Psychodynamic approach

Question 1

Sigmund Freud

Answer 1

1856-1939

Assumes that all abnormal or undesirable behaviours are caused by unconscious conflicts during childhood

Question 2

3 basic assumptions

Answer 2

The unconscious mind

Instincts /drives

Early childhood experiences

Question 3

The unconscious mind

Answer 3

• the driving force behind all behaviour
• abnormal behaviour is caused by unconscious conflicts
• this can only be resolved by accessing conflicts within the unconscious mind

Question 4

Instincts / drives

Answer 4

• our behaviour is motivated by our natural instincts / drives

For examples, we have a sexual drive from birth which takes us through a series of 5 psychosexual stages of development until the final stage is reached around 12 years of age

Successfully resolving all sexual conflicts during these stages will result in a psychologically healthy individual

Question 5

Early childhood experiences

Answer 5

Early childhood is crucial in shaping the person we are today

Most of our psychological development is complete by around 6 years old

Question 6

3 levels of thought

Answer 6

Conscious
Preconscious
Unconscious

Question 7

Freud argued … mind

Answer 7

Freud argued that the unconscious mind is the driving force in all behaviour and can be described as an iceberg

Question 8

Conscious mind

Answer 8

Thoughts and feelings we are aware of

Question 9

Preconscious mind

Answer 9

Memories we can access at any time if we want to

Question 10

Unconscious mind

Answer 10

Thoughts, feelings and memories that are locked away because they are too painful to remember

Question 11

Structure of personality

Answer 11

Freud proposed that personality is made up of three interacting elements

Question 12

ID

Answer 12

Entirely unconscious

It follows the pleasure principle because it constantly tries to gratify an unconscious desire for (sexual) pleasure

It is the selfish part of our personality

Question 13

Ego

Answer 13

Is our conscious self

It follows the reality principle because it seeks to grant the needs of the Id only when it is sensible or rational to do so

Question 14

Superego

Answer 14

Is part-conscious, part-unconscious

It is our morality and only grants the needs of the ID when it is morally right to do so

Question 15

Libido

Answer 15

According to Freud, all three parts of our personality are in constant unconscious conflict for libido (psychosexual energy)

Question 16

Distribution of libido

Answer 16

If the distribution is relatively equal between each part of our personality, normal behaviour occurs

However if distribution is unequal and one part dominates the others, abnormal or undesirable behaviours may occur

For example, if the ID is dominant, it can result in selfish behaviour.

If the superego is dominant, it could result in depression and anxiety

Question 17

Ego defence mechanisms

Answer 17

The psychodynamic approach argues that the unconscious conflict between the ID, ego and superego causes anxiety

To protect us from this conflict, the mind uses ego defence mechanisms

Due to these ego defence mechanisms, our unconscious mind holds many of our most painful memories which may cause abnormal or undesirable behaviours if unresolved

Question 18

3 ego defences

Answer 18

Repression
Denial
Displacement

Question 19

Repression

Answer 19

Hurtful memories are pushed out of conscious recollection into the unconscious to protect oneself from the anxiety they would cause

Eg forgetting sexual abuse as a child because of the anxiety it would cause

Question 20

Denial

Answer 20

Unconsciously pretending that a problem doesn’t exist to protect oneself from the anxiety it would cause

Eg denying that a doctors diagnosis of cancer is correct and seeking another opinion

Question 21

Displacement

Answer 21

When a strong emotion is unconsciously passed from the object/person causing anxiety to a more ‘acceptable’ target

Eg slamming a door rather than hitting a person; shouting at your partner rather than at your boss

Question 22

Psychosexual stages of development

Answer 22

During childhood, we pass through several psychosexual stages of development which shape our personality

Successful completion in childhood leads to normal behaviours

However, if an unconscious conflict arises; the child is over-gratified or deprived, at any stages, they may become fixated on this stage, resulting in abnormal or undesirable behaviours

Question 23

Oral stage

Answer 23

0-18 months

Mouth is the focus of libidinal energy

Fixation could occur if feeding patterns are irregular or if given dummy for too long

Question 24

Possible effect on adult behaviour : oral

Answer 24

Oral gratification is gained from smoking, biting nails, chewing pens

Question 25

Anal stage

Answer 25

18m-3 years

Anus is the focus of libidinal energy - pleasure is gained from the expulsion or retention of faeces during potty training

Fixation could occur if the child is overly keen to use the potty or if training follows a strict regime and the child is reluctant to use the potty, retaining their faeces (anally retentive)

Question 26

Possible effect on adult behaviour: anal stage

Answer 26

Expulsion results in a generous, overly emotional adult

Retention results in an organised, neat and thrifty adult

Question 27

Phallic stage

Answer 27

3 years - 6 years

Boys experience Oedipus complex; entering a mental fight with their father for their mother’s affections. A sense of guilt (and a fear of castration) means they begin to identify with the father and adopt his moral attitudes, resolving any conflict

Girls experience the elektra complex, realising they don’t have a penis, they suffer from penis envy. As a result, they develop closer affections for the father. However, as they never truly resolve their penis envy, girls are always less moral as a result

Fixation could occur if there is no father figure present to identify with (boys) or to develop closer affections for (girls).

Question 28

Possible effect on adult behaviour: phallic

Answer 28

Fixation during the phallic stage (lack of a father figure) can result in homosexuality

Question 29

Strength of approach s

Answer 29

It has supporting research evidence

This is when an approach is supported because of strong or convincing evidence

For example, Freud’s case study of Little Hans involved analysis of his father’s diary extracts, whereby Hans demonstrated a fascination with his ‘widdler’ indicative of the phallic stage as well as resentment towards his father after lengthy time away (Oedipus complex)

This suggests that unresolved unconscious conflicts in childhood (e.g. resentment towards parents) can contribute to the development of abnormal behaviour in later life (e.g. phobias)

Question 30

Strength r

Answer 30

It has practical applications

This is when the principles of an approach are put into practice outside of the laboratory, in real life

For example, the approach has been dominant in contributing to the development of psychoanalysis which uses techniques such as hypnosis and dream analysis to access unconscious content, used to help treat a range of disorders such as depression and OCD

This is a strength of the approach as the treatment is based on Freud’s assumptions

Question 31

Limitation P

Answer 31

Psychic determinism

This is when an approach suggests behaviour is caused by unconscious conflicts from childhood and only these shape behaviour

For example, Freud suggests that the development of abnormal behaviours are caused by a fixation during the psychosexual stages of development

This is an extreme determinism stance and suggests that we have no free will over behaviour which is untrue

Question 32

Limitation u

Answer 32

Unscientific

This is when an approach is based on unscientific and subjective concepts which cannot be measured objectively

For example, Freud suggests that the development of abnormal behaviours are caused by fixations during the psychosexual stages of development which cannot be objectively measured

Additionally, Freud developed his theories based upon case studies of his patients (using mainly middle class, neurotic, Viennese women), causing us to question the scientific credibility of the approach