Models of the Mind Flashcards
How do people act?
They may act based on unconscious processing, but fill in reasons for their actions.
Function of the brain
To create a template for experience based on past events.
Id
Totally unconscious. Instinctual drives (sex, aggression, eating, power, physical contact). Pleasure principle (demands gratification and ignores reality)
Ego
Conscious and unconscious. Moderates between the id at the superego and seeks compromises to pacify both. Controls impulses, tolerates emotions, anticipates consequences, makes decisions.
Superego
Conscious and unconscious. Morals, conscience. Denies gratification.
Id
Superego
Ego
Neural correlates
Amygdala
vmPFC
PFC
Updated psychodynamics
Not about id, ego, superego, but really about unconscious processes directing behavior. Approach vs avoidance. The past is alive in the present.
Transference
The transfer of past relationship patterns onto someone/something in the present.
Countertransference
Doctors transference to patient. Patient’s affect/behavior activates associational networks in doctor.
Concordant countertransference
Doctor experiences patient’s feelings
Complementary countertransference
Doctor experiences feeling similar to what other people in the patient’s life have felt in response to the patient (role responsiveness)
Poor use of defense mechanisms
Using a limited repertoire of defenses too rigidly. Also using immature defenses.
Why do people use defense mechanisms?
To protect self image and awareness against distressing mental contents.
Repression. Advantages and benefits
Putting away in the back of one’s mind. May forget to do something. Definitely makes patients less anxious, but their physiological measures of stress are still high.
Altruism
Unselfishness. Doing good things for others to make one’s self feel better.
Humor
Laughing it off. Unconsciously dealing with a distressing feeling/thought by joking. Maladaptive if includes resentment.
Suppression
Consciously pushing a thought or feeling out of the awareness. Putting it on the back burner.
Sublimation
Expressing a feeling in a constructive way. Hostile person entering the military, etc.
Displacement
Taking something out on somebody.
Rationalization
Making excuses.
intellectualization
Focusing on abstract/logical thinking to minimize distressing feelings about and event. “Explain things away”
Isolation of affect
Remaining aware of a situation, but losing connection with the feelings about the event.
Identification with the aggressor
Reversal of power, throwing stuffed animals away when paren’t doesn’t come home. Abused becomes the abuser.
Reaction formation
Behaviors and thoughts are opposite towards actual feelings.
Somatization
Locating intolerable thoughts or feelings in the body.
Immature defenses all..
Distort reality
Splitting (immature)
idealization or devaluation. All black or all white. No shades of gray.
