Approaches:Psychodynamic Approach Flashcards
What are the 3 key assumptions of the psychodynamic approach?
-unconscious mind drives our behaviour
-instincts motivate our behaviour
-early childhood experiences influence later behaviour
Make 2 points about the role of the unconscious in our behaviour
-unconscious mind refers to the thoughts that occur without our conscious awareness
-traumatic experiences are stored here
What is the purpose of psychoanalysis
to deal with the conflicts in the mind created through traumatic experiences
Name the 3 components of the tri-partite personality structure and does its development have an influence on our behaviour?
-Id
-Superego
-Ego
yes
Describe the Id
make 4 points
-develops between birth to 18 months
-found in the unconscious
-selfish part and demands immediate satisfaction and doesn’t care about reality
-we experience pleasure when its satisfied and tensions when denied
Describe the Superego
make 5 points
-develops between 3-6 years
-found in the unconscious
-known as the morality principle and dictates what is right/wrong
-based on parental/societal values
-controls the urges of the Id
Describe the Ego
make 4 points
-develops between 18 months-3 years
-found in conscious part of the brain
-known as the reality principle as it manages conflict between superego and id
-works out realistic ways of satisfying Id while considering social norms and rules of super ego
According to the tri-partite personality structure , what is behaviour a result of ?
What happens if the Id or Superego overpower the Ego?
What does too much conflict cause?
results from conflict between the three components
negative behaviour is displayed and may cause mental health issues
anxiety , this can weaken the ego
What are defence mechanisms ?
strategies we use unconsciously to reduce our anxiety caused by conflict between the Id and Superego
Name and describe the three defence mechanisms
repression-put unpleasant thoughts into the unconscious
denial-refusal to accept the reality of an unpleasant situation
displacement-express strong emotions onto a neutral object/person
Make 3 points about the psycho sexual stages introduced by Freud
-Freud said we are driven by instinct to go through a series of stages from birth to 18
-too much gratification at a stage can lead to fixation and has later effects on behaviour
-trauma in a stage can also cause fixation
Name the 5 psycho sexual stages
Oral
Anal
Phallic
Latency
Genital
Describe the Oral stage
3 points
0-18 months
-pleasure gained through the mouth
fixation in this phase makes people more likely to chew on pens , bite nails , smoke (addictive personality)
Describe the Anal stage
4 points
(includes 2 different types of fixation)
18 months-3 years
-pleasure gained through the anus
fixation can lead to a person being :
anal retentive-organised and reluctant to spend money
anal expulsive-messy and thoughtless
Describe the Phallic stage
5 points
(involves 2 complexes)
3-6
-pleasure gained through genitals
oedipus complex-sexual feelings towards mother , castration anxiety
electra complex-sexual feelings towards father , penis envy
fixation in this stage can lead to a person being narcissistic , reckless and possibly homosexual
Describe the Latancy stage
3 points
6-11
-sexual energy displaced throughout the body so theres no conflicts
no fixation occurs so no effect on adult personality
Describe the Genital stage
4 points
11+
-pleasure gained through genitals
remains this way for life
fixation can cause difficulty forming heterosexual relationships
What are the 2 strengths of this approach?
+case study support
case study of Little Hans who had a phobia of horses , he had a fascination wit his penis and envied horses for having larger ones , this study suggested he was in the Phallic stage
provides evidence to support the stages
+prac apps
led to development of psychotherapy which has been reported as an effective treatment , adds credibility and external validity
What are the 2 weaknesses of the approach?
-evidence uses case studies
results came from a very unique case so they can not be generalised to the whole population which challenges the validity of the stages
-ideas can’t be scientifically studied
abstract concepts such as personality structure and psycho sexual stages can’t be measured or studied directly meaning there is a lack of empirical evidence to support these ideas , suggesting the approach is incomplete
