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A-Level Psychology Paper 2 > Psychodynamic Approach > Flashcards

Psychodynamic Approach Flashcards

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1
Q

Who created the Psychodynamic Approach?

A

Sigmund Freud

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2
Q

What is the analogy Freud liked to use to describe the mind?

A

The ‘Iceberg’ Analogy

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3
Q

Outline the ‘Iceberg’ Analogy.

A
  1. The part of the iceberg above the water represents our concious mind
  2. The part just below the surface represents our preconscious mind
  3. The large part deep below the surface represents our unconscious mind
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4
Q

Conscious Mind

A

Contains all the information that you are currently thinking about

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5
Q

Preconscious Mind

A

Contains all the information that you are not currently thinking about, but can easily access

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6
Q

Unconscious

A

Deepest and darkest, desires, fears and wants which we cannot access

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7
Q

Why did Freud get his patients to tell him about their dreams?

A

He believed dreaming was the only time we experienced our unconscious mind

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8
Q

What does the Psychodynamic approach assume about behaviour and why?

A

It assumes that most behaviour is caused by the unconscious mind
This is because the majority of our mind is unconsious

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9
Q

Tripartie Structure of Personality

A

Freud believed everyone’s personality is split into three parts:
1. Id
2. Super-ego
3. Ego

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10
Q

Id

A

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

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11
Q

Impulse

A

A strong urge to behave in a particular way, caused by our Id

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12
Q

Where does Frued believe the Id, urges and impulses stem from?

A

Our unconscious mind

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13
Q

What does it mean if our Id, urges and impulses come from the unconscious mind?

A

We don’t consciously think about them

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14
Q

Why is the Id responsbile for most of our behaviour?

A

Because it stems from the unconscious mind, which is the majority of our mind

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15
Q

Ego

A

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)

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16
Q

Super-ego

Hint: Super-ego, more like super-hero

A

Part of personality that follows rules and morals + The last to develop

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17
Q

Mediates

A

Word used to describe how the ego makes decisions to follow the Id or super-ego, (or find a compromise)

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18
Q

Which part of the mind is the ego in and why?

A

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

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19
Q

Can the ego be in our preconscious mind?

A

Yes

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20
Q

What is it called if the ego choses to find the middle ground between the Id and the super-ego?

A

A compromise

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21
Q

Can the ego happen in the unconscious mind?

A

No

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22
Q

Where in our mind can the Id be found?

A

Unconscious mind

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23
Q

Where in our mind can the super-ego be found?

A
  1. Conscious mind
  2. Preconscious mind
  3. Unconscious mind
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24
Q

Where in our mind can the ego be found?

A

Mostly in the conscious mind
*However, some decisions are made in the preconscious mind

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25
Q

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?

A

By using 3 main defence mechanisms:
1. Displacement
2. Repression
3. Denial

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26
Q

Displacement

A

This is when the ego, redirects the Id’s impulses towards something else

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27
Q

Give an example of displacement?

A

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

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28
Q

Repression

A

This is when the ego represesses the Id’s impulses into the unconscious mind

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29
Q

Denial

A

This is when the ego gives in to the Id’s desire for instant gratification, but refuses to believe it has

30
Q

Give an example of denial, as a defence mechanism.

A

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”

31
Q

Where does Frued believe the impulses from our unconscious mind stem from?

A

Uncomfortable childhood experiences

32
Q

What are the 5 Psychosexual stages?

A
  1. Oral
  2. Anal
  3. Phalic
  4. Latency
  5. Genital
33
Q

When does the oral stage occur?

A

0-18 months

34
Q

What is the Id focused on during the oral stage?

A

The mouth

35
Q

When does the anal stage occur?

A

18 months - 3 Years

36
Q

What is the Id focused on during the anal stage?

A

The anus

37
Q

What is developed during the ages of the anal stage?

A

Ego

38
Q

What is the Id’s main impulse for a 18 month old to 3 year old child?

A

To poo - Because they are in the anal stage

39
Q

When does the phallic stage occur?

A

3 years - 6 years

40
Q

What occurs during the phallic stage?

A

The Oedipus and Electra complex

41
Q

Outline the steps involved during the Oedipus complex.

Broken down into 5 steps

A
  1. Boy starts to feel attraction towards mother
  2. Boy sees his father as a rival for his mothers attention
  3. He fears his father will find out about his feelings for his mother and castrate him
  4. The boy then identifies with his father, because he wants his mum, so he tries to act like dad because he has mum
  5. The boy then substitutes his desire for his mother into other women
42
Q

Outline the steps involved in the Electra complex?

Broken down into 5 steps

A
  1. Girls develop penis envy, (as they don’t have a penis), and believe their mother removed it
  2. The girl then becomes attracted to her father, as he has a penis
  3. The girl then sees her mother as a sexual rival for her father
  4. To resovlve the complex, the girl identifies with her mother, so she can have her father
  5. Woman replaces penis envy and desire for their fathers, with the desire for a baby
43
Q

How old is a child when their super-ego develops? + Bonus: What psychosexual stage are they in at this point?

A

3 years - 6 years

Phallic Stage

44
Q

What is the Id focused on during the phalic stage?

A

Genitilia

45
Q

What do boys develop during the Oedipus complex?

A

Carstaration anxiety

46
Q

Fixations

A

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

47
Q

Give two potential scenarios, which would cause a child to become fixated in the oral stage.

A
  • 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

48
Q

What is a likely characteristic of an adult who is fixated in the oral phase?

A

They feel an unconscious need to put things in their mouth, so may be inclined to smoke or bite their nails

49
Q

Give two scenarios which could lead to a child becoming fixated in the anal stage.

A
  • Being anally retentive
  • Being anally expulsive
50
Q

Anally retentive

A

When a child becomes nervous about using the toilet

51
Q

Anally expulsive

A

When a child becomes overly excited about using the toilet

52
Q

Give a characteristic of an adult who is fixated in the anal stage, due to being anally retentive.

A

Neat and organised

53
Q

Give a characteristic of an adult who is ficated in the anal stage, due to being anally expulsive.

A

They have a difficulty controlling emotions, (Ex: Anger)

54
Q

What could cause a fixation in the phallic stage?

A

If the Oedipus or Electra complex is not resolved, then the child may become fixated in the phallic stage

55
Q

What did Freud believe the main two characteristics of someone who is fixated in the phallic stage would be?

A

Jealous and anxious

56
Q

When does the latent stage occur?

A

6 years - 11 years

57
Q

When does the genital stage occur?

A

12 + years
(Rest of our life)

58
Q

What is the Id’s focus in the genital stage?

A

Genitals and the opposite sex

59
Q

In what stage is the Id dormant?
(Not present)

A

Latent stage

60
Q

Why was the Id not present in the latency stage?

A
  • 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
61
Q

What did Freud believe the biggest impulse of the Id was for adults?

A

The desire for sex/Libido

62
Q

Why do repressed psychological traumas occuring in the genital stage not impact our behaviour in adult life?

A

Because this stage is 12 + years old, meaning we would be in it for the rest of our lives, including adulthood

63
Q

What is the pneumonic used to remember the order of Freud’s Psychosexual stages?

A

Old Age Pensioners Love Golf

  1. Oral
  2. Anal
  3. Phallic
  4. Latency
  5. Genital
64
Q

What are the three main parts of the Psychodnyamic Approach to discuss in 16/12/8 mark essays?

A
  1. Iceberg Analogy of conscious mind, preconscious mind and unconscious mind
  2. Psychosexual Stages - Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latent and Genital
  3. Tripartie personality, (Id, Super-ego and ego) + When they are developed within the stages
65
Q

What are the evaluation points for the Psychodynamic Approach?

1 Strength + CP and 2 Limitations

A

Strength
* Strikes a balance between being idiographic and nomothetic
* Historical importance

Limitations
* Budson’s theory + Unconscious mind being unfalsifiable
* Gender bias

66
Q

Strength - Being a balance between idiographic and nomothetic - AO3

A
  • 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
67
Q

Strength - Historical importance - AO3

A
  • 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
68
Q

Weakness - Budson’s thoery - AO3

A
  • 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

69
Q

Limitation - Gender biases - AO3

A
  • 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
70
Q

Who developed the Electra complex?

A

Jung

A-Level Psychology Paper 2 (6 decks)

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