Psychodynamic Approach Flashcards
What does Freud believe?
behaviour is determined more by psychological factors than biological factors or environmental reinforcement
Behaviour is largely controlled by what?
the unconscious mind
Freud’s studies focused on
sexual feelings and trauma
Describe the conscious mind
waking thoughts, awareness + memories
Describe the preconscious mind
not aware of this but may recall some info with the right use - info on ‘the tip of the tongue’
Describe the unconscious mind
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
What are the 3 elements to the unconscious mind and what are there principles?
Id = pleasure principle Ego = reality principle Superego = morality principle
What does the ego need to do for the other elements?
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
If there is an imbalance in psych where the go is not dominant this can lead to what?
Abnormalities such as mental health issues
What could happen if the Id is dominant?
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
If the superego is dominant, what could happen?
Anxiety about not being ‘good enough’ & fearing not being perfect - obsessive attention to detail, morality, extremely self-judgemental leads to OCD & panic attacks
When is conflict between the elements most damaging?
During childhood - the ego has not yet developed enough to to meditate successfully
If the ego cannot cope with conflict between the id & superego then the mind does what?
Uses defence mechanisms to protect itself
Name the defence mechanisms
Repression
Displacement
Denial
Explain repression
forcing a distressing memory out of the conscious mind - e.g failing to remember death of a childhood pet
Explain displacement
transferring feelings from true source of distressing emotion to substitute target - e.g slamming door after argument with sibling
Explain denial
refusing to acknowledge some aspect of reality - e.g still turning up to work every day despite being having been sacked
PSYCHOSEXUAL STAGES
PSYCHOSEXUAL STAGES
Oral - 0-2 years
focus of pleasure (libido) is the mouth, mother’s breast to object of desire
Fixations?
Oral fixation - smoking, biting nails, sarcastic, critical
Anal - 2-3 years
focus of pleasure is the anus - child gains pleasure from withholding and expelling feces
Fixations?
Anal retentive - perfectionism, obsessive
Anal expulsion - thoughtless, messy
Phallic - 3-6 years
focus of pleasure - genital area, child experiences oedipus & electra complex
Fixations?
phallic personality - narcissistic, reckless, possibly homosexual
Latent - 6-12 years
earlier conflicts are repressed
Fixations?
fix
Genital - 12+ years
sexual desires become conscious alongside the onset of puberty
Fixations?
Difficulty forming heterosexual relationships
Explain the oedipus complex
son is attracted to mother but son is scared they will be castrated - eventually son will marry someone who looks like their mother
explain the electra complex
daughter fights for affection with mother for fathers affection - it is believed the daughter has already been castrated
Little Hans - freud’s case study is used to support what?
Freud’s Oedipus conflict theory
Explain the Little Hans case study
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
Overall…….?
Horses were merely a symbolic representation of Han’s real unconscious fear - fear of castration experienced during oedipus complex
Idiographic approach
understanding human behaviour through individual case studies - e.g `freud, humanistic approach
Nomothetic approach
statistical analysis of large samples to produce general law about behaviour - e.g cognitive, behaviourist + biological approaches + Freud
