9/6 Ch1 Historical Approaches to Understanding and Treating Psychological Disorders

Question 1

different perspectives of treating psychological disorders

Answer 1

1. psychoanalytic/ psychodynamic
2. behavioral
3. humanistic
4. cognitive

Question 2

Freud and psychoanalytic perspective

Answer 2

• psychic determinism
• importance of unconscious processing (even unintentional actions/ slips speaks to unconscious battles and feelings)
• critical role of early experiences
• psychological life reflects interplay of id, ego and superego

Question 3

the id

Answer 3

instinctual drive (sex and power)
the “pleasure principle”

Question 4

the ego

Answer 4

realistic satisfaction of the instinctual drive
- energy from id with development
- reality principle

Question 5

the superego

Answer 5

• develops in 4-6 years
• moral standards of society (especially as learned from parents)
• unrealistic standards of conduct

Question 6

intra-psychic conflict (according to Freud)

Answer 6

• ego mediates (largely outside of our awareness)
• when we can’t negotiate successfully, anxiety can result
• sometimes engage in actions to defend outselves

Question 7

ego defense mechanisms

Answer 7

• repression: avoiding thinking of uncomfortable thoughts/ feelings
• projection: pushing negative feelings about ourselves on other people in our environment
• rationalization: justifying to yourself your behavior even if you’re lying to yourself
• denial: refusing to acknowledge reality
• sublimation: productive expression of impulses

Question 8

psychopathology

Answer 8

• neurosis: distress but aware
• character disorders: not aware
• psychosis: ego not functioning

Question 9

evaluation of Freud’s theories

Answer 9

• felt overemphasis on importance of instinctual drives
• come to have working model on how a child is treated impacts how it treats others later in life
• internal conflict still true, but not as id/ego/superego
• more a battle between connections and need to be independent

Question 10

psychoanalystic and psychodynamic treatments

Answer 10

• goal to make unconscious, conscious
• focus on how internalized models impact problems with other people in our lives

Question 11

treatment techniques

Answer 11

• free association (just talking freely)
• analysis of dreams
• analysis of resistance (confronting and interpreting defenses)
• analysis of transference (how your relationship with someone else affects your relationship w a friend now)