Psychoanalysis Flashcards
Define the psychodynamic approach in psychology.
The psychodynamic approach, developed by Sigmund Freud, focuses on how unconscious processes, such as desires and conflicts, shape a person’s behaviour.
How does the psychodynamic theory view the influence of early childhood experiences?
Psychodynamic theory posits that experiences in early childhood significantly shape both personality and behaviour.
Explain the role of the unconscious mind according to Freud’s psychodynamic theory.
Freud believed that most influences on behaviour come from the unconscious mind, where thoughts, feelings, and memories that may threaten us are stored.
Describe the focus of psychodynamic psychology.
Psychodynamic psychology highlights the significance of subconscious thoughts and aims to understand how they influence our experiences and behaviour.
Explain Freud’s view of the unconscious mind.
Freud believed that the unconscious mind contains deep feelings and traumas that, while hidden, actively influence our daily lives and behaviour.
What are some factors that psychodynamic psychology considers in understanding behaviour?
Psychodynamic psychology considers biological, societal, and childhood experiences as significant factors influencing behaviour.
Describe the concept of personality components according to Freud.
Freud’s concept suggests that every individual possesses various personality components and conflicting desires, which may not always be known to them.
Explain the role of the unconscious mind in behaviour according to Freud.
Freud posited that our behaviour and emotions are influenced by our unconscious mind, which contains information from our past that affects our conscious thoughts and actions.
How do childhood experiences influence adult personality according to Freud?
Freud believed that childhood experiences form the majority of our unconscious, shaping our personalities and influencing who we become as adults.
Define the psychodynamic approach’s view on the unconscious.
The psychodynamic approach asserts that the unconscious is the underlying cause of all behaviour, with various aspects of a person’s unconscious often struggling against each other.
Explain the concept of ‘Freudian slips’.
Freudian slips are instances where unconscious thoughts are expressed in consciousness, although this concept has been largely discredited.
List the assumptions of the psychodynamic approach.
- All behaviour has an underlying cause. 2. Different aspects of a person’s unconscious struggle against each other. 3. Both innate internal processes and the external environment contribute to adult personality. 4. An adult’s behaviour and feelings, including mental health issues, are rooted in childhood experiences. 5. The causes of a person’s behaviour originate in their unconscious.
What are the strengths of the psychodynamic approach?
The psychodynamic approach is globally accepted for relating childhood experiences to adult characteristics and highlights the importance of the unconscious mind in behaviour.
Identify the limitations of the psychodynamic approach.
The psychodynamic approach is not considered scientific as it examines concepts that cannot be tested empirically and relies on subjective interpretation.
What are the three levels of the mind according to Sigmund Freud’s Theory of the unconscious mind?
The three levels of the mind according to Sigmund Freud are the conscious, the preconscious, and the unconscious.
What does Freud describe the unconscious mind as?
Freud describes the unconscious mind as a reservoir of thoughts, feelings, memories, and desires that are inaccessible to conscious awareness.
How does Freud compare the human mind?
Freud compares the human mind to an iceberg, with the conscious mind being the visible part, while the preconscious and unconscious are submerged beneath the surface.
What are the three parts of Freud’s psyche?
The three parts of Freud’s psyche are the id (instincts), ego (reality), and superego (morality).
What are the five psychosexual stages proposed by Freud?
The five psychosexual stages proposed by Freud are oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital.
What is one strength of Freud’s theory of the unconscious mind?
One strength of Freud’s theory is that it has had a profound impact on psychology and has influenced various therapeutic approaches, including psychoanalysis.
What is one limitation of Freud’s theory of the unconscious mind?
One limitation of Freud’s theory is that the specifics of many proposed unconscious processes are difficult or impossible to scientifically test.
What is Carl Jung’s collective unconscious theory?
Carl Jung’s collective unconscious theory posits that beneath our personal unconscious minds exists a deeper layer, the collective unconscious, which contains universal archetypes and structures shared across cultures.
What is the anima/animus archetype according to Jung?
The anima is the feminine image in the male psyche, and the animus is the male image in the female psyche, representing the ‘true self’ and serving as a primary source of communication with the collective unconscious.
What differentiates Jung’s view of the unconscious mind from Freud’s?
Jung believed the unconscious was inherited from the past collective experiences of humanity, while Freud saw it as a product of personal experiences.
What is the shadow in Jungian psychology?
The shadow is a Jungian archetype consisting of repressed ideas, weaknesses, desires, instincts, and shortcomings. It exists in the unconscious mind and forms from our attempts to adapt to cultural norms and expectations, containing elements that are unacceptable to both society and one’s own morals and values.
How is the self defined in Jungian psychology?
The self is an archetype representing the unified consciousness and unconsciousness of an individual. Jung depicted the self as a circle, square, or mandala, and its creation occurs through individuation, where various aspects of personality are integrated.
What role does the persona play in Jung’s theory?
The persona is how we present ourselves to the world, derived from a Latin word meaning ‘mask.’ It represents the different social masks we wear in various situations and serves to protect the ego from negative perceptions.
What is a strength of Jung’s theory?
Jung’s theory has broadened our understanding of the human mind and highlighted the importance of the unconscious in our lives.
What is a limitation of Jung’s theory?
The overemphasis on archetypes and the collective unconscious can overlook individual differences, and the concept of the collective unconscious is hypothetical and empirically unverifiable.
