Approaches - Psychodynamic

Question 1

what are the assumptions

Answer 1

• different forces that operate on the mind and direct human behaviour and experience are usually unconscious

Question 2

what is the role of the unconscious

Answer 2

• part of the mind that we are unaware of but directs much of our behaviour

Question 3

what is the Id

Answer 3

• operates on pleasure principle
• mass of unconscious drives and instincts
• present at birth
• selfish and demands instant gratification

Question 4

what is the ego

Answer 4

• operates on the reality principle
• mediator between the Id and superego
• develops around 2 years
• employs defence mechanisms

Question 5

what is the superego

Answer 5

• operates on morality principle
• represents our ideal self we want to be
• formed at the end of the phallic stage

Question 6

what are defence mechanisms

Answer 6

• unconscious strategies that the ego uses to manage the conflict between the Id and superego

Question 7

what are the three defence mechanisms and what do they do

Answer 7

Repression - force a distressing memory out of the conscious mind

Denial - refuse to acknowledge some aspect of reality

Displacement- transferring feelings to a target

Question 8

what are the psychosexual stages

Answer 8

• oral
• anal
• phallic
• latency
• genital

Question 9

what is the oral stage

Answer 9

• 0-1 years
• focus if pleasure is the mouth
• oral fixation - nail biting, smoking

Question 10

what is the anal stage

Answer 10

• 1-3 years
• focus of pleasure is anus
• anal retentive - perfectionist, obsessive
• anal expensive - thoughtless, messy

Question 11

what is the phallic stage

Answer 11

• 3-6 years
• focus of pleasure is genital area
• phallic personality - reckless, narcissistic

Question 12

what is the latency stage

Answer 12

• earlier conflicts are repressed

Question 13

what is the genital stage

Answer 13

• sexual desires
• onset of puberty
• can be difficult to form heterosexual relationships if fixated

Question 14

what are the strengths of the psychodynamic approach

Answer 14

Real Workd application
- introduced psychotherapy- psychoanalysis
- first attempt to treat mental disorders psychologically rather than physically
- being repressed emotions to unconscious minds
- forerunner of modern talking therapies

Explanatory Power
- used to explain personality development, abnormal behaviour, moral development, gender identity
- draws attention between our experiences in childhood and adulthood

Question 15

what are the limitations of the psyschodynamic approach

Answer 15

Untestable Concepts
- pseudoscientific
- not open to empirical testing
- concepts occur at an unconscious level
- subjective studies

Psychic determinism
- much of behaviour is determined by unconscious conflicts rooted in childhood