Individual differences - Psychodynamic explanation Flashcards
How does the psychodynamic approach explain Sz?
Fixation
- fixation of the libido
- needs at a a particular stage may have been met or there is over indulgence
- person becomes stuck in a psychosexual stage - libido is held permanently
Regression
-ego defense mechanism
- movement back in psychological time when faced with anxiety
- when troubled or frightened behaviours become more childish
If an individual with this oral fixation encounters an excessive amount of anxiety, they may regress back to the early stage and the Sz becomes essentially like a new born again
Typical Vs Non typical personality development
Typical - successful resolution of the conflicts = no fixation — healthy psychological development
Atypical (non typical) - unsuccessful resolution of the conflict = fixation and anxiety, excessive use of the defence mechanisms to deal with anxiety which leads to psychological regression back to the oral stage
- unhealthy psychological personality development
How does this explain Sz?
Well adjusted adults have developed strong egos that limit fantasy and keep in touch with reality
- however hallucinations and delusions represent unchecked activities of the ID — shows the Sz has lost touch with reality as they are not able to distinguish between realities and their fantasies (weak ego)
How does this approach view the behaviour of a Sz
- as an attempt to regress back to a time of normality in which they were totally dependent on their mothers
- however when this is combined with a distrust of all that is real it can lead to the creation of an alternate reality
Schizophrenogenic mother (fromm-reichmann 1948)
- this theory considers the mother - child relationship
- states that the blame for Sz lies with the mother
Typical characteristics of a schizophrenogenic mother
- cold and domineering
- overprotective
- rigid and insensitive
- moralistic about sex
- rejecting
- fearful of intimacy
- conflict inducing
Describe one individual differences explanation for Sz
- Talk about the theory
- focused on early childhood experiences can shape personality such as fixation and regression can affect it
- unsuccessful resolutions of conflicts, excessive use of defence mechanisms to deal with anxiety can cause regression — leads to development of Sz
- explains Sz because these are attempts to regress back into a time of normality in which they depended on their mothers
- combine this with distrust of all that is real and it leads to a distorted reality
- mention Schizophrenogenic mother
- considers the mother - child relationship
- blame for Sz lies with the mother
Evaluation 1 - NOTE - for ALL evaluation if there is evidence use 2 of them for the point and explain why this shows the theory is successful
Schizophrenogenic mother and its influence on the development of Sz
- Kasanin examined hospital records and found that 33 of 45 cases of people with Sz had overprotective mothers
- Warring and ricks concluded that mothers of children with Sz were withdrawn, shy and incoherent
- both of these support the Sz mother explanation as the cold, distant, overprotective stereotype for it is met and implies that the mother had an influence on the development of Sz
However Mothers behaviour and treatment towards their child could be due to genetics which could then be passed onto their child
- this genetic vulnerability could then be passed onto the child which may cause Sz
- some relationships with family can have an effect on the cause of continuation of development of an individuals Sz
- indicates it may not be down to the mother but rather parental figures as a whole and the basis of their relationship
- summarise nature and nurture points which argues that it is too simplistic to state the development of a mental illness is down to one factor
Evaluation 2
Ability to explain Sz and whether its scientific basis is useful
- Cause and effect is not clear cut — not evident if Sz leads to regression or if regression leads to Sz
- many psychodynamic theories are unfalsifiable meaning they cannot be proven to be true or false
- can provide a basis for newer theories which are more scientific it does not mean it can stand on its own as a credible theory for treatment for psychological tests
However some Psychodynamic explanations have been strongly supported by evidence, notably for biological factors
- provides strong suggestions for its link with nurture issues and their effect on the development of Sz
- lack of testable theories for many explanations of Sz do not allow it to be necessarily generalisable
