Approaches - Psychodynamic Approach Flashcards
Key beliefs of the psychodynamic approach
Behaviour is due to unconscious forces and childhood experiences.
Levels of consciousness
Conscious
Pre conscious
Unconscious
What is the conscious mind
The part of the mind we are aware of
What is the preconscious mind
Thoughts and memories that are not always accessible but easily recalled
What is the unconscious
Biological drives and urges which significantly influence behaviour
What is the tripartite structure of personality
The Id, Ego and Superego
The Id
Present at birth
Primitive complex
Pleasure principle
Superego
Appears age five
Conscience complex
Morality principle
The ego
Appears age two or three
Reality principle
Uses defence mechanisms
Mental conditions explained by imbalance in tripartite
Id too strong- selfish, uncontrolled (psychopathic tendencies)
Superego too strong- strict, anxious, OCD
Why are defence mechanisms used
To protect from anxiety caused by conflicts in the tripartite
Defence mechanisms
Repression
Denial
Displacement
Repression
Forcing a distressing memory out of the conscious
Denial
Refusing to acknowledge some aspect of reality
Displacement
Transferring feelings from the true source onto a substitute target
Psychosexual stages of development
Oral
Anal
Phallic
Latency
Genital
Oral stage ages
Age 0-1
Oral stage pleasure focus
The mouth
Oral stage completion
Weaning (eating solids)
Oral stage fixations
Oral aggressive (not sucked freely)-hostile and abusive
Oral receptive (sucked too freely)-passive and sensitive
Anal stage ages
Ages 1-3
Anal stage pleasure focus
Anus
Anal stage completion
Potty training
Anal stage fixations
Anally retentive- tidy, stubborn, orderly
Anally expulsive- generous but disorganised
What is a fixation
When a stage of development is not completed, leading to characteristics in later life
Phallic stage ages
Ages 3-5
Phallic stage pleasure focus
Genitals
When does the Oedipus complex occur
The phallic stage
Oedipus complex
Boy desires his mother,
Experiences murderous hatred for his father,
Fears his father will castrate him for this,
Repress these emotions and identify with father
When does the Electra complex occur
The phallic stage
Electra complex
Girl desires her mother,
Realises she has no penis and thinks her mother castrated her, is hostile to mother and develops attraction to father,
Identifies with mother so as to not lose her love
Latency stage ages
Ages 6-12
What occurs in the latency stage
Conflicts are resolved or repressed
Focus on same sex friendships
No requirements for completion
Genital stage ages
Puberty to adulthood
Genital stage pleasure focus
Genitals (not to extent of phallic stage)
Genital stage completion
To develop healthy adult relationships
What happens in the genital stage
Sexual desires become conscious
Strengths of psychodynamic
Real world application- developed treatments like dream analysis and psychotherapies
Evidence- studies show evidence of defence mechanisms being used
Weaknesses of psychodynamic
Unscientific- concepts are untestable and research is based on case studies
Gender bias in studies- only done on men
