psychodynamic approach

Question 1

what is the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 1

a perspective that describes the different forces, most of which are unconscious, that operate on the mind and direct human behaviour.

proposed by Freud.

Question 2

what are the three key assumptions of the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 2

Unconscious processes determine our behaviour​.

Personality has three parts: the id, ego and superego​

Early childhood experiences determine adult personality - psychosexual stages.

Question 3

outline the ‘importance of the unconscious mind’.

Answer 3

According to psychodynamic theory, we have an ‘unconscious’ mind which influences our behaviour.​

Our conscious mind is unaware of what thoughts and emotions occur in the unconscious. ​

However, these unconscious thoughts and feelings can have an effect on our conscious mind. ​

This is one of the key themes in psychodynamic theory and is known as psychic determinism.

the unconscious also contains disturbing memories that have been repressed, or forgotten. these can be accessed during dreams or ‘slips of the tongue’, e.g. calling a female teacher ‘mum’ instead of ‘miss’.

Question 4

define psychic determinism.

Answer 4

Unconscious forces and drives are inborn and control or determine behaviour - all we say and do has a cause.

Question 5

describe the ‘iceburg’ metaphor as proposed by freud.

Answer 5

Freud used the metaphor of the iceberg to describe the mind – the tip of the iceberg is visible (conscious) but the much larger part is hidden under the surface (unconscious).

The conscious. The small​ amount of mental activity we​ know about. (e.g. thoughts, perceptions).

The preconscious. Things​ we could be aware of if we​ wanted or tried. E.g. memories, stored knowledge.

The unconscious. Things we are unaware of and can​ not become aware of, but do have an effect on our conscious mind. (e.g. instincts, deeply buried memories)

Question 6

Although we are unaware of what goes on in our unconscious, there are ways of accessing it.
name the two ways.

Answer 6

free association.
dream analysis.

Question 7

outline dream analysis as a way of accessing the unconscious mind.

Answer 7

Repressed ideas in the unconscious are more likely to appear in dreams than when we are awake – Freud referred to these ideas as the latent content of dreams​.

The manifest content is the dream as it appears to the dreamer – dream symbols that are used to disguise unacceptable ideas​.

A therapist interprets the dreams in order to provide insight about what the dream really represents.

Question 8

outline free association as a way of accessing the conscious mind.

Answer 8

The individual is encouraged to relax and say anything that comes into their mind.

The idea is that the ego will be unable to carry out its normal role of keeping check of the threatening unconscious impulses, and the conflict can be brought into consciousness​.

Once verbalised, the therapist can interpret and explain.

Question 9

outline ‘personality has three parts’ as a key assumption of the psychodynamic approach.

Answer 9

Freud described personality as tripartite, composed of three parts - the id, the ego and the superego.​

Behaviour is seen to be the result of a compromise between the three parts of the psyche (personality).

Question 10

describe the id.

Answer 10

The id is the primitive part of the personality.​

It is contained in the unconscious part of the mind​.

The id operates according to the “pleasure principle” - gets what it wants.

The id is present at birth and throughout life is entirely selfish and demands instant gratification of its needs​.

Question 11

describe the superego.

Answer 11

The superego is the conscience and ego ideal​.

it is our internalised sense of right and wrong - insists that we do the “right thing”​.

opposes the desires of the id​.

It develops later in childhood (end of the phallic stage) through identification with same sex parent, at which point the child internalises their moral standards and social norms via resolution of the Oedipus/Electra complex.

The superego enforces moral restrictions and battles against id impulses​.

Question 12

describe the ego.

Answer 12

The ego operates according to the “reality principle”​ and is the mediator of the personality.

develops around the age of two - in the preconscious.

The ego uses its cognitive abilities to manage and control the Id and balance its desires against the restrictions of reality and the superego​.

The ego defends itself from id-superego struggles via various defence mechanisms.

Question 13

outline the egos use of defence mechanisms.

Answer 13

The ego uses many defence mechanisms (unconscious strategies) to protect it from id-superego conflicts. ​

These include: repression, denial and displacement

Question 14

outline repression as a defence mechanism.
give an example.

Answer 14

forcing a distressing memory from the conscious mind – unconscious forgetting.

e.g. person forgetting the trauma of their pet dying.

Question 15

outline denial as a defence mechanism.
give an example.

Answer 15

refusing to believe something because it is too painful to acknowledge the reality.

e.g continuing to turn up for work even though you’ve been fired.

Question 16

outline displacement as a defence mechanism.
give an example.

Answer 16

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

e.g. slamming the door after a fight with your girlfriend.

Question 17

outline the issue of using excessive defence mechanisms.

Answer 17

Excessive use of defence mechanisms will, over time, result in the ego becoming increasingly detached from reality and, in time, can cause psychological disorder​

Psychoanalysis involves effort to understand defences and unconscious motives driving self-destructive behaviours

Question 18

outline ‘the importance of early childhood experiences’ as a key assumption of the psychodynamic approach.

Answer 18

Psychodynamic theory states that events in our childhood have a great influence on our adult lives, shaping our personality​.

Events that occur in childhood can remain in the unconscious, and cause problems as adults​.

Freud proposed that all children go through the same five stages of development.

Question 19

outline what is meant by psychosexual development.

Answer 19

Children pass through a series of age-dependent stages during development​.

Each stage has a designated “pleasure zone” and “primary activity”​.

Each stage requires resolution of a particular conflict/task​.

Failure to successfully navigate a stage’s particular conflict/ task is known as fixation.

Question 20

name the five psychosexual stages.

Answer 20

the oral stage: 0-1 year of age​

the anal stage: 1-3 years of age​

the phallic stage: 3-6 years of age​

the latent stage: 6-11 years of age​

the genital stage: 12+ years of age

Question 21

describe the oral stage.

Answer 21

0-1 years.

focus of pleasure is the mouth, mothers breast can be the object of desire.

the consequence of unresolved conflict:
oral fixation - smoking, biting nails.

Question 22

describe the anal stage.

Answer 22

1-3 years.
focus of pleasure is the anus.
child gains pleasure from withholding and expelling faeces.

consequence of unresolved conflict:
anal retentive - perfectionist, obsessive.
anal expulsive - thoughtless, messy.

Question 23

describe the phallic stage.

Answer 23

3-6 years.
focus of pleasure is the genital area.

consequence of unresolved conflict:
phallic personality - narcissistic, reckless.

Freud claimed that boys develop feelings towards their mother and a murderous hatred for their father - Oedipus complex.

Question 24

describe the latent stage.

Answer 24

6-11 years.
earlier conflicts are repressed.

Question 25

describe the genital stage.

Answer 25

12+ years.
sexual desires become conscious alongside the onset of puberty.

consequence of unresolved conflict:
difficulty forming heterosexual relationships.

Question 26

describe what is meant by fixation.

Answer 26

Fixation (getting stuck) at any one of the stages determines our adult character, personality and behavioural traits.​

If this happens, traces of that stage will remain in their behaviour as an adult​.

Fixation may occur due to trauma, pleasant or unpleasant experiences, change in environment etc.

Question 27

discuss research support as a strength of the psychodynamic approach.

Answer 27

in the phallic stage, Freud claimed that boys develop feelings towards their mother and a murderous hatred for their father - Oedipus complex.

fearing their father, they repress their feelings for their mother and identify with their father, taking on his gender role and values.

Freud conducted a case study on ‘Little Hans’​.
Hans had a phobia of horses​.
Through psychoanalysis Hans spoke to Freud and commented ‘Father don’t trot away from me’​.

Freud analysed this to be the fear of horses was really a form of displacement in which the repressed fear of his father and castration anxiety was displaced onto horses. His father wore glasses like the blinkers of the horse. The Freudian slip of don’t ‘trot’ away showed his true fear - the fear of castration experienced in the Oedipus complex.

this supports the existence of the Oedipus complex.

however, alongside ‘Little Hans’, much of Freud’s ideas were based on the subjective study of single individuals - making it difficult to make universal claims about human behaviour.

also, It is unscientific as the ideas cannot be refuted, and thus unfalsifiable. his concepts are not open to empirical testing due to them occurring at an unconscious level, in this case the Oedipus complex, making them difficult if not impossible to test.

this suggests Freud’s theory was pseudoscientific rather than established fact, greatly reducing the validity of the psychodynamic approach.

Question 28

outline practical application as a strength of the psychodynamic approach.

Answer 28

introduced the idea of psychotherapy.

Freud’s psychoanalysis was the first attempt to treat mental disorders psychologically instead of physically.

employed a range of techniques designed to access the unconscious - e.g. dream analysis.

they claim to help clients by bringing up repressed emotions into their conscious mind so they can be dealt with.

psychoanalysis is the forerunner to many modern day therapies - including counselling. this shows the value of the approach in creating a new approach to treatment for mental disorders.

Question 29

give a counterpoint for the real-world application of the psychodynamic approach.

Answer 29

although therapists have claimed success for many clients with mild mental disorders, psychoanalysis is considered to be harmful for people experiencing more serious mental disorders, such as schizophrenia.

many of the symptoms, e.g. hallucinations and paranoia, mean sufferers have lost grip with reality and cannot articulate their thoughts in the way required for psychoanalysis.

suggests Freudian therapy does not apply to all disorders and is therefore limited in its practical application.

additionally, psychoanalytic therapy is difficult to evaluate – it is extremely long term and it is possible that an individual may recover of their own accord during this time, suggesting Freud may over-emphasise the role of instincts in human behaviour.

Question 30

discuss determinism in the psychodynamic approach.

Answer 30

psychic determinism.

according to the approach, behaviour is determined by unconscious drives and early childhood experiences.

even random ‘slips of the tongue’ are proposed to be driven by unconscious forces and has deep meaning.

an extreme view that dismisses any possible influence of free will on behaviour - as suggested by the humanistic approach.

Question 31

outline other issues and debates in the psychodynamic approach.

Answer 31

Ideographic research – case studies, and takes into account unique experience of childhood experiences in determining behaviour.
HOWEVER – he did create general laws about innate drives on for example psychosexual development (so a little nomothetic).

Reductionist – as it reduces behaviour to innate drives (e.g. ID).
HOWEVER - also takes into account all aspects of human behaviour.

Both Nature and Nurture - as you are born with your Id, and behaviour is caused by innate drives.
HOWEVER - early childhood experiences also shape behaviour and we develop the ego and superego through experience.

Gender bias – Alpha bias.

Culture bias – based on repressed Victorian culture.

Socially sensitive – as he expressed reasons for behaviour linking to psychosexual development.