Psychodynamic Approach Flashcards
Main assumptions
emphasis of unconscious mind, structure of personality, childhood experiences
What is the brain separated into ?
- conscious
- preconsocus
- unconscious
What is the conscious ?
Have access to, the thoughts you are aware of
What is the preconscious ?
Contains information we aren’t aware of but can easily achieve
What is the unconscious ?
Information we cannot access, where thoughts and feelings are most important, still influence behaviour, can access through dreams
What is Freud’s 3 part personality ?
- ID
- Ego
- Supergo
What is the ID?
Pleasure principle.
Instant gratification, born with it, basic drives and impulses
What is the Supergo?
Morality Principle.
Conscience/ voice of parents, helps us behave in moral way and feel guilty when done something wrong
What is the Ego?
Reality Principle.
Balance conflict between id and supergo, develops defence mechanisms to protect mind from trauma
Pleasure principle is..
ID
Morality Principle is…
Superego
Reality Principle is..
Ego
What are defence mechanisms ?
Coping techniques employed by ego to help us deal with anxieties and trauma
What are the 6 ego defence mechanisms ?
1). Repression
2). Denial
3). Projection
4). Displacement
5). Regression
6). Sublimation
What is Repression ?
Exclusion of distressing memories and thoughts
What is Denial ?
Faced with fact that too uncomfortable to accept so reject
What is Projection ?
Feelings directed towards self displaced towards others
What is Displacement ?
Redirect emotional reaction from rightful receipt onto another
What is Regression ?
Causes temporary/ long term reversion oof ego to earlier stage of life
What is Sublimation ?
Channel unwanted urges into productive outlet
What does the psychosexual theory suggest ?
- early childhood experiences important in determining behaviour as adults
- 5 stage theory
- each stage has central body part energy focused on
- needs met= move onto next stage
- conflict= fixated
What are the 5 stages of the psychosexual theory ?
- oral
- anal
- phallic
- latency
- genital
Age and area of focus for oral stage
0-1 years. Mouth
Age and area of focus for anal stage
1-3 years. Anus
Age and area of focus in the phallic stage
3-6 years. Genitals- Oedipus and Electra complex
Age and area of focus in the latency stage
6- puberty. No focus- sexual energy is suppresssed
Age and area of focus in the genital stage
Puberty- adult. Genitals
What is the Oedipus complex ?
Where little boys have hatred for father and incestious unconscious feelings for mothers. Fear of castration so repress feeelings and identify with father taking on his gender role
What is the electra complex ?
Little girls have penis envy, hatred for mother, incestious unconscious feelings for father, give up desire over time for desire for a baby and identity with mother. Freud less clear on this
Case study evidence
Little hans- horse, mother, penis envy, castratio, widdler
Strengths
- case study support- little Hans
- real world app- psychoanalysis
Limitations
- unfalsifiable- no empirical testing, difficult to test
- determinism- determined by unconscious, dismisses free will
