1.2.1 The Unconcious Mind (PD) Flashcards
What does this assumption say?
Behaviour is influenced by the unconscious mind
What analogy is used to explain the unconscious mind?
The mind is like an iceburg where much of what goes on lies below the surface
What are the 3 parts to the iceberg analogy?
The conscious mind The precocious boundary The unconscious mind
What does the conscious mind contain?
Information you are currently aware of
What forms between the conscious and the unconscious mind?
The preconscious boundary
What does the unconscious mind do?
Drives our behaviour
What is the unconscious mind?
Inaccessible Unknown
What might the unconscious mind contain?
Traumatic memories Desires Fears
What did Freud believe we are motivated by?
Unconscious emotional drives and conflicts
What are the conflicting drives in the unconscious mind that affect our behaviour?
Eros and Thanatos
Describe Eros
- Libido
- Seeks to preserve and create life
- Aims to achieve health and safety as well as sexual reproduction for preservation of the species
Describe Thanatos
- Death drive/instinct
- Drives a person towards death and inanimate state
- Associated with negative emotions like hate and anger
- These behaviours lead to antisocial acts like bullying and murder
What did Freud quote about the thanatos desire
‘The aim of all life is death …. innanimate things existed before living ones’
If someone was showing self destructive behaviour what would Freud say it was he result of?
Conflict in the unconscious mind
What is the only way to resolve behaviours according the Freud?
To bring the content of the unconscious mind to the conscious mind to resolve the conflict
What is the unconscious mind related to?
Ego defence mechanisms
When and why does the ego use ego defence mechanisms?
When conflict arises between the id and superego in order to protect itself
State 4 types of ego defence mechanisms:
Repression Displacement Regression Denial
What is repression?
Unconsciously locking away traumatic or disturbing memories, thoughts and desires to prevent us consciously thinking about them
What could use of repression lead to, give an example:
- self destructive behaviours - e.g someone repressing memories of abuse might unconsciously want to punish themselves or make themselves look less attractive so they demonstrate self destructive behaviour
What is displacement?
Unconsciously taking out your feelings about a particular person or situation onto a innocent substitute object
What could the use of displacement lead to, give an example?
- aggressive behaviour - e.g. Taking out your frustrations about your boss on your cat when you get home
What is regression?
Unconsciously moving back in psychological time when faced with stress (e.g. Behaving in a way you would associate with a much younger age)
What is denial?
Refusing to acknowledge the reality of a situation
What condition linked to abnormally high levels of dopamine could be explained by denial?
Addiction
