Psychodynamic approach

Question 1

Psychodynamic approach assumptions

Answer 1

• All behaviour has an underlying cause, originating in unconcious mind
• Different aspects of person’s unconscious struggle against each other; Id, Ego, Superego
• Past unresolved conflicts = continue to influence thoughts, feelings, and behaviours in present.

Question 2

The role of unconcious on behaviour

Answer 2

unconcious = store biological drives/instincts, + repressed thoughts (threatening/disturbing memories)
- sig. influence of behaviour/personality
= inaccessible to concious awareness

Question 3

How is personality structured

Answer 3

‘Tripartite’
- Id (pleasure principle)
= present at birth
= seeks instant gratification, entirely selfish

• Ego (reality principle)
  = develops around 2
  = mediator between demands of Id and Superego, reduce their conflicts
• Superego (morality principle)
  = develops around 5
  = represent our right and wrong standards, often based on same-sex parent
  = punish ego through guilt, reward with pride

Question 4

Use of defence mechanisms

Answer 4

Ego’s way of limiting conflicts between Id and Superego
= unconcious and help protect from potential anxieties
- distort realities, so carry on with everyday life without unpleasant feelings/memories

Displacement = transferring distressing feelings onto substitute target, rather than the true source
Repression = forcing distressed memory out of conscious mind
Denial = refusing to acknowledge some aspect of reality

Short-term = effective
Long-term = psychologically unhealthy/undesirable

Question 5

Impact of the Psychosexual stages

Answer 5

• personality = develops throughout childhood, during psychosexual stages
• each stage = represents conflict which must be resolved, in order for to progress onto next stage
• unresolved conflicts = lead to fixations = explain certain behaviours/tendencies

Question 6

Pros of Psychodynamic Approach

Answer 6

IRL APP
Psychoanalysis = forerunner for many modern day ‘talking therapies’ = create new approach to treatment = not physical

EXPLANATORY POWER
= Help draw connection to childhood experiences & later development = overall positive impact, despite controversy

Question 7

Cons of Psychodynamic Approach

Answer 7

PSYCHIC DETERMINISM
Extreme view that all behaviour is due to unconscious = no free will

UNTESTABLE CONCEPTS
= pseudoscientific (not scientific) cannot be disproved, use of case studies to base whole theories = difficult/impossible to test unconcious
= low universal applicability and validity

Question 8

what are the psychosexual stages and their conflicts/fixations

Answer 8

1. Oral (mouth = erogenous zone)
   - conflict = weaning off breast/bottle
   Fixation = nail biting, smoking, overeating
   UP TO 1 YEAR
2. Anal (anus = erogenous zone)
   - conflict = toilet training
   Anal Retentive = perfectionist, obsessiveness
   Anal Expulsive = thoughtless, messy
   1-3 YEARS
3. Phallic (genitals = erogenous zone)
   - conflict = Experience Oedipus/Electra complex
   Fixation = narcissistic, reckless, possibly homosexual
   UP TO 5 YEARS
4. Latent
   = earlier conflicts repressed
5. Genital (genitals = erogenous zone)
   - conflict = sexual desires

Question 9

Oedipus/Electra Complex

Answer 9

development of incestuous feelings towards parent of the opposite gender, and hate/jealousy for parent of same gender

• resolve conflict= internalise morals of same-sex parent and identify with them