Psychoanalytic Perspective Flashcards
controversy of psychoanalytic
- some viewed as dangerous
- first comprehensive theory of personality psych.
- unscientific
- maybe uncomfortable to talk about.
goals and successes of freud
- promoted interest in psychology
- established psychoanalysis as a science
- strong belief in the important of dynamic interplay of unconscious factrs
goal: bring unconscious to the surface + into consious awareness to deal with it rationally; psychotherapist provides help by talking thru it.
key ideas of psychoanalysis
- psychic determinism
- internal structure
- psychic conflict
- psychic energy
what is psychic determinism?
assumption that everything that happens in mind has a specific cause
- no accidents
- everything can be explained
what is the internal structure?
3 parts of mind that function independently, but may conflict
id: irrational + emotional
ego: rational
superego: moral
mis-translation of internal structures
id = it ego = I superego= over I
*didn’t change the definitions tho
what is psychic conflict?
because the mind is divided, it can conflict with itself.
compromise formation: ego’s main job
what is compromise formation?
ego’s main job is to find a middle course between competing demands of motivation, morality, practicality + among the many things a person wants at the same time.
what is psychic energy
energy that makes the mind work
- fixed+ finite amount available at any given moment
- If impulse was not expressed, it would build up over time = catharsis needed to release (Not real)
what are the 2 fundamental motives?
- follows what?
libido: the life drive
thanatos: the death drive
follows doctrine of opposites
what is libido?
life/sex drive
- makes mind function, drives psychological apparatus
- sex is important part of it: procreation, also productivity, creativity, growth
what is thanatos?
the death drive
- destructive activity that is irrational
- everyone dies.
What are 3 aspects of each stage of psychological development
- physical focus: where energy is concentrated and gratification obtained
- psychological theme: physical focus + demands on the child from the world
- adult character type: being fixated”/stalled in a stage
four stages of psychosexual development
oral, anal, phalic, genital
oral stage
- when
- physical focus?
- from birth to 18 months
- the mouth, lips, tongue:
psychological theme of oral stage
dependency
- having others provide needs
- if fulfilled, attention + psychic energy move along
- if unfulfilled (mistrust of others) or over-fulfilled (world cant treat them poorly) = problems
adult personality of oral stage
obsession, discomfort, fundamental irrationality about issue related to dependency or passivity
- independent + refuse help
- passive + wait for things to happen
- ideal: accepts help, but not dependent on it, understands responsibility for own outcomes
when is anal stage? develop what? what is physical focus?
18 months to 3-4 years
- develop ego
- focus on anus + eliminative organs.
- “having to go”
- increased demands for obedience + self-control
psychological theme of anal stage
self-control and obedience
- problems: unreasonable expectations or never demanding control
- figure out how + how much to control self or by authority.
3 categorizations of parents
- authoritarian: firm control, no freedom
- authoritative: firm control, some freedom
- permissive: weak control, too much freedom
2 is best.
Adult personality re: anal stage?
Organized around control issues
- too much control: obsessive, compulsive, orderly, rigid, subservient to authority.
- no self-control, chaotic, disorganized, defy authority
- ideal: determine organized, authority in balance.
when is phallic stage?
- what develops?
- what is physical focus? fear assoc?
3-4 years of age until 7yoa
- develop superego
- pf: coming to terms with sex differences. boys fear castration, girls upset that they were castrated (weaker superego)
Oedipus + electra complex’s
- around 4yoa, covet opposite-sex parent.
- if become like same-sex parent = less likely to be harmed, no hostile relation - live vicariously thru same-sex parent + develop superego)
boy: desire mother, fear father
girls: penis envy
boys + oedipus complex
castration anxiety
- little hans: fear of horses because thought the horse would castrate him. dreams about being married to his mom.
- didn’t like horses that resembled his father
- resolution: identify with father, live vicariously thru him to love mom.
girls + electra complex
penis envy
- weaker superego (??)
- ID with mother, to “be” with dad.
psychological theme of phallic stage?
figure out what it means to be a boy or girl.
- ID: take on same-sex parent attitude, value, ways to relate to opposite sex - sum = Superego
- develop sexuality (feminine/masculine, jealousy/competition)
adult personality of phallic stage
- overdeveloped or underdeveloped superego
- rigid moral code or lacks moral code
- homosexuality develops here (no basis, loves mom so much that doesn’t find other females likeable)
what, when is latency period?
6-7 yoa to 12yoa
- end with puberty.
- psychological respite to allow child to learn what they need in adult life.
- no psych issue
Genital stage
- when? physical focus?
during adolscence
- achievement in adulthood, not everyone achieves.
- focus on genitals, reproduction + giving life.
psychological theme of genital stage
maturity:
- add something constructive to life + society. take on adult responsibilities
adult personality of genital stage?
psychologically well-adjusted + balanced.
- “to love and to work”
when do the 3 basic psychological structures develop?
id = oral
ego: anal
superego = phallic
what is fixation? what is regression?
F: struggle with issue from the stage + retreat there when stressed
R: retreat to that stage by engaging in behaviour typical of that character
psychic energy in the stage where there is fixation = less psychic energy for later stages.
two kinds of thinking?
primary process thinking: the way unconscious mind operates. no “no”, immediate gratification. id.
secondary process thinking: rational, practical, prudent, delay/redirect gratification. ego.
three aspects of primary process thinking?
symbolization (feelings about house reflect feelings about family)
displacement (anger at father = direct @ authority)
condensation (compress several feelings into one)
How does primary process thinking emerge into consciousness?
- very young children
- fever deliriums, dreams
- people with psychosis
- ordinary and indirect ways that primary process thinking influences conscious thought + overt behaviour.
3 layers of consciousness
conscious: mental functioning
precionscious: ego, some superego.
unconscious: all id, some superego, some ego. need to psychologically dig.
when does psychic conflict happen? what does it produce?
- mind battles itself
- id tracks wants; superego provides moral judgement; ego figures out rational thing to do.
- conflict = anxiety
latent homosexual feelings?
pushed out of action + awareness. source of anxiety
what is compromise formation and why is it important?
each part of mind gets a bit of what it wants to relieve anxiety caused by tension
what is realistic anxiety ?
- mortal, relationships, performance + career = threat to self-esteem
- need ideal amount of realistic anxiety.
2 ideas for dealing with anxiety
- avoid it, even if have to lie/distort reality. it can lead to hopelessness + depression.
- problem to distort reality. avoid what is causing anxiety
what are defenses?
responsibility of ego to keep disturbing parts of mental life safely locked inside unconscious
define defense mechanisms?
techniques the ego uses to keep certain thoughts + impulses hidden in order to avoid anxiety
name the defence mechanisms?
- denial
- repression
- reaction formation
- projection
- rationalization
- intellectualization
- displacement
- sublimation
what is denial?
refuses to acknowledge source of anxiety, fails to perceive it.
- persistent denial may be psythopathological
- keeps individual from being overwhelmed
what is repression?
banishing past from awareness, less outright negation of reality.
- too much energy on defenses = forbidden impulses work their way to consciousness
what is reaction formation?
keep forbidden out of awareness + action by instigating their opposites.
- esp when forbidden is dangerous or strong
- exaggerate of oppostie response
reaction formation sex guilt study
high in sex guilt: low self report of arousal, but high physiological arousal. threatened by arousal = claim opposite strongly
what is projection?
attributing to somebody else a thought, impulse that is feared in oneself.
projection study?
false feedback on personality test.
- told to not think about it.
- rated others lower on the traits they scored low on
What is rationalization?
concocting seemingly rational case for why it had to be done
- hallmark: ability of intelligent ppl to believe the implausible
- justification for behaviour that would case shame + guilt
what is trivialization?
convince self that shortcomings or regrettable actions dont matter.
what is intellectualization?
turn feelings into thought
- technical vocab that allows discussion of horrifying things without everyday, emotional language.
- surgeon/military leaders.
- drawback: forget about other ppl’s experience.
what is displacement?
relocate object of emotional response from unsafe to safe target.
- id fxn.
- target resembles original object, but is socially acceptable.
- problem if directed to innocent targets
- doesnt work long-term.
- catharsis doesn’t work
what is sublimation?
type of displacement
- relocate object of impulse such that result is high cultural attainment.
- turn harm into goodness.
- unique pattern of fixation = unique pattern of desire + interest.
- primitive urge => constructive outcome.
what is parapraxis?
“freudian slip”
- leakage from unconscious mind manifesting as mistake, accident, omission, memory lapse
forgetting re:parapraxis
manifestation of unconscious conflict revealing itself in behaviour
- result of repression
- always a reason to forget.
slips re: parapraxis
unintended actions caused by leakage of suppressed impulses. speech or action!
- failure to suppress what one privately wishes to say.
- deny meaning = more powerful/important
humour re: parapraxis
forbidden impulse expressed in controlled manner
- form of sublimation
- express motivational impulse.
what is a good joke?
- juxtapose 2 things that are often seen as distinct.
- motivational impulse expressed in safe, enjoyable way
- allow problematic thoughts + id impulses to be enjoyed with tactic of surprise.
most effective joke?
reprehensible, so release of impulse causes stronger emotional response.
- disguise around impulse is deeper
bad joke?
not funny if :
- listener doesnt have the forbidden impulse
- underlying attitude may be revealed through sense of humour
- if too direct
- if joke doesn’t try to disguise impulse, or if too hostile.
purpose of psychoanalytic therapy?
use various clues to reveal contents of unconscious
- resolve conflict by bringing them into open.
- painful, dangerous, anxiety in short term.
- insight is key.
what is therapeutic alliance?
emotional bond between therapist + client
what is transference?
tendency to bring ways of thinking, feeling behaving that developed with one important person into later relationship with a different person
what is countertransference?
when therapist develops feelings for patient
- therapist has to avoid acting on emotion.
criticism of psychoanalytic therapy?
- low cure rate, treatment lasted for many years.
- found to work for some ppl .
- @ end of day, freud uninterested in psychoanalysis as therapy. saw it as tool to understand human nature + culture
