Psychodynamic Approach Flashcards
What are the 3 things that the Psychodynamic Approach believes that behaviour is influenced by?
1) The different levels of consciousness (especially unconscious)
2) The 3 parts of the mind (tripartite)
3) Progress through psychosexual stages
What are the 3 levels of Consciousness (the Iceberg Analogy)?
- Conscious level (e.g. what are you thinking now?)
- Preconscious level (e.g. what did you have for dinner last night?)
- Unconscious level (e.g. biologically based instincts - such as urges for sex and aggression - and stored memories that shape our personality)
What is the difference between manifest and latent thoughts and behaviours?
Manifest - those that appear on the conscious surface
Latent - those that are hidden
What are 4 ways we can access our unconscious thoughts?
- Free Association (speaking freely in therapy)
- Dream analysis
- Freudian slips (parapraxes)
- Rorschach Inkblot test
What are the 3 parts of the mind (the tripartite personality)? What principles are they based on? When are they present from? What does it do?
The Id - the Pleasure Principle - present from birth - seeks to fulfil it’s immediate needs and pleasures
The Ego - the Reality Principle - present from 1-2 years - balances the wishes of the ID and Superego
The Superego - the Morality Principle - present from 4-5 years - forms an ideal self - causes feelings of guilt or pride
According to Freud, what is the basis of a healthy personality?
Having a dynamic relationship between the 3 parts of the tripartite personality.
What are defence mechanisms?
Where the ego has to protect itself from anxiety caused by conflicts between the Id and Superego.
What are the 3 defence mechanisms we need to know? Define them.
Repression - Forcing a distressing memory out of your conscious mind.
Denial - Refusing to acknowledge some aspects of your reality.
Displacement - Transferring feelings from the object of anxiety onto a substitute object.
What can excessive use of defence mechanisms result in?
The ego becoming increasingly detached from reality which can cause mental disorders.
Evaluate defence mechanisms
+ It has the ‘intuitive appeal’ - most people can appreciate and relate to denial, repression and displacement.
+ Use of case studies to support their use - e.g. Repression of Dora to deal with sexual abuse as a child
- Very subjective
- Lack of falsifiability - their use can only be inferred, so lack of evidence.
What are the 5 Psychosexual stages? What is their focus? What ages do they occur?
What is the way to remember the order of these stages?
1) Oral - Mouth - 0-1 years
2) Anal - anus - 1-3 years
3) Phallic - Genitals - 3-6 years
4) Latent - N/A - 7-10 years or until puberty
5) Genital - Genitals - 11+ years or puberty and beyond
Old Age Pensioners Like Guinness
Each psychosexual stage has the focus of ____ on a different area of the body.
Libido
What is fixation?
(Fixation) - Unresolved Conflict
Each psychosexual stage has a conflict that the child needs to resolve to lead to healthy development. If they do not then they unconsciously remain in that stage for the rest of their life (Fixation). This does not affect their ability to progress through the rest of the stages. The child will then have personality traits/behaviours in adult life as a result of fixation.
Describe the Oral Stage (Psychosexual stages)
- What is the successful resolution?
- What are the consequences of fixation and what causes them?
- What is this known as?
Information and pleasure taken from the mouth e.g. breastfeeding, sucking dummies, investigating objects.
Successful resolution:
Has ability to form relationships with others and accept their affection. They enjoy food and drink healthily.
Fixation:
Oral Character - Caused by over indulgence or frustration of oral stimulation:
- thumb sucking, nail biting or smoking when dealing with anxiety or under pressure.
- Compulsive talker, greedy, dependent on others
Describe the Anal Stage (Psychosexual stages)
- What is the successful resolution?
- What are the consequences of fixation and what causes them?
- What are these known as?
Gains pleasure from withholding/expelling faeces - representing their compliance/disobedience with the environment.
Successful resolution:
Will be able to deal with authority appropriately and maintain a balance between being ordered and tolerating mess.
Fixation:
Anal Retentive Character - caused by early/harsh potty training:
- Stubbornness, perfectionism, being obsessively tidy, punctual and submissive towards authority.
Anal Expulsive Character- caused by overindulgence/late potty training:
- extremely messy, disorganised and rebellious
