innovativeness, autonomy, locus of control and self-efficacy. The researcher however noted that the desire for autonomy, risk-taking, innovativeness and self-efficacy were the most dominant characteristics driving his entrepreneurial orientation. The research thesis adopted the structure of a teaching case which can be used to explore and discuss the personality trait perspective to entrepreneurship in a classroom setting. The findings of the study can be recognised as positively contributing to the growing field of psychobiographical research on exceptional individuals, including entrepreneurs. The study can be considered as a foundation for future studies which will add to the body of knowledge relating to entrepreneurship and personality.
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