Approaches -> Psychodynamic

Question 1

Three levels of the mind

Answer 1

Conscious: the thoughts, feelings and memories that a person is currently aware of.

Preconscious: the thoughts, feelings and memories that a person could access if they wanted to.

Unconscious: controls most of our everyday actions and behaviours, reveals itself in Freudian slips

psychoanalysis
free association and dream interpretation.

Question 2

The Id

Answer 2

The id is formed between birth and 18 months. It is in the unconscious mind. The id focuses on the self (selfish), and is irrational and emotional. It deals with feelings and needs, and seeks pleasure. It operates on the pleasure principle.

Question 3

The Ego

Answer 3

The ego is formed from around 18 months until 3 years of age. It is in the conscious mind. It is rational and obtains a balance between the id and the superego. It operates on the reality principle.

Question 4

The Superego

Answer 4

The superego is formed between 3 and 6 years of age. It is in the unconscious mind. The superego acts as a conscience or moral guide based on parental and societal values. It operates on the morality principle

Question 5

Repression

Answer 5

Repression is the unconscious blocking of unacceptable thoughts. However, these repressed thoughts continue to influence behaviour. For example, a person who is abused as a child may not remember the abuse but could still have trouble forming adult relationships.

Question 6

Denial

Answer 6

Denial is the refusal to accept reality to avoid having to deal with any painful feelings that may be associated with a traumatic situation. For example, an alcoholic may deny that they have a drinking problem.

Question 7

Displacement

Answer 7

Displacement occurs when the focus of a strong emotion (e.g. anger) is expressed on an alternative person or object. For example, a student who has been given a detention by their teacher might kick their locker.

Question 8

Psychosexual - description

Answer 8

personality developed through five stages. need to express libido
unconscious conflict at each stage
parents played an important role in progression
fixation
permanent signs

Question 9

The psychosexual stages

Answer 9

Oral
Anal
Phallic
Latent
Genital

Question 10

Oedipus complex:

Answer 10

During the phallic stage, boys develop incestuous feelings towards their mother and a hatred for their rival in love – their father. Fearing that their father will castrate them (castration anxiety), boys repress their feelings for their mother and identify with their father. In doing so, they internalise his gender role and moral values (superego).

Question 11

Electra complex:

Answer 11

During the phallic stage, girls experience penis envy and so desire their father. They also believe they have been castrated and blame their mother for this. Over time, girls give up their desire for their father and replace this with a desire for a baby. In turn, they identify with their mother and internalise her gender role and moral values (her superego).

Question 12

Strengths of the psychodynamic approach

Answer 12

Defence mechanism have intuitive appeal
&
Practical applications

Question 13

Weaknesses of the psychodynamic approach

Answer 13

Lack falsifiability
&
Small samples
Ungeneralisable