Psychology of Hitler
Psychology of Hitler Just saying the name Adolf Hitler brings chills down one 's spine. Most would describe him as a madman, an inhuman monster or even the devil himself, but how else could you describe a person responsible for such horrific suffering and for the deaths of millions of people. Most people would know Adolf Hitler as a German dictator from 1934 to 1945, the leader of the Nazi party, chancellor of Germany, or the man responsible for World War II. Most people do not know Hitler the artist, Hitler the writer, or even the innocent child who loved westerns and playing cowboys and Indians. Hitler 's life changed the world forever, but what was it in Hitler 's life that changed the man forever; what changed an innocent boy into the monster people read about in history books.
Although I am sure many psychological perspectives would have a field day trying to analyze the mind of Adolf Hitler, there are two that prove most significant to the explanation of why Hitler turned out the way he did; these theory are Freud 's psychoanalytical theory and Erikson 's psychosocial theory. Although Piaget’s theory of personality would have been valuable in determining what is the root behind the development of a madman, I feel there is relatively too little detailed information relating to Hitler’s childhood to properly employ the theory. The psychoanalytical and psychosocial theory seem to almost fit Adolf Hitler’s personality to a tee. They both emphasize the importance that a child’s environment or interactions play in the development of personality and given Hitler’s very traumatic upbringing, it is the most likely the point in his life that influenced what the future man would become. It seems our very earliest experiences and interactions in life tend to be the foundations to which our individual identities form. An example of Freud and Erikson’s theories that environment and social interaction are so vital in development of personality is written in passages In
Although I am sure many psychological perspectives would have a field day trying to analyze the mind of Adolf Hitler, there are two that prove most significant to the explanation of why Hitler turned out the way he did; these theory are Freud 's psychoanalytical theory and Erikson 's psychosocial theory. Although Piaget’s theory of personality would have been valuable in determining what is the root behind the development of a madman, I feel there is relatively too little detailed information relating to Hitler’s childhood to properly employ the theory. The psychoanalytical and psychosocial theory seem to almost fit Adolf Hitler’s personality to a tee. They both emphasize the importance that a child’s environment or interactions play in the development of personality and given Hitler’s very traumatic upbringing, it is the most likely the point in his life that influenced what the future man would become. It seems our very earliest experiences and interactions in life tend to be the foundations to which our individual identities form. An example of Freud and Erikson’s theories that environment and social interaction are so vital in development of personality is written in passages In
Cited: Hitler, Adolf. Mein Kamf. New Delhi: Sagar Publications, 1967. 38+. Print. Murr, Henry A., Ernest Kris, and Bertram Lawin. "Adolf Hitler: Psychological Analysis of Hitler 's Life & Legend." Psychological Analysis of Hitler 's Life & Legend. The Nizkor Project, n.d. Web. 17 Nov. 2013. Hyland, Philip, Daniel Boduszek, and KRZYSZTOF KIELKIEWICZ. "A Psycho-Historical Analysis of Adolf Hitler." Psychology & Society 4 (2011): 58-63. Psychology and Society. Web. 17 Nov. 2013.