Approaches Flashcards
What are the features of science ?
-Control
-Objectivity
-Replicability
-Empiricism
Who is Wundt (1879)
-“Father of psychology”
-Helped psychology become known as a science
-Set up the first psychology laboratory
-Method of introspection
What is introspection ?
-A systematic analysis of ones own conscious experience
-This method of analysis was used to make the data objective rather than subjective
-Participants were presented with environmental stimuli such as a ticking metronome and asked to report their reactions
(‘looking into’)
Limitations of Wundt’s method of introspection
-Bias: no way to prove that the participant was telling the truth when reporting back their reactions
The main assumptions of the Psychodynamic approach?
-Unconcious forces in our mind determine our thoughts and feelings and behaviour
-Our behaviour as adults = strongly influenced by our childhood
-Abnormal behaviour = result of mental conflict
-Mind can be divided into three levels of consciousness
What are the 3 levels of consciousness?
-Concious
-Preconcious
-Unconcious
What is the concious mind?
-The small amount of mental activity we know about
-Responsible for dealing with our everyday actions of the present
What is the preconcious mind?
-Responsible for storing easily accessible memories and past events
What is the unconcious mind?
-Things we are unaware of and can not become aware of
-Stores all our experiences, especially those of a traumatic experience or unpleasant nature
What is the Tripartite model of the personality?
-The personality is split into three parts :
-The ID
-The Ego
-The Superego
What part of the Tripartite model of the personality is the unconcious and impulsive part?
-The ID
What part of the personality is present from birth?
-The ID
What part of the personality demands immediate satisfaction and gratification?
-The ID
What principle is the ID governed by?
-The pleasure principle
Instinctual drives such as food, sleep and sex. Its motive is to satisfy these desires
What part of the personality is the concious and rational part?
-The Ego
When does the Ego develop?
2-3 years old
What is the function of the Ego?
-Balance the demands of the ID and Superego
What principle is the Ego governed by?
The reality principle
When does the Superego develop?
-Develops 4/5 years
What principle is the Superego governed by?
The morality principle
-Seeks to perfect and civilise out behaviour and is governed by the need to act in ways our parents would approve of; it punishes with anxiety and guilt when we don’t
-Embodies child’s sense of right and wrong + his or her ideal self
What is an ego defence mechanism?
Ways the ego protects itself from unconcious thoughts and feelings that may cause stress if they become conscious
Examples of ego defence mechanisms?
-Denial
-Displacement
-Repression
-Projection
-Regression
-Rationalisation
-Sublimation
-Reaction formation
What is denial ?
The unconcious refusal to accept reality
What is displacement?
Take anger/ unacceptable feeling or impulse and divert it from its source to someone else