Chapter 2 - Psychodynamic paradigm

Question 1

3 components of psyche

Answer 1

Id
Ego
Superego

Question 2

Id (primary process thinking?)

Answer 2

Innate part of our personality

Related to our instincts (need to eat, sleep, etc) - operates with the pleasure principle

Needs cause tension in the body (ex: hunger), the Id wants to ease the tension with instant gratification (does not take into account exterior factors, only the needs) - seeks the pleasure of satisfying the needs

Primary process thinking:generating images (fantasies) of what is desired

Question 3

Ego (secondary process thinking?)

Answer 3

Ego deals with reality: comes form a realistic perspective

Job: hold back the demands of the Id in order to evaluate what in our environment could best satisfy our needs

Secondary process thinking: planning and decision-making functions

related to the reality principle

Question 4

Superego

Answer 4

Infants: Can’t satisfy anything themselves - rely on the caregivers
Superego is connected with the teachings of the caregivers; what is right/wrong, society norms, cultural view, etc

Part of the psyche responsible to balance the ego by adapting to social norms -Does NOT deal with reality

Superego is related to our conscience - if we violate it we will feel guilt/remorse - punisher

How you were brought up will dictate how rigid the superego is

Question 5

Conscience (related to superego)

Answer 5

if we violate it we will feel guilt/remorse - punisher

Question 6

Ego-ideal (related to superego)

Answer 6

the satisfaction we get from doing things that align with our values (pride, reward system) - rewarder

Question 7

Intrapsychic conflicts

Answer 7

Conflicts: contribute to the amount of internal tension we have (but not tension coming from the Id): AKA anxiety

Question 8

Reality-based anxiety

Answer 8

related to normal, everyday stuff (exam anxiety) - is usually a motivator

Question 9

Neurotic anxiety

Answer 9

related to the tension of an internal fear that the Id impulses will take over

Question 10

Moral anxiety

Answer 10

Fear that the superego will not be satisfied - will worry that we are “not doing the right thing”

Question 11

What happens when there is too much pressure on the ego?

Answer 11

If there is too much pressure/anxiety, the ego will erect a defense mechanism to protect the ego and ease the tension (discharge Id’s energy while avoiding to face the true nature of the motivation)

Question 12

Displacement

Answer 12

Being aggressive to partner because of problems at work (because it would be inappropriate to be mad at the boss and yell at them, you yell at your partner)

we are UNAWARE of this because our anger was way too unacceptable in the first place

we distort reality so that we are mad at another person - NOT necessarily anger - allows to express the emotions anyways, to let off steam

Question 13

Projection

Answer 13

projecting our feelings onto someone to that particular person (I am angry at Joe, so I will distort reality in a way that I believe Joe is now angry at me)

Because it would be unacceptable to be angry at that person - allows to express the emotion, because now we can get mad at the person for getting mad at us

Question 14

Rationalization

Answer 14

Getting rebuffed while asking someone out: that hurt may be too difficult to handle, so we rationalize it “they were not ready anyways, they were not the right person for me” etc - it’s a distortion of reality

Question 15

Reaction formation

Answer 15

Acting and feeling consciously the opposite of how you feel unconsciously - ex: you hate your mother, your psyche finds this unacceptable, therefore you make sure that your mother is okay, and that she believes that you love her

Question 16

Regression

Answer 16

When you’re dealing with something that you can handle so you regress back to another point in time

ex: kids who start sucking their thumb on the first day of school because they are too anxious (seen in kids, but also in adults)

Question 17

Repression

Answer 17

Emotion-loaded experience that you cannot handle, it is repressed into the unconscious, you are not aware of it, would come forward through Freudian Slips, in dreams

Question 18

Sublimation

Answer 18

Having an unacceptable impulse, expressing it in a productive way - considered mature because it’s actually beneficial

Question 19

Dissociation (vs repression)

Answer 19

Dissociation: forgetting parts of a traumatic event, or the whole event
May make PTSD + likely

*Will NOT come back in dreams and etc

Question 20

Pre-conscious

Answer 20

not in your awareness, but could be

Question 21

Unconscious/subconscious

Answer 21

not in your awareness, and couldnt be

Question 22

Ego psychology / ego analysis (AKA psychodynamic approach)

Answer 22

The ego is independent from the other aspects of the psyche; not necessarily dealing with the demands from the Id and Superego

Suggestion that ego functions are conscious

Question 23

Object-relations theory

Answer 23

The idea that as kids grow up, the internalize objects (person or symbol) which are part from their caregiver (aspects of the relationship they have with them) Ex: mother always does something, you hate it, but you end up doing it

Question 24

Interpersonal perspective / therapy

Answer 24

Interactions with significant others will determine our self of self, of internal security/safety

new version of brief psychodynamic - emphasizes interactions between client and their environment
○ Our needs depend on other ppl’s needs
○ Therapist - participant observer
○ Focuses on interpersonal relationships and ways to improve them - behavioural changes
○ Mostly used for depression - in many countries (easily adapting to many cultures)

Question 25

Attachment theory

Answer 25

The way we attach to our primary caregivers / significant others, which will influence our relationship with them in return, and modify our attachment style in return, etc

Question 26

Brief psychodynamic therapy

Answer 26

You go for the defense mechanisms right away - time (nbr of sessions) is limited - goals are concrete, more focused on present-life, transference is not encouraged

Question 27

Denial

Answer 27

pushing a traumatic experience into the unconscious (defense mechanism)

Question 28

What is classical psychotherapy rooted in? What’s the goal of the therapy?

Answer 28

2nd theory of neurotic anxiety: reaction of the ego when an Id impulse that had already been punished tries to surface again
• Usually rooted in infancy/childhood
• Goal: remove this repression and see the problem in adult light

Question 29

Psychotherapy

Answer 29

social interaction in which a trained professional tries to help another person or behave and feel differently

Question 30

Free association technique (resistance)

Answer 30

give freedom to thoughts to be expressed, while client is facing away from the therapist
○ Resistances: block in free association - noted by analyst (signal a sensitive area)

Question 31

Dream analysis technique (latent content)

Answer 31

ego’s defences are relaxed in sleep, allowing for expression of the unconscious
○ Latent content: symbolic content

Question 32

Transference in psychotherapy (countertransference)

Answer 32

• Transference: clients attitude with the analyst reflect the clients relations with other ppl in their life (analyst role is to stay neutral)
○ Countertransference: analysts’ feelings towards the client (must be aware of them to see them + clearly)

Question 33

Interpretation technique

Answer 33

• Interpretation: of the client’s defence mechanisms, confidences, etc - analyst’s role to point it out

Question 34

Critiques of the psychoanalytic paradigm

Answer 34

• Theories based on anecdotal evidence
• Freud’s recollections could be biased
  
  • Id / Ego / Superego sometimes described as having a mind of their own: wrong

Question 35

Contributions of the psychoanalytic paradigm

Answer 35

1. Childhood experiences shape adult personality
   
   2. There are unconscious influences on behaviour
   3. People use defence mechanisms to control anxiety/stress
      
      4. Research shows its effectiveness

Question 36

Defense mechanism characteristics

Answer 36

• is unconscious

- Is a distortion from reality (if it would not, the ego would still be overwhelmed by the demands)

Question 37

Conscious

Answer 37

Everything that is in your awareness

Question 38

Contributions of psychoanalytic paradigm

Answer 38

• Childhood experiences help shape adult personality = true
• There are unconscious inferences on behaviour = true
• People use defense mechanisms = true
• Psychodynamic therapies is effective (long term effects similar to CBT)

Question 39

What does the Id become when we grow up?

Answer 39

Into the libido (psychic energy)

Question 40

According to which principle does the Id operate?

Answer 40

Pleasure principle (Seeks to relieve tension and experience pleasurable things only, listens to basic drives)

Question 41

According to which principle does the Ego operate?

Answer 41

Reality principle (needs to balance the Id and Superego depending on the reality)

Question 42

What are the 5 dominant approaches in contemporary psychoanalytic thought?

Answer 42

○ Modern structural theory
○ Self-psychology
○ Object relations theory
○ Interpersonal relational
○ Attachment theory

Question 43

What is the interpersonal therapy

Answer 43

new version of brief psychodynamic - emphasizes interactions between client and their environment
○ Our needs depend on other ppl’s needs
○ Therapist - participant observer
○ Focuses on interpersonal relationships and ways to improve them - behavioural changes
○ Mostly used for depression - in many countries (easily adapting to many cultures)