freud Flashcards
What are the main concerns of personality researchers regarding Freud?
Human nature, individual differences, organization of ‘bits’ of people, ‘salient’ factors, and reputation.
How does Freud’s structural model describe the mind?
The mind is divided into the ID (pleasure-seeking), EGO (reality-seeking), and SUPEREGO (perfection-seeking).
What is the role of the ID in Freud’s structural model?
The ID is pleasure-seeking, impulsive, species-serving, and instinctive, influenced by Darwin’s ideas.
How does the EGO function according to Freud?
The EGO balances the demands of the ID and SUPEREGO, focusing on reality and self-management without breakdown.
What characterizes the SUPEREGO?
The SUPEREGO seeks perfection and serves society, acting as a moral compass.
What are the three levels of consciousness in Freud’s topographical model?
Conscious (aware of surroundings), Pre-conscious (aware when context is provided), and Unconscious (affects us but is nearly inaccessible).
How does the unconscious impact behavior?
It contains hidden influences like early traumas that shape experiences and personality.
What principle governs Freud’s concept of energy?
Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it is expressed, blocked, delayed, or modified.
What are Freud’s four inherited instincts?
Life instinct (Eros), sexual instinct (Libido), ego instinct (self-preservation), and death instinct (Thanatos).
What causes trauma according to Freud?
Trauma occurs when instinct expression is harmful or threatens the self.
What is Freud’s primary defense mechanism?
Repression, which blocks unwanted material from conscious awareness.
What are some mature and pathological defense mechanisms?
Mature: altruism, humor; Pathological: psychotic denial, delusional projection.
What is the key task and lesson of the oral stage (0-1)?
Key task: Weaning; Key lesson: Trust in self and world. Erogenous zone is the mouth, biting, sucking etc.
What characterizes the anal stage (1-3)?
Erogenous zone is the anus; key task is toilet training; lesson involves control over self and others.
What is the key lesson of the phallic stage (3-5)?
Sexual and gender orientation, with the resolution of the Oedipal complex as the key task. Erogenous zone is the genitals.
What happens during the latency stage (6-12)?
Repressed libidinal energy, focus on social interaction outside the family. No erogenous zone
What is the focus of the genital stage (adolescence)?
Establishing a family, with identity as the key lesson. Erogenous zone is the genitals, now sexualised.
What results from fixation or regression in psychosexual stages?
Habitual forms of instinct expression get locked in an immature stage or revert to it under stress.
What happens if the ID or SUPEREGO becomes too strong?
A strong ID leads to wanton self-gratification (under-controlled); a strong SUPEREGO causes rigid judgmental behavior (over-controlled).
What traits define oral personalities?
Over-indulged: optimistic, gullible; Under-indulged: pessimistic, suspicious.
What is the “anal triad”?
Traits related to orderliness, obstinacy, and parsimony/miserliness.
How do anal retentive and anal expulsive personalities differ?
Retentive: rigid, perfectionist; Expulsive: messy, disorganized, rebellious.
What are key Freudian notions about psychological processes?
Much motivation is unconscious, psychological processes occur in parallel, and traits often form in infancy.
How does ego strength relate to personality?
A strong ego balances the needs of the ID, SUPEREGO, and reality, leading to a resilient personality.
