Psychoanalytic Approaches to Personality: Contemporary Issues Flashcards
What is the Neo-analytic movement?
Classical psychoanalysis, developed by Freud, aimed to explain human nature in totality.
What are the Five Key Postulates of Contemporary Psychoanalysis?
- The unconscious still plays a significant role in life but is not as dominant as Freud believed.
- Behaviour often results from compromises between conflicting mental processes (emotions, motivations, thoughts).
- Childhood experiences shape adult relationship styles.
- Mental representations of the self and relationships influence interactions with others.
- Personality development involves moving from immature, socially dependent relationships to mature, independent interactions.
What are the conflicting opinions existing on motivated repression?
Erdelyi & Goldberg (1979): “The evidence for repression is overwhelming and obvious.”
Holmes (1990): “The concept of repression has not been validated with experimental research.”
False memories
Memories that have been “implanted” (for events that did NOT occur)
What may lead to false memories?
Popular press & media
Behaviour of some therapists:
Hypnosis
Imagination inflation effect
Confirmatory Bias
What are the contemporary Views on the Unconscious?
The unconscious exists but differs from Freud’s concept.
Bargh’s experiment
Participants were exposed to words related to rudeness or politeness.
Their later behavior aligned with the priming, despite being unaware of any influence (Bargh, 2005).
Most psychologists reject Freud’s idea of an autonomous unconscious motivation (Bargh, 2006a, 2008).
What was Freud’s concept of the unconscious?
Freud: Repressed desires influence behavior.
The unconscious is a chaotic force filled with anger and erotic impulses.
Modern view: Information enters memory without conscious awareness.
The unconscious is rational, structured, and influences behavior in predictable ways
What is Ego Psychology?
Comprises the view that the ego deserved more attention
Ego has key role in?
Mastering environment, achieving goals, establishing identities
What is narrative identity?
Concept: Identity is constructed as a narrative story that evolves over time.
Key Questions Answered: Who am I? What is my place in the world? What are the unifying themes of my life?
What is the stage Trust vs. Mistrust?
Starts at infancy
Key Question: Does the child find caregivers to be reliable?
Adaptive Outcome: A sense of trust when caregivers reliably meet the infant’s needs.
Maladaptive Outcome: Mistrust and difficulty forming healthy relationships if needs are not met.
What is the stage Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt?
Starts around 2 yrs
Key Question: How much of the world can a child control?
Adaptive Outcome: Autonomy and confidence through supported exploration.
Maladaptive Outcome: Shame and doubt if a child’s attempts at independence are overly restricted or punished.
What is the stage Initiative vs. Guilt?
Starts around 3 yrs
Key Question: Does the child initiate tasks and goals?
Adaptive Outcome: Initiative and goal-setting through imaginative play and adult-like role experimentation.
Maladaptive Outcome: Guilt and hesitation if efforts are met with criticism or overly strict controls.
What is the stage Industry vs. Inferiority?
Elementary School
Key Question: Does the child feel good about what the child does?
Adaptive Outcome: A sense of industry when successes are achieved through effort.
Maladaptive Outcome: Inferiority feelings if comparisons with peers consistently lead to perceived failure.W
What is the stage Identity vs. Role Confusion?
Starts in adolescence
Key Question: Who am I, do others know me for me?
Adaptive Outcome: A coherent identity formed by experimenting with roles and values.
Maladaptive Outcome: Role confusion and instability if a clear identity is not established.
What is the stage Intimacy vs. Isolation?
Young adulthood
Key Questions: Who will I love? Will I settle down?
Adaptive Outcome: The ability to establish and maintain intimate, satisfying relationships.
Maladaptive Outcome: Isolation and loneliness if one is unable to form such bonds
What is the stage Generativity vs. Stagnation?
Adulthood
Key Question: Am I satisfied? Have I succeeded?
Adaptive Outcome: A sense of generativity, where one feels productive and caring.
Maladaptive Outcome: Stagnation and a sense of unfulfillment if one feels life lacks purpose or contribution.
What is the stage Integrity vs. Despair?
Old age
Key Question: Was it all worth it?
Adaptive Outcome: Integrity—a sense of fulfillment and acceptance when reflecting on one’s life.
Maladaptive Outcome: Despair, regret, and bitterness if one is dissatisfied with life’s accomplishments.
What are the General Principles in Erikson’s Model?
Stage Sequence:
Development occurs in a fixed sequence; each stage builds on the previous ones.
Crisis Resolution:
Successful resolution leads to adaptive personality traits; failure can result in fixation or ongoing preoccupation with that crisis.
What were the feminist views on psychoanalysis?
Revised the theory of penis envy
Penis = symbol of social power
Girls wanted the social power of the culture of that time
What is excessive self-serving bias?
Some individuals take this bias too far, trying to appear superior (powerful, independent, well-liked).
This behavior is called narcissism and can lead to narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) at extreme levels.
What is narcissism?
Inflated self-admiration, desire to bring attention to oneself, & keep others focused on oneself
Leads to negative impact on quality/length of relationships
High levels of narcissism leads to what?
Extreme Self-focus
Grandiosity - View of self as special/important
Entitlement - Deserving of admiration without earning it
Striving for Superiority - Put others down to elevate self & compensate for inferiority
What is the narcissistic paradox?
Seems to have high esteem but doubt worth as a person
Need for continuous praise and attention to maintain a fragile sense of superiority.
Fragility due to lack of real self-validation.
How does narcissism develop?
Caused by unempathetic/inconsistent parenting or over-indulgence in childhood.
Horney (1942): Over-indulgence leads to weak self-esteem that appears strong but isn’t based on real achievements.
What is grandiose narcissism?
Dominance & grandiosity
Over-estimates capabilities
Fantasies of superiority
Aggressiveness
Related to Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Linked with high extraversion + low neuroticism + low agreeableness
Social media use is associated with?
Grandiose Narcissism
What is Vulnerable Narcissism?
Defensive & insecure sense of grandiosity
Hypersensitivity to criticism
Negative emotions
Linked with high neuroticism + low agreeableness
What is Object Relations Theory?
Emphasizes social relationships rather than sexuality (Freud’s focus).
Views childhood experiences, especially relationships with parents, as foundational for adult personality.
Internalization of relationships with parents, particularly the mother, forms mental objects (internalized representations).
What are the Basic Assumptions of Object Relations Theory?
Relationships with others is highly important – especially parents
Relationships with others is highly important – especially parents
First social attachments form prototypes for future relationships
What is the impact of attachment?
A trusting, nurturing mother forms the basis for future social relationships.
Disruptions in early attachment can lead to difficulties in future relationships and personality issues (attachment disruption).
What is secure childhood attachment?
Endured the separation; approached stranger; happy when mother returned
What is Avoidant Childhood Attachment?
Avoid mother upon return; unfazed when she left; give little attention upon mother’s return
What is Anxious-Ambivalent Childhood Attachment?
Very anxious when separated; very difficult to soothe; ambivalent when mother returned
What is Disorganized Childhood Attachment?
A combination of avoidance, anxiety, and anger – most extreme insecure attachment style
What is Secure Adult Attachment?
Little difficulty with satisfying friendships & relationships; no difficulty with trust
Are comfortable in relationships, seek and offer support, and deal with separation or conflict calmly.
What is Avoidant Adult Attachment?
Difficulty with trust; suspicious of others’ motives; afraid of committing
Tend to avoid romantic intimacy and are emotionally distant.
What is Ambivalent Adult Attachment?
Uncertainty in relationships; dependent & demanding; needy; high maintenance; need for reassurance/attention
Experience short-lived, intense relationships, often focusing on appeasing their partners out of fear of abandonment.
What is Fearful-Avoidant Adult Attachment?
Desire for, but discomfortable with, closeness; difficulty trusting others & significant fear/distress in relationships
Experience distress and anxiety in relationships, often due to unresolved past attachment issues.
