Psychodynamic

Question 1

3 assumptions of the psychodynamic perspective

Answer 1

1. we all have an unconscious mind
2. our behaviour is determined by past experiences which have been stored in our unconscious mind
3. we are in a constant struggle with our feelings and behaviour

Question 2

what is the idea of a mental iceberg

Answer 2

conscious thoughts are what we are aware of
preconscious thoughts are just below the surface e.g. memories
unconscious thoughts are deep within us and are hard/impossible to retrieve

Question 3

what are the parts of the psyche

Answer 3

id- primal urges, focuses on pleasure and is present from birth.
ego- controls the ids urges, is rational and realistic, mediates between the id and superego. present from 2-3
superego- provides moral standards and strives to be perfect aswell as moral perfection, present from 5

Question 4

what are the 3 ego defence mechinisms

Answer 4

denial- refusal to acknowledge the disturbing aspects of reality
repression- blocking ideas which are undesirable
displacement- redirecting emotion to uninvolved elements

Question 5

what are the 5 psychosexual stages

Answer 5

0-1: oral
2-3: anal
3-6: phallic
6-puberty: latency
puberty onwards: genital

Question 6

the oral stage

Answer 6

babies get satisfaction from putting things in their mouth which leads to an oral fixation

Question 7

the anal stage

Answer 7

babies get pleasure from deification e.g. parents overly strict with potty training leads to OCD

Question 8

the phallic stage

Answer 8

sensitivity found in the genitals, fixation on one parent leads to Oedipus and electra complex

Question 9

the latency stage

Answer 9

no further psychosexual development, sexual urges are repressed

Question 10

the genital stage

Answer 10

time of sexual experimenting and sexual perversion may develop

Question 11

the oedipus complex

Answer 11

boys develop an unconscious attraction towards the mother and a death wish of the father. the boy has repressed fear of castration. the complex is resolved and the boy identifies with his father

Question 12

the electra complex

Answer 12

girls unconsciously desire their father, therefore hate the mother and develop penis envy. the want of a penis becomes want of a baby and identifies with the mother

Question 13

strengths of the psychodynamic perspective

Answer 13

+ useful, gives us ideas for treatment for mental disorders - psychoanalysis-
+ uses case studies, allows for alot of data to be collected

Question 14

weaknesses of the psychodynamic perspective

Answer 14

-use of case studies, results aren’t generalisable so cant be applied to the wider society
-not falsifiable, the perspective focuses on how the unconscious mind impacts our behaviour which is not directly observable