Individual Defferences (CLASSIC) - understanding disorders - FREUD Flashcards
Conscious mind
State when individuals are aware of their motives for behaviour that they can explain verbally
Unconscious mind
State when behavioural motivations are often complex and are often related to sex in some way. These are largely hidden for an individuals conscious mind but are actually the driving force behind visible behaviour
Psychoanalysis
Set of techniques for treating the unconscious causes of mental disorders - which has a great impact on psychology and psychiatry
defence mechanisms
used by the unconscious mind to protect us from anxiety
examples of defence mechanisms
repression - when memory of a traumatic event becomes buried and inaccessible
displacement - when we unconsciously move impulses from the threatening to the less threating
ID
operates on pleasure principle - present at birth, selfish and demands instant gratification
EGO
operates on reality principle - acts as mediator between ID and superego to manage any conflicts. When the EGO is unable to cope with such demands it releases a series of defence mechanisms to reduce anxiety
SUPEREGO
operates on the morality principle representing moral standards. It develops during the phallic stage and internalises a sense of right and wrong
freud’s theory
different parts of the body are particularly sensitive at different times during childhood
oral
age 0-1 - libido is focused on the mouth so infants experience pleasure from sucking and biting
anal
age 1-3 - libido shifts to the anus - children gain pleasure from achieving control over their own bodies and this will include retaining and eliminating faeces
phallic
age 3-5/6 - libido is now focused on the genitals so children display an interest in the differences between boys and girls as well as developing a strong attachment to the parent of the opposite sex. Boys experience Oedipus complex and girls Electra complex
latency
age 5/6 - no organ pleasure so children focus on schooling and girls and boys do not interact
genital
puberty to maturity - libido is focused on genitals so people develop relationships with the opposite sex
Oedipus complex
In phallic stage a boy has an unconscious wish for an exclusive sexual relationship with mother
jealous of his father - wants him out the way
focus on phallic stage is genitals - ultimate punishment is castration
castration anxiety - for fear father will find out
Electra complex
young girl initially attracted to her mother
discovers she has no p so becomes attached to her father
resents her mother who she blames for her castration
girl begins to identify with her mother for fear of losing her love
theoretical aim
provide evidence to support Freud’s psychodynamic theory
therapeutic aim
cure little Han’s phobia of white horses and show how psychoanalytic theory can be used to successfully treat an anxiety disorder
sample
Little Hans was 5 years old at the time of the study. Historical evidence starting from when he was 3 years old
Hans was described as a cheerful and straight forward child bit he developed his phobia and there was a clear difference between what he said and what he thought. Freud believed this was because things were going in on Hans’ unconscious mind of which he was unaware
research method
longitudinal case study
in depth detail gathered about one individual in relation to his fantasies, fears and phobias from the start of the Oedipus complex through to overcoming the complex
little hans and his ‘widdler’
when he was 3 he developed interest in his widdler and also those of other people
he asked his mummy if she had one and realized this was a key distinction between living and non living things. He observed animals had big ones and throughout this time the main theme of his fantasies and dreams was widdlers
Freud’s interpretation of widdler
believed he was going through the phallic stage of psychosexual development and therefore also Oedipus complex
fear of baths
when hans was 3 1/2 his sister Hanna was born and he resented her so wished mother would drop her in the bath so she would drown. This was expressed indirectly in terms of fearing baths and was afraid mother would drop him in too
