Psychodynamic approach

Question 1

Assumptions

Answer 1

Unconscious mind
Instincts/drives
Early childhood experiences

Question 2

Unconscious Mind

Answer 2

Driving force behind our behaviour

Question 3

Instincts/drives

Answer 3

Motivate our behaviour

Question 4

Early childhood experiences

Answer 4

Pivotal in making us person we are
argued most of psychological development formed prior to 6yrs old

Question 5

Iceberg model - Role of unconscious

Answer 5

Conscious mind
Pre-conscious mind
Unconscious mind
Freudian slips

Question 6

Conscious Mind

Answer 6

Accessible part of mind

Question 7

Pre-conscious mind

Answer 7

Thoughts may surface at any point into the conscious

Question 8

Unconscious mind

Answer 8

The Inaccessible
Traumatic memories remain here
accessed through therapy or Freudian slips

Question 9

Freudian slips

Answer 9

Saying something which accidentally reveals your unconscious desire.
Often be sexual or violent

Question 10

Structure of Personality

Answer 10

Id
Superego
Ego

Question 11

The Id

Answer 11

Pleasure principle
birth to 18 months
self and self-seeking pleasure

Question 12

The Superego

Answer 12

Morality principle
3-6 years old
Acts as Individual’s conscious
Personality forms a moral code

Question 13

The Ego

Answer 13

Reality principle
18 months & 3yrs
Logical and rational part of personality
Balances demand of both

Question 14

Defence Mechanisms

Answer 14

Methods we use unconsciously to reduce anxiety and manage the conflict between id and superego.
Ways of protecting ego

Question 15

Types of defence mechanisms

Answer 15

Repression
Displacement
Denial

Question 16

Repression

Answer 16

Forcing a distressing memory out of the conscious mind where it is not accessible

Question 17

Displacement

Answer 17

Transferring feelings from true source of distressing emotion onto a substitute target.

Question 18

Denial

Answer 18

Refusing to acknowledge the reality of an unpleasant situation

Question 19

Psychosexual Stages

Answer 19

Series of stages every individual progresses through from from birth to adulthood.

Question 20

Different stages(Order)

Answer 20

Oral
Anal
Phallic
Latent
Genital

Question 21

Oral (0-1 years)

Answer 21

Pleasure is mouth- biting and sucking

Oral passive- no teeth so pleasure from sucking and swallowing. As an adult- non aggressive, dependent, very passive, gullible

Oral aggressive - pleasure from biting/chewing. As an adult- verbally or physically aggressive, sarcastic, critical.

Oral fixation - chew on pens, bite fingernails, smoke

Question 22

Anal Stage (1-3 years)

Answer 22

Focus of pleasure is the anus
Child potty trained

Anally expulsive - Child may love using potty and is overly keen.
As an adult - messy, insensitive, thoughtless.

Anally Retentive - If parents are very strict about potty training, child anxious to hold on to faeces
As an adult - organised, neat, perfectionist

Question 23

Phallic Stage (3-5 years)

Answer 23

Oedipus and Electra Complex
Phallic personality - narcissistic, reckless, possibly homosexual.
lead to jealous and amxious adult

Question 24

Oedipus Complex

Answer 24

Boy experiences intense sexual feelings for mother.
Father seen as rival, boy wants him to leave.
Boy threatened by father’s presence
Castration anxiety
Combat anxiety - identifies with father
Conflict resolved

Question 25

Electra complex

Answer 25

Girls desire closeness with opposite sex parent
Believe the mother removed the penis
Develop penis envy of males
When desire not fulfilled, expressed through desire for baby.
Fear of losing mother’s love
Identifies with mother

Question 26

Latent Stage (approx. 6 years)

Answer 26

Sexual energy displaced
Calm time in development
Concentrates on being a child

Question 27

Genital Stage (approx. 12 years)

Answer 27

Sexual desires become conscious with onset of puberty
Child becomes an adult
Consequences of unresolved conflict means difficulty forming heterosexual relationships.

Question 28

Advantages

Answer 28

Useful- Explains wide range of phenomena: personality development, gender… , focuses on psychological causes of disorders(not evil spirits)
More we understand, more we can help people and quality of life is improved.

Question 29

Advantages

Answer 29

Importance of childhood behaviour- understand children’s progression through psychosexual stages and development. Strengthens children’s right reform
Means children should be nurtured as childhood plays important role in progression to adulthood.

Question 30

Advantages

Answer 30

Psychoanalysis - Accessing unconscious
Still used today for mental health - gives it a sense of validity and merit.
Alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life.

Question 31

Disadvantages

Answer 31

Problems with psychoanalysis
- Time consuming, expensive and distressing memories revealed
- Unconscious isn’t observable or measurable - impossible to validate
- Interpretations are subjective and unreliable
Focus on the past rather than current problems

Question 32

Disadvantages

Answer 32

Difficult to test
- Not observable or measurable so difficult to test.
- unscientific as can’t be proven
- lacks credibility

Question 33

Disadvantages

Answer 33

Case Studies
- lack reliability and cannot be generalised to general pop.
- contains many uncontrolled variables- no firm conclusions