Psychoanalytic Approach

Question 1

Founder?

Answer 1

Sigmund Freud
1856-1939, Viennese who trained as neurologist; Originator of “talk therapy”
Believed that some parts of human minds are outside of conscious awareness
Influenced the start of psychoanalysis
Faced challenges to his theory that adult personality was a result of how the person as a child coped with his/her sexual and aggressive urges

Question 2

The Topographic Model

Answer 2

Conscious – current thoughts that we are aware of
Preconscious – information that is not readily available but retrievable
Unconscious (motivated unconscious):
The conscious mind has no awareness of this
Under separate “control”, residence of socially-unacceptable urges, instincts

Question 3

Structure of the Mind

Answer 3

Id
Operates according to pleasure principle
Hedonistic urges/wants

Ego
Operates according to the reality principle
Constraints Id to reality, modifies behaviour

Superego
Internalises societal values, morals, and norms
Conscience and emotional guilt

Question 4

Objective anxiety

Answer 4

Response to real dangers from external world

E.g. threat of physical danger (fear)

Question 5

Neurotic anxiety

Answer 5

Danger from within (id and ego), instincts may be out of control leading to punishment
E.g. anxiety of possibly blurting out an unacceptable thought and offend future parents-in-law

Question 6

Moral anxiety

Answer 6

Danger from within (ego and superego), fear of own conscience
Shame, low self-esteem, low self-worth -> explained by overly powerful superego

Question 7

Common ego defences:

Answer 7

Denial, Displacement, Projection, Rationalisation, Reaction formation, Repression

Question 8

Psychosexual stages

Answer 8

Oral Stage (First year)
Related to later mistrust and rejection issues
Symptoms: overeating, over-talk, smoke, drug addiction
Anal Stage (Ages 1-3)
Related to later personal power issues
Symptoms: Too rigid, neat, being stingy, stubborn
Phallic Stage (Ages 3-6)
Related to later sexual attitudes.
Males: jealousy of father’s access to mother (Oedipal conflict); leading towards castration anxiety elicited by more powerful father; ultimately identification with father in order to be like the man mother likes.
Females: penis envy; Also parallel process to Oedipal complex is Electra Complex
Latency Stage (Ages 6-12)
A time of socialization
Genital Stage (Ages 12- )
Sexual energies are invested in life e.g. friendships