Freud & Aggression

Question 1

Main drives considered by Freud?

Answer 1

• libido
• sex drive
• self-preservation

Question 2

What does the ego repress?

Answer 2

It represses thoughts that are unacceptable into the unconscious.

Question 3

Why does the ego repress these thoughts?

Answer 3

To preserve the self and respond to the drives.

Question 4

What does the ego do at the same time as repression?

Answer 4

It also balances the superego’s demands.

Question 5

How can thoughts leak into the unconscious mind?

Answer 5

• in dreams
• defence mechanisms like displacement
• free association

Question 6

What is free association?

Answer 6

Free association is a technique used in psychoanalytic therapy to help patients learn more about what they are thinking and feeling, by allowing them to freely speak about and express their thoughts & feelings.

Question 7

What is displacement?

Answer 7

When someone focuses thoughts onto one person when they ‘belong’ to someone else.

Question 8

Displacement can help to?

Answer 8

Release thoughts in a way that is safe for the ego without upsetting the superego.

Question 9

What is aggression in Freud’s theory?

Answer 9

It is also a drive.

Question 10

What does aggression link to?

Answer 10

The death instinct.

Question 11

What is aggression the outlet for?

Answer 11

It is the outlet for the death instinct.

Question 12

What does aggression preserve?

Answer 12

It preserves life.

Question 13

How does aggression preserve life?

Answer 13

Because without, someone would have a strog death instinct with no outlet, which would affect their behaviour & thinking.

Question 14

What does the life instinct oppose?

Answer 14

It opposes the death instinct.

Question 15

What is the life instinct supported by?

Answer 15

By aggression

Question 16

Aggression can help to release what?

Answer 16

To release the drive towards death.

Question 17

According to Freud, what leads to aggression?

Answer 17

Frustration.

Question 18

What was Freud interested in, with regard to aggression?

Answer 18

He was interested in the emotions & ideas behind aggressive behaviour.

Question 19

In Freud’s theory, what is aggression linked to?

Answer 19

It is linked to the superego.

Question 20

What is the superego?

Answer 20

The conscience of the child, formed from the parents’ demands about what should & shouldn’t be done and thought in a society.

Question 21

Why does the child unconsciously feel aggression towards their parents?

Answer 21

Because they prevent things that will give the child pleasure (demands from the id).

Question 22

Where is aggression caught up according to Freud?

Answer 22

In the superego.

Question 23

Why is the aggression taken into the child’s superego?

Answer 23

Because the child loves their parents so they can’t direct the aggression towards them.

Question 24

What does the strength of the superego depend on?

Answer 24

The amount of aggression within it.

Question 25

What 2 types of aggression did Fromm (1937) discuss?

Answer 25

Benign aggression & destructive aggression.

Question 26

Benign aggression?

Answer 26

A natural response to the environment.

Question 27

Destructive aggression?

Answer 27

Aggression that exists for someone to achieve their own goals.