Psychodynamic Approach Flashcards
(27 cards)
Explain assumption 1 of the psychodynamic approach (ID, ego, superego)
Freud beloved that the adult personality is structured into 3 parts that develop at different stages in our lives, which is the ID ego and superego.
Explain assumption 2 of the psychodynamic approach (levels of consciousness and ego defences)
The mind is like an iceberg; Conscious Pre-conscious Un-conscious E.g. Conscious is rational and logical and is what we are currently aware of. Pre-conscious is what we could be aware of if we thought about it. Un-conscious is thoughts and feelings that are inaccessible to us.
What is Freud’s theory of personality development?
Freud proposed that adult personality develops out of an interaction between innate drives and early life experiences.
The egos ability to function despite these competing forces is referred to as ‘ego strength’. According to Freud the key to a healthy personality is a balance between all 3.
What are Freud’s different psychosexual stages?
Oral 0-1 year: focus in the mouth. The child’s ego is forming.
Anal 1-3 years: focus on the anus.
Phallic 3-6 years: focus on generals ams opposite sex parent. Oedipus Electra complex.
Latency 7 years: sexual conflicts are repressed. Puberty.
Genital puberty: genitals. Development and independence.
Healthy resolutions if the stages, frustration or harsh treatment, overindulgence.
What are ego defence mechanisms?
Normal ego defences include the use of humour, sublimination or suppression.
Ego defences associated with mental disorders include, denial or distortion.
What is the aim of dream analysis?
To recover unconscious thoughts, to be made conscious and conflicts can then be dealt with.
What links are there with dream analysis and the psychodynamic approach?
They believe that mentally-disordered behaviour is caused by unconscious thoughts.
What is the primary process thought?
The ID is the most important part of our personality when we look at our wishes and fantasises.
What is wish fulfilment?
In our conscious minds a lot of impulses are seen as unacceptable and are repressed as a way to protect the conscious mind. When we dream the ID is more free and so dreams are a source of wish fulfilment.
What is the latent and manifest content?
The real meaning of a dream is the latent content. This is transformed into a more harmless form which is the manifest content.
What are the 2 assumptions of the psychodynamic approach?
1) behaviour is influenced by 3 parts of the mind (ID, ego, superego)
2) behaviour is influenced by different levels of consciousness and ego defences.
What is dreamwork?
Condensation, displacement, representation, symbolism and secondary elaboration.
Explain condensation within dreamwork of the psychodynamic approach.
Condensed ideas into images, the images have several association and ideas.
Explain displacement within dreamwork of the psychodynamic approach
The emotional significance of a dream object is separated from its real object.
Explain representation within dreamwork of the psychodynamic approach
A thought is translated into visual images.
Explain symbolism within dreamwork of the psychodynamic approach
A symbol replaces an action person or idea.
Explain secondary elaboration within dreamwork of the psychodynamic approach
Unconscious mind collects all the different images and ties them together to form a logical story.
What is up the process of dream analysis?
The therapist should not suggest what the symbols may mean as they could be biasing the results to fit their hypothesis.
They should suggest various interpretations.
What are 2 strengths of the psychodynamic approach?
Nature and nurture
It reflects the complexity of human behaviour
Explain strength 1 of the psychodynamic approach (nature/nurture)
Freud suggested that we have the ID, ego and superego . Throughout life these drive behaviour (nature). There is inevitably conflict between these elements which creates anxiety (nurture) into the unconscious mind.
Nature and nurture both contribute to adult behaviour. Freud’s theory provides a framework to put them both together.
Explain the second strength of the psychodynamic approach (complexity of human behaviour)
Psychoanalysts seek to uncover deep meaning and acknowledge that understanding behaviour is a lengthy process.
The psychodynamic approach avoids such over-simplification by examining the root causes of behaviour.
What are 2 weaknesses of the psychodynamic approach?
Determinist
Claims cannot be proven wrong
Explain weakness 1 (determinist)
During the oral stage and development the libido is attached to an infants mouth. Both the psychosexual stages and the libido are innate forces. Frustration during any stages causes personality types later in life.
Implies that we have no free will about who we become or how we behave. The determinist view can give people a plausible excuse for criminal/ bad behaviour.
Explain weakness 2 of the psychodynamic approach (claims cannot be proven)
In dream analysis a therapist may argue that a client who denied having homosexual tendencies is repressing them. If you admit to them or deny them there is no evidence that they exist.
A good theory is one that can be tested to see if it is wrong.
