Psychodynamic approach

Question 1

Who laid the foundation of the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 1

Freud

Question 2

What part of our mind really controls our behaviour?

Answer 2

The unconscious mind

Question 3

What are the 3 aspects of personality?

Answer 3

ID - Ego - Superego

Question 4

What are the development stages in the approach known as?

Answer 4

Psychosexual stages

Question 5

What happens to traumatic memories?

Answer 5

They are suppressed into the unconscious part of our mind, inaccessible to the conscious part

Question 6

What is the ID?

Answer 6

Rooted wholly in the unconscious mind it is the primal impulses which require instant gratification (present at birth)

Question 7

What is the Ego?

Answer 7

It is the reality principle, taming the ID and balancing the demands of the superego. Not present at birth, developing at 2 years of age

Question 8

What is the superego?

Answer 8

The morality principle, tells us what is right to do and when we have crossed boundaries. It develops around 5 years of age

Question 9

What are the 3 defence mechanisms?

Answer 9

Repression
Denial
Displacement

Used by the ego to distort reality and allow us to continue with every day life

Question 10

What is repression?

Answer 10

When a traumatic memory is forced out of the conscious mind and into the unconscious mind

eg: an adult who experienced neglect may be distrusting but not remember the neglect

Question 11

What is Denial?

Answer 11

The refusal to accept the truth or reality of a situation

eg: Someone with a gambling addiction denying they have financial issues

Question 12

What is displacement?

Answer 12

When feelings towards an individual cannot be expressed so they are transferred to something or someone else

eg: bullied at school so take it out on a younger sibling at home

Question 13

What are the psychosexual phases?

Answer 13

Oral/anal/phallic/latent/genital

Question 14

What drives the psychosexual phases?

Answer 14

The Oedipus complex in which boys relinquish desire for their mother and fear of castration from farther

Question 15

What is the age and focus of the oral phase?

Answer 15

0-2 years

mouth

Question 16

What is the description of the oral phase and the unresolved fiction?

Answer 16

Infant experiences pleasure through their mouth, sucking and biting

If it is unresolved they may bite their nails

Question 17

What is the age and focus of the Anal phase?

Answer 17

2-3

anus

Question 18

What is the description of the Anal phase and the unresolved fixation?

Answer 18

The child becomes aware if the reality principle and so undergoes potty training as the ego develops

if it is unresolved they may become an obsessive perfectionist or messy and thoughtless

Question 19

What is the age and focus of the phallic phase?

Answer 19

3-6

genitals

Question 20

What is the description of the phallic phase and the unresolved fixation?

Answer 20

This is where the boys overcome the Oedipus complex, overcoming sexual desire by identifying with the father as the Superego develops

If unresolved they may become reckless and narcissistic

Question 21

what is the Age and the focus of the Latent stage?

Answer 21

6 to puberty

Hidden

Question 22

What is the description of the latent phase?

Answer 22

Sexual energy can now be focused on the world around them through making friends etc

Question 23

What is the age and focus of the Genital phase?

Answer 23

Puberty onwards

Forming heterosexual relationships

Question 24

What is the description of the Genital phase and the unresolved fixation?

Answer 24

Energy takes residence in the genitals and is directed towards adult relationships

if unresolved they may struggle to form heterosexual relationships

Question 25

Evaluation of the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 25

• Androcentric: only explains male behaviour
• Cultural bias: all his patients were middle class Viennese and so results cannot be generalised