Psychodynamic Approach Flashcards
What does psychodynamic mean?
Any theory that emphasises change and development in the individual.
What did Freud believe in?
Freud believed behaviour was determined more by psychological factors than biological or environmental
What did Freud think behaviour was controlled by in the large part?
The unconscious mind
What is the unconscious mind?
The part of the mind that was inaccessible to conscious thought
What is in the unconscious mind?
Traumatic events
What are the three parts of the personality
I’d, ego, superego
What is the Id
Operates according to ‘pleasure principle’
Where does the id operate?
In the unconscious mind
What is the ego?
Mediates betweeen the Id and superego
What is the superego?
Made of conscience (internalisation of societally rules) and ego-ideal (determined by parental standards of good behaviour)
Why are defence mechanisms used?
To stop becoming aware of unpleasant thoughts and feelings associated with a traumatic situation
What is repression?
The unconscious blocking of unacceptable thoughts.
What is denial?
The refusal to accept the reality to avoid having to deal with feelings associated to the event
What is displacement?
Redirecting thoughts or feelings in situations where the person feels unable to express them to the person they should be directed towards
What is the libido
Sexual energy
What is the stage at 0-2 years old?
Oral- mouth is focal point
What is the stage at 2-3?
Anal- beginning of ego development due to being made to potty train
What is the stage at 3-6?
Phallic- focused on genitals
What is the conflict in the phallic stage?
Oedipus complex- male child unconsciously wishes to possess their mother and get rid of their father, then developing castration anxiety
What is the stage at 6-12?
Latent- child develops their mastery of the world around them. The conflicts experienced due to issues at previous stages are repressed.
What is the stage at 12+?
Genital- fixing of sexual energy on the genitals
What were the strengths of the psychodynamic approach?
Freud highlighted a widely accepted link between childhood experience and adult characteristics
