Lecture 2. Psychoanalytical Theory Flashcards
What is a Theory?
set of related assumptions that allow scientists to use logical deductive reasoning to formulate testable hypotheses
Set
not from a single concept, idea or assumption
Related
integrative, not isolated, capable of generating meaningful hypothesis and possessing internal consistency
Assumptions
not proven facts but accepted as if they were true.
Logical Deductive Reasoning
to create meaning and contribute to the ongoing process of theory construction
Testable
suggests the possibility for future scientists to develop the necessary means to test the assumptions of the theory
Why do we have so many different theories of personality?
- To further prove and explain the objectivity in gathering data.
- Divergent theories can be useful references for agreement or contrast with other theories
- To further generate research and explain research data and other observations
- The nature of theory dictates having continuous speculations and assumptions in a particular perspective
Does TOP based on personalities from the theorists’?
• All personality theories are a reflection of the authors’ personal background, childhood experiences, philosophy of life, interpersonal relationships, and unique manner of looking at the world.
• An understanding of theories of personality rests on information regarding the historical, social and psychological worlds of each theorist at the time of his/her theorizing.
What makes a theory useful (6)?
Generates Data, Falsifiable, Organizes Data, Guides Action, Internally Consistent, Parsimonious
Explain why theory is useful for how it generates data.
> Has the ability to stimulate and guide further research.
Has a mutual and dynamic interaction with research data
Two different kinds of research
Can generate two different kinds of research:
Descriptive - expanding the existing theory
Hypothesis testing - add to a database to reshape and enlarge the theory
Explain why theory is useful for how it is falsifiable
> Has the ability to be confirmed or disconfirmed.
Must show precision to its concepts which research can refute or support
Accountable to experimental results and reinforces connection with research
Possibility to verify or falsify through research
Explain why theory is useful for how it organizes data
Capable of integrating what is currently known.
> To shape as many bits of information as possible into a meaningful arrangement.
> To offer a reasonable explanation of something not readily understood
Explain why theory is useful for how it guides action
> Provides a structure to plan of actions, discern a suitable course of plan with a sound orientation or framework
Stimulates thought and action in other disciplines and broad range of scholarly fields
Explain why theory is useful for how it is internally consistent
> Components are logically compatible.
Its limitations of scope are carefully defined and it does not offer explanation outside its bounds of scope.
Uses language consistently, uses concepts and terms clearly and operationally
Explain why theory is useful for how it is parisminious
> Simple, straightforward, understandable
Does not weigh on complicated concepts and esoteric language
Law of Parsimony
“plurality should not be posited without necessity.”
Nationality of Sigmund Freud, place, and age death
Austrian, From Czech Republic and died at age 83
Acc. to Freud, a person develops during the age of? Because?
According to Freud a person develops personality at the age of 5 based on his experience about the guilt he felt on death wishing his brother.
Freud Birth Order and relationship with siblings or parents
The first-born among 7 siblings, who he is not close with anyone, and the favorite of his mother.
About Freud’s younger brother
Upon birth of second-born, he harbored a death wish for his brother, who died at age 6 months, and carried this guilt up to his adulthood.
Learned to treat hysteria from
Jean Marie Charcot
Learned catharsis from
Josef Breuer
Catharsis
Catharsis - happens in a daily basis of life
What Freud discovered wtih the help from Jean Marie and Josef?
Wherein which free association technique was discovered, leading to hypnosis.
What was produced after focusing on hysteria?
With focus on hysteria, psychical analysis was introduced, and later called psychoanalysis.
Three Levels of Mental Life
Conscious, Preconscious and Unconscious
Conscious
> Very neutral, no threat or intimidation
mental elements of awareness at any given point in time.
Perceptions that are not too threatening and threatening but disguised as defensive behaviors or dream elements.
Preconscious
> There is some threat but ignores and disregards even though one is completely aware of it; sometimes coats with defense mechanism
perceived consciousness in a transitory period, or and threatening but disguised as defensive behaviors, slip of the tongue or dream elements.
Unconscious
> contains all those drives, urges, instincts beyond awareness motivating words, feelings and actions
Freud most interested in
People are completely unaware
Tapping the Unconscious Mind (4)
Free Association, Dream Analysis, Everyday Life and Humor
Free Association
> the fundamental rule of psychoanalysis, where one is encouraged to speak freely and report whatever their thoughts were, regardless of irrelevance or insignificance
Bringing out your catharsis
Dream Analysis
dreams are camouflaged or disguised thoughts
Two types of Dream
Manifest - straightforward; Latent - hidden and represents indirect feelings
3 Types of Dream Distortion
- Condensation - Wishful thinking
- Synthesis - Summary of your day
- Dislocation - Thinking of another thing or somewhere
Everyday Life
> all human behaviors have a cause, nothing happened simply by chance.
1. Lapses of memory
2. Slips of the tongue (Freudian slip)
Humor
> for a joke to be funny it must contain anxiety provoking material
we laugh only at the things that bother us
Jokes people say = indication of disturbed areas in life
3 Structures of Personality aka?
Provinces of the Mind
Id, Ego, Superego
Id
> most primitive part of the mind.
At birth it is pure, natural, instinctual and exists completely on the unconscious level.
demands immediate satisfaction of bodily needs and is governed by the Pleasure Principle.
unrealistic, illogical and entertains incompatible ideas.
No contact in reality
No sense of responsibility and often blame others
Ego
> in contact with reality and the adult in you
Mediates with Id and Superego and deals with the external world.
Acts on Reality Principle.
Superego
represents the moral and ideal aspects of personality and is guided by Moralistic & Idealistic Principles.
grows out of the ego, but has no contact with reality, therefore is unrealistic in its demands for perfection.
divided to conscience and ego-ideal
What is in Psychosis?
In Psychosis, there is no superego, and ego is ruled by id, it empowers the two
Dynamics of Personality and 2 Types
motivational principle behind people’s action
Drives & Anxiety
Drives
characterized by an impetus, a source, an aim and an object.
Two Headings of Drives
Sex (Eros) or libido (sex drive)
• Aka. life instinct
• reduction of sexual tension
Aggression, distraction or Thanatos
• death instinct or destruction drive
• return the organism to an inorganic state
Anxiety
• result of the conflict between id, superego and external world
• unpleasantly felt, accompanied by physical sensation, a warning of danger
3 Types of Anxiety
Reality, Neurotic and Moral
Reality Anxiety
• real, objective sources of danger in the environment
• Closely related to fear
Neurotic Anxiety
fear that id will overwhelm ego and cause for punishment
Always ruled by id; one may give in
Moral Anxiety
> fear that superego will not be headed and result to guilt
stems from the conflict between the ego and the superego
What is Defense Mechanisms?
Defense against anxiety by distorting or denying.
Exists to handle our neurotic anxiety
Are DF healthy or unhealthy? What results if it is unhealthy?
These are all healthy and unhealthy depending on moderation of use
Unhealthy leads to distress, deviance, dysfucntion and danger - 4 D’s of Abnormality
What are the 11 Defense Mechanisms?
Repression, Displacement, Introjection, Reaction Formation, Projection, Rationalization, Regression, Denial, Intellectualization, Sublimation, Fixation
Repression
Pushing thoughts into our unconscious
Displacement
Redirecting one’s feelings toward another person to less threatening things
Introjection
to increase personal feelings of worth by taking on the characteristics of someone viewed successful
Reaction Formation
expressing the opposite of how one truly feels.
Projection
An unaccepted feeling, trait or doing is repressed and seen in someone else instead
Rationalization
Coming up with a beneficial result of an undesirable outcome.
Sweet-lemon or sour-grape
Regression
Returning to an earlier, comforting form of behavior
Denial
not accepting the ego - threatening truth
Intellectualization
Undertaking an academic, unemotional study of a topic to cover up feelings/anxiety
Sublimation
Channeling one’s frustration toward something creative and cultural accomplishment.
Fixation
permanent attachment of the libido onto an earlier, more primitive stage of development
Psychosexual Stages of Development
Every child goes through a sequence of developmental stages and these experiences determine personality characteristics that will persist in a lifetime.
almost exclusively a discussion of early childhood and that adult personality is formed by the end of 5th year of life.
Each stage has an erogenous zone as the source of stimulation and pleasure.
5 Stages of Psychosexual Development
Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latency and Genital
Oral Stage
Birth to 12 months
Infant’s pleasure centers on mouth sucking
A child may either be well fed or neglected
Anal Stage
1 to 3 year
Continues
Child’s pleasure focuses on anus and from elimination
Toilet training and relationship between parents
Proper Toilet Training? Unstructured Toilet Training?
Achild may either have proper toilet training that will result and grow as: person with trust issues, thrifty, selective in friends and meticulous
If unstructured toilet training:
Disorganized person
Phallic Stage
3 to 6 years
Acc. to Freud, if what a person identify himself during this stage, his sexuality is already determined until he grow up
Child’s pleasure focuses on genitals
Oedipus (Boys)
Elektra (Girls)
Penis envy
Latency Stage
7 to 11 years
Child represses sexual interest and develops social and intellectual skills
An interlude
Genital Stage
Puberty onward
A time of sexual awakening; source of sexual pleasure becomes someone outside the family
5 Application of Psychoanalytical Theory
Birth Trauma, Free Association Technique & Therapy, Transference & Counterference, Dream Analysis & Wish Fulfillment, Freudian Slips
Free Association Technique & Therapy
Heals inner child; past haunts someone when they repress too much causing anxiety
Was his case studies objective and results empirically verifiable?
No, his case studies are conducted subjectively in his interpretation. It is unique and owned.
Did Freud understand women, gender and sexuality?
No, he believes that at age 5, sexuality is already built and focused entirely on male.
Is Freud’s personality theory useful?
Yes, it is useful even if it lacks internal consistency ,and not parsimoniously created.
