psychodynamic approach

Question 1

what is the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 1

behaviour can be explained by unresolved unconscious conflicts

Question 2

what did freud say the three levels of the mind were?

Answer 2

1. conscious (thoughts, perceptions)
2. pre-conscious (memories, stored knowledge)
3. unconscious (selfish needs, unacceptable desires, violent motives)

Question 3

what is the structure of the personality/psyche?

Answer 3

the id - motivated by selfish part of our personality (‘pleasure principle’)
the ego - ‘reality principle’ by reducing conflict between id and superego
the superego - ‘morality principle’

Question 4

what is the oral stage?

Answer 4

• 0-1 years old
• pleasure gained from mouth
• mothers breast
• if fixation occurs, the baby may be a smoker, nail biter, sarcastic and critical

Question 5

what is the anal stage?

Answer 5

• 1-3 years old
• pleasure gained from anus
• controlling bowel movements
• if fixation occurs:
  
  • anally retentive = perfectionist, obsessive (strict potty training)
  • anally expulsive = messy, disorganised (lenient potty training)

Question 6

what is the phallic stage?

Answer 6

• 3-6 years old
• pleasure from genitals
• oedipal or electra complex
• if fixation occurs, phallic personality (narcissist and may be homosexual)

Question 7

what happens in the latency stage?

Answer 7

• 6-11 years old
• stage off
• conflicts are repressed
• no fixation

Question 8

what is the genital stage?

Answer 8

• puberty+
• interest in opposite sex
• pleasure from heterosexual relationships
• if fixation occurs, may have trouble getting into relationships

Question 9

what is the oedipal complex?

Answer 9

• boys dislike fathers and desire mothers
• develop fear of their father which develops into castration anxiety
• boy will start to identify with his father
• internalise morality and superego forms

Question 10

what is the electra complex?

Answer 10

• girls experience penis envy
• hate their mother as a result and desire their father
• replace desire for father with desire for a baby so identify with mother

Question 11

what are defense mechanisms?

Answer 11

stratergies used by the ego to protect us from anxiety

Question 12

what are the three defense mechanisms?

Answer 12

1. repressions = ‘bury’ info
2. denial = not facing problems - reduce anxiety
3. displacement = unable to express feelings for a person so take them out on a safer option

Question 14

strength of psychodynamic approach (influential)

Answer 14

recognised the minds role in mental illnesses - developed first psychological therapy (psychoanalysis) - brings unconscious to conscious

Question 15

limitation of psychodynamic approach (psychoanalysis)

Answer 15

inappropriate for more serious mental illnesses - schizophrenia (can’t articulate thoughts for this therapy)

Question 16

strength of psychodynamic approach (explains)

Answer 16

explains wide range of things - psychological disorders, moral development, personality, gender identity

Question 17

limitation of psychodynamic approach (unfalsifiable)

Answer 17

doesn’t meet scientific criteria, not open to empirical testing, concepts can’t be measured in a scientific way

Question 18

limitation of psychodynamic approach (little hans)

Answer 18

case study

Question 19

limitation of psychodynamic approach (temporal validity)

Answer 19

done when homosexuality was considered a mental health issue and when women had a lesser status - don’t explain today’s behaviours