Childhood experience and adult personality--a cross-cultural study using the concept of ego strength

Journal of Social Psychology • Vol/Iss. 71 • Published In • Pages: 53-68 •
By Allen, Martin G.

Abstract

This article examines the relationship between childhood experience and adult personality. This aspect of the adult personality is defined as ego strength. The emphasis of this study is mental health, maturity and the effectiveness of adult learning. Psychoanalytic theory predicts curvilinear relationships but most relationships are linear.

Samples

Sample Used Coded Data Comment
HRAF Collection of Ethnography (paper/fiche)
Ethnographic Reports

Hypotheses (6)

HypothesisSupported
"There is no significant correlation between ego strength and severity of the environment" (61)Supported
"The correlations show a negative linear relationship between ego strength and average anxiety and between ego strength and erogenous anxiety" (60)Supported
". . . factors of childhood anxiety have a greater effect upon the ratings of adult ego strength than do factors of childhood gratification . . ." (67)Supported
"Significant correlations occur between ego strength and the variables of oral-anal anxiety, anal satisfaction, anal anxiety, sexual satisfaction, sexual anxiety . . ." (60)Supported
"Significant correlations occur between ego strength and the variables of . . . dependence anxiety, aggression anxiety, and childhood indulgence" (60)Supported
". . . a positive, linear correlation was found between ego strength and average satisfaction and between ego strength and erogenous satisfaction" (60)Supported
Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: mas  Jessie Cohen