Psychodynamic approach

Question 1

What is the definition of the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 1

Psychodynamic approaches regard insight as a particular kind of self-realisation or self-knowledge,

Question 2

Assumptions

Answer 2

The main assumption of the psychodynamic approach is that all behaviour can be explained in terms of the inner conflicts of the mind.

Freud highlights the role of the unconscious mind, the structure of personality, and the influence that childhood experiences have on later life.

Freud believed that the unconscious mind determines most of our behaviour and that we are motivated by unconscious emotional drives.

Question 3

What is the tripartite personality?

Answer 3

• id
• ego
• superego

Question 4

What is the id?

Answer 4

it is the biological part (instincts and drives) of the personality. It is present at birth. The Id is motivated by the pleasure principle; it demands instant gratification of its needs.

Question 5

What is the ego?

Answer 5

develops from 1 – 3 years. It is motivated by the reality principle. It mediates the conflicts between the ID and superego. It uses defense mechanisms to achieve this.

Question 6

What is the superego?

Answer 6

develops from 3 – 5 years. It is motivated by the morality principle. It punishes the ego with guilt for “wrongdoing.”

Question 7

What are the three parts of the mind?

Answer 7

• conscious
• unconscious
• preconscious

Question 8

What is the conscious?

Answer 8

this is the part we are aware of and can access without any effort. It contains part of the ego.

Question 9

What is the unconscious?

Answer 9

this part of the mind cannot be accessed without the help of a trained psychoanalyst. It contains the superego and the Id.

Question 10

What is the preconscious?

Answer 10

this is a part of the mind that we cannot access without effort. It contains the ego and some of the superego.