Freud's Psychodynamic Explanation

Question 1

Why is Freud’s theory psychodynamic?

Answer 1

Not a biological explanation. It is presented in biological psychology as a contrast to biological explanations for human behaviour and aggression.

Question 2

What is the id?

Answer 2

Part of our personality that works on the pleasure principle demanding instant gratification

Question 3

What is the ego?

Answer 3

Part of our personality that works on the reality principle balancing the hidden desires of the id with the demands of the superego.

Question 4

What is the superego?

Answer 4

Part of our personality that works on the morality principle made up of our conscience about what is right and wrong

Question 5

Which part of the mind is the biggest and most powerful?

Answer 5

The unconscious - largely inaccessible

Question 6

What does the unconscious mind contain?

Answer 6

Contains thoughts, emotions and desires that we do not know about, but these things can still guide our thinking

Question 7

What is thanatos?

Answer 7

Thanatos, the so-called death instinct, which is about an individual wanting to go back to the state of ‘not being’ (before being born).

Question 8

What is eros?

Answer 8

Eros, the life instinct, a drive to go forward in life.

Question 9

According to Freud what is aggression due to?

Answer 9

Due to the conflict between the death instinct (thanatos) and the life instinct (eros). The life instinct (eros) opposes the death instinct (Thanatos) and this life instinct is supported by aggression, which can help to release the drive towards death in order to preserve life.

Question 10

What did Freud propose frustration was caused by?

Answer 10

Caused by not being able to get pleasure and follow the demands of the id that led to aggression. This is because the superego (the moral part of the personality) gets in the way and prevents the person from doing what they want.

Question 11

What is catharsis?

Answer 11

When aggressive and frustrated thoughts can be brought into the conscious mind

Catharsis involves releasing emotions such as anger.

Question 12

What are the strengths/supporting evidence of catharsis as an explanation of aggression?

Answer 12

Verona and Sullivan

Dollard et al

Psychology in society

Question 13

What are the weaknesses/refuting evidence for catharsis as an explanation of aggression?

Answer 13

Bushman et al

Bandura, Ross and Ross

Reductionism

Question 14

Why is Verona and Sullivan supporting evidence for catharsis as an explanation of aggression?

Answer 14

Verona and Sullivan (2008) found that people who reacted in an aggressive way to being made frustrated in a task had a reduced heart rate compared with those who did not react aggressively, giving evidence for aggression being cathartic.

Question 15

Why is Dollard et al supporting evidence for catharsis as an explanation of aggression?

Answer 15

Freud’s theory of catharsis led to the later development of the frustration-aggression hypothesis (Dollard et al. 1939) which moved away from unconscious factors causing frustration and instead focused on external factors such as lack of money causing frustration which may lead to aggression.

Question 16

Why is psychology in society a strength for catharsis as an explanation of aggression?

Answer 16

Freud’s theory has led to a lot of different ‘talking’ therapies

e.g. psychoanalysis that focus on unconscious desires being released into conscious awareness through hypnosis so that catharsis is experienced

Question 17

Why is Bushman et al refuting evidence for catharsis as an explanation of aggression?

Answer 17

Bushman et aI. (1999) found that those who read an article saying that hitting a punch bag was cathartic, were more likely to hit out at a punch bag after having negative feedback about an essay they wrote, than those who did not read about catharsis. It seems that reading about it did not release the aggression; in fact it led to more aggression.

Question 18

Why is Bandura, Ross and Ross refuting evidence for catharsis as an explanation of aggression?

Answer 18

Bandura, Ross and Ross (1961) suggest that aggression is learned from watching others and far from this being cathartic, it actually leads to aggression.

Question 19

Why is reductionism a weakness of catharsis as an explanation of aggression?

Answer 19

Explanation may be viewed as reductionist by only explaining aggression using concepts in the unconscious mind and not acknowledging the role that hormones and genes may play in the onset of aggression