APPROACHES- Psychodynamic Flashcards
What are the main assumptions of the psychodynamic approach?
-Unconscious forces in our minds determine our thoughts, feelings and behaviour ( the term dynamic refers to the ongoing involvement of these forces
-Our childhood experiences strongly influence our behaviour as adults
-abnormal behaviour is the result of mental conflict between different personalities within us
-The mind can be divided into 3 levels of consciousness which can be referred to as the iceberg analogy, the unconscious mind which is hidden beneath the surface, has the most influence on our personalities
-This approach uses case studies as its preferred research method to understand individuals as holistically as possible
Define unconscious
The part of the mind that we are unaware of that directs behaviour
Define the Tri-partite structure of personality
The personality consists of 3 parts the id, ego and superego
Define defence mechanisms.
Unconscious strategies that the ego uses to manage the conflicts between the id and superego
What are the psychosexual stages?
Each psychosexual stage is associated with a conflict that must be resolved before the individual can successfully advance to the next stage
Define psychic determinism
Unconscious forces and drives are inborn and control or determine behaviour all we say and do has a cause
Why are childhood experiences important?
Events that occur in childhood remain in the unconscious and cause problems as adults
Who created the iceberg analogy?
Frued
What is the preconscious/subconscious mind?
In between the unconscious and conscious mind and holds information that we can access if we try and when we want to
What is at the top of the iceberg?
The small amount of mental activity we know about, thoughts and perception
What is the bottom of the iceberg?
The unconscious- things we are aware of and can not become aware of, disturbing memories that have been repressed
What are the two things that prove the unconscious?
-Freudian slips
-Dream analysis
What are Freudian slips?
An error in speech, memory or physical action that occurs due to the inference of an unconscious wish or internal train of thought, the concept is a part of classical psychoanalysis
What is dream analysis?
Is the process of assigning meaning to dreams, although associated with some forms of psychotherapy, there is no reliable evidence that understanding or interpreting dreams has a positive impact on somebody’s mental health
