Psychology in The Pursuit of Happyness Film

Psychology in The Pursuit of Happyness Film

Introduction

The Pursuit of Happyness is a film that includes a wide range of psychological and organizational behavior theories. These are exemplified by character behaviors and plot points that fit within the context of organizational culture. Organizational behavior is a subset of human psychology that promotes social interaction. The Pursuit of Happyness depicts individual traits that aid the protagonist in achieving success through self-efficacy, goal-setting, and learning styles, which become invaluable as he incorporates them into the culture and workflow of the stockbroker organization.

Pursuit of Happyness Movie Psychology Analysis: Personality

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is an introspective psychological test that determines how an individual perceives their environment and preferences. It is commonly used in business to assess personality types which are a determinant of behavior as well as mental and emotional characteristics. These can then be used to find strong areas and skills for the individual. The protagonist, Chris Gardner, can be considered an individual that is sociable and extroverted. He is often assertive in pursuing his goals, both in his personal life and career opportunities. He is approachable and unafraid to state his opinion. These traits help him to succeed by opening doors to new opportunities.

One of the most applicable theories in this film is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Popularized in the mid-20th century, it became the primary model of individual development. The premise is that human needs are built upon a pyramid-like structure. In order to reach the next level, the previous one has to be fulfilled to an extent. The base level is physiological needs, followed by safety, love, and esteem. The final level is self-actualization which is the epitome of the human condition. Not meeting needs leads to a state of disequilibrium, which can only lead to stability if the goal is achieved. Human behavior is inherently guided by needs and, at times, can provide the drive to achieve them (Jonas, 2016).

The purpose of self-actualization is to set goals and accept the potential challenges and obstacles in achieving them. Gardner’s story in the film is one of self-actualization. He is aware of his talents and drive for entrepreneurship, which leads him to invest in bone density scanners. However, the investment proves to be a failure, throwing the family into poverty. Therefore, as a struggling salesman, Gardner cannot fulfill his and his family’s underlying physiological and safety needs. The financial impact seemingly undermines the whole dream of self-actualization for him. However, using the last available resources and motivation, Gardner, against insurmountable odds, can get the internship and eventually receive the position, which resolves most of his other issues on various stages of Maslow’s pyramid. It demonstrates a unique case of a top-down approach to the theory but ultimately results in the same stability in life for the protagonist.

Pursuit of Happiness Psychology: Theoretical Basis to Motivation

One of the critical components of human behavior is based on the motivation and reasons behind particular decisions and actions. The film portrays several of them. The Equity Theory developed by psychologist John Adams in 1963 is based on the concept of distributed justice. In the context of business and organization, equity is a fairness concept that is based on costs and rewards. The theory proposes that people seek relationships where net costs and benefits will be similar to those around them. If an individual is under-rewarded, they will experience distress and attempt to establish fairness. Theoretically, this means that an individual will experience motivation to adjust their approach and work harder until the goal is achieved. This theory is based on a balance of inputs (effort, number of hours worked) and outputs (salary, benefits). It is a subset of the psychological contract concept, which oversees the relationship between an employee and an employer.

In the film, Gardner perceives this inequity when he first encounters the stockbroker arriving in an expensive vehicle. He views the people working in the industry as truly happy because of their socio-economic status and asks himself why he cannot be the same. It motivates him to re-establish equity by attempting to learn the trade and seek a position in the organization. It was an idea that Gardner believed would make him happy and allow him to create a life for his family.

Motivation is based on emotional and mental perceptions, which require a motive to pursue specific goals. There are two types of motivation, intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is