Psychodynamic Approach Flashcards
(38 cards)
What is meant by psychological formulation
Aims to identify processes leading to cause and maintenance of a disorder.
‘why developed problems now?’ ‘what thoughts and behaviours are maintaining the disorder?’
Leads to explanatory hypothesis which is used for guiding treatments.
Guided by the theoretical viewpoints of the therapist.
Who influenced Freud to create his psychoanalysis method? What were his outcomes?
Patient Anna O - Bertha.
She spoke under hypnosis about past traumas and expressed strong emotions. She displayed physical paralysis and deafness. Freud argued that catharsis (process of releasing of energy through talking) cured Bertha of physical symptoms.
Freud found that behaviour was influenced by unconscious mental processes
Can remove physical symptoms through talking
Painful reminiscing is then banished from consciousness
How did Freud describe human nature? What are the two key instincts?
Humans have psychic energy and our personality is an energy system. Transference and transformations of psychic energy from one part to another shapes our personality.
Instincts are a source of energy in behaviour and makes up the dynamics of personality.
Two key instincts:
- Eros = life instinct - self preservation, species preservation, ego and object love
- Thanatos = death instinct - self destruction, aggression
How did Freud divide the mind?
Conscious - thought and feelings we are aware of
Unconscious - inadmissible memories we are not aware of
Preconscious - can become conscious people without intervention. Slip on tongue
What are the mental apparatus that make up personality?
Id (unconscious) = present firm birth. Works on pleasure principle. Acts on need for immediate gratification. If delayed - primary process thinking - generation of fantasies to gratify id impulses -wish fulfillment
Superego (all three) = morality principle, made up of parental influence. Contains demands of id through ego, via precepts + prohibitions. Can become harsh and restricting
Ego (preconscious) =mediator between id and ego. Ruled by reality principle. Seeks pleasure but represents reason + common sense. Confronts reality through secondary process thinking - planning, decision making, repression.
How do psychological problems arise according to Freud?
Conflicts between the three mental components of personality.
Anxiety caused by the 3 components of personality?
Can be a reaction to actual or anticipated anger. Brought out by psychodynamic conflicts between ego and other mental structures.
Example:
Conflict with superego = moral anxiety
Conflict with Id = neurotic anxiety
Conflict with reality = realistic anxiety
What are the stages of Freud’s psychosexual development? What principle does it rely on?
Cathexis = Libidal energy invests itself in certain objects
ORAL = 0-2 = mouth is object of interest - child receives gratification from sucking and feeding ANAL = 2-3 = anus, gratification from retention and elimination of faeces PHALLIC = 3-6 = self-manipulation of genitals, noticing differences between girls and boys LATENCY = 6-12 = onset of puberty with sexual inhibitions GENITAL = 12+ = development of adult sexuality after puberty.
What complex do boys develop according to Freud?
Oedipus complex
Development of object cathexis for mother, wants to replace father.
Threat of castration causes repression resolution causing renounce affection for mother.
Identifies with father
What complex do girls develop according to Freud?
Electra complex
Blames mother for Adsense of penis (penis envy)
Desires father, wishes to get rid of mother
Complex weakens due to disappointments from father
What is the purpose of the ego defence mechanisms?
When instinctual demands from id place it in danger the mechanisms relieve anxiety
Develop during childhood as a response to struggle against sexuality
Outline ego defence mechanisms. Repression, reaction formation, regression, denial, progression, sublimation.
Repression - preventing unacceptable thoughts from entering conscious.
Reaction formation - preventing awareness of unacceptable desires by taking opposite stance
Regression - reverting to earlier developmental level
Denial - refusing to face reality
Projection - attributing own unacceptable thoughts to another
Sublimation - channeling frustrated energy into socially acceptable outlet
One comparison between medical model and Freud’s psychodynamic approach.
Medical model has dichotomy between normal and disordered states
Freuds is more dimensional - creating spectrum of mental well-being
What is neurotic development according to Freud ? Give an example.
- frustration of sexual impulses or inhibition of sexual instincts by ego - repression
- transforming frustrated sexual impulses into neurotic symptoms
- evolving inadequate defence mechanisms
OCD: fear id impulses and use defence mechanisms undergoing reaction formation. Fixation at anal stage
What are the goals of psychoanalytic therapy ?
- make unconscious conscious - reintegration of repressed material
- strengthen ego
- make superego more humane
What was the therapeutic relationship between Freud and a patient? What was the criteria for patient?
Requirements:
Not with those with neurotic disorders
Not at or approaching 50
Reasonable degree of education, reliable character
At least 4 45minute sessions per week
Clients are encouraged to say what comes to mind without censorship
Encouraged to reveal intimate secrets
Freud’s therapeutic technique - Free association
Patient says whatever comes to mind, even if they believe it is unimportant or forbidden. Aim is to reveal any repressions and make the unconscious conscious. Psychoanalyst uses three main tools: confrontation, interpretation and reconstruction.
Freuds therapeutic technique - resistance
when the patient blocks their free association - ego protecting itself and avoiding a painful topic.
Freud’s therapeutic technique - transferenc. How does this link to where the psychoanalyst will sit with the patient?
When the patient acts or feels towards the psychoanalyst as if they were an important figure in their childhood - connected with neuroses
It is the reason why psychoanalyst will sit behind the patient - acting as shadow where patient transfer all thoughts and feelings - becomes focus of patient.
Freud’s therapeutic techniques - interpretation and its sources.
Explanations of behaviour transformed into preconscious and conscious thought - psychoanalyst explains the unconscious motives behind behaviour. Encourages the ego and expose the id to criticism.
Sources: free association parapraxes - unconscious material comes out by 'slip of the tongue' transference dreams
Freud’s therapeutic techniques - dream analysis and differences between different types of content
In sleep, the defence mechanisms are less in operation and so dreams could be used to reveal working of the unconscious.
Manifest content: consciously recalled
Latent content: symbolic meaning behind what was recalled.
How did Jung disagree with Freud’s assumptions?
- human nature is not entirely sexual
- unconscious mind is personal to the individual
Jung’s levels of consciousness
conscious - what is known and available
personal unconsciousness - memories that have been forgotten or repressed
collective unconsciousness - inherited from ancestors - containing archetypes content
Archetypes and personality
Persona - public personality - a mask
Anima - female characteristic in male personality
Animus - male characteristics in the female personality
Shadow - dark side of the personality
Self - personality as a whole, encompasses conscious and unconscious.
