C1 - Psychodynamic Approach AO1 Key Terms

Question 1

Influence of childhood experiences

Answer 1

An assumption of the psychodynamic approach that proposes that early psychological development influences adult personalities

Question 2

Libido

Answer 2

Roughly translated as sexual drives or instincts.

Question 3

Fixation

Answer 3

Problems at any stage of psychosexual development can result in this.

Question 4

Frustration

Answer 4

This is when the stage has not been resolved because needs have not been met, the child is unsatisfied

Question 5

Overindulgence

Answer 5

This is when the needs of the child have been more than satisfied, and the child feels too comfortable and reluctant to move on to the next stage.

Question 6

The unconscious mind

Answer 6

An assumption of the psychodynamic approach in which Freud proposed the mind is like an iceberg and much of what goes on inside the mind lies under the surface.

Question 7

Preconscious mind

Answer 7

This is just under the surface, can be accessed with a little thought (like accessing a memory)

Question 8

Conscious mind

Answer 8

This is the logical, in control part, what is actually happening

Question 9

Ego defence mechanisms

Answer 9

Conflicts between the id, ego and superego create anxiety and the ego tries to protect itself from harm.

Question 10

Regression

Answer 10

returning psychologically to an earlier stage of development rather than handling unacceptable impulses in a more adult way.

Question 11

Displacement

Answer 11

Transferring impulses from one person or object to another.

Question 12

Projection

Answer 12

Undesirable thoughts are attributed to someone else.

Question 13

Repression

Answer 13

Pushing painful memories deep down into our unconscious mind, so they are effectively forgotten.

Question 14

Tripartite personality

Answer 14

An assumption of the psychodynamic approach where Freud believed that the adult personality is structured into three parts that develop at different stages in our lives.

Question 15

id

Answer 15

This is the impulsive (and unconscious) part of our personality that is present at birth. It demands immediate satisfaction and can be referred to as the pleasure principle.

Question 16

ego

Answer 16

This is the conscious, rational part of the mind that develops around the age of two years. It is governed by the reality principle and balancing the wants of the id in a socially acceptable way.

Question 17

superego

Answer 17

This is the last part of our personality to develop at about 4 years of age. It seeks to perfect and civilise our behaviour and acts as on the morality principle.

Question 18

dream analysis

Answer 18

The process of assigning meaning to dreams.

Question 19

latent content

Answer 19

The real meaning of the dream

Question 20

manifest content

Answer 20

The content of the dream you actually experience

Question 21

dreamwork

Answer 21

Consists of a number of processes that are applied to the dream to uncover the real meaning behind the dream

Question 22

condensation

Answer 22

Dream thoughts are rich in detail and content but these are reduced to the brief images experienced in a dream, where one dream image stands for several associations and ideas.

Question 23

displacement

Answer 23

The emotional significance of a dream object is separated from its real content and attached to an entirely different one so the dream content is not ‘censored’

Question 24

representation

Answer 24

A thought is translated into visual images

Question 25

symbolism

Answer 25

An action, person or idea is represented by another image.

Question 26

secondary elaboration

Answer 26

The unconscious mind collects all the different images and ties them together to form a logical story, further disguising the latent content. The actual dream material may be supplied from recent events in a person’s waking life.