Psychodynamic approach

Question 1

What are the assumptions of the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 1

• our minds are mostly made of the unconscious which incudes repressed memories
• these can be accessed through slip of the tounges and dreams
• there is the preconscious which contains our thoughts and memories which we can access if desired

Question 2

Describe the role of the Id, Ego and Superego

Answer 2

• the id = operates on pleasure and is based on our unconscious drives and instincts. This is present at birth and is selfish
• the ego = the mediator between the superego and ID. Develops at around 2 and controls their demands through defence mechanisms
• the superego = develops around 5, right and wrong. Punishes the ego through guilt

Question 3

What are the psychosexual stages

Answer 3

Oral - 0-1 years - focus of pleasure is the mouth through breast feeding - if unresolved conflict there is oral fixation such as smoking, biting nails

Anal - 1-3 years- focus of pleasure is the anus. They gain pleasure through witholding and expelling faeces. - If there is unresolved conflict they are either perfectionists or messy

Phallic - 3-6- focus of pleasure is the genital area - if unresolved they are narcissitic and reckless

Latency - earlier conflicts are repressed

Genital - sexual desires become conscious during puberty - if unresolved they have difficulty forming relationships

Question 4

What are defence mechanisms

Answer 4

• developed by the ego
• repression = forcing out of the conscious mind
• denial = refusing to acknowledge reality
• displacement = transferring feelings on another target

Question 5

Explain freuds study of little hans

Answer 5

• Freud explained that during the phallic stage, boys develop the oedipus complex and girls develop the electra complex
• freud supported this through studying little hans who developed a phobia of horses. He suggested this was a form of displacement and was symbolic of little hans fear of castration by his father

Question 6

What is the oedipus and electra complex

Answer 6

• oedipus = little boys develop crushes on their mums and have a muderous hatred for their fathers. However out of fear of castration they repress this and take on their fathers gender roles
• the opposite for the electra complex but instead they replace the desire of their father with a baby

Question 7

What are two strengths ?

Answer 7

• RWA, the psychodynamic appraoch developed psychotherapy and psychoanalysis and used the analysis of dreams to access the unconscious and bring up repressed emotions. This lead to the development of counselling
• Freuds theory’s can also explain human behaviour and explain why morals and gender roles are developed in humans. It also connects behaviour to childhood, helping us understand human behaviour

Question 8

what is a limitation of this

Answer 8

• It is untestable and freuds theorys are based on subjective studys such as little hans. This means it does not meet the criteria of falsification and is not an established factual study