psychodynamic approach

Question 1

what is the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 1

the study of the unconscious mind and mental drives that develop in childhood, their interactions and how these forces influence behaviour, personality and mental states

Question 2

name a significant psychodynamic psychologist

Answer 2

Freud

Question 3

assumptions of the psychodynamic approach

Answer 3

• our behaviour as adults is strongly influenced by childhood experiences
• abnormal behaviour is the result of mental conflict
• iceberg analogy

Question 4

what 3 parts did Freud break the psyche (mind) into?

Answer 4

the conscious mind - conscious thoughts, ideas, decisions, emotions
the preconscious - thoughts not immediately accessible but can be brought into awareness
the unconscious - unconscious thoughts, repressed memories, desires, impulses which can all influence our behaviour and feelings - largest part

Question 5

what is the role of the unconscious?

Answer 5

according to psychic determinism our behaviours are shaped by unresolved unconscious conflicts among different parts of our personality as well as by experiences in early development stages called the psychosexual stages
problems during these stages can result in fixation where an individual remains stuck in a stage and expresses certain negative personality traits
the unconscious protects the conscious from harmful thoughts e.g. traumatic memories, fears and intense desires to reduce anxiety
it does this by using defence mechanisms

Question 6

what are the 3 parts of personality?

Answer 6

id
ego
superego

Question 7

what is the id?

Answer 7

birth –> death
pleasure principle
selfish aspect of the mind
focuses on only satisfying personal needs and desires and seeks immediate gratification for its wants
associated with hedonism

Question 8

what is the ego?

Answer 8

18months –> death
reality principle
conscious component of personality
uses rational thinking to manage the id’s demands
acts as a mediator between id and superego
aids in individual’s ability to interact with the world in a more balanced manner

Question 9

what is the superego?

Answer 9

age 3 –> death
morality principle
unconscious component of personality
child internalises the values and norms of their parents and society
influences behaviour by inducing guilt when an individual’s actions conflict with strict standards - moderating behaviour according to moral and societal expectations

Question 10

how did Freud explain the structure of personality?

Answer 10

suggested criminal behaviour could be due to an imbalance in the superego’s strength relative to the id
weak superego –> id’s desires dominant
deviant superego –> adopts criminal values to justify extreme guilt imposed by superego’s rigid moral standards

Question 11

explain the iceberg metaphor for the structure of personality

Answer 11

Freud’s iceberg theory metaphorically represents the mind’s three levels: the conscious (visible tip of the iceberg), the preconscious (just below the surface), and the unconscious (vast submerged portion).

While we’re aware of the conscious, the preconscious contains easily accessible memories, and the unconscious houses deep-seated desires and memories, influencing behavior despite being largely inaccessible.

Question 12

what are Freud’s 5 psychosexual stages

Answer 12

oral
anal
phallic
latency
genital

Question 13

what is the oral stage?

Answer 13

0-18months
main focus of pleasure: mouth
child enjoys tasting and sucking
mother’s breast is object of desire
completion: weaning + independent eating
unresolved: oral fixation - sarcasm, sensitive to rejection, critical, overeating, drinking, nail biting, smoking

Question 14

what is the anal stage?

Answer 14

18months-3years
main focus of pleasure: defecation
completion: potty training
unresolved: anally retentive (very tidy, stubborn, likes order, control, obsessive, perfectionism) or anally expulsive (thoughtless, messy)

Question 15

what is the phallic stage?

Answer 15

3-5years
main focus of pleasure: genitals
oedipus complex - boys experience castration anxiety, desire mother as ‘primary love object’, hate father
electra complex - girls experience penis envy, desire father, hate mother
unresolved: narcissistic, reckless, homosexual

Question 16

what is the latency stage?

Answer 16

5-puberty
earlier conflicts are repressed
sexual urges sublimated into sports and other hobbies
develops same-sex friendships
completion: no requirements
unresolved: n/a

Question 17

what is the genital stage?

Answer 17

puberty-adulthood
main focus of pleasure: genitals and developing healthy relationships
unresolved: difficulty forming heterosexual relationships

Question 18

what are defence mechanisms

Answer 18

defence mechanisms are strategies involving the unconscious mind that the ego uses to manage unresolvable conflicts to reduce the anxiety felt by the conflict between the id and superego

Question 19

what are the 3 defence mechanisms?

Answer 19

denial
displacement
repression

Question 20

what is denial?

Answer 20

a refusal to accept the reality of a situation

Question 21

what is displacement?

Answer 21

when a strong emotion is moved from the source of that emotion and placed onto a substitute target

Question 22

what is repression?

Answer 22

an unpleasant memory or painful emotion is placed into the unconscious mind and is no longer accessible to the conscious mind

Question 23

strengths of the psychodynamic approach

Answer 23

+ Freud’s theories had a significant influence on modern scientific psychological theories as he emphasised the importance of early childhood experience and lasting impact of trauma on adulthood
+ Freud influenced Bowlby to develop his attachment theories
+ Freud first to develop a concept of the unconscious mind now used by cognitive theorists when talking about perception, memory and language
+ ideas have face validity - boys have a stronger attachment to mother, early trauma influences anxiety, defence mechanisms can be seen through behaviour
+ practical application in psychoanalytic therapy (talking therapy) - successful treatment

Question 24

limitations of the psychodynamic approach

Answer 24

• considered outdated - boys loving their mothers, girls loving their fathers
• lack scientific credibility due to reliance on case studies and interpretation of memories and dreams (Little Hans) - potentially biased
• falsifiability is the ability to demonstrate a theory is wrong through empirical testing but Freud’s theories are untestable as they lack adaptability