Modules 40-1 Flashcards
ways of looking at the self
Freudian/Psychodynamic: views of the unconscious parts of the self
Humanistic: view of the self-actualizing person
things we can have in common
personality components, basic drives, stages of development, categories of traits
ways in which people differ
individual paths through stages, ways of managing basic drives and needs
personality
an individual’s characteristic patters of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors persisting over time and across situations
psychodynamic/psychoanalytic theories
theories of human personality that focus on the inner forces that interact to make us who we are
DYNAMIC view of development of behavior, as well as human emotions and personality – interplay between conscious and unconscious process, including various motives and inner conflicts
Sigmund Freud - historical era
- grew up in poor family, Victorian Era, sexual repression and dominance
- men and women’s roles were clearly defined with male superiority assumed
- purpose of sex was to make babies – sin to enjoy intercourse
Freud - career history
- began as physician in Vienna
- explored how mental and physical symptoms could be caused by purely psychological factors
- became aware that many powerful mental processes operate in the unconscious
- theory: psychoanalysis
psychoanalysis
a set of psychological and psychotherapeutic theories and associated techniques developed by Freud
free association
technique for revealing the unconscious mind
encouraged patient to speak whatever comes to mind – therapist verbally traces a flow of thoughts into the past and into the unconscious
Freud’s methods
(came up with the lay on couch look at the ceiling process)
- free association
- suggested meanings for slips of the tongue “Freudian slips” and from the “latent” content of dreams
Freud’s Personality/Mind Iceberg
Mind is mostly below the surface of conscious awareness
Ego = tip of the iceberg (above water)
Superego = (just below sea level)
Id = (deep under the sea, hidden)
Id
hidden deep under water
unconscious psychic energy that constantly strives to satisfy basic drives to survive, reproduce, and agress
- operates on the pleasure principle
Ego
tip of the iceberg (above water) operates on reality principle, seeking to gratify the id’s impulses in realistic ways that will bring long-term pleasure
superego
(internalized ideals) just under the water
the voice of our moral compass (i.e. conscience) that forces the ego to consider not only the real but the ideal. Focuses on how we ought to behave. Strives for perfection, produces pride and guilt
Freud’s iceberg view on personality
personality develops from teh efforts of our ego (rational self) to resolve tension between our id (based in biological drives) and the superego (society’s rules and constraints)
the unconscious (Freud’s view)
a reservoir of thoughts, wishes, feelings, memories, that are hidden from awareness because they feel unacceptable
personality development (Freud’s iceberg): newborns
personality = id based, impulsive to meet basica needs, living by the “pleasure principle”
personality development (Freud’s iceberg): toddlers
ego develops, self that has thoughts, judgment,s and memories following a “reality principle”, though still focused on serving the id’s needs
personality development (Freud’s iceberg): age 4-5
superego develops, a conscience itnernalized from parents and society, following the ideas of a “morality principle”
erogenous zones
sensitive areas of the body – focus of the id
Freud’s Theory of Psychosexual Stages
1) oral (0-18 months): sucking, biting chewing
2) anal (18-36 months): bowel and bladder elimination
3) phallic (3-6 years): genitals, coping with incestuous sexual feelings
4) latency (6-puberty): phase of dormant sexual feelings
5) genital (puberty on): maturation of sexual interests
- problems can happen if you don’t meet a need at one stage
“Oedipus complex”
boys in the phallic stage (3-6 years) seek gential stimulation, begin to develop unconscious sexual desires for their mothers and hate their fathers as a rival, feeling guilt and fearing punishment by castration
resolution of oedipus complex conflict
boys identify with their fathers rather than seeing them as a rival
anxiety about the unconscious (Freud)
Freud believed that we repress this unacceptable wish/impulse anxiety with certain defense mechanisms/strategies
defense mechanisms
regression reaction formation projection rationalization displacement denial
regression
retreating to a more infantile psychosexual stage, where some psychic energy remains fixated (thumb-sucking)
reaction formation
switching unacceptable impulses into their opposites (exaggerated friendliness to repress anger), giving anti-gay speeches and turning out to have homosexual tendencies
projection
disguising one’s own threatening impulses by attributing them to others (thief thinks everyone else is a thief), someone with an anger problem accusing everyone else of being angry and threatening
rationalization
offering self-justifying explanations in place of the real, more threatening unconscious reasons for one’s actions (habitual drinks says she drinks just to be sociable)
displacement
shifting sexual or aggressive impulses toward a more acceptable or less threatening object or person (kicking dog after being sent to room)
denial
refusing to believe or even perceive painful realities (denying evidence of an affair)
reaction formation and projection
they seek to prevent being conscious of unacceptable feelings
however, the first one compensates (opposite), and the second one distracts
Neo-Freudian, psychodynamic theories accepted:
Alfred Adler, Karen Horney, Carl Jung
stills studies unconscious but less focus on id ego superego
- agreed with importance of the unconscious and childhood relationships in shaping personality
- id/ego/superego structure of personality
not as sexual more social
- role of defense mechanisms in reducing anxiety about uncomfortable ideas
Neo-Freudian, psychodynamic theories differed by:
- Adler and Horney: anxiety and personality are a function of social, not sexual tensions in childhood
- Jung: collective unconscious, containing images from our species’ experiences, not just personal repressed memories and wishes (not necessarily accepted today)
projective tests
structured, systematic exposure to a standardized set of ambiguous prompts, designed to reveal inner dyanamics
Rorschach test
projective test asking to describe images within inkblots
problem: results don’t link well to traits (low validity) and different raters ge different results (low reliability)
Freud’s ideas (updated and proven)
- development is lifelong, not set in stone by childhood
- infant neural networks are not mature enough to create a lifelong impact of childhood trauma
- peers have more influence on personality and parents less than Freud assumed
- dreams as well as slips of the tongue have many possible origins, less likely to reveal deep unconscious conflicts and wishes
- we may ignore threatening info but traumatic memories are usually intensely remembered, not repressed
- suppressed sexuality does not cause psychological disoreders like Freud thought
- gender and sexual identity seems to be more a function of genetics than Oedipus/Electra conflicts and relationships with parents
flaws in freud’s scientific method
1) unfalsifiability
2) unrepresentative sampling
3) biased observations
4) post facto explanations
unfalsifiability
developed theories that are hard to prove or disprove (can we test to see if there is an id?)
unrepresentative sampling
theories that do not build on a broad sample of observations, happens if we only observe people with unusual psychological problems
biased observations
basing theories on patients, which may give an incentive to see them as unwell before treatment
post facto explanations (hindsight bias)
instead of predictions.
whether or not a situation makes you anxious, you could either be fixated or repressing
the unconscious (as see today)
certain things are not repressed, but just automatic
- implicit memories that don’t require conscious recall
- right hemisphere makes choices the left hemisphere doesn’t verbalize
- conditioned response, learned skills and procedures, all guide our actions without conscious recall
- priming affects our choices
- also a stream, not a reservoir
Freud’s Legacy
started discussion on the impact of childhood on adulthood, and human irrationality, sexuality, evil, defenses, anxiety, the tension between our biological selves and our socialized/civilized selves
- created concepts like ego, projectioon, regression, rationalization, dream interpretation, inferiority “complex”, oral fixation, sibling rivalry, Freudian slips
behaviorism
studying purely behavior without thinking about psychological effects/influences
- dehumanizing: thinking of humans as animals without mental processing
problems with psychodynamic thought
dysfunctional view – everyone’s a little bit screwed up even if they aren’t actually ill or have a psychological disorder
the Humanistic Perspective: humanism
created by Maslow and Rogers
- focused on the conditions that support healthy personal growth
self-actualization, becoming and reaching your true potential
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
motivates people to grow (move-up hierarchy) beyond basic needs
deficit physiological safety belonging esteem self-actualization
hierarchy of needs ideal state
self-actualization: fulfilling one’s potential, and self-transcendence
personality includes being self-aware, self-accepting, open, ethical, spontaneous, loving, caring, focusing on a greater mission than social acceptance
Roger’s person-centered perspective
3 conditions facilitating growth (Roger’s)
people have natural tendencies to grow, become healthy, move toward self-actualization
Genuineness
acceptance
empathy
genuineness
being honest, direct, not using a facade
acceptance (unconditional positive reward)
acknowledging feelings, even problems, without passing judgment; honoring, not devaluing
empathy
tuning into the feelings of others, showing your efforts to understand, listening well
– not sympathy (heard, not pitied)
self-concept
our sense of our nature and identity
happiest when self-concept matches ideal self = acceptance
Evil (Roger’s perspective)
“evil” as a social phenomenon, not an individual trait – when I look at the world I am pessimistic, but when I look at people I am optimistic
Humanist theory: beyond self-acceptance
self-acceptance is not the end; it allows us to move on from defending our own needs to loving and caring for others
evil comes from maslow’s needs not being met
criticism of the humanist perspective
pursuit of self-concept is very self-centered
response: therapist using this approach should emphasize ACCEPTANCE of one’s self, not praise for oneself
personnel psychology: hierarchy of needs
keeping employees happy by meeting their needs each step of the way along the hierarchy of needs
