The psychodynamic approach Flashcards
(40 cards)
Who came up with the psychodynamic approach?
Sigmund Freud in the 1900’s
What are the assumptions of the psychodynamic approach?
- different forces operate on the mind and and direct human behaviour and experience
- Assumes a large part of our mental life operates at an unconscious level
- Behaviour occurs as a result of conflict between the tripartite personality - id, ego and superego
- created the term psychoanalysis as a therapy
What is meant by conscious?
What we are aware of at any one time such as thoughts and perceptions
What is meant by pre-conscious?
Thoughts that may become conscious at some point such as dreams and stored knowledge
What is meant by unconscious ?
mental processes that are inaccessible to consciousness but influence our behaviour such as our biological instincts and immoral urges. Freud says that this is the most important part of the mind
What is a Freudian slip?
A verbal mistake ‘slip of the tongue’ where you say one word but you mean another. Freud says that this is linked to your unconscious mind and these mistakes have a deeper meaning and reveal the private thoughts and feelings that a person holds
According to Freud, what is the structure of personality ?
The personality has 3 parts:
- id
- ego
- superego
These 3 parts are constantly in conflict with each other and the outcome of this interaction determines our behaviour
What is the id?
It’s known as the pleasure principle and its the only one present at birth
Its entirely unconscious and demands instant gratification
During the psychosexual stages of development the individual focuses on gaining pleasure from their biological instinct which derives from the id
What is the ego?
Its know as the reality principle and develops as the child interacts more with the world
It acts as the mediator as it reduces the conflict between the 2 opposing forces of the id and the superego
It may deal with this conflict through use of one of the defence mechanisms
Mostly conscious
- Gets what the id wants but in a moral way
What is the superego?
Its known as the morality principle and it develops during the phallic stage
It represents our morals/ conscious/ guilt
A strong superego inhibits the id where as a weak superego allows the id more expression
Here we usually have internalised our parents values/ standards
Sometimes referred to as your conscious
Freud claimed that personality development took place through a sequence of how many stages? and what are they called
5 psychosexual stages
What did Freud say is the most important drive in development is?
The need to express sexual energy (libido)
What stage is your libido active in?
every stage
What happens if an individual gets stuck at a particular stage and what are the consequences of this?
Some children become fixated at a certain stage and any unresolved psycho-sexual conflicts has has consequences for the adult personality as the child carries conflict characteristics of that stage through adult life
What are the 5 psychosexual stages of development and the ages they occur at ?
Oral = 0 - 1 years
Anal = 2 - 3 years
Phallic = 4 - 5 years
Latency = 6 - 12 years
Genital = 13 - 18 years
(Old Age Pensioners Like Gardening)
What are the characteristics of the oral stage and the consequences of any unresolved conflict ?
Mouth is the first area to be associated with gratification through feeding
consequence:
If not handled sensitively, individuals will be fixated at this stage and may bite their nails, suck their thumbs, bite pen lid. This means they gain gratification in the mouth through these things as they didn’t when young
What are the characteristics of the anal stage and the consequences of any unresolved conflict ?
Gratification come from expelling and withholding faeces. If this isn’t handled sensitively the individual will become fixated at this stage
Consequences :
As the individual is fixated at this stage, this can lead them to be excessively tidy and concerned with bodily cleanliness. They may also appear to be mean and obstinate
What are the characteristics of the Phallic stage and the consequences of any unresolved conflict ?
Gratification is gained through the genital area of the body. The important developmental process is the development of gender identity through the resolution of Oedopus and Electra complexes
Consequence:
If fixated at this stage the adult may always be looking for a mother figure or have confusion with gender identity
What are the characteristics of the Latency stage and the consequences of any unresolved conflict ?
A period of relative calm in which ego defence mechanisms develop
fixation doesn’t normally happen at this stage
What are the characteristics of the Genital stage and the consequences of any unresolved conflict ?
Gratification is associated with mature sexual relationships - sexual desires become conscious with the onset of puberty
Describe the Oedipus complex
The boy has unconscious sexual desires for his mother however the boy is afraid as he recognises his father as being a powerful rival and has castration anxiety. To resolve this anxiety, the boy gives up his love for his mother and identifies with his father (identification with the aggressor)
Identification with his father leads to him adopting the male identity and assuming male characteristics.
Describe the Electra complex
Carl Jung -
The girl realises she doesn’t have a penis and believes she has been castrated. The girl blames her mother for her lack of a penis and sees herself and her mother as powerless. The girl develops penis envy which leads her to desire the father because he has what she desire. The girl fears losing the love off her mother so converts the desire for a penis into the desire for a penis. She then identifies with the mother and adopts the female role
What is a defence mechanism ?
Unconscious resources used by the ego to manage the conflict between the id and the superego. They provide ‘breathing space’ to help come to terms with the conflict or alternative ways of coping. However they often involve some sort of distortion of reality and as a long term solution they are regarded as ‘unhealthy’ and ‘undesirable’
What are the 3 defence mechanisms
Denial
Repression
Displacement
