Psychodynamic Approach Flashcards
Who created the Psychodynamic Approach?
Sigmund Freud
What is the analogy Freud liked to use to describe the mind?
The ‘Iceberg’ Analogy
Outline the ‘Iceberg’ Analogy.
- The part of the iceberg above the water represents our concious mind
- The part just below the surface represents our preconscious mind
- The large part deep below the surface represents our unconscious mind
Conscious Mind
Contains all the information that you are currently thinking about
Preconscious Mind
Contains all the information that you are not currently thinking about, but can easily access
Unconscious
Deepest and darkest, desires, fears and wants which we cannot access
Why did Freud get his patients to tell him about their dreams?
He believed dreaming was the only time we experienced our unconscious mind
What does the Psychodynamic approach assume about behaviour and why?
It assumes that most behaviour is caused by the unconscious mind
This is because the majority of our mind is unconsious
Tripartie Structure of Personality
Freud believed everyone’s personality is split into three parts:
1. Id
2. Super-ego
3. Ego
Id
Pleasure principle - Part of our personality which seeks to follow temptations and impulses, in order to receive instant gratification + Present at birth and the first part of our personality to develop
Impulse
A strong urge to behave in a particular way, caused by our Id
Where does Frued believe the Id, urges and impulses stem from?
Our unconscious mind
What does it mean if our Id, urges and impulses come from the unconscious mind?
We don’t consciously think about them
Why is the Id responsbile for most of our behaviour?
Because it stems from the unconscious mind, which is the majority of our mind
Ego
Reality principle - The part of our personality which decides whether we follow the impulses of the Id or the morals of the super-ego, (thus, deciding how we behave)
Super-ego
Hint: Super-ego, more like super-hero
Part of personality that follows rules and morals + The last to develop
Mediates
Word used to describe how the ego makes decisions to follow the Id or super-ego, (or find a compromise)
Which part of the mind is the ego in and why?
The conscious mind
This is because when the ego mediates and makes a choice whether to follow the impulses of the Id or the morals of the super-ego, we are aware of the choice we are making
Can the ego be in our preconscious mind?
Yes
What is it called if the ego choses to find the middle ground between the Id and the super-ego?
A compromise
Can the ego happen in the unconscious mind?
No
Where in our mind can the Id be found?
Unconscious mind
Where in our mind can the super-ego be found?
- Conscious mind
- Preconscious mind
- Unconscious mind
Where in our mind can the ego be found?
Mostly in the conscious mind
*However, some decisions are made in the preconscious mind
Because of the fact that the Id is part of the unconscious mind, (which is the majority of our mind), our ego can find it difficult to resist the Id. How does it do so?
By using 3 main defence mechanisms:
1. Displacement
2. Repression
3. Denial
Displacement
This is when the ego, redirects the Id’s impulses towards something else
Give an example of displacement?
Someone gets stuck walking behind slow group of people
Id says to violently push them out the way but the super-ego knows this is wrong
The person listens to their super-ego, however, when they get home they redirect the Id’s impulse to be violent by punching the sofa
Repression
This is when the ego represesses the Id’s impulses into the unconscious mind
Denial
This is when the ego gives in to the Id’s desire for instant gratification, but refuses to believe it has
Give an example of denial, as a defence mechanism.
An employee goes into the bathroom to take drugs everyday because of the Id’s desire for instant gratification
When his workers confront his addiction, he says, “I can stop, it is my choice to do this”
Where does Frued believe the impulses from our unconscious mind stem from?
Uncomfortable childhood experiences
What are the 5 Psychosexual stages?
- Oral
- Anal
- Phalic
- Latency
- Genital
When does the oral stage occur?
0-18 months
What is the Id focused on during the oral stage?
The mouth
When does the anal stage occur?
18 months - 3 Years
What is the Id focused on during the anal stage?
The anus
What is developed during the ages of the anal stage?
Ego
What is the Id’s main impulse for a 18 month old to 3 year old child?
To poo - Because they are in the anal stage
When does the phallic stage occur?
3 years - 6 years
What occurs during the phallic stage?
The Oedipus and Electra complex
Outline the steps involved during the Oedipus complex.
Broken down into 5 steps
- Boy starts to feel attraction towards mother
- Boy sees his father as a rival for his mothers attention
- He fears his father will find out about his feelings for his mother and castrate him
- The boy then identifies with his father, because he wants his mum, so he tries to act like dad because he has mum
- The boy then substitutes his desire for his mother into other women
Outline the steps involved in the Electra complex?
Broken down into 5 steps
- Girls develop penis envy, (as they don’t have a penis), and believe their mother removed it
- The girl then becomes attracted to her father, as he has a penis
- The girl then sees her mother as a sexual rival for her father
- To resovlve the complex, the girl identifies with her mother, so she can have her father
- Woman replaces penis envy and desire for their fathers, with the desire for a baby
How old is a child when their super-ego develops? + Bonus: What psychosexual stage are they in at this point?
3 years - 6 years
Phallic Stage
What is the Id focused on during the phalic stage?
Genitilia
What do boys develop during the Oedipus complex?
Carstaration anxiety
Fixations
This is when repressed psychological traumas, (repressed into our unconscious mind), affect the way we behave as adults
Ex: A Psychological trauma could be having a pet die
Give two potential scenarios, which would cause a child to become fixated in the oral stage.
- If the child doesn’t get enough food
- If the mother stops breastfeeding to early or too late
This could lead to Psychological trauma –> If repressed, then it can lead to an oral fixation
What is a likely characteristic of an adult who is fixated in the oral phase?
They feel an unconscious need to put things in their mouth, so may be inclined to smoke or bite their nails
Give two scenarios which could lead to a child becoming fixated in the anal stage.
- Being anally retentive
- Being anally expulsive
Anally retentive
When a child becomes nervous about using the toilet
Anally expulsive
When a child becomes overly excited about using the toilet
Give a characteristic of an adult who is fixated in the anal stage, due to being anally retentive.
Neat and organised
Give a characteristic of an adult who is ficated in the anal stage, due to being anally expulsive.
They have a difficulty controlling emotions, (Ex: Anger)
What could cause a fixation in the phallic stage?
If the Oedipus or Electra complex is not resolved, then the child may become fixated in the phallic stage
What did Freud believe the main two characteristics of someone who is fixated in the phallic stage would be?
Jealous and anxious
When does the latent stage occur?
6 years - 11 years
When does the genital stage occur?
12 + years
(Rest of our life)
What is the Id’s focus in the genital stage?
Genitals and the opposite sex
In what stage is the Id dormant?
(Not present)
Latent stage
Why was the Id not present in the latency stage?
- At the age of 6 Freud believed the Id’s impulses were no longer centred on one part of their body, (Ex: Oral stage focusing on the mouth)
- Instead, impulses are spread out all over the body
- Because impulses aren’t focused anywhere in particular, it is as if they aren’t there
- Making the Id dormant
What did Freud believe the biggest impulse of the Id was for adults?
The desire for sex/Libido
Why do repressed psychological traumas occuring in the genital stage not impact our behaviour in adult life?
Because this stage is 12 + years old, meaning we would be in it for the rest of our lives, including adulthood
What is the pneumonic used to remember the order of Freud’s Psychosexual stages?
Old Age Pensioners Love Golf
- Oral
- Anal
- Phallic
- Latency
- Genital
What are the three main parts of the Psychodnyamic Approach to discuss in 16/12/8 mark essays?
- Iceberg Analogy of conscious mind, preconscious mind and unconscious mind
- Psychosexual Stages - Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latent and Genital
- Tripartie personality, (Id, Super-ego and ego) + When they are developed within the stages
What are the evaluation points for the Psychodynamic Approach?
1 Strength + CP and 2 Limitations
Strength
* Strikes a balance between being idiographic and nomothetic
* Historical importance
Limitations
* Budson’s theory + Unconscious mind being unfalsifiable
* Gender bias
Strength - Being a balance between idiographic and nomothetic - AO3
- The approach is idiographic, because it uses case studies that focus on the experiences of individuals, (Ex: Little Hans)
- However, the approach is also nomothetic, as it uses the detailed findings from case studies to propose general theories about behaviour
- Ex: The tripartite structure of personality
Strength - Historical importance - AO3
- Freud was one of the first psychologists to identify the impact that childhood experiences and trauma could have on adult-life, (potentially even causing psychological disorders)
- The assumption that repressed childhood trauma can lead to mental disorders and problems in adulthood is still used in psychotherapy today
- This matters, as Frued made long-lasting contributions to the field
Weakness - Budson’s thoery - AO3
- This approach says the ego is in the conscious mind
- However, whether or not the ego exists in the form Frued suggested depends on which theory of consciousness you chose to believe
- Outline Budson’s theory, (suggest as alternative to Freud’s)
- However, the problem with both of them is that they are unfalsifiable and would therefore be deemed as unscientific according to Popper’s hypothetico-deductive model of science
It can therefore be said that Freud’s theory has had little to do with enhancing the scientific credibility of psychology
Limitation - Gender biases - AO3
- Approach involves androcentric biases and is fixated on outdated gender stereotypes
- Electra and Oedipus complexes
- The approach assumes that all women develop penis envy in the Electra complex - This assumes that women always want the same thing as men and that what men want is correct
Who developed the Electra complex?
Jung
