Psychoanalytical theory

Question 2

What are (Freud’s psychoanalytical) drives?

Answer 2

Drives (or instinct) are basic motivators (unconscious). Including self-preservative drives (e.g breathing, eating, drinking, excreting) and species-preservative drives (e.g sexuality).

Question 3

What is psychic energy or libido?

Answer 3

The energy that emanates from drives (initially only ‘sexual’).

Question 4

What is the pleasure principle?

Answer 4

That human motivation is sexual in the broad sense that individuals are motivated to bring themselves pleasure, and avoid pain.

Question 5

What is the conscious, pre-conscious and unconscious?

Answer 5

Conscious - all the sensations and experiences that the person is aware of at any point in time.Pre-conscious - memories of events and experiences that can easily be retrieved with little effort. Bridge to the unconscious.Unconscious - is the container for memories that are threatening to the conscious mind and must be pushed away. E.g hostile or sexual feelings towards a parent

Question 6

In psychoanalytical (Freud) theory, how does the unconscious present itself and how do humans manage it?

Answer 6

Through dreams, Freudian slips, forgetting, behaviour and defence mechanisms.

Question 7

What is the primary process? What is the secondary process?

Answer 7

The primary process - is a means for forming an image of something that can reduce the thwarted drive.The secondary process - realistic thinking regarding how to satisfy one’s drives.

Question 8

Describe the psychoanalytical theory of personality structure. (i.e Id, Ego, Superego)

Answer 8

Three basic systems that function together as a whole: Id, ego, superego.ID - inherited and physiological forces/instincts (e.g hunger) non- conscious behaviour. Operates on the pleasure principle, through the primary process.Ego - mediates between the world and the individuals ID, follows the reality principle, through the secondary process. Function is to plan, test reality, think logically, develop plans for satisfying needs.Superego - collective social standards ( e.g what ones parents want). Non-rational seeks perfection and adherence to an ideal, inhibiting both the ego and the id.

Question 9

What is the name given to the investment of energy toward satisfying needs (by the ID)?What is the name given to the control of the ID’s energy investment by the ego?

Answer 9

Cathect(invest energy)/ cathexisAnticathexis

Question 10

In psychoanalytical theory, what are defence mechanisms?

Answer 10

The ego’s denial or distortion of reality while operating on the unconscious level, to deal with anxiety (situations) that arise from conflict between the Id, ego and superego.Can have adaptive value in reducing stress, but if used frequently, the use becomes pathological and individuals develop a style of avoiding reality.

Question 11

In psychoanalytical theory, what is the defence mechanism repression?

Answer 11

Removal of painful thoughts, memories or feelings from conscious awareness by excluding painful experiences or unacceptable impulses.

Question 12

In psychoanalytical theory, what is the defence mechanism denial?

Answer 12

Distorting or not acknowledging what an individual thinks, feels or sees.

Question 13

In psychoanalytical theory, what is the defence mechanism reaction formation?

Answer 13

Avoiding an unacceptable impulse by acting in the opposite extreme. By acting in a way that is opposite to the disturbing desires so as not to have to deal with the resulting anxiety. E.g women who hates her husband acting with excessive love and devotion.

Question 14

In psychoanalytical theory, what is the defence mechanism Projection?

Answer 14

Attributing one’s own unacceptable feelings or thoughts to others. E.g an unhappily married man believes that all his friends are also unhappy in their marriages.

Question 15

In psychoanalytical theory, what is the defence mechanism, displacement?

Answer 15

place (Act out on) their feelings onto someone or something that is safe. E.g not attacking the bully that is bigger than you, but attacking someone smaller.

Question 16

In psychoanalytical theory, what is the defence mechanism, Sublimination?

Answer 16

modification of a drive into socially acceptable behaviour. E.g sport

Question 17

In psychoanalytical theory, what is the defence mechanism Rationalization?

Answer 17

explaining away poor performance, a failure, or a loss - making up excuses to lessen anxiety and soften the disappointment

Question 18

In psychoanalytical theory, what is the defence mechanism Regression?

Answer 18

To revert to a previous stage of development

Question 19

In psychoanalytical theory, what is the defence mechanism Identification?

Answer 19

Taking on the characteristics or identity of others. E.g identifying with a winning team an individual can feel successful even though they made no contribution towards the success

Question 20

In psychoanalytical theory, what is the defence mechanism Intellectualisation?

Answer 20

When emotional issues are not dealt with directly, but rather are handled indirectly through abstract thought.

Question 21

List the psychosexual stages of development (According to Freud)

Answer 21

Oral (birth - 18 months)Anal stage (18 months - 3 years)Phallic stage (3 - 5/6)Latency (6-12)Genital (13+)

Question 22

What is ‘ego psychology’ (furthered by Anna Freud [children] and Erik Erikson [adulthood])

Answer 22

psychoanalytical psychology that also focuses therapeutic efforts towards the EGO and not just the ID

Question 23

What are some of the contributions Anna Freud made to psychoanalytical psychology? (name the two added mechanisms and added element of childhood development[ hint: ego] and describe what ‘defense against the reality’ pertains to.)

Answer 23

Two mechanisms:Alturism - ‘helpful to avoid feeling helpless’Identification with an aggressor - actively assuming a role one has been passively traumatised by. Added other measures for maturation such a moving from dependence to mastery (also known as ‘developmental lines), showing how as children develop that form a more ego-centered view of the world (Reality/rational view) - showing an increased emphasis on the ego.Defense against the reality - pertains to motivations that are not derived from internal drives alone but from the external world (the environment).

Question 24

What is ‘ego psychology’ and who were it’s two major contributors?

Answer 24

A development of psychoanalytical theory focused on children, developmental processes and what is normal.Anna Freud - ego development in children, additional defense mechanisms e.g., altruismErick Erickson - 8 stages of psychosocial development e.g infancy (trust v mistrust) linked to oral stage (e.g parents provide food) AND preschool (initiative v guilt): guilt because of anger towards same sex parent (e.g., desire for opposite sex)

Question 25

What is ‘object-relations’ psychology? (a further development of psychoanalytical theory)Who were it’s two main contributors?

Answer 25

A further development of psychoanalytical theory that focuses on child-parent relationship.Donald Winnicott Otto kernberg

Question 26

What did Donald Winnicott contribute to Object relations psychology? (psychoanalytical theory)

Answer 26

Concept of the “good enough mother” (parent adaptive)True self (distinction between parent and self)False self (opposite of true self)

Question 27

What did Otto Kernberg contribute to Object relations psychology? (psychoanalytical theory)

Answer 27

Borderline disorders (i.e unstable, self-harming)Splitting (fail to see ‘full picture’ of self and others)central part of DBR (dialectic behaviour therapy) by linehan

Question 28

What is Kohut’s self-psychology? (psychoanalytical)

Answer 28

Normal to be narcissistic at birthSelf grows in response to parental interactionsNormal versus abnormal developmentShares much with Roger’s person-centred counselling.

Question 29

What is ‘relational psychology’ (psychoanalytical)?

Answer 29

focus on therapist client interactionsTherapist knowledge of psychoanalysis helps clienttherapist doesn’t try to be objective.

Question 30

What are the further developments of psychoanalytical theory?

Answer 30

Ego-psychology (Anna Freud, Erik Erickson)Object-relations psychology (Donald Winnicott, Otto Kernberg)Kohut’s self-psychologyRelational Psychoanalysis

Question 31

What is the purpose of traditional psychoanalysis?(how long does it run for, how is the patient assessed, what is the focus of the treatment, techniques used and the nature of the counselling relationship)

Answer 31

4-5 sessions per week for 3-8 yearsAssessment = projective tests, dreams, childhood issuesFocus= Resolving unconscious conflict (perceive reality without the use of ego defenses)Techniques/relationship = Free association (unconscious becomes conscious), transference (e.g counsellor becomes a parent).

Question 32

What is the purpose of Psychoanalytic psychotherapy?(how long does it run for, how is the patient assessed, what is the focus of the treatment, techniques used and the nature of the counselling relationship)

Answer 32

Once a week for several yearsAims to resolve unconscious conflictstill use free association and assessment techniquesdisorders not severe (mild depression)

Question 33

Briefly outline what the empirical evidence says about Psychoanalytical therapies.

Answer 33

Psychanalytical therapies are not scientificAlmost no studies, little evidence, most evidence is case studies.Methodological issues in studying (long length, hard to define/measure concepts, non-manualised)

Question 34

What is the purpose of brief psychoanalytical therapy?(how long does it run for, how is the patient assessed, what is the focus of the treatment, techniques used and the nature of the counselling relationship)

Answer 34

Often 12-16 sessions over a few monthsstill aims to resolve unconscious conflictuses different techniques (ask questions, disagree, confront client, make suggestions)Core Conflictual Relationship Theme (three phases)1st: client becomes aware of conflict (4 sessions)2nd: unconscious origins (5-12 sessions)*3rd: termination of sessions (13-16 sessions)Shares much in common with CBT.

Question 35

In Anna Freud’s Ego Psychology, what are developmental lines?

Answer 35

The gradual development of various behaviour (children) (movement from ID-focused to EGO-focused), such as: dependence –> self-mastery, ego-centric –> otherfocused

Question 36

What are Erik Erickson’s 8 psychosocial stages?

Answer 36

infancy - Trust v mistrust (oral)
Early childhood - autonomy v shame & doubt (anal)
Preschoole - intiative v guilt (phallic)
School age - industry v inferiority (latency)
Adolescence - identity v. role confusion (genitial)
young adult - intimacy v isolation (genital)
Middle age - generativity v stagnation (genitial)
Later life - intergrity v despair (genitial)

Question 37

What is Donald Winnicotts (object-relations) concept of the “good enough” mother and the “true self vs. false self”?

Answer 37

A parent who is adaptive, understands the child and meets all their needs. But is not perfect, so the child can learn to tolerate frustration.

The true self is a concept of self distinct from one’s parent.

The false self is a failure to develop one’s own true self - instead they share their mothers self.

Question 38

In Kohut’s self-psychology, what is narcissism?

what is the ‘self’ ‘object’ and ‘selfobject’?

Answer 38

Narcissism is not considered maladaptive (as it is in Freuds view), rather it is considered a normal part of development that provides motivation.

self = the core or center of the person (motivation/initiative/personality)
object = e.g parent
selfobject - cluster of patterns and themes of unconsiouc sthoughts, images or representations of another.