Freud Flashcards
Freud
- father of psychoanalysis - psychologist
- graduated from the faculty of medicine at the University of Vienna
- inveted teh term self-analysis
- wrote The interpretation of Dreams
Personality
A person’s unique, consistent, patterned methods of behavior in relation to the environment
Personality and Freud
Freud believed that personality is based on the interplay of conflicting forces within the individual. Forces that the individual is both aware and unaware of.
Conscious (EGO)
the thoughts and experiences that impact our behavior that we are aware of. Ex. You are aware of the text you are reading on this screen.
Pre-conscious/subconscious (Superego)
a level of mental activity that is not currently conscious , but of which we can easily become conscious. Ex. Memories, stored knowledge.
Unconscious
Thoughts and experiences that impact our behavior that we are NOT aware of. Part of the mind that is a reservoir of mostly unacceptable thoughts feelings, desires, urges, and painful memories. Ex. shameful experiences, selfish needs, drives, violent motives, irrational wishes, traumatic experiences, unacceptable sexual desires, etc.
Id
Instincts (life instincts like eros and death instincsts like thanatos(agressive drives)), part of the personality that first emerges, pleasure principle, the need for instant gratification, avoid pain, decrease tension
Ego
reality principle: ego’s awarness of the external world, recognize that our behaviours have consequences, is the balance btween the ID and the superego, creates defense mechanisms, secondary process: ability to delay gratification until it is practical or appropriate, Control the mental process of reasoning and problem solving to satisfy both the ID and the Super ego.
Superego
morality, conscience, dictates our beliefs of right and wrong, internalization of societal and parental values, When standards of conscience not met: Guilty feelings, shame, moral anxiety, When standards of conscience are met: Pride
libido
psychic sexual energy manifested by the life instincts that drives a person toward a pleasurable behaviours and thoughts.
normal personality
relative balence between id, ego and superego
maladaptive personality
Clash between the id and superego: disorganized and disruptive personality. Psychodynamic conflicts- Causes stress, anxiety, ego tries to prevent anxiety, and feels guilty.
Strong ID: Person dominated by his impulses and selfish desires
Strong Superego: Rigid, moralizing: his actions (and those of others) must be morally acceptable, respects the rules and principles.
Weak ego: Person unable to coordinate his/her desires and the requirements of reality = immature and unstable
anxiety
when the ego is overwhelmed and there is a conflict between the superego on the Id demands
ego Defense mechanism
calm anxiety
denial
Not acknowledging that there is a problem, refusing to admit the reality because it is too much to handle.
repression
Suppressing a painful/traumatic event until it disappears in our subconscious
reaction formation
Behaving in a way that is opposite of your true feelings and thoughts.
regression
A movement back in psychological time when faced with stress. React in childish manner. When we are frightened or troubled.
projection
Attributing your own thoughts and feelings, or motives to another person.
Put on the back of the other what belongs to oneself
compensation
Defense against feelings of inferiority in an area. Overcome weakness by excelling in other areas.
rationalization
A cognitive distortion of “the facts” to make an event or an impulse less threatening.Justifying one’s failures with socially acceptable reasons instead of the real reasons. Making excuses for ourselves (believe our own lies).
sublimation
satisfying an impulse with a substitute object in a socially accepatbal way
displacement
The transfer of feelings from one target to another that is considered less threatening or neutral.
freud and psychosexual developement
adult personality is the result of early experiences life and our personality develops through a series of stages. ifthe stages are successfully completed, we will have a healthy personality
Erogenous Zones
zones of the body taht are sensitive to touch and allow us to seek pleasure. ex: mouth, anus, and genitals
oral stage (0-18 months)
Oral dependent personality preoccupied with drinking, eating. Reduces tension through oral activity (biting nails, smoking, eating, drinking). Passive, needy and sensitive to rejections. Easily ‘swallow’ other people’s ideas.
Oral aggressive personality: hostile and verbally abusive to others, using mouth based aggression (sarcasm)
18 months to 3 yo
Too much punishment during toilet training: Anal rententive personality-stingy, compulsive seeking of order and tidiness. Stubborn and perfectionist.
Too lenient during toilet training: Anal expulsive personality: opposite of anal retentive, lack of self-control, messy and careless.
Phallic (3-6yo)
Phallic personality: vanity, exhibitionism, sensitive, pride and narcissism.
If mother is cold, prone to associate love with a certain distance.
latent ( 5,6 to puberty )
Dormant sexual feelings. Emphasis on the development of physical, intellectual and social skills.
(NO FIXATION)
Genital (puberty onward)
Sexual energy is focused in genital organs and oriented towards sexual relationships.
If all stages were successfully completed: Maturity, capacity for responsible social-sexual relationships. Capacity for love and realization of full adult sexuality.
therapeutic techniques
psychoanalysis (The talking cure) free associatin, dream analysis, hypnosis
psychoanalysis
a system of psychological theory and therapy investigating the interaction of conscious and unconscious elements of the mind. Focuses on motives and unconscious conflicts with origins usually stemming from childhood.
Goal is to bring them back to consciousness. In order to resolve them.
Free association (1)
psyanalytical method of exploration with the aim of emerging unconsciuous conflicts and a deep examination of the past and psyche.
free association (2)
necessitates the interpretation of the analyst. 1) Resistance: Repressed materials are painful and unacceptable that is why we repress them to the unconscious. When free associating or describing dreams, one becomes aware of the repressed materials, this may produce intolerable anxiety.
Analysts become aware of the resistance, bring them to the patient’s attention so they can deal with them realistically.
2) Transference: Clients project their relationship with the significant persons in their past life to the present therapist. Through this relationship, client expresses feelings and desires which are buried in his/her unconscious or aspects of his/her personality that they refuse to accept. Read example in notes (Crystal).
dream analysis
Freud believed every dream has a meaning that can be interpreted by decoding representations of the unconscious material.
manifest content
dream it self
latent content
symbolic/underlying eaning of dream
freudian slip of tongue
not something you meant to say, but was brought out through unconscious thought.
hypnosis
Induced state of awareness characterized by heightened suggestibility, deep relaxation, and highly focused attention.
contributions of this perspective
- Studies of complex themes
- Importance given to the influence of the unconscious on the behavior.
- Childhood experience contribute to the development of adult personality and social behavior (childhood does matter). Before, nobody thought about childhood.
- Sexual development has an impact on psychological and personality development.
- Ingenious use of qualitative information (e.g. analysis of the unconscious via dreams and Freudian slips)
limitations of the perspective
- Impossible to empirically verify some information, limited support for some of his theories.
- Use of non-validated methods.
- Hasty generalizations, only based on a few case studies.
- Problem with the analysis of memories and dreams.
