Psychodynamic Approach

Question 1

What does Freud believe?

Answer 1

behaviour is determined more by psychological factors than biological factors or environmental reinforcement

Question 2

Behaviour is largely controlled by what?

Answer 2

the unconscious mind

Question 3

Freud’s studies focused on

Answer 3

sexual feelings and trauma

Question 4

Describe the conscious mind

Answer 4

waking thoughts, awareness + memories

Question 5

Describe the preconscious mind

Answer 5

not aware of this but may recall some info with the right use - info on ‘the tip of the tongue’

Question 6

Describe the unconscious mind

Answer 6

can only access info through hypnosis or our dreams - conflicts from childhood to & repressed memories are stored here - they will cause problems if not retrieved

Question 7

What are the 3 elements to the unconscious mind and what are there principles?

Answer 7

Id = pleasure principle
Ego = reality principle
Superego = morality principle

Question 8

What does the ego need to do for the other elements?

Answer 8

id and superego are in conflict as goals are directly opposed so the ego needs to balance the needs of them so each is sufficiently satisfied

Question 9

If there is an imbalance in psych where the go is not dominant this can lead to what?

Answer 9

Abnormalities such as mental health issues

Question 10

What could happen if the Id is dominant?

Answer 10

impulsive behaviour & lack of regard for consequences - drug taking, violence, crime which can lead to high levels of aggression, unable to cope with stress, childishness, selfishness

Question 11

If the superego is dominant, what could happen?

Answer 11

Anxiety about not being ‘good enough’ & fearing not being perfect - obsessive attention to detail, morality, extremely self-judgemental leads to OCD & panic attacks

Question 12

When is conflict between the elements most damaging?

Answer 12

During childhood - the ego has not yet developed enough to to meditate successfully

Question 13

If the ego cannot cope with conflict between the id & superego then the mind does what?

Answer 13

Uses defence mechanisms to protect itself

Question 14

Name the defence mechanisms

Answer 14

Repression
Displacement
Denial

Question 15

Explain repression

Answer 15

forcing a distressing memory out of the conscious mind - e.g failing to remember death of a childhood pet

Question 16

Explain displacement

Answer 16

transferring feelings from true source of distressing emotion to substitute target - e.g slamming door after argument with sibling

Question 17

Explain denial

Answer 17

refusing to acknowledge some aspect of reality - e.g still turning up to work every day despite being having been sacked

Question 18

PSYCHOSEXUAL STAGES

Answer 18

PSYCHOSEXUAL STAGES

Question 19

Oral - 0-2 years

Answer 19

focus of pleasure (libido) is the mouth, mother’s breast to object of desire

Question 20

Fixations?

Answer 20

Oral fixation - smoking, biting nails, sarcastic, critical

Question 21

Anal - 2-3 years

Answer 21

focus of pleasure is the anus - child gains pleasure from withholding and expelling feces

Question 22

Fixations?

Answer 22

Anal retentive - perfectionism, obsessive

Anal expulsion - thoughtless, messy

Question 23

Phallic - 3-6 years

Answer 23

focus of pleasure - genital area, child experiences oedipus & electra complex

Question 24

Fixations?

Answer 24

phallic personality - narcissistic, reckless, possibly homosexual

Question 25

Latent - 6-12 years

Answer 25

earlier conflicts are repressed

Question 26

Fixations?

Answer 26

fix

Question 27

Genital - 12+ years

Answer 27

sexual desires become conscious alongside the onset of puberty

Question 28

Fixations?

Answer 28

Difficulty forming heterosexual relationships

Question 29

Explain the oedipus complex

Answer 29

son is attracted to mother but son is scared they will be castrated - eventually son will marry someone who looks like their mother

Question 30

explain the electra complex

Answer 30

daughter fights for affection with mother for fathers affection - it is believed the daughter has already been castrated

Question 31

Little Hans - freud’s case study is used to support what?

Answer 31

Freud’s Oedipus conflict theory

Question 32

Explain the Little Hans case study

Answer 32

5 year old boy develops phobia of horses after seeing one collapse so freud suggested the phobia was a form of displacement - repressed fear of father transferred on to horses

Question 33

Overall…….?

Answer 33

Horses were merely a symbolic representation of Han’s real unconscious fear - fear of castration experienced during oedipus complex

Question 34

Idiographic approach

Answer 34

understanding human behaviour through individual case studies - e.g `freud, humanistic approach

Question 35

Nomothetic approach

Answer 35

statistical analysis of large samples to produce general law about behaviour - e.g cognitive, behaviourist + biological approaches + Freud