Psychodynamic approach Flashcards
What is the topographical model and how many levels is it composed of?
it is the layers of mental life which Freud suggests affects our behaviours
-unconscious: the repressed and unaccepted thoughts
-conscious: the thoughts of which we are actively aware
-preconscious thoughts: thoughts which are not currently conscious but are easily recalled
what are the two forms of process thinking according to Freud?
-primary process thinking: the irrational mental activity composed of unconscious thought and is the result of the pleasure principle - urge to have drives met to avoid displeasure
-secondary process thinking: the rational, logical, and organised thoughts composed of the conscious and preconscious thought which is governed by the reality principle
according to Freud, what are the sources of human motivation?
-sexual drives which are energised by mental energy/libido
-life-preserving drives such as hunger/pain
-death-instincts which are our self-destructive instincts
What is Freud’s structural model and what is it composed of?
this model is formed of structures believed to assist in the gratification of our instincts
-ID: the storehouse of instinctual energy, sexual/survival/aggressive drives originate (where the pleasure principle and libido operate with no sense of delayed gratification)
-ego: executive part which functions according to the reality principle; where urges are met but social realities are taken into account
-superego: the conscience which helps make judgements on permissible behaviours (acting in opposition to ID)
what is the intra-psychic conflict of the structural model?
the interaction between the id, ego, and superego which when conflicted can be observed as mental upset known as anxiety
How does Freud explain the development of personality through the psychosexual development model?
the development of personality through 5 distinct stages concerned with the development of sexual drives - where libido is invested in specific erogenous zones at each stage.
what are the five stages of psychosexual development and what are they concerned with?
-Oral stage (birth to 1 year): focused on nourishment needs, satisfied through consumption
-anal stage (18 months to 3 yrs): focused on bowel movements, satisfied through effective and positive bowel release
-phallic stage ( 3-5 years): focused on genital region, satisfied through masturbation
-latency stage (5-12): focused on socialisation and learning and a development of defence mechanisms
-genital stage (12-18): focused on development of mature sexual attraction
at what stage does the oedipal/electra complex occur and what does it involve?
it occurs at the phallic stage of psychosexual development and is result of a change in the childs relationship with their parents: sons sexual attraction to mother (oedipal) or daughters to father (electra). anxiety results from this and causes the child to try to become the parent of the same gender, which in turn becomes their superego.
according to Freud, what are defence mechanisms?
mechanisms developed as result from the anxiety caused by the intra-psychic conflict- makes us feel better and avoid pain
what are the six types of defense mechanisms?
-repression: active attempt to prevent memories from becoming conscious
-reaction formation: replacing anxiety-provoking ideas with the opposite
-projection: seeking ones unacceptable feelings/desires in others
-sublimination: channelling unacceptable drives to an acceptable one
-rationalising: creating acceptable reasons for a less reasonable act
-conversion reaction: psychological conflicts converted into physical symptoms
Limitations of Freudian theorising
-limited good qualitative data due to lack of annotation of case studies and few publishings of them, reducing validity
-focuses on the dark side of personality, particularly sexual and aggressive drives
-all data derived from psychologically disturbed patients therefore doesn’t represent the general population
-large areas of Freud’s work remain untested
In what way did Alfred Adler’s Individual Approach view differ from Freud’s view?
Alfred Adler suggested individuals to have a consistent behaviour that they work to maintain and stressing social contexts to determine who we become - less focused on the negative view of human motivation. he focused on a goal-directed view (teleology) whereas Freud suggested a deterministic view (behaviour resulting from events)
What does Adler mean by an Inferiority Complex?
idea that all individuals experience inferiority which make us strive for superiority and allows us to empathise with those struggling. however preoccupation develops develops the complex - scared to take risks, lack of trust, fear of failing, and reliance on overcompensation (masculine protest)
What was Carl Jung’s view on personality development?
the idea that the psyche (total personality) was composed of a network of opposing forces that through development created harmony with the structures (self-realisation) . He maintained Freuds idea of libido but in a more broader sense (a life force) and focused both on past and future-goals.
What are Jung’s three components in the psyche?
-ego: the structure of the self - conscious thought, feelings, memories and experiences
-personal unconscious: repressed personal unacceptable experiences
-collective unconscious: inherited instincts and ideas
