Fromm

Question 1

main components of Fromm’s theory

Answer 1

-connects Freudian principles to existentialism
-does not focus on biology
-social/historical perspective: how society and culture influence how individuals behave
-people have free will (the ability to make their own choices) and this is crucial for understanding them –> problems arise when individuals give up their free will out of fear of responsibility

Question 2

nature of people (Fromm)

Answer 2

people have the potential for BOTH good and evil:
1) ‘good’ = leads to health; being socially connected to others; being independent (do not require others to take care of you all the time) and loving life
2) ‘evil’ = leads to pathology; dependence/lack of individuality - not becoming your own individual; focus on decay, rather than growth

Question 3

individuation (Fromm)

Answer 3

the process of a child having freedom and separating from their mother and becoming their own person which is a frightening experience for the child

Question 4

pathology (Fromm)

Answer 4

-the escape from freedom and giving up free will because of the fear of responsibility
-rebelling against authority: not really true freedom because you are still being controlled by the people you are rebelling against

Question 5

authoritarianism (Fromm)

Answer 5

pathological response - giving up free will to depend on others or try to dominate them

Question 6

conformity (Fromm)

Answer 6

pathological response - giving up free will to do the same thing that everybody does because this makes you feel safe and helps you avoid responsibility to make your own choices

Question 7

freedom from

Answer 7

being free from constraints or realizing you are a separate individual; negative connotation (freed from something)

Question 8

freedom to

Answer 8

truly acting as an individual; positive connotation (free to do something)

Question 9

health (Fromm)

Answer 9

UNSELFISH LOVE; independence: accept the freedom and make choices even though it causes anxiety to do that