Life Span and Personality Development of Aaron T. Beck

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Life Span Development and Personality of Aaron T. Beck Aaron T. Beck has contributed much to psychology. His cognitive-behavioral therapy has revolutionized the treatment for many psychological issues. His therapy focuses on teaching the patient to change negative thought patterns, which can lead to changes behavior. Patients learn to understand how their past affects their current thoughts and behaviors, analyze their core beliefs, provide education, and strategies to eliminate negative automatic thoughts. Erickson’ theory of psychosocial development, a secure attachment style, the cognitive-social theory of personality, and Roger’s person-centered approach best explain Aaron Beck’s remarkable success; they rationalize the profound influence his heredity, environment, and cognition had on his psychological development. Kowalski and Westen (2011) state, “…Erickson’s theory integrates biology, psychological experiences, and culture grounding development simultaneously in biological maturation and changing social demands” (p.). Beck’s parents contributed to his development both genetically, environmentally, and socially. Both his parents were Russian Jewish immigrants. His mother was the matriarch of her family; she had to care financially as well as for her younger siblings after her mother died. She was very hardworking, politically active, involved in women’s rights, domineering, outspoken, objective-minded, highly confident, and actively religious. His father was also hardworking, a free-thinker, an active Socialist, intellectual, philosophical, revered literature, and loved writing. Genetically predisposed with the traits of his parents the environmental input helped activate certain aspects of his genetic blueprints (Weishaar, 1993). Heredity and environment influences psychological development. According to

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