5. APPROACHES (The Psychodynamic Approach (Part 1)) Flashcards
What is the main driving force behind human behaviour according to the psychodynamic approach?
The unconscious mind.
What did Freud believe about early childhood experiences?
He believed that early childhood experiences determine our personality and adult behaviour.
What is the psychodynamic definition of the unconscious mind?
A part of the mind that is not accessible to the individual, holding repressed thoughts, desires, and memories, which still influence behaviour.
What analogy did Freud use to explain the unconscious mind?
The iceberg analogy—where the conscious mind is the tip above the surface and the unconscious mind is the larger, submerged part.
What are the three components of Freud’s structure of personality?
The id, the ego, and the superego.
What is the primary function of the id?
The id operates on the pleasure principle and seeks immediate gratification of primal desires such as sexual and aggressive urges.
What does the ego do in Freud’s model of the personality?
The ego operates on the reality principle, mediating between the desires of the id and the constraints of the superego.
What role does the superego play in personality?
The superego represents our conscience and moral standards, guiding us to act according to learned rules and ideals.
How does anxiety arise according to Freud?
Anxiety arises from unconscious conflict between the id and the superego.
What are defence mechanisms in Freud’s theory?
Unconscious strategies used by the ego to reduce anxiety caused by conflict between the id and superego, such as repression, denial, and displacement.
What is repression in Freud’s theory?
Repression is the unconscious blocking of painful or disturbing memories or thoughts from conscious awareness
How does displacement function as a defence mechanism?
Displacement involves redirecting emotional impulses from the original target to a safer, neutral object or person (e.g., a phobia).
What is Freud’s view on dreams?
Freud viewed dreams as the “royal road to the unconscious,” where repressed desires are expressed in a disguised, symbolic form.
What is the primary goal of psychoanalysis?
The primary goal of psychoanalysis is to make the unconscious conscious to help resolve conflicts and strengthen the ego.
What are some techniques used in classical psychoanalysis?
Techniques include free association, dream interpretation, and projective techniques like the Rorschach Inkblot Test.
What is free association in psychoanalysis?
A technique where the patient speaks freely about whatever comes to mind, revealing unconscious thoughts without censorship.
How does the psychodynamic approach explain phobias?
Phobias are explained as displacement of unconscious conflict onto a symbol, such as a fear of horses representing a fear of the father (in the case of Little Hans).
What is resistance in psychoanalysis?
Resistance occurs when a patient unconsciously blocks the therapeutic process, such as refusing to speak or dismissing the therapy, indicating that unconscious conflicts are being uncovered.
What are some strengths of Freud’s theory of defence mechanisms?
They provide a useful framework for understanding human behaviour and coping strategies, helping people understand their own behaviours.
What is a limitation of Freud’s theory of defence mechanisms?
The theory lacks testability and falsifiability since defence mechanisms are unconscious and cannot be directly studied, making it difficult to gather scientific evidence.
What does the term “neurotic symptoms” refer to in the context of psychoanalysis?
Neurotic symptoms are mental disorders (e.g., phobias) caused by unconscious conflict, often managed through defence mechanisms.
What did Eysenck (1950) find about psychoanalysis?
Eysenck found that psychoanalysis was only as effective as a placebo, raising questions about its scientific validity.
What is the main limitation of psychoanalysis in treating mental health disorders?
Psychoanalysis is time-consuming, expensive, and has limited use, as it is mainly effective for treating neuroses, not all mental health disorders.
