Personality: Freud Flashcards
What is the unconscious mind?
Thoughts, feelings, urges or fantasies we’re unaware of as we keep them in our unconscious
What is preconscious thought?
Thoughts that are unconscious at this instant but can be easily recalled into our conscious mind
What is conscious thought?
What we are actively aware of at any given time
Identify the 3 levels of consciousness
- Conscious thought
- Preconscious thought
- Unconscious mind
What are dreams?
Direct route into our conscious
What is the latent (hidden) content?
Must be identified and interpreted by the analyst.
-Freud would get patients to keep dream diaries and analyze them to uncover the latent content
Why are some thoughts, feelings, urges, etc. kept in the unconscious mind?
For their aggressive nature - repression. At times repression may weaken and previously unconscious material will usually manifest as a dream or under the influence of drugs/alcohol
Identify the two important elements to dreams
1) The manifest content
2) The latent (hidden) content
What is the manifest content?
The description of the dream as recalled by the dreamer.
-Not a true representation of the unconscious mind, we unconsciously censor some true meaning to avoid becoming too disturbed by the recall.
What do dreams represent?
Primary process thinking. The logically impossible becomes possible in our dreams because we’re governed by pleasure principal
What is secondary process thinking?
Rational thought governed by the reality principle
What is the ID?
(Instincts)
- Basic storehouse for raw, uninhibited, instinctual energy
- Source of all cravings (food, warmth, sex, etc.)
- Pleasure principal with related primary process thinking operates in the ID
How do the 3 personality structures (ID, ego, superego) interact/work?
Ego- The mediator, role is to protect/defend itself from rising psychological conflict by using defense mechanisms.
-3 structures are in constant battle, this can cause anxiety
What is the ego?
(Reality)
- Executive part of personality (planning, thinking, organizing)
- Operates according to the reality principle with secondary process thinking
What is the superego?
(Morality)
Around 4-5 years (age)
-The perfectionist part, leading to positive feelings of pride or negative feelings of guilt
-Makes judgements about right/wrong
-Acts in opposition to the ID and helps ego re-channel immoral id impulses
How do the 3 personality structures (ID, ego, superego) interact/work?
Ego- The mediator, role is to protect/defend itself from rising psychological conflict by using defense mechanisms.
-3 structures are in constant battle, this can cause anxiety
What are ‘erogenous zones’ in relation to psychosexual development?
The area that is most sensitive to stimulation and the source of gratification. Libido (energy source) is invested in erogenous zones
What is the oral stage?
1st stage, birth-1 year
Pleasure focused on feeding
Erogenous zones = mouth, lips and tongue
Sufficient oral stimulation needed for trust in caregiver as well as to progress to the next stage
Oral stage: What happens if you fail to meet your needs?
Causes fixation. Fixation at oral stage is linked to seeking excessive oral stimulation e.g., smoking, chewing gum or excessive eating
Oral stage: what are characteristics of an overindulged adult?
Oral receptive character
Dependent on others, trusting, gullible
Oral stage: what are characteristics of an under indulged adult?
Oral aggressive personality
Exploitative towards others, sadistic, dominant
What is the anal stage?
2nd stage, 18 years-3 years
Erogenous zones = anal region
Toilet training- kids awarded when able to control the movements
Anal stage: what happens if there’s conflict between the child and demanding parents?
May lead individuals to rebel against authority throughout their lives
Anal stage: what happens if toilet training is handled badly?
You either get the:
Anal retentive personality (stingy, stubborn, hoarder, very orderly)
Anal-expulsive personality (Untidy, disorganized, disregard rules about cleanliness)
Anal stage: what is the appropriate parenting approach?
Be relaxed about the child’s preferences (in toilet changing) and positively reward success
What is the phallic stage?
3rd stage, 3-5 years
Libidinal energy moves to genital area
Girls develop penis envy and feelings of deficiency, boys develop castration anxiety
Phallic stage: how do boys change their relationship with their parents?
Develop Oedipus complex. Sexual attachment for mum + see dad as sexual rival and powerful/threatening. Desire for mum and fear of dad causes anxiety. Anxiety resolved by identifying with dad
Phallic stage: how do girls change their relationship with their parents?
Develop Electra complex. Dad as sex objects and mum as rival. Desire for dad/fear of mum causes anxiety. Identify with mum to solve anxiety, identify with dad to obtain missing penis
Phallic stage: What does fixation result in?
Males- promiscuity, or fail to develop masculine characteristics and may be attracted to men
Females- may develop masculine traits and be attracted to women
Phallic stage: How are children socialized into male/female roles
Boys- identify with fathers
Girls- identify with mothers
What is the latency stage?
4th stage, 5-12 years
Resting period of child’s psychosexual development. All energies taken up in socialization and learning. Kids learn more about the world and develop defense mechanism to cope with basic anxieties
What is the genital stage?
5th stage, 12-18+
Body changes and puberty reawaken libido. Sexual objects chosen are always opposite sex in normal development. Some may have conflicts left from opedial/electra stage and don’t cope well
Name 5 defense mechanisms
1) Repression
2) Denial
3) Projection
4) Rationalization
5) Regression
Defense mechanisms: denial
We deny unpleasant events or the reality of a situation
When do we develop defense mechanisms and what is their purpose?
The latency stage. Their purpose is to make us feel better and protect us from pain, to protect our self esteem
Defense mechanisms: repression
We push our unacceptable thoughts, feelings or impulses into our unconscious. We act as if what we can’t recall can’t hurt us
Defense mechanisms: projection
Blaming everything or everyone for our shortcomings. We externalize unacceptable feelings
Defense mechanisms: rationalisation
The process whereby the reasons for a course of action are given after it has happened. This way we save our self-esteem
Defense mechanisms: regression
To avoid anxiety we return to something simpler, easier in our life
Clinical applications to Freud
Analyst aims to help a patient resolve his/her emotional conflicts through catharsis, abreaction and transference
What are some strengths/limitations of Freudian theory?
Strengths:
-Fairly comprehensive and addresses both ab/normal behavior
-Addressed complexities of human behavior that opened up important discussions about personality
Limitations:
-Concerns around originality
-Vagueness e.g., with normal development
-Overly stresses sexual drive
