Psychoanalytic Theory Flashcards
Psychodynamic theory
The study of interrelationship of various parts of the mind, personality, or psyche as they relate to the mental, emotional, and motivation forces.
Psychoanalytic theory says
Our childhood experiences are influenced by our behavior.
Who is the founder of psychoanalytic theory
Sigmund Freud
Freud’s view on personality
According to Freud, instincts are motivational drives that provide the basis of personality.
Define instincts
Mental representations of internal stimuli that cause a person to take action.
Two types of instincts
- Life( eros): the need for survival
- Death( thanatas): destructive force of human nature.
Define libido
Natural energy source that fuels the mechanisms of the mind.
Three levels of personality( topographic model)
- Conscious: things we are aware of
- Unconscious: things we are not aware of
- Preconscious: things we can recall
Iceberg
- ID: develops after birth, makes up most of the mind( self-gratification), selfish
- Ego: involves judgments, thoughts, perspectives, learning, and intelligence. Reality principle.
- Super-ego: Do what is right
2 subpart of the super-ego
- Conscious: prevents the child from doing bad things.
- Ego-ideal: motivates the child to do what is ideal.
Denial
- Arguing or avoiding the uncomfortable reality of a situation by saying they don’t exist.
E.g. denying that the Dr diagnosis is incorrect and seeking a second option.
Displacement
Transferring one’s emotional burden on another person
E.g. yelling at a spouse after an argument with the boss.
Intellectualisation
Avoiding unacceptable feelings by focusing on intellectual aspects
E.g. focusing on the details of funeral arrangements instead of sadness and grief.
Projection
Form of defense in which unwanted feelings are displaced onto someone else
E.g. a person who is having an affair may accuse their partner of infidelity.
Rationalization
Supplying logical reason as opposed to the real reason
E.g. stating that you got fired because you refused to kiss the boss when the real reason was your poor performance.
Reaction formation
Taking the opposite belief because the real belief causes anxiety.
Regression
Returning to the previous stage of development
E.g. a child who is toilet trained starts wetting the bed.
Repression
Subconsciously blocking impulses that are undesirable
E.g. someone who does not recall abuse in early childhood but has problems with connection and anxiety from unremembered trauma.
Old stage( birth-18 months)
Sexual gratification is obtained through oral activities. When the child is not sufficiently nourished, they will start to fixate their pleasure seeking energies on particular stages
E.g. smoking, nail bitting or alcohol abuse.
Anal stage( 18-36 months)
Sexual gratification is obtained through contraction and relaxation( fixation may lead to anal-expulsive or anal-retentive traits)
E.g. anal-expulsive: the child is disorganized
Anal-retentive: the child is highly controlled
Phallic stage( 3-6 years)
Sexual energy is shifted to the phallic regions( penis for boys and clitoris for girls)
Oedipus complex: stage in which boys wishes to possesses their mothers sexually and sees their fathers as rivals
Electra complex: the girls long for their fathers and resents their mothers
Latency stage( 6 years to puberty)
Sexual urges become unconscious
Genital stage( puberty to adulthood)
Urge to have sexual intercourse with the opposite gender
