freud

Question 1

psychodynamic explanation of aggression

Answer 1

our unconscious mind actively processes thoughts, memories and theories that we’re unaware of, requiring psychic energy

Question 2

Id

Answer 2

driven by pleasure principle
only in unconscious
selfish aggressive instinct that demand immediate gratification

Question 3

Ego

Answer 3

reality principle
balances Id and Superego

Question 4

Superego

Answer 4

morality principle
represents our ideal self

Question 5

catharsis

Answer 5

process of releasing pent up psychic energy

Question 6

what happens if catharsis is prevented

Answer 6

aggressive outburst directed inwards or outwards

Question 7

how can catharsis be achieved

Answer 7

displacement - aggression to one person is redirected to a less powerful available substitute
observing others behaving aggressively

Question 8

oedipus complex

Answer 8

young boy in phallic stage of development develops sexual attraction to mother, competes with father
resolved when boy identifies with father and develops superego

Question 9

electra complex

Answer 9

young girl in phallic stage of development develops sexual attraction to father, competes with mother
resolved when girl identifies with mother and develops superego

Question 10

Verona and Sullivan

Answer 10

lab experiment
found that people who reacted in an aggressive way to being made frustrated in a task had a reduced heart rate compared with those who did not react aggressively
gives evidence for aggression being cathartic

Question 11

weaknesses of freud’s theory

Answer 11

• unfalsifiable, cannot be scientifically measured as the concepts are too abstract
• reductionist, doesn’t consider brain structures etc.
• opposed by SLT

Question 12

applications of freud’s theory

Answer 12

preventing a build up of aggressive energy e.g. therapy and harmless ways of expressing anger
reducing crime in society

Question 13

how good is the evidence for freud

Answer 13

• his theory was generated from case studies which used dream analysis
• he studied only middle-class women from Vienna so gynocentric/ethnocentric and low generalisability
• dream analysis is highly subjective and unscientific

Question 14

Kline

Answer 14

white-collar crime and some aggressive crimes are carefully and deliberately planned and rational so freud’s theory is limited and less valid as it can’t account for all crime