Module 3: Psychosexual Theory Flashcards
Psychosexual Theory
+ by Freud
+ humans were born with a series of innate, biologically based drives such as hunger, sex, and aggression early experiences shaped later functioning
+ people are driven by motives and emotional conflicts of which they are largely unaware that they are shaped by their earliest experiences with the family
+ strongly believes in unconscious motivation
+ states that biological instincts provide unconscious motivations for actions
+ personality formed from unconscious childhood
conflicts between the inborn urges of the id and the
requirements of civilized life
+ stage-oriented
+ reactive
How does the psychosexual theory view newborns?
Views newborns as “seething cauldrons”, an inherently selfish creature driven by instincts
Instincts
inborn biological factors that motivate behavior
Unconscious Motivation
the power of instincts and other inner forces to influence our behavior without awareness
How does the psychosexual theory view humans in general?
As selfish and aggressive; it has a negative view of human nature
What are the three parts of the brain (according to the psychosexual theory)?
- ID
- Ego
- Superego
ID
pleasure principle; impulsive, irrational, selfish, seeks immediate gratification
Ego
reality principle; rational, finds realistic ways to gratify instincts
When does the ego emerge/develop?
emerges during infancy when psychic energy is diverted from the ID to energize cognitive processes
Superego
morality principle; individual’s internalized moral standards
When does the superego develop?
it develops from the ego when 3-6 years old internalize the moral standards and values of their parents
When does a person achieve a healthy personality (according to the psychosexual theory)?
when the person achieves a balance of the ID, ego, and superego
When do psychological problems arise (according to the psychosexual theory)?
psychological problems arise when the individual’s supply of psychic energy is unevenly distributed
Fixation
arrest in development that can show up in the adult personality; libido remains tied to an earlier stage of development
Oral Fixation
may grow up to become nail-biters or smokers; may overeat, pica, nail biting, thumb sucking
Anal Fixation
may be obsessively clean, rigidly tied schedules and routines, or defiantly messy
What are the psychosexual stages?
- Oral
- Anal
- Phallic
- Latency
- Genitals
Oral Stage
+ Mouth
+ experience anxiety and the need to defend against it if denied oral gratification by not being fed on demand or being weaned too early
Anal
+ anus
+ toilet training era
What are two types of anal fixation?
- Anal-Retentive
- Anal-Expulsive
Anal-Retentive
perfectionist, orderly, tidy
Anal-Expulsive
lack of self-control, messy, careless
Phallic
+ genitals
+ youngsters develop an incestuous desire for the parent of the other sex and must defend against it
What are some important terms/concepts under the phallic stage?
- Oedipus Complex
- Electra Complex
- Castration Anxiety
- Penis Envy
Oedipus Complex
loves his mother, fears that his father will retaliate by castrating him, and resolves the conflicts through identification with his father
Electra Complex
a girl having desire with her father, seeing her mother as a rival
Castration Anxiety
son believes his father knows about his desire for his mother and fears that his father will castrate him
Penis Envy
a girl wants a penis as she desires her father
Latency
sexual urges sublimated into sports and hobbies
Genitals
+ genitals
+ physical sexual urges reawaken repressed needs
+ directed sexual feelings towards others lead to sexual gratification
+ may have difficulty accepting their new sexuality, therefore, reexperiencing conflict towards their parents and distance themselves to defend against anxiety-producing feelings
Defense Mechanisms
ego adapts unconscious coping devices
Repression
+ unacceptable or unpleasant impulses are pushed back into the unconscious
+ a woman who experienced sexual harassment cannot recall what happened to her
Regression
+ behaving as if they were at an earlier stage of development
+ your father throws a tantrum when he was left alone at home
Displacement
+ the expression of an unwanted feeling or mere thought is redirected from a more threatening, powerful person to a weaker one
+ an employee shouted at his child after being scolded by his boss
Rationalization
+ people distort reality in order to justify something that has happened
+ a swimming athlete who lost her competition took her loss as something she expected anyways, and she did not want the trophy
Denial
+ people refuse to accept or acknowledge an anxiety producing piece of information
+ a widow never accepted that her husband died in an accident
Projection
+ people attribute unwanted impulses and feelings to someone else
+ A woman fat-shamed another woman because she is insecure about her body
Sublimation
+ people divert unwanted impulses into socially approved thoughts, feelings, or behaviors
Reaction-Formation
+ unconscious impulses are expressed as their opposite in consciousness
+ A mother who unconsciously resent her child, acts lovingly consciously
