Freud Flashcards
1
Q
key theme + area
A
key theme
area = individual differences
2
Q
psychodynamic perspective
A
- This perspective assumes that behaviour is caused by unconscious processes and the ongoing conflict of the tripartite personality.
- Many researchers look back to Freud’s belief that our unconscious, the part of our mind we are unaware of, causes our behaviour.
- Freud believes most of our thoughts, feelings and many memories that may threaten us are locked away in our unconscious mind as individuals employ defence mechanisms to protect themselves and their conscious minds.
- Individuals develop their personality through the psychosexual stages of development which detail the typical behaviour a child will display at each stage as well as how a fixation at each stage may impact behaviour in later life.
3
Q
frueds structure of personality
A
- The id represents basic instincts and drives e.g. food, aggression, sex. Works off the ‘pleasure principle’ – immediate gratification is the most important drive to behaviour.
- The superego represents moral ideals. The last part to develop in
people – responsible for feelings of shame and guilt. - The ego represents the self and tries to balance the id and superego. Works off the ‘reality principle’ – what satisfies both the id and superego.
4
Q
investigating unconsious mind
A
- hypnosis
- free association - Patients are encouraged to lie comfortably on a couch and speak aloud any thoughts that come into their head.
- dream analysis - Freud believes that all dreams are significant and if analysed appropriately could gives us clues as to the contents of the unconscious mind.
- Analysis of slips of the tongue: Freud believed that any apparent slips were not accidents but they indicated unconscious wishes.
5
Q
defence mechanism
A
- Repression - the blocking of unacceptable thoughts and memories from the conscious mind.
- Displacement – here we transfer our negative feelings away from the cause of the feelings and onto something that will not harm us.
- Projection – this defence mechanism takes the unacceptable feelings and attributes them to someone else. E.g an angry spouse may accuse their partner of hostility
- Regression – is where a person behaves in a way that in the past may have brought relief from the anxiety provoking situation E.g. An older child reverting back to sucking his thumb when a new sibling arrives
6
Q
psychosexual stages
A
- The oral stage (0-18 months) The principle sexually sensitive zone is the mouth, and the infant’s greatest source of gratification is sucking.
- The anal stage (18-36 months) The anus provides the major source of pleasurable stimulation. The child’s main source of pleasure comes from achieving control over the body such as by passing and retaining faeces.
- The phallic stage (3-6 years) The source of pleasure is now the genitals. Boys and girls begin to display an interest in the differences between them. It is at this time that children develop a strong attachment to the parent of the opposite sex. The attachment of a boy to his mother is known as the Oedipus
complex - latency stage (6-puberty) in which energies are channelled into other areas of development
- genital stage (puberty onwards) in which an interest in the opposite sex appears.
7
Q
oedipus complex
A
- This is based on a a story of a ‘Greek tragedy’.
- The boy begins to wish for an exclusive relationship with his mother.
- As the fathers relationship with the mother seems to exclude him he becomes jealous of his father.
- This takes place at the phallic stage when the boy has an increasing interest in genitals and is discouraged in this interest by his father.
- He is concerned therefore that his fathers annoyance in his attachment to his mother will lead to his father punishing him by castration
- This is known as castration anxiety
8
Q
how oedipus complex is overcome
A
- The mother appears to reject his advances, and he feels that his father is angry with him because of his feelings towards his mother.
- So in order to resolve the situation the boy identifies with his father, this means he becomes as much like his father as possible.
- This ensures that their father is not angry with him, as well as appearing to be like their father in their mother’s eyes.
9
Q
electra complex
A
- The Electra complex is the female equivalent, (although not actually called this by Freud) occurring in girls between 3 and 6
years old. The process for girls is similar to for boys. - The girl has an unconscious longing for her father and fears the loss of her mothers love.
- She believes she has already been castrated for this desire and so is not as fearful of her mother as the boy is of his father.
- Her identification with her mother is therefore less strong as the anxiety is not as intense.
- However she does identify and take on the characteristics of her mother.
10
Q
strengths of psychodynampic perspective
A
- It can be used to explain a wide range of behaviour.
- It has been incredibly influential in therapy and the use of psychodynamic-based therapies is still widely used today which can be of great benefit to those in psychological distress.
11
Q
weaknesses of psychodynamic perspective
A
- It makes generalisations about human behaviour based on small and often atypical samples.
- Some of the tests used within the perspective are subjective and unreliable
- The perspective is based on concepts that are difficult to test and scientifically verify.
12
Q
aim
A
- Report on the findings and treatment of a five-year old boy for his fear of horses
- Test his theory of infantile sexuality & the Oedipus complex as well as his explanation of the genesis of phobias
13
Q
design + ppt
A
Participant – Little Hans (Herbert Graf), Jewish boy aged 5 from Vienna, Austria
Design;
- Clinical case study – carried out by little Hans’ father friend & supporter of Freud (Freud only met Hans once)
- Correspondence - Father reported to Freud who gave instructions as to how to deal with the situation based on his interpretation of the reports
14
Q
hans age 3
A
- He had a fascination with his penis (widdler).
- His mum threatened to cut it off.
- Hans developed a fear of castration.
- Around the same time he saw a horse collapse and die which upset him.
- His sister was born.
15
Q
hans age 4
A
- Phobia of horses developed.
- Feared a white horse would bite him.
- Father noted this related to the horses large penis and Hans being dissatisfied with his own penis.
- Conflict with Hans and his father.
- Hans cuddled his mother in bed each morning which his father objected to.
- Hans wouldn’t leave the house due to fear of horses.
- Developed anxiety.
