approaches - psychodynamic approach Flashcards
assumptions
- behaviour is due to unconscious motives
- focuses on PAST experiences (relationships with parents during childhood which conflicts in creating behaviour and personality)
- understanding of ourselves = distorted by defence mechanisms
psychodynamic approach focuses on…
UNCONSCIOUS mind and PAST experiences
feature 1
role of the unconscious
including
1. conscious
2. preconscious
3. unconscious
the role of the unconscious
intro - AO1
- part of our mind that contains info we are not consciously aware of e.g. REPRESSED MEMORIES
- protects our conscious self from fears/anxiety
- drives behaviour e.g. personality/behaviours
conscious
- part of the mind we are AWARE of
- ‘tip of the iceberg’
preconscious
- just below our conscious mind
- includes thoughts/ideas we MAY become aware of during dreams/freudian ‘slip of the tongue’
unconscious
- part of the mind we are UNAWARE of
- e.g. biological drives/instincts
- threatening/disturbing memories that have been repressed/locked away/forgotten
- but they continue to drive our behaviour
feature 2
structure of personality
including
1. ID - pleasure principle
2. EGO - reality principle
3. SUPEREGO - morality principle
ID - pleasure principle
- UNCONSCIOUS part of the mind
- only the ID present at birth
- expects immediate gratification
- focuses on self (selfish)
- too overpowering for ego = selfish personality
EGO - reality principle
- RATIONAL and CONSCIOUS part of the mind
- forms between 18 months - 3 years
- balances demands between superego and id by using DEFENCE MECHANISMS
- to REDUCE CONFLICT
SUPEREGO - morality principle
- forms between 3-6 years
- arises from identification with same sex parent
- internalised sense of right/wrong (conscience) based on parental values
- too overpowering for ego = anxious personality, feelings of guilt
feature 3
defence mechanisms
including
1. repression
2. denial
3. displacement
describe what is meant by the term defence mechanism
- UNCONSCIOUS strategies that the ego uses to balance conflict between id and superego
- e.g. repression = forcing a distressing memory out of the mind
defence mechanisms AO1
- defence mechanisms are used as the ego has a difficult time balancing conflict between id and superego
- UNCONSCIOUS strategies that reduces conflict in the ego
- can distort persons reality
- overuse = affects behaviour
- so not a long term solution
define repression
- forcing a distressing memory out of the conscious mind to the unconscious
- e.g. forgetting memory of pet dying
define denial
- refusing to acknowledge an unpleasant aspect of reality
- e.g. turning up to work when sacked
define displacement
- transferring feelings from a true source of distressing emotion
- onto a less threatening substitute target
- e.g. slamming door shut after argument
feature 4
psychosexual stages
including
1. ORAL - 0-1 years
2. ANAL - 1-3 years
3. PHALLIC - 3-5 years
4. LATENCY - 6-12 years
5. GENITAL - 12 years
acronym for psychosexual stages
Old
Age
Pensioners
Like
Gossiping
psychosexual stages - AO1
intro
- frued suggests we are born with an id which has innate sex energy that wants satisfaction
- he suggests all children go through the 5 psychosexual stages
- to get sexual satisfaction from birth
- child must resolve conflict at each stage otherwise will become fixated
- leading to certain adulthood behaviours
oral stage 0-1 years
description
- mouth gratification for id
- e.g. sucking/dummies/mothers breast
consequence of fixation/unresolved conflict
- oral fixation
- e.g. smoking/biting nails
- sarcastic and critical in future
anal stage 1-3 years
description
- gratification for id gained from anus
- expulsion/withholding faeces
consequence of fixation
- anal retentive personality e.g. perfectionist/obsessive
- anal expulsive personality e.g. messy/thoughtless
phallic stage 3-5 years
description
- gratification of id comes from exploring own genitals
- to resolve conflict child must identify with same sex parent and take on same attitudes/behaviours/values
consequence of fixation
- phallic personality e.g. narcissistic, reckless, problems with authority
latency 6-12 years
earlier problems repressed
genital 12 years
description
- sexual desires become conscious alongside puberty
consequence of fixation
- difficulty forming heterosexual relationships
criticism of psychosexual stages - AO3
psychic determinism
P - PSYCHOSEXUAL STAGES can be criticised for psychic determinism
E - suggests that human behaviour is controlled by internal/external factors
- such as (fixations at a specific stage leading to inevitable behaviours
- e.g. oral fixation = biting nails/smoking)
AO1 SPECIFIC
E - neglects role of free will
- suggesting free will is an illusion
- individuals may feel as if they have no control over their behaviour
L - limits appropriateness of PSYCHOSEXUAL STAGES when explaining human behaviour
strength of psychodynamic approach - AO3
P - strength is practical applications
E - principle of theory: behaviour is due to the unconscious mind
- led to development of psychoanalysis
E - psychoanalysis helps treat disorders such as depression/anxiety
- by resolving hidden conflicts in unconscious mind
L - important part of applied psychology
- helps treat people in the real world
limitation of structure of personality - AO3
P - structure of personality does not use scientific techniques
- lacks scientific rigour
E - concepts of id/ego/superego = abstract concepts
- cannot be tested objectively/empirically and falsified
E - cannot be observed and measured objectively
L - decreases internal validity of structure of personality and psychodynamic approach as explanation
- decreases scientific status of psych
weakness of psychodynamic approach - AO3
P - although freud provided a detailed explanation lacks population validity
E - often based research around case studies on individuals in therapy
E - difficult to generalise findings and create laws of human behaviour
L - limiting psychodynamic approach
criticism of structure of personality - AO3
psychic determinism
P - STRUCTURE OF PERSONALITY can be criticised for psychic determinism
E - suggests that human behaviour is due to internal factors
- e.g. having a selfish personality due to overpowering id OR having anxious personality due to overpowering superego
E - neglects the role of free will
- suggesting free will is an illusion
- individuals may feel they have no control over their behaviour
L - limiting appropriateness of STRUCTURE OF PERSONALITY when explaining human behaviour
criticism of defence mechanisms - AO3
psychic determinism
P - DEFENCE MECHANISMS can be criticised for psychic determinism
E - suggests that human behaviour is due to internal factors
- e.g. overuse of defence mechanisms such as repression
- leads to distorted sense of reality
- leads to mental health disorders
E - neglects the role of free will
- suggesting free will is an illusion
- individuals may feel they have no control over their behaviour
L - limiting appropriateness of DEFENCE MECHANISMS when explaining human behaviour
