5. Probing the Psyche: The Work of Freud & Jung Flashcards
Freud
Psychic Energy
The source of energy within each person that motivates all human activity.
Freud
Instincts
The strong innate forces that provide all the energy in the psychic system (initially two categories: self-preservation and sexual instincts, revised by Freud to be collapsed into the singular ‘life instinct’).
Freud’s instincts theory derived from Darwin.
Freud
Libido
The ‘life’ instinct, a combination of self-preservation and sexual instincts (also used to describe pleasure-oriented urges in general).
Freud
Thanatos
The ‘death’ instinct, the instinct towards destruction/harm (towards the self or others), often manifesting as aggression towards others.
Freud
As each person has a fixed amount of psychic energy, the energy used to direct one type of behaviour will not…
be available to drive other types of behaviours (eg. directing thanatos into competitive sports -> less energy to expend on a more destructive expression of this instinct)
Freud
The Conscious Mind
The part of the mind that contains everything you are presently aware of (emotions, thoughts, current sensory perceptions, etc.).
Freud
The Preconscious Mind
Stores any piece of information not being thought about presently that can still be easily retrieved/recalled and made conscious.
Freud
The Unconscious Mind
The largest part of the human mind. The part of the mind of which the conscious has no awareness. Often taboo urges, thoughts, and feelings are repressed here.
Freud
Psychic Determinism
Freud’s concept that what we do is never by chance or accident/everything we think, feel, do and say is an expression of the mind.
Freud
Anna O. - Who was she, and how did Joseph Breuer treat her?
Also, what did Freud and Breur theorize from this?
Anna O. had physical/somatic symptoms, the more she talked about memories relating to her symptoms with Breuer, the more relief she got from those symptoms - the “talking cure.”
So, Freud and Breuer theorized hysteria (mental illness) was not by chance, but rather physical expressions of repressed traumatic experiences
Blindsight
The vision centre in the brain is damaged, and someone loses some of all or their ability to see. However, with blindsight, the eyes still transmit information to the brain, but the brain centre responsible for object recognition does not work. People who experience this “cortical” blindness can often assess objects even though they cannot actually see them. Used as evidence for the unconscious.
Deliberation-Without-Attention
The concept that when someone is confronted with a problem, decision, or something of the sort, if the person can put that out of their conscious mind for a stretch of time, the ‘unconscious’ mind will ponder it, helping that person come to a “sudden” and often correct epiphany/decision/solution later on. A.K.A. Unconscious decision making.
Freud
The Id
Two key terms
The most primitive part of the mind, we are all born with it and it is the source of all our urges, impulses, and drives. The id operates on the pleasure principle, i.e. instant gratification. The id utilizes primary process thinking.
Freud
Primary Process Thinking
Id
Thinking without the logical rules of conscious thought or an anchor in reality. Dreams and fantasies are examples of primary process thinking.
Although primary process thought does not follow the normal rules of reality (e.g., in dreams people might fly or walk through walls), Freud believed there were principles at work in primary process thought and that these principles could be discovered.
Freud
Wish Fulfillment
If the id has an urge that cannot be fulfilled without an external object/person, the id may generate a mental image/fantasy of that thing to satisfy its needs (mental energy is invested here, and the urge is temporarily satisfied, but not permanently as the need is not satisfied in reality).
Freud
The Ego
Two key terms to remember
The part of the mind that constrains the id to reality, develops within the first 2-3 years of life. Operates according to the reality principle. The ego is aware that the urges of the id often conflict with social and physical realities, and thus expression of the id must be restrained, redirected or postponed. The ego engages in secondary process thinking.
Reality Principle: Guides behaviour according to the demands of reality
Note: Tames the motives of sex and aggression (libido/thanatos related) in the id
Freud
Secondary process thinking
In contrast to the unrealistic primary process thinking, involves devising strategies to obtain satisfaction and problem-solve. Often takes into account constraints of physical and social reality.
Freud
Ego Depletion
The theory that psychic energy is depleted by efforts toward self-control.
Has not been totally proven or disproven, but there is some evidence for this effect in certain situations.
Freud
Behaviours that are sensitive to ego depletion
Be able to name a couple
Breaking a diet, overspending, aggression after being provoked, sexual impulses, logical and intelligent decision making (decreases)
Freud
Social behaviours that demand self-control
Be able to name a couple
Self-presentation/managing impressions, kindness in response to poor behaviour, dealing with challenging people, interracial interactions
Freud
Ways to counteract harmful effects of ego depletion
Humour, laughter, positive emotions, cash incentives, creating plans/intentions to cope with temptation, pursuing social values
Freud
Superego
Two parts and a driving emotion
Internalizes values, morals and ideals of society, and influences our decisions. A.K.A. our conscience, helps us make moral decisions and judgements.
Another part of the superego is the ego-ideal - the ideal image of the self.
The main tool of the superego in enforcing right and wrong is guilt (the emotion).
The superego is not bound by reality, can set very low or very high standards morally
Freud
The three types of anxiety
List them
Objective anxiety, neurotic anxiety, moral anxiety
Freud
Objective Anxiety
Fear. Occurs in response to a real, external threat to a person.
E.g. Being confronted by someone with a knife
Freud
Neurotic Anxiety
Occurs when there is direct conflict between the id and the ego.
E.g. Fear of blurting out an unacceptable thought or desire.
Freud
Moral Anxiety
Occurs when there is a conflict between the ego and the superego.
E.g. Guilt for not living up to certain/”proper” standards (even if these standards are unrealistic). People who punish themselves/have low self esteem/feel ashamed of themselves are suffering from moral anxiety from an overly powerful superego.
Freud
Defence Mechanisms
And their two functions
Strategies for coping with anxiety and threats to self-esteem.
Serve two functions:
1. Protect the ego
2. Minimize anxiety and distress
Freud
Repression
The process of preventing unacceptable thoughts, feelings or urges from reaching conscious awareness.
Was the forerunner (first) of all other forms of defence mechanisms.
Freud
Denial
May result from extremely anxiety-provoking situations. A person in denial insists things are not as they seem. However, it can also be less extreme (e.g. reframing an anxiety-provoking situation). Often manifests in people’s daydreams or fantasies.
Daydreams are “what could have been” type of fantasies.
Fundamental Attribution Error
The tendency to blame bad events that happen to others on the person’s characteristics, and the tendency to blame bad events happening to oneself on the situation/some external factor.
May be interpreted as a specific form of denial (Freudian lens)
Freud
Displacement
Displacement is an unconscious defence mechanism that involves avoiding recognition one has inappropriate urges or feelings towards another person. Those feelings are then redirected, or displaced, on another person or object that is more appropriate or acceptable.
Sometimes involves redirecting sexual urges from a less acceptable to more acceptable target.
Can even involve redirection of fears.
Can sometimes cause a domino effect, a person displaces towards another person, and that person displaces onto someone else, and so on.
In modern day,
Freud
Rationalization
Generating acceptable reasons for outcomes that might otherwise appear socially unacceptable.
Freud
Reaction Formation
A defence mechanism that tries to stifle the expression of an unacceptable urge, a person displays behaviours that indicate the opposite of that urge.
One of the hallmarks of reaction formation is excessive behaviour. E.g. Someone who unconsciously cannot stand their boss is extremely nice to their boss, going out of their way to do favours for the boss.
Freud
Projection
A defence mechanism based on the notion we sometimes see in others the traits and desires we find most upsetting and undesirable in ourselves. We attribute (project) our own unacceptable qualities onto others.
E.g. Someone cheating in a relationship is more suspicious that their partner is being unfaithful.
False Consensus Effect
The tendency many people have to assume others are similar to them. Thinking many other people share your own traits, preferences, or motivations.
Kind of the modern version of Freud’s projection theory. Having a false consensus about one’s unflattering traits could be ego defensive.
Freud
Sublimation
The most adaptive defence mechanism. Involves channeling unacceptable instincts (sexual/aggressive) into socially desired activities. Allows for limited yet healthy expression of id tendencies, so the ego can invest less energy in regulating the id.
E.g. Chopping wood outside instead of acting on anger.
E.g. Volunteering in the army as sublimation of a death wish.
E.g. Hitting the gym to release pent-up tension.
When is a defence mechanism a problem?
If it inhibits the ability to be productive or if it begins limiting the ability to maintain relationships.
Freud
Psychosexual Stage Theory
According to Freud, people pass through a (set) series of stages in personality development. At each of the first three stages, children must resolve specific conflicts (revolving around ways of acquiring sexual gratification).
FREUD WAS CRAZY LOL
Children seek this gratification at each stage by investing ‘libidinal energy’ in a specific body part.
Freud
Fixation
If a child gets stuck at one of Freud’s (cocaine fueled theory of) psychosexual development stages, it is called fixation. This means a child will exhibit a less matue approach to obtaining sexual gratification. If the developmental crisis is not successfully and adaptively resolved, it could lead to a continuous fixation and arrested personality development.
Freud
Oral Stage
Time period, source of pleasure, conflict, fixation, etc.
Time Period: Birth to 18 months
Source of Pleasure: Mouth, lips, and tongue
Conflict: Weaning - id wants immediate gratification of obtaining pleasure through the mouth, psychological conflict is excessive pleasure vs. dependency
Fixation: If weaning process is traumatic or painful, it will result in a degree of fixation at the oral stage. Can manifest as oral receptive or oral aggressive personality.
Oral Receptive and Oral Aggressive Personalities
Oral receptive personality: Can lead to thumb sucking, nail biting, overeating, smoking, etc., and at a psychological level, they may be overly dependent on others.
Oral aggressive personality: Can lead to biting in childhood (finding pleasure in biting), and there is a conflict between the urge to bite and parental restrictions. If people fixate, they may grow up to be hostile, quarrelsome, etc. (a ‘biting’ personality).
Freud
Anal Stage
Time period, source of pleasure, conflict, fixation, etc.
Time Period: 18 months to 3 years
Source of Pleasure: The anal sphincter
Conflict: Toilet training - id wants immediate gratification of expelling waste/relieving tension, psychological conflict is based on self-control (training oneself to use the toilet)
Fixation: Over- or underdeveloped self-control. Can manifest as anal expulsive or anal retentive personality.
Freud
Anal Expulsive and Anal Retentive Personality
Anal expulsive personality: Too little self control, child grows up to be sloppy and dirty.
Anal retentive personality: Too much self-control, child withholds from doing their business, is stubborn, etc. and this progresses to compulsive behaviour, rigidity, and excessive neatness in adulthood.
Freud
Phallic Stage
Oh god
Time period, source of pleasure, conflict, fixation, etc.
Time Period: 3 years to 5 years
Source of Pleasure: Genitals, the child also discovers they have or do not have a penis.
Conflict: Sexual desire for the parent of the opposite sex, and jealousy towards the other parent
Fixation: Described as a phallic personality. Causes narcissism, vanity, and impulsivity in adulthood.
Freud
Oedipal Conflict
For boys, the main conflict in Freud’s phallic stage. It is a boy’s unconscious wish to have his mother all to himself by eliminating the father. (Oedipus is a character in a Greek myth who unknowingly kills his father and marries his mother.)
Freud
Castration Anxiety
A boy’s fear, according to Freud, that his father would take away his penis. Drives the boy into giving up his sexual desire for his mother.
Phallic Stage
Freud
Identification
Resolution of the Phallic Stage conflict. The child decides they want to become like the same-sex parent. Freud believed this was the beginning of the development of the superego and morality and the start of the adult gender role.
Freud
Penis Envy
Girls’ counterpart to the boys’ castration anxiety. Freud thought girls blame their mothers for lack of a penis, desiring their fathers while also envying them for their penises.
Freud (Jung, actually)
Electra Complex
Within the psychoanalytic theory of personality development, the female counterpart to the Oedipal complex; both refer to the phallic stage of development.
Freud rejected this, actually, it was Jung who coined it. Freud thought girls blame their mothers for lack of a penis, desiring their fathers while also envying them for their penises.
Freud
Latency Stage
Time Period: 6 years to puberty
Source of Pleasure: None
Conflict: None
Considered by Freud to be a period of psychological rest, or latency, and not a time of psychological development. Subsequent psychoanalysts argued this was very much not the case.
Built upon in Chapter 10.
Freud
Genital Stage
Time Period: 12 years / puberty through adult life
Source of Pleasure: Genitals, but not in the manner of self-manipulation
Conflict: None
Only reached if conflicts are resolved in earlier stages. So, Freud thought personality development was largely complete around the ages of 5 to 6.
People reach the genital stage with full psychic energy if they have resolved the conflicts at the prior stages. Successful personality development was defined by the ability to be productive and maintain loving relationships.
Freud’s Influence
- The “talking cure” can be traced back to Freud
- Research psychology is exploring the unconscious, psychic energy, defence mechanisms, etc.
- Researchers have found empirical support for several of his ideas (in their original form, or adjusted by others)
- Freud’s concepts appear a lot in pop culture
- Freud laid the foundation to many topics and questions psychologists are still exploring
Critiques of Freud
- Most science on psychology does not have direct relevance to classical psychoanalysis, it is not currently supported very heavily by experiments/scientific fact
- Freud’s patients were mainly wealthy, educated, highly verbal women, and his theories were build from this
- Freud’s childhood development theories are inappropriate
- Personality development ending at age five is very controversial (and there is opposing scientific evidence to that notion)
- Freud’s view of human nature is too cynical
- Freud’s views were sexist/suggested inferiority of women
