Psychodynamic Approach

Question 1

what are the 3 key assumptions of the pyschodynamic approach?

Answer 1

Behaviour is determined by unconscious forces/processes/drives (hence ‘dynamics’) of which we are unaware.
Personality has three parts: the id, ego and superego
Early childhood experiences determine adult personality

Question 2

what is psychic determinism?

Answer 2

Unconscious drives are inborn and control (or ‘determine’) behaviour - everything we say and do has an unconscious cause.
No behaviour happens ‘by accident’. There is no such thing as free will.

Question 3

what are the 3 levels of Freud’s iceberg theory?

Answer 3

conscious, precociousness and unconscious us

Question 4

what is the conscious mind?

Answer 4

the small amount of mental activity that we know about, e.g thoughts and perception

Question 5

what is the precociousness mind?

Answer 5

things we could be aware off if we tried, e.g memories

Question 6

what is the unconscious mind?

Answer 6

things we are unaware of and can not become aware of e.g instincts, disturbing memories

Question 7

what are the three ways we can asses the unconscious mind?

Answer 7

dream analysis , project tests and free association

Question 8

what is dream analysis?

Answer 8

‘the royal road to the unconscious’
-repressed ideas in the conscious are more likely to appear in dreams than when we are awake , these are referred to as latent content.
-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 9

what is free association?

Answer 9

the individual is encouraged to relax and say anything that comes to into their mind, no matter how strange
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
slips of tongue refereed to as ‘Freudian slips’

Question 10

what is a projective test?

Answer 10

the ‘Rorschach Innkblot’ test, projective tests, patients were shown ambiguous photos, and say what first came to their minds

Question 11

Finish the sentence:
Freud believed that the contents of the …….. …..can be accessed by approaches that …. the participant and allow ideas that would normally be ….. by the … to surface to the conscious mind.

Answer 11

UNCONSCIOUS / MIND / RELAX / REPRESSED / EGO

Question 12

Freud described the personality as T….. ( has three parts)

Answer 12

Tripartite

Question 13

finish the sentence:

Behaviour is seen to be the result of a …. between the …. parts of the …..(personality)

Answer 13

COMPRISE / THREE / PYSCHE

Question 14

describe the Ego?

Answer 14

develops in childhood.
refereed to as the ‘moderator’
partly conscious and operates on reality principle - balances demands of id and superego. Unresolved conflicts cause anxiety

Question 15

describe the ID.

Answer 15

selfish and innate drives
libido = hunger thirst sex,
wholly unconscious.
operates on the pleasure principle. demands immediate gratification

Question 16

describe the superego.

Answer 16

develops at 5/6 years old
refereed to as the ‘relentless policeman’
partly conscious
operates on morality principle - societal and paternal principlesOpposes the id
Strives for ideal self

Question 17

what is the role of the ego?

Answer 17

its role is to balance the superego and the ID

Question 18

what happens if the ego fails to do its job?

Answer 18

it may result in conflicts and psychological disorders

Question 19

what is intra-pyschic conflict?

Answer 19

conflict between the components of the psyche can lead to anxiety

Question 20

the ego tries to avoid any anxiety by using what?

Answer 20

by using defence mechanisms to maintain a balance in relation of the id and superego

Question 21

what will happen if a person excessively uses their defence mechanisms over time?

Answer 21

result in the ego becoming increasingly attached from reality and in time can cause a psychological disorder

Question 22

what are defence mechanisms?

Answer 22

unconscious mechanisms that ID uses to protects against anxiety caused by conflict between the ID and the superego

Question 23

psychoanalysis involves an effort to understand what?

Answer 23

defences and unconscious motives driving self destructive behaviours?

Question 24

name all ego defence mechanism?

Answer 24

denial,repression,reaction formation, projection, displacement, ration

Question 25

define denial as a defence mechanism.

Answer 25

you completely reject the thought or feeling

Question 26

define repression as a defence mechanism

Answer 26

the blocking of unacceptable feelings from the conscious. however these feelings can be expressed through dreams.

Question 27

define reaction formation as a defence mechanism.

Answer 27

you turn that feeling into the opposite

Question 28

define projection as a defence mechanism.

Answer 28

placing your undesired impulses (like socially unacceptable thoughts and feelings ) onto someone else

Question 29

define displacement as a defence mechanism

Answer 29

your direct your feelings onto another target

Question 30

define rationalisation as a defence mechanism

Answer 30

you try to rationalise the situation through, explanation , denying your feelings

Question 31

define regression as a defence mechanism

Answer 31

reverting back to old (childish) behaviour, immature behvaiour

Question 32

define sublimation as a defence mechanism

Answer 32

you re-direct your feelings onto something more socially acceptable such as poetry