Chapter 3 Flashcards
(41 cards)
mechanism
argues that basic physical and chemical factors
could fully explain the functioning of organisms, including life itself.
free association
in this technique, the person being analyzed
allows all of their thoughts to come forth without inhibition or
falsification of any kind.
three core ideas of mental energy system
- there is a limited amount of energy
- if mental energy is blocked somewhere, it will manifest itself in some other way
- the mind is constantly trying to achieve a state of peace or balance
Hysteria disorder/conversion disorder
the physical manifestation of psychological pain
catharsis
a release and freeing of emotions by talking about one’s problems
why is catharsis important to the psychoanalytic theory?
it proves that the release of pent-up mental energy allows the patient to improve.
society’s role in curbing inborn sexually aggressive behavior?
society limits sex-life and teaches people that restricting biological urges is what is socially acceptable
Freud’s three levels of awareness
- conscious level
- pre-conscious level
- unconscious level
conscious level
includes thoughts of which we are aware at any given
moment
pre-conscious level
mental contents of which we could easily become aware
if we attended to them (preconscious information can become conscious)
unconscious level
unconscious mental contents are part of the mind of
which we are unaware and cannot become aware except under special circumstances
two levels of dream content?
latent content and manifest content
latent content vs. manifest content
latent content is the unconscious desires and manifest content is the dream bringing those desires to fruition
I.D.
operates on the pleasure principle, seeks immediate gratification, constantly trying to release tension to reduce mind to quiet state. Animalistic side of us
Superego
the moral side to us. Can be flexible and understanding. causes us to feel guilt
ego
the logic, rational, portion of our personalities. Seeks to attain the desires of the ego with the limtations of society and the superego
life instinct
“eros” or libido.
the innate desire for humans to procreate and keep life going. sexual drives
death instinct
“thanatos”
reflects Freud’s idea that a basic
tendency of the organism is to seek calmness.
ex. suicide as an escape from psychological problems
the dynamics of functioning
the ability for desires and instincts to be blocked, re-routed, or modified
defense mechanisms
ways to distort reality and exclude
feelings from awareness so that we do not feel anxious
denial
a simple defense mechanism in which the person denies an event in their conscious mind
projection
a primitive defense that takes what is internal and projects it on the external. When people take their own undesired qualities and inflict them on others
isolation
the individual “magically” undoes one act or wish with another, where the second act nullifies the first in such a manner that it is as though the first act never happened).
reaction formation
trying to over-exaggerate that they aren’t a certain way. Unreasonable, showy.
ex. gay kid tries to prove he’s heterosexual