Feist−Feist: Theories of
Personality, Seventh
EditionII. Psychodynamic
Theories- Fromm: Humanistic
Psychoanalysis
© The McGraw−Hill^215
Companies, 2009Chapter 7 Fromm: Humanistic Psychoanalysis 209the aging (Fromm, 1981); on Marx, Hitler, Freud, and Christ; and on myriad other
topics. Regardless of the topic, at the core of all Fromm’s writings can be found an
unfolding of the essence of human nature.
Like other psychodynamic theorists, Fromm tended to take a global approach
to theory construction, erecting a grand, highly abstract model that was more philo-
sophical than scientific. His insights into human nature strike a responsive chord, as
evidenced by the popularity of his books. Unfortunately, his essays and arguments
are not as popularly known today as they were 50 years ago. Paul Roazen (1996)
stated that, during the mid-1950s, a person could not be considered educated with-
out having read Fromm’s eloquently written Escape from Freedom.Today, however,
Fromm’s books are seldom required reading on college campuses.
Eloquence, of course, does not equal science. From a scientific perspective, we
must ask how Fromm’s ideas rate on the six criteria of a useful theory. First, Fromm’s
imprecise and vague terms have rendered his ideas nearly sterile as a generator of
empirical research.Indeed, our search of the last 45 years of psychology literature
yielded fewer than a dozen empirical studies that directly tested Fromm’s theoretical
assumptions. This paucity of scientific investigations places him among the least
empirically validated of all the theorists covered in this book.
Second, Fromm’s theory is too philosophical to be either falsifiableor verifi-
able. Nearly any empirical findings generated by Fromm’s theory (if they existed)
could be explained by alternative theories.
Third, the breadth of Fromm’s theory enables it to organize and explainmuch
of what is known about human personality. Fromm’s social, political, and historical
perspective provides both breadth and depth for understanding the human condition;
but his theory’s lack of precision makes prediction difficult and falsification impos-
sible.
Fourth, as a guide to action,the chief value of Fromm’s writings is to stimu-
late readers to think productively. Unfortunately, however, neither the researcher nor
the therapist receives much practical information from Fromm’s essays.
Fifth, Fromm’s views are internally consistentin the sense that a single theme
runs throughout his writings. However, the theory lacks a structured taxonomy, a set
of operationally defined terms, and a clear limitation of scope. Therefore, it rates low
on internal consistency.
Finally, because Fromm was reluctant to abandon earlier concepts or to relate
them precisely to his later ideas, his theory lacks simplicity and unity. For these rea-
sons, we rate Fromm’s theory low on the criterion of parsimony.
Concept of Humanity
More than any other personality theorist, Erich Fromm emphasized the differences
between humans and the other animals. The essential nature of humans rests on
their unique experience of “being in natureand subject to all its laws, and simul-
taneously transcending nature” (Fromm, 1992, p. 24). He believed that only humans
are aware of themselves and their existence.