5.6 The psychodynamic approach

Question 1

list three basic assumptions of the psychodynamic approach.

Answer 1

unconscious factors beyond our conscious control/determine behaviour

Freud’s theory of psychoanalysis:

• defence mechanisms and the role of the unconscious: repression, denial, displacement
• psychosexual stages: oral, anal, phallic, latent, genital.
• Split mind and the structure of personality: id, ego, superego

Question 2

when looking at the psychodynamic approach, nature and/or nurture?

Answer 2

Both.
Nature: focuses on the nature side of human behaviour in the unconscious forces, and the conflicts we must deal with.
Nurture: however, how we cope with these is in a large way a product of our upbringing.

Question 3

when looking at the psychodynamic approach, scientific or nonscientific? (methods and theories; explain)

Answer 3

psychodynamic psychology does not really align itself with the scientific method.
although some aspects of this approach are open to scientific investigation, there tends to be much greater reliance on case studies and subjective interpretation

Question 4

when looking at the psychodynamic approach, determinism or free will?

Answer 4

Determinism:
Behaviour is determined by unconscious factors, which are largely unknown to us and therefore beyond our conscious control. e.g ‘Freudian slips’, are caused by unconscious factors operating within the individuals motivational system.

Question 5

when looking at the psychodynamic approach, reductionism or holism?

Answer 5

Reductionism and Holism:

Behaviour is reduced to innate drives, while taking into account the multiple aspects of human behaviour

Question 6

positive evaluations/strengths of the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 6

Freud was the first to demonstrate the potential of psychological treatments for disorders
Fisher and Greenberg found support for many psychodynamic claims

Question 7

negative evaluations/limitations of the psychodynamic approach

Answer 7

Psychoanalysis is gender biased (based largerely on male sexuaility, discounts women) (Freud)
Psychoanalysis is culture biased - little relevance for people from non-western cultures
Psychoanalysis is a comprehensive theory, including use as a form of a literary criticism

Question 8

What 4 things is Freud most known for? (1856 - 1939)

Answer 8

dream analysis
hypnotism
‘The Couch’
psychosexual stages.

Question 9

What approaches did Freud use? (1856 - 1939)

Answer 9

Empiricism

determinism.

Question 10

List the 5 psychosexual stages.

Answer 10

fixation and adult personality
oral
anal
phallic
latency
genital

Question 11

define defence mechanisms

Answer 11

unconscious strategies that protect our conscious mind from anxiety
defence mechanisms involve a distortion of reality in some way, so that we are able to better cope with a situation

Question 12

define psychoanalysis

Answer 12

a term used to describe the personality theory and therapy associated with Sigmund Freud

Question 13

define psychodynamic

Answer 13

refers to any theory that emphasises change and development in the individual, particularly those theories where ‘drive’ is a central concept in development.
the best known psychodynamic theory is Freudian psychoanalysis

Question 14

define unconscious

Answer 14

the part of the human mind that contains repressed ideas and memories, as well as primitive desires and impulses that have never been allowed to enter the conscious mind

Question 15

what did Freud believe regarding the unconscious mind, what did he use to represent this?

Answer 15

Freud believed that part of your mind is inaccessible to conscious thought
He called bits you can’t interact with the preconscious and unconscious
He used an iceberg metaphor to illustrate his idea…

Question 16

give the 3 parts of the psyche, named by Freud (3 parts of the personality)

Answer 16

Id - pleasure
Ego - reason
Superego - justice

Question 17

when looking at the 3 levels of consciousness, what is meant by the conscious mind

Answer 17

the content of our awareness at any given time

Question 18

when looking at the 3 levels of consciousness, what is meant by the preconscious mind

Answer 18

memories that are available for retrieval, such as episodes of our lives and general knowledge about the world

Question 19

when looking at the 3 levels of consciousness, what is meant by the unconscious mind

Answer 19

memories, desires and fears that cause us anxiety and have become inaccessible due to the conscious mind due to repression

Question 20

how did Freud suggest the brain was able to stop harmful thoughts/memories from becoming conscious, where we can perceive them?

Answer 20

defence mechanisms

Question 21

can you name the 4 types of defence mechanisms that Freud suggested?

Answer 21

Repression
Denial
Displacement
Minimisation

Question 22

what did Freud call it when the unconscious mind would let ‘something slip’ through into the conscious mind

Answer 22

Freudian slip

Question 23

summarise the ID

Answer 23

You are born with this part of the personality and it therefore develops first
It is the instructive part of our personality – it can be very demanding!
It is often referred to as the “I want
An infant will demand for its needs to be satisfied
It is important to know that the id works on the pleasure principle

Question 24

summarise the superego

Answer 24

The superego develops next, around 4 years old
It works on the morality principle
It’s the “you can’t have that” part of the personality
The superego is your conscience given to you by parents, rules, society etc.

Question 25

summarise the ego

Answer 25

The ego develops last
It is the rational part of the personality because it works on reality principles
The ego tries to satisfy the needs of the id (I want) with realistic ways to achieve these desires

Question 26

when looking at the 5 psychosexual stages, summarise the oral stage

Answer 26

0-2 years

the mouth is the focal point of sensation and is they way the child expresses early sexual energy

Question 27

when looking at the 5 psychosexual stages, summarise the anal stage

Answer 27

2-3 years
the beginnings of ego development, as the child becomes aware of the demands of reality and the need to conform to the demands of others
the major issue at this stage is toilet training as the child learns to control the expulsion of bodily waste

Question 28

when looking at the 5 psychosexual stages, summarise the phallic stage

Answer 28

3-6 years
sexual energy is now focused on the genitals.
the major conflict at this stage is the oedipus complex.
as a result of this desire the boy experiences castration anxiety (punishment from the father), and in an attempt to resolve this problem, the child identifies with the far.

Question 29

summarise the oedipus complex, as suggested by Freud

Answer 29

the child unconsciously wishes to possess their mother and get rid of the father.

Question 30

when looking at the 5 psychosexual stages, summarise the latent stage

Answer 30

6-12 years
the child develops their mastery of the world around them.
during this stage, the conflicts and issues of the previous stages are repressed with the consequences that children are unable to remember much of their early years

Question 31

when looking at the 5 psychosexual stages, summarise the genital stage

Answer 31

12+ years
the culmination of psychosexual development and the fixing of sexual energy in the genitals
this eventually directs us towards sexual intercourse and the beginnings of adult life