Individual Differences - The Psychodynamic Approach to Abnormality

Question 1

What does the Psychodynamic approach believe?

Answer 1

Our mind, and therefore our behaviour is controlled by powerful, unconscious forces. The unconscious mind contains memories and feelings from our childhood that are painful and unpleasant. We are not aware of what is in the unconscious mind, but it can get in the way of normal functioning, resulting in abnormal behaviour.

Question 2

According to Freud what three parts is personality made up of?

Answer 2

Id, Ego and Superego.

Question 3

What is the Id?

Answer 3

Present at birth, most primitive part of personality. Deals with all body’s needs and desires. Its aim is to maximise pleasure and minimise pain.

Question 4

What is the Superego?

Answer 4

Moral part of personality. Deals with ideas of right and wrong. Punishes with guilt for bad deeds. Develops as a result of identifying with same sex parent.

Question 5

What is the Ego?

Answer 5

Deals with demands from the outside world. Is concerned with the external environment and consequences of your actions. Job is to compromise between the demands of the Id and the superego.

Question 6

How does abnormality arise?

Answer 6

When one part of the personality is too dominant.

Question 7

What happens if the Id is too dominant?

Answer 7

Person will have little conscience, may display psychopathic behaviour. May develop additions due to Id’s constant striving for pleasure.

Question 8

What happens if the Superego is too dominant?

Answer 8

Person feels guilty most of the time. May lead to depression.

Question 9

What are psychosexual stages?

Answer 9

Id receives pleasure from areas of the body. Too much or too little stimulation at each stage could lead to psychological problems as adults.

Question 10

What two stages are there?

Answer 10

Anal and Oral.

Question 11

What is the Oral stage?

Answer 11

Up to 12 months, Id receives pleasure from feeding, focus is on mouth.

Question 12

What happens if there is too much stimulation in the oral stage?

Answer 12

May lead to ‘oral behaviours’ as an adult e.g. over eating, nail biting, pen chewing.

Question 13

What is the Anal stage?

Answer 13

2-3, stage when children are potty trained.

Question 14

What happens if there is too much stimulation in the anal stage?

Answer 14

Can result in an anal-retentive personality type, person is obsessively neat and organised.

Question 15

What happens if there is too little stimulation in the anal stage?

Answer 15

Can result in anal-expulsive personality type, person is very messy and disorganised.

Question 16

What are Defence Mechanisms?

Answer 16

Where ego protects itself from distress. Distorts reality to allow us to cope with life. Abnormality arises when we rely too heavily on them.

Question 17

What three types of defence mechanisms are there?

Answer 17

Denial, Regression and Displacement.

Question 18

What is Denial?

Answer 18

Refuse to accept an unpleasant fact, e.g. some smokers deny smoking is bad for them.

Question 19

What is Regression?

Answer 19

Resorting to childlike tactics, e.g. throwing a tantrum.

Question 20

What is Displacement?

Answer 20

Taking out an emotion we feel towards one person on someone completely different, e.g. shouting at your mum when you had an argument with your friend.

Question 21

What is positive about the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 21

Evidence supports idea that early experiences linked to development of mental disorders.

Question 22

What are problems with the cognitive approach?

Answer 22

• May be seen as irrelevant/ outdated, it ignores single parent or gay parent families. Anyone without same sex parent won’t develop superego.
• Only focused on effects of childhood, ignored importance of current experiences.
• Ethical issues - blames parents for their child’s problems.