Personality: Freud

Question 1

What is the unconscious mind?

Answer 1

Thoughts, feelings, urges or fantasies we’re unaware of as we keep them in our unconscious

Question 2

What is preconscious thought?

Answer 2

Thoughts that are unconscious at this instant but can be easily recalled into our conscious mind

Question 3

What is conscious thought?

Answer 3

What we are actively aware of at any given time

Question 4

Identify the 3 levels of consciousness

Answer 4

1. Conscious thought
2. Preconscious thought
3. Unconscious mind

Question 5

What are dreams?

Answer 5

Direct route into our conscious

Question 6

What is the latent (hidden) content?

Answer 6

Must be identified and interpreted by the analyst.

-Freud would get patients to keep dream diaries and analyze them to uncover the latent content

Question 7

Why are some thoughts, feelings, urges, etc. kept in the unconscious mind?

Answer 7

For their aggressive nature - repression. At times repression may weaken and previously unconscious material will usually manifest as a dream or under the influence of drugs/alcohol

Question 8

Identify the two important elements to dreams

Answer 8

1) The manifest content

2) The latent (hidden) content

Question 9

What is the manifest content?

Answer 9

The description of the dream as recalled by the dreamer.
-Not a true representation of the unconscious mind, we unconsciously censor some true meaning to avoid becoming too disturbed by the recall.

Question 10

What do dreams represent?

Answer 10

Primary process thinking. The logically impossible becomes possible in our dreams because we’re governed by pleasure principal

Question 11

What is secondary process thinking?

Answer 11

Rational thought governed by the reality principle

Question 12

What is the ID?

Answer 12

(Instincts)

• Basic storehouse for raw, uninhibited, instinctual energy
• Source of all cravings (food, warmth, sex, etc.)
• Pleasure principal with related primary process thinking operates in the ID

Question 13

How do the 3 personality structures (ID, ego, superego) interact/work?

Answer 13

Ego- The mediator, role is to protect/defend itself from rising psychological conflict by using defense mechanisms.
-3 structures are in constant battle, this can cause anxiety

Question 14

What is the ego?

Answer 14

(Reality)

• Executive part of personality (planning, thinking, organizing)
• Operates according to the reality principle with secondary process thinking

Question 15

What is the superego?

Answer 15

(Morality)
Around 4-5 years (age)
-The perfectionist part, leading to positive feelings of pride or negative feelings of guilt
-Makes judgements about right/wrong
-Acts in opposition to the ID and helps ego re-channel immoral id impulses

Question 16

How do the 3 personality structures (ID, ego, superego) interact/work?

Answer 16

Ego- The mediator, role is to protect/defend itself from rising psychological conflict by using defense mechanisms.
-3 structures are in constant battle, this can cause anxiety

Question 17

What are ‘erogenous zones’ in relation to psychosexual development?

Answer 17

The area that is most sensitive to stimulation and the source of gratification. Libido (energy source) is invested in erogenous zones

Question 18

What is the oral stage?

Answer 18

1st stage, birth-1 year
Pleasure focused on feeding
Erogenous zones = mouth, lips and tongue
Sufficient oral stimulation needed for trust in caregiver as well as to progress to the next stage

Question 19

Oral stage: What happens if you fail to meet your needs?

Answer 19

Causes fixation. Fixation at oral stage is linked to seeking excessive oral stimulation e.g., smoking, chewing gum or excessive eating

Question 20

Oral stage: what are characteristics of an overindulged adult?

Answer 20

Oral receptive character

Dependent on others, trusting, gullible

Question 21

Oral stage: what are characteristics of an under indulged adult?

Answer 21

Oral aggressive personality

Exploitative towards others, sadistic, dominant

Question 22

What is the anal stage?

Answer 22

2nd stage, 18 years-3 years
Erogenous zones = anal region
Toilet training- kids awarded when able to control the movements

Question 23

Anal stage: what happens if there’s conflict between the child and demanding parents?

Answer 23

May lead individuals to rebel against authority throughout their lives

Question 24

Anal stage: what happens if toilet training is handled badly?

Answer 24

You either get the:
Anal retentive personality (stingy, stubborn, hoarder, very orderly)
Anal-expulsive personality (Untidy, disorganized, disregard rules about cleanliness)

Question 25

Anal stage: what is the appropriate parenting approach?

Answer 25

Be relaxed about the child's preferences (in toilet changing) and positively reward success

Question 26

What is the phallic stage?

Answer 26

3rd stage, 3-5 years Libidinal energy moves to genital area Girls develop penis envy and feelings of deficiency, boys develop castration anxiety

Question 27

Phallic stage: how do boys change their relationship with their parents?

Answer 27

Develop Oedipus complex. Sexual attachment for mum + see dad as sexual rival and powerful/threatening. Desire for mum and fear of dad causes anxiety. Anxiety resolved by identifying with dad

Question 28

Phallic stage: how do girls change their relationship with their parents?

Answer 28

Develop Electra complex. Dad as sex objects and mum as rival. Desire for dad/fear of mum causes anxiety. Identify with mum to solve anxiety, identify with dad to obtain missing penis

Question 29

Phallic stage: What does fixation result in?

Answer 29

Males- promiscuity, or fail to develop masculine characteristics and may be attracted to men Females- may develop masculine traits and be attracted to women

Question 30

Phallic stage: How are children socialized into male/female roles

Answer 30

Boys- identify with fathers | Girls- identify with mothers

Question 31

What is the latency stage?

Answer 31

4th stage, 5-12 years Resting period of child’s psychosexual development. All energies taken up in socialization and learning. Kids learn more about the world and develop defense mechanism to cope with basic anxieties

Question 32

What is the genital stage?

Answer 32

5th stage, 12-18+ Body changes and puberty reawaken libido. Sexual objects chosen are always opposite sex in normal development. Some may have conflicts left from opedial/electra stage and don’t cope well

Question 33

Name 5 defense mechanisms

Answer 33

1) Repression 2) Denial 3) Projection 4) Rationalization 5) Regression

Question 34

Defense mechanisms: denial

Answer 34

We deny unpleasant events or the reality of a situation

Question 35

When do we develop defense mechanisms and what is their purpose?

Answer 35

The latency stage. Their purpose is to make us feel better and protect us from pain, to protect our self esteem

Question 36

Defense mechanisms: repression

Answer 36

We push our unacceptable thoughts, feelings or impulses into our unconscious. We act as if what we can't recall can't hurt us

Question 37

Defense mechanisms: projection

Answer 37

Blaming everything or everyone for our shortcomings. We externalize unacceptable feelings

Question 38

Defense mechanisms: rationalisation

Answer 38

The process whereby the reasons for a course of action are given after it has happened. This way we save our self-esteem

Question 39

Defense mechanisms: regression

Answer 39

To avoid anxiety we return to something simpler, easier in our life

Question 40

Clinical applications to Freud

Answer 40

Analyst aims to help a patient resolve his/her emotional conflicts through catharsis, abreaction and transference

Question 41

What are some strengths/limitations of Freudian theory?

Answer 41

Strengths: -Fairly comprehensive and addresses both ab/normal behavior -Addressed complexities of human behavior that opened up important discussions about personality Limitations: -Concerns around originality -Vagueness e.g., with normal development -Overly stresses sexual drive