Chapter 4- Psychoanalytic theory Flashcards
libido
sexual energy, life instincts
thanatos
death instinct, account for aggressive drive
id
original system of personality, primary source of psychic energy and the seat of the instincts. lacks organization and is blind, demanding and inconsistent. ruled by the pleasure principle-aimed at reducing tension, avoiding pain, and gaining pleasure. is illogical, amoral, and driven to satisfy instinctual needs
ego
has contact with the external world or reality. it is the “executive” that governs, controls, and regulates the personality. It mediates between the instincts and the surrounding environment. ruled by the reality principle. Checks and controls blind impulses
superego
includes a person’s moral code, the main concern being whether an action an action is good or bad, right or wrong. It represents an ideal rather than the real and strives not for pleasure but for protection
unconscious
stores all experiences, memories, and repressed material
anxiety
feeling of dread that results from repressed feelings, memories, desires, and experiences that emerge to the surface of awareness
reality anxiety
The fear of danger from the external world, and the level of such anxiety is proportionate to the degree of the real threat
neurotic anxiety
fear that instincts will get out of hand and cause the person to do something for which she/he will be punished
moral anxiety
fear of one’s own conscience
ego-defense mechanisms
help the individual cope with anxiety and prevent the ego from being overwhelmed
repression
threatening or painful thoughts and feelings are excluded from awareness.
denial
“closing one’s eyes” to the existence of a threatening aspect of reality
reaction formation
actively expressing the opposite impulse when confronted with a threatening impulse
projection
attributing to others one’s own unacceptable desires and impulses. E.g. husband is upset with wife for cheating when he is the one cheating
displacement
directing energy toward another object or person when the original object or person is inaccessible
rationalization
manufacturing “good” reasons to explain away a bruised ego
sublimation
diverting sexual or aggressive energy into other channels
regression
going back to an earlier phase of development when there were fewer demands
introjection
taking in and “swallowing” the values and standards of others
identification
identifying with successful causes, organizations, or people in the hope that you will be perceived as worthwhile
compensation
masking perceived weaknesses or developing certain positive traits to make up for limiations
oral stage
inability to trust oneself and others, resulting in the fear of loving and forming close relationships and low self-esteem
anal stage
deals with the inability to recognize and express anger, leading to the denial of one’s own power as a person and the lack of a sense of autonomy
phallic stage
deals with the inability to fully accept one’s sexuality and sexual feelings, and also to difficultly in accepting oneself as a man or woman
latency stage
sexual interest are replaced by interests in school, this is a time of socialization
genital phase
begins with puberty and lasts until senility. Adolescents can deal with sexual energy by investing in socially acceptable activities
classical psychoanalysis
grounded on id psychology and holds that instincts and intrapsychic conflicts are the basic factors shaping personality development
contemporary psychoanalysis
based on ego psychology, which does not deny the role of intrapsychic conflicts but emphasizes the striving of the ego for mastery and competence throughout the human life span
blank-screen approach
analysts typically assume an anonymous non-judgemental stance
transference relationship
clients make projections onto them. it is a cornerstone of psychoanalysis and “refers to the transfer of feelings originally experienced in an early relationship to other important people in a person’s present environment
infancy: Trust vs. Mistrust
If infants needs are provided for infant develops a sense of trust. If not mistrust especially toward interpersonal relationships
Early Childhood: Autonomy vs. Shame and doubt
Basic struggle between a sense of self-reliance and sense of self-doubt. Child needs to explore and experiment, to make mistakes, and to test limits
Preschool age: Initiative vs. Guilt
Basic task is to achieve a sense of competence and initiative. If children are given freedom to select personally meaningful activities, they tend to develop a positive view of self and follow through with their projects
School age: Industry vs. inferiority
Child needs to expand understanding of world, continue to develop appropriate gender-role identity and learn the basic skills required for school success
Adolescence: Identity vs. role confusion
A time of transition between childhood and adulthood. A time for testing limits, for breaking dependent ties and for establishing a new identity
Young Adulthood: Intimacy versus isolation
Developmental task at this time is to form intimate relationships. Failure to achieve intimacy can lead to alienation and isolation
Middle Age: Generativity vs. Stagnation
There is a need to go beyond self and family and be involved in helping the next generation. This is a time of adjusting to discrepancy between one’s dream and one’s actual accomplishments
Later Life: Integrity vs. Despair
If one looks back on life with few regrets and feels personally worthwhile, ego integrity results. Failure to achieve ego integrity can lead to feelings of despair, hopelessness, guilt, resentment, and self-rejection
classical psychoanalysis
must be willing to commit themselves to an intensive, long-term therapy process
free association
client says whatever comes to mind without self-censorship
psychodynamic theory
emerged as a way of shortening and simplifying the lengthy process of classical psychoanalysis. Don’t use techniques associated with classical analysis
working through
process that consists of repetitive and elaborate explorations of unconscious material and defenses, most of which originated in early childhood
Countertransference
Occur when there is inappropriate affect, when the therapists respond in irrational ways or when they lose their objectivity in a relationship because their own conflicts are triggered
Maintaining the analytic framework
Refers to stylist procedures such as the analyst’s relative anonymity, maintaining neutrality and objectivity, the regularity and consistency of meetings, starting and ending he sessions on time, clarity on fees, and basic boundary issues
Free association
Clients are encouraged to say whatever comes to mind, regardless of how painful, silly, trivial, illogical or irrelevant. One of the basic tools used to open the doors to unconscious wishes, fantasies, conflicts, and motivations
Interpretation
Consists of the analyst pointing out, explaining, and even teaching the client meanings of behavior that is manifested in dreams, free association, resistance, defense, and the therapeutic relationship itself
Dream analysis
Is an important procedure for uncovering unconscious material and giving the client insight into some areas of unresolved problems. During sleep defenses are lowered and repressed feelings surface
Latent content
Consists of hidden, symbolic, and unconscious motives, wishes, and fears
Manifest content
A dream that appears to the dreamer
Dream work
The process by which the latent content of a dream is transformed into less threatening manifest content
Resistance
A concept fundamental to the practice of psychoanalysis, it is anything that works against the progress of therapy and prevents the client from producing previously unconscious material. It is the clients reluctance to bring to the surface the awareness of repressed material
Jung’s Analytical Psychology
Is an elaborate explanation of human nature that combines ideas from history, mythology, anthropology, and religion
Individuation
The harmonious integration of the conscious and unconscious aspects of personality-is an innate and primary goal
Shadow
Our dark side-with it’s primitive impulses such as selfishness and greed. Acceptance of this does not imply being dominated by this dimension of our being, but simply recognizing that it is a part of our nature. Has the deepest roots and is the most dangerous and powerful of the archetype
Collective unconscious
“The deepest and least accessible level of the psyche,” which contains the accumulation of inherited experiences of human and prehuman species
Archetypes
The images of universal experiences contained in the collective unconscious. Among the most important are persona, anima, animus
Persona
Mask or public face, that we wear to protect ourselves
Animus/ anima
Represent both biological and psychological aspects of masculinity and femininity which are thought to coexist in both sexes
Ego Psychology
Part of classical analysis with the emphasis placed on the vocabulary of the id, ego, and superego and on Freud’s identification of defense mechanisms
Object-relations theory
Concerned with investigating attachment and separation. Emphasize how relationships with other people are affected by the we we have internalized our experiences of others and set up representations of others within ourselves
Object
Used by Freud to refer to that which satisfies a need, or to the significant person or thing that is the object or target of one’s feelings or drives
Self- Psychology
It emphasizes how we use interpersonal relationships to develop our own sense of self
Relational model
Based on the assumption that therapy is an interactive process between client and therapist. Based on the exploration of the complex conscious and unconscious dynamics at play with respect to both therapist and client
Narcissistic personality
Characterized by a grandiose and exaggerated sense of self-importance and an exploitive attitude toward others, which serve the function of masking a frail self-concept. Such individuals seek attention and admiration from others
Borderline personality disorder
Have moved into the separation process but have been thwarted by parental rejection of their Individuation. A crisis ensues when the child does develop beyond the stage of symbiosis, but the parents are unable to tolerate this beginning Individuation and withdraw emotional support. They are characterized by instability, irritability, self-destructive acts, impulsive anger, and mood shifts
Brief Psychodynamic Therapy
Applies principles of psychodynamic theory and therapy to treating selective disorders witching a pre established time limit of generally 10-25 session. Uses key psychodynamic concepts such as enduring impact of psychosexual, psychosocial, and object-relational stages of development
