Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

A Level Psychology > the psychodynamic approach > Flashcards

the psychodynamic approach Flashcards

(114 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

Freud developed the psychodynamic approach which assumes three things

A

List three assumptions of Freud’s psychodynamic approach: 1 Human behaviour has unconscious causes that we’re not aware of 2 From birth humans have a need to fulfil basic biological motivations 3 Childhood experiences are a really important influence on the development of adult personality and psychological disorders

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Freud said there are three levels of consciousness

A

List Freud’s three levels of consciousness: 1 Conscious 2 Preconscious 3 Unconscious

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What does the conscious level contain

A

This is what we are aware of at any given time for example what we are seeing hearing smelling or thinking

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What does the preconscious level contain

A

This is made up of memories that we can recall when we want to for example we can recall our address phone number childhood memories or what we did at the weekend

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What does the unconscious level contain

A

This is made up of memories desires and fears which cause us extreme anxiety and have therefore been ‘repressed’ or forced out of conscious awareness

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Freud said there are three parts of the personality

A

Name the three parts of Freud’s personality structure: 1 Id 2 Ego 3 Superego

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the id

A

The id is the selfish part of the personality that contains our innate aggressive and sexual instincts It wants to be satisfied by whatever means possible and obeys the pleasure principle It accounts for unreasonable behaviour and appears at birth

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is the ego

A

The ego exists in both the conscious and unconscious parts of the mind and acts as a rational part known as the reality principle It develops within the first three years after birth and balances the id and the superego to keep our behaviour in line

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the superego

A

The superego is in both the conscious and unconscious parts of the mind This is the part of the mind that takes our morals into consideration and is involved in making us feel guilty It develops around four to five years of age

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

How can conflicts develop between the parts of the personality

A

Conflicts can develop between the id the ego and the superego if the id and the superego have opposing demands For exampleQuestion

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What are the three levels of consciousness according to Freud

A

Conscious Preconscious and Unconscious

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is the conscious mind responsible for

A

Awareness of what we are seeing hearing smelling or thinking

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What does the preconscious mind include

A

Memories that can be recalled when needed such as phone numbers childhood memories or past weekend activities

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is the role of the unconscious mind

A

It stores memories desires and fears that cause anxiety and are repressed influencing behaviour and dreams

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What are the three parts of the personality according to Freud

A

Id Ego and Superego

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What principle does the id follow

A

The pleasure principle

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What principle does the ego follow

A

The reality principle

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What does the superego represent

A

It represents morality and develops guilt based on internalized parental and societal values

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is Freud’s iceberg analogy

A

The id and superego are unconscious while the ego spans both conscious and unconscious levels like the tip of an iceberg above water

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What mechanisms does the ego use to reduce anxiety caused by conflicts between the id and superego

A

Defense mechanisms such as repression denial and displacement

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What is repression

A

Repression involves stopping unwanted thoughts or painful memories from becoming conscious

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What is denial

A

Denial is the refusal to acknowledge threatening or unpleasant realities

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is displacement

A

Displacement redirects negative impulses onto someone or something else

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What are the five stages of psychosexual development according to Freud

A

Oral Anal Phallic Latent and Genital

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
What happens in the oral stage of psychosexual development
Focus is on sucking behaviours from 0 to 18 months
26
What happens in the anal stage of psychosexual development
Focus is on keeping or discarding feces from 18 months to 3.5 years
27
What happens in the phallic stage of psychosexual development
Focus is on genital fixation including Oedipus and Electra complexes from 3.5 to 6 years
28
What happens in the latent stage of psychosexual development
Sexual urges are repressed from 6 years to puberty
29
What happens in the genital stage of psychosexual development
Awakened sexual urges from puberty onward
30
What is fixation according to Freud
When a child receives too much or too little pleasure at a psychosexual stage causing lasting personality traits
31
What example did Freud give for fixation
Weaning too early may result in traits such as nail-biting smoking or abnormal eating
32
What research method did Freud use in his psychoanalysis
Case studies to explore unconscious conflicts based on dreams and fears
33
What was the case study of Little Hans about
It focused on Hans's phobia of horses interpreted as repressed Oedipal conflicts
34
What strengths does the psychodynamic approach have
Focuses on psychological causes of disorders offers therapy techniques links childhood to later development
35
What weaknesses does the psychodynamic approach have
Subjective interpretations unfalsifiable theories unscientific research methods and difficulty establishing cause and effectQuestion
36
What does the psychodynamic approach emphasize
The active nature of mental processes and their role in shaping personality and behaviour
37
What are the key assumptions of the psychodynamic approach
1 Human behaviour has unconscious causes 2 From birth humans have a need to fulfil basic biological motivations 3 Childhood experiences greatly influence adult personality and psychological disorders
38
How did Freud divide the mind into levels of consciousness
Conscious Preconscious and Unconscious
39
What is the role of the conscious mind
It contains everything we are aware of at any given moment such as thoughts feelings and perceptions
40
What is stored in the preconscious mind
Memories and information that can be retrieved when needed such as childhood events or addresses
41
Why is the unconscious mind significant
It stores repressed memories desires and fears influencing behaviour and dreams without conscious awareness
42
How does Freud explain the structure of personality
It is divided into three parts the id ego and superego
43
What does the id do
It contains innate instincts and operates on the pleasure principle seeking instant gratification
44
At what age does the id develop
It is present at birth
45
What role does the ego play
The ego acts as a rational mediator balancing the id and superego according to the reality principle
46
At what age does the ego develop
The ego develops within the first three years of life
47
What is the purpose of the superego
It internalizes moral standards and induces feelings of guilt
48
At what age does the superego develop
It develops between four and five years of age
49
What analogy did Freud use to explain personality
Freud compared personality to an iceberg with the ego and superego partially visible in consciousness and the id fully submerged in the unconscious
50
How do conflicts arise between the id ego and superego
The id demands instant gratification while the superego imposes moral standards causing anxiety that the ego mediates
51
What defense mechanisms did Freud propose to resolve conflicts
Repression Denial and Displacement
52
What is repression in Freud's theory
The process of pushing distressing thoughts or memories into the unconscious
53
What is denial in Freud's theory
Refusal to accept reality or acknowledge threatening situations
54
What is displacement in Freud's theory
Redirecting negative impulses or feelings onto another person or object
55
What are Freud's five stages of psychosexual development
Oral Anal Phallic Latent and Genital
56
What is the focus of the oral stage
Gratification through sucking behaviour from birth to 18 months
57
What is the focus of the anal stage
Gratification through controlling bowel movements from 18 months to 3.5 years
58
What is the focus of the phallic stage
Focus on genital awareness and development of the Oedipus and Electra complexes from 3.5 to 6 years
59
What is the focus of the latent stage
Repression of sexual urges from 6 years to puberty
60
What is the focus of the genital stage
Awakening of sexual urges and maturity during puberty and adulthood
61
What happens if a child becomes fixated at a psychosexual stage
They may develop traits related to that stage such as smoking for oral fixation
62
What is Freud's theory of fixation
Fixation occurs when too much or too little gratification is experienced during a psychosexual stage
63
How did Freud study unconscious conflicts
He used case studies like that of Little Hans to explore fears and repressed memories
64
What was the Little Hans case study
Fear of horses was interpreted as repressed Oedipal conflict and fear of the father
65
What were the findings of the Little Hans case study
Hans's fear of horses symbolized his fear of castration by his father due to the Oedipus complex
66
What strengths does the psychodynamic approach have
It was the first to focus on psychological causes of disorders links childhood experiences to adult development and offers methods like psychoanalysis
67
What weaknesses does the psychodynamic approach have
It relies on subjective interpretations is unfalsifiable lacks scientific rigor and uses unrepresentative case studies
68
Why are Freud's methods criticized
They rely on retrospective analysis of memories dreams and interpretations making them unreliable
69
What is the scientific limitation of Freud's research
The lack of controlled experiments makes it difficult to establish cause and effect relationships
70
How did Freud influence the study of mental health
He shifted the focus from supernatural causes to psychological and unconscious factors
71
What is the unresolved criticism of Freud's approach
The theories are difficult to test empirically and may not apply universally beyond the case studies usedQuestion
72
What does the psychodynamic approach focus on
The active nature of mental processes and their role in shaping personality and behaviour
73
What is Freud's first assumption about human behaviour
Human behaviour has unconscious causes that we are not aware of
74
What is Freud's second assumption about human motivation
Humans have a basic need to fulfil biological motivations such as food sleep and water
75
What is Freud's third assumption about childhood
Childhood experiences strongly influence adult personality and psychological disorders
76
What did Freud's interest in hysteria lead him to propose
Hysteria symptoms with no physical cause are the result of unconscious thoughts
77
What are Freud's three levels of consciousness
Conscious Preconscious and Unconscious
78
What does the conscious level contain
Things we are aware of at any moment such as hearing seeing or thinking
79
What does the preconscious level contain
Memories and information that can be retrieved when needed such as addresses and childhood memories
80
What does the unconscious level contain
Repressed memories fears and desires that are not accessible but influence behaviour and dreams
81
What are Freudian slips
Accidental mistakes in speech that reveal unconscious thoughts
82
How are Freudian slips connected to the unconscious
They are caused by unconscious thoughts momentarily surfacing
83
What three parts make up Freud's structure of personality
Id Ego and Superego
84
What does the id operate on
The pleasure principle seeking immediate gratification
85
What does the ego operate on
The reality principle balancing the id's desires and the superego's morality
86
What is the superego's role
To impose moral standards induce guilt and act as the moral compass
87
How do the id and superego conflict
The id seeks instant satisfaction while the superego imposes moral restrictions
88
How does the ego resolve conflicts between the id and superego
By using defense mechanisms to reduce anxiety
89
What analogy explains the mind's structure
Freud's iceberg analogy with most of the mind below the surface in the unconscious
90
What are defense mechanisms
Strategies used by the ego to protect against anxiety caused by conflicts
91
What is repression
Repression stops unwanted painful thoughts from becoming conscious
92
What is denial
Denial involves ignoring or refusing to accept a threatening reality
93
What is displacement
Displacement redirects negative emotions or impulses onto something else
94
What are Freud's five psychosexual stages
Oral Anal Phallic Latent and Genital
95
What happens during the oral stage
From 0 to 18 months pleasure is derived from sucking behaviour
96
What happens during the anal stage
From 18 months to 3.5 years focus is on controlling bowel movements
97
What happens during the phallic stage
From 3.5 to 6 years children focus on genital awareness and Oedipus or Electra complexes
98
What happens during the latent stage
From 6 years to puberty sexual urges are repressed
99
What happens during the genital stage
From puberty onward sexual urges awaken and are directed toward mature relationships
100
What is fixation in Freud's theory
Becoming stuck at a psychosexual stage due to too much or too little gratification
101
What behaviours might result from oral fixation
Traits such as smoking nail-biting or overeating
102
What is the Oedipus complex
When a boy desires his mother and feels jealous of his father
103
What is the Electra complex
When a girl desires her father and feels jealousy toward her mother
104
What method did Freud use in his research
Case studies of patients exploring unconscious fears and conflicts
105
What was Freud's case study of Little Hans
Hans had a phobia of horses which Freud interpreted as a fear of his father due to the Oedipus complex
106
What did Freud interpret Hans's fear of horses as
Horses symbolized Hans's fear of castration by his father
107
What strengths does the psychodynamic approach have
Focus on psychological causes of disorders links childhood experiences to development and offers therapies like psychoanalysis
108
What weaknesses does the psychodynamic approach have
Reliance on subjective methods unfalsifiable theories unscientific research and lack of generalizability
109
Why is Freud's research method criticized
Case studies cannot be generalized and rely on subjective interpretations
110
Why are Freud's theories considered unscientific
They cannot be tested or falsified and lack empirical evidence
111
What is a practical limitation of Freud's theories
They focus on the patient's past rather than their current experience or environment
112
What was a key contribution of the psychodynamic approach
It introduced psychological explanations for mental illness instead of supernatural causes
113
What does fixation at the anal stage potentially lead to
Fixation may cause traits like excessive tidiness or stubbornness
114
Why are Freud's interpretations controversial
They are based on his personal observations and cannot be objectively verified

A Level Psychology (18 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions