Sullivan’s Theory in Workplace and Society
Introduction
According to Sullivan, it is possible to identify a person’s personality by observing the interactions and interrelationships with other people. He terms relationships as composed of systems of energy where the behavior is determined by the interaction between need for satisfaction and the need for security. The earlier need for satisfaction is influenced by dynamic varying proportions of absolute tension and absolute euphoria (Jex & Britt 2008). Absolute euphoria denotes the state of full satisfaction whereas absolute euphoria is the lack of any satisfaction. At any particular time, the behavior of an individual towards others is influenced by the varying proportions of the two extremes.
The need for security is dependent on tension of anxiety where relaxation of the tension results into better interpersonal relationships. Interpersonal security is thus improved by reducing tension of fear. This can be done by removing the object credited for fear, escaping from it, neutralizing the fear object and ignoring the fear object. Sullivan further stated relationships are energy systems comprised of either potential energy or transformed energy. The later denotes energy already in action in interpersonal relationship whereas the former is called tension.
Tension has two levels depending on the positive effect it can have on the interpersonal reaction. It is either tension of anxiety or tension of need. The later once catered to benefits interpersonal relationships while tension of anxiety if catered to will be disruptive to healthy relationships. The two give rise to dynamisms or the characteristic behavior of an individual that can be disruptive or beneficial in interpersonal relationships. Conjunctive is a beneficial dynamism while disjunctive denotes a disruptive dynamism. Self-system exemplifies the former while malevolence illustrates disjunctive dynamism. Isolative dynamism has no effect on relationships and can be exemplified by lust.
Usefulness in understanding workplace personalities
Sullivan interpersonal theory is underlined by the notion of personifications being repeated tendencies and inclinations exhibited by individuals while relating to others. On the other hand, the workplace is chiefly made up of social structures and systems demanding interpersonal relations to oil organization. According to Sullivan, bad mother and good-mother personifications formed in a person’s developmental stage integrate to from a complex personality in adulthood (Hogan & Smithe 2001).This explains the satisfaction and dissatisfaction levels determining the nature and quality of interpersonal relations in the workplace.
Observing individuals in the work place in regards to the interpersonal theory one realizes differentiation in abilities to cope with stress, ability to connect with co-workers, affinity for new ideas, ability to tolerate deviance in co-workers and motivation in pursuing goals. These five factors occur in each employee in varying level determining the personality exhibited. The type of personality generated can be either beneficial or disruptive in consideration of the workplace.
When an individual has low accommodation and originality traits in his personality it is illustrated by striking down different or new ideas contributed by other people. This can be attributed to the self-system dynamism that is responsible for maintaining an individual’s interpersonal security where ideas and experiences unusual to are opposed through the processes of selective inattention as well as dissociation (Conci 2011). This also explains why there are individuals in the workplace who withdraw when they situations do not settle according to their expectations.
The need for security is essential to functional interrelationships but there are individualistic traits of attaining interpersonal security in the work place. As previously noted, anxiety and fear is triggered by events or objects deemed a threat to interpersonal security. While dealing with interpersonal security threats individuals in the work place exhibit varying personalities. Neutralizing is one way to deal with threats as illustrated by aggressive personalities in the workplace. These individuals opt to hostility while tackling conflict instead of the preferred way of removing the issue or threat.
Egoistic personalities in the workplace are other illustrations of ignoring the threats to their interpersonal security as facilitated by the interpersonal theory. This is exhibited by self-believe in knowing it all and ignoring ideas or suggestions from co-workers. Ignoring the threat object is one of the ways individuals deal with interpersonal security threats. Passive individuals in the workplace exhibit tendencies of escape from interpersonal security threats. They are evasive and withdrawn and rarely voice objection an indication of escapism (Hogan & Smithe 2001). The risk of projecting false traits on other co-workers is also present where they perceiver themselves as victims and others as perpetrators of interpersonal threats.
The Sullivan theory also helps in understanding why the varying levels of need for acceptance. This can be explained by the personification exemplified by the conjunctive dynamism of intimacy. Some individuals have a need to be accepted and be close to others thus rarely saying no or voicing disagreement. These individuals run the risk of being overburden with work or agreeing to opposing opinions. On the other hand, the theory shed light into workplace bullying where certain personalities seek to control co-workers through threats and intimidation. This can be attributed to the disjunctive dynamism of malevolence characterized by the individuals having difficulty appraising others.
Usefulness in understanding individual societal and workplace role
The Sullivan Interpersonal theory enables on to gauge one’s role society as well as the workplace by revealing the most dominant personifications inherent. Good leaders posses the ability to remove or destroy objects threatening interpersonal security and thus are good at solving problems and pushing other to goal attainment. Additionally, optimist people play a motivational role in both the society and workplace since they have a functional self-system. On the other hand, great orators and effective communicators are able to operate on the syntaxic level. These means they are able to relate experience, event and goals in both a verbal and rational manner as to enhance comprehension of people around them (Jex & Britt 2008).
Isolating dynamisms at first may have no effect on the interpersonal relationships but can reduce the quality of relationship an individual develops with others. This is an illustration of the theory influencing one’s interaction with others. For instance, lust and intimacy are mutually exclusive in a relationship where an increase in the former decreases the deepness or intimacy of the relationship. On the other hand, depending on the nature of empathy and nurturing one has received during interpersonal development, a domineering personality is evident. Individuals who are constantly bring themselves down or hold the perception that elevation is only attained by bring down others are illustrative of a bad-me personification. From Sullivan’s perspective, this individual is likely to associate with the negative events of the society or deviant behavior given the self-label obtained during interpersonal development (Hogan & Smithe 2001).
Good-me personalities often interact with the society or co-workers in the workplace from a conformist perceptive where they will align themselves with established structures for attaining set goals or objectives. They are at ease appreciating others and being appreciated since they were exposed to rewards as well as approval during their interpersonal development stages. The personification attained during interpersonal development is an imperative contributor to one’s role in the society as illustrated by the ability of not-me personalities to motivate as well as critically think around problems. The reason behind this is their ability to ignore anxiety and stress to focus on issues of priority.
Both the society and the workplace have individual who react against established structures and goals feeling threatened interpersonally. They devise alternative structures and goals proceeding to enforce them on people. These individuals are best known as rebels who are characterized by a tendency to neutralize circumstances they deem as a threat to their interpersonal security. Consequently, the type of reaction a person chooses to react against circumstances threatening security defines their role in the society.
Sullivan while stating the various cognition levels suggests individuals can have their present role in their social environment determined by what presently triggers the syntaxical cognition. There are three cognition levels in order of clarity and present usefulness namely prototaxic, parataxic and syntaxic. A person is likely to move towards and associate with an event that triggers syntaxic cognition. For instance, if violence triggers a more syntaxic cognition than negotiation, an individual is likely to resort to violence. This often explains why some individuals are quick to critic as to praise or vice versa.
In conclusion, the Sullivan states that an individual’s personality is identifiable by their interaction and social relationships with others. These personalities are developed through various cognition stages and personifications from infancy to late adulthood (Conci 2011). The key to functional workplace and societal relationships is catering to conjunctive dynamisms and maintaining one’s level of expression at the syntaxical level.
References
Conci M., (2011) Sullivan Revisited – Life and Work. Rome, Italy. Tangram Ediz.
Hogan R. & Smithe R.. (2001). Personality: Theories and applications. Boulder. The Perseus Books Group.
Jex S. & Britt T.. (2008).Organizational psychology: a scientist-practitioner approach. Hoboken, New Jersey. Wiley & Sons, Inc.
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