Psychodynamic approach Flashcards
Assumptions of the psychodynamic approach
-early childhood experiences are believed to be pivotal in shaping adulthood
-the driving force behind our behaviour is the unconscious mind
- approach assumes we have three parts to our personality; Id, ego. superego
The role of the unconscious
-Freud use the metaphor of iceberg to describe structure of the mind
- conscious= ‘tip of iceberg’ part of the mind we aware of
- preconscious= thought and memories not accessible at all times but easily recalled
- unconscious=drives & instincts that motivate our behaviour & personality & are inaccessible
- contains threatening & disturbing memories that have been repressed & locked away
The structure of the personality the Id
Freud describe personality as a ‘tripartite’
-Id= operates on the ‘pleasure principle’ - insatiable set of indicts that are innate, demands immediate gratification of needs
The structure of the personality the Ego
-works on the ‘reality principle’ develops around age of 2
-it arbitrates (aims to reduce conflicts) between the demands of the Id and superego
-manages this by employing defence mechanisms
The structure of the personality the Superego
-works on the ‘morality principle’
-formed at the end of the phallic stage
-concerned with right and wrong and acts to internally punish & rewards us
What are psychosexual stages?
psychological development takes place in series of fixed stages in childhood
-at each stage their is conflict that a child must resolve before the move onto next stage or fixation occurs
Oral stage description
-0-1 year
-mouth is the main focus of pleasure (sucking, swallowing)
-successful completion- weaning
oral fixation- smoking, nail biter, sarcastic
Anal stage description
- 1-3 years
-focus of pleasure is the anus (pleasure from defecation)
-successful completion =potty training
fixation= very tidy or messy
Phallic stage description
-3-6 years
-focus of pleasure is the genital area
- experience of Oedipus (mother as primary love) & Electra complex (penis envy, attraction to father)
-fixation= narcissistic, reckless traits
Latency stage description
-6-puberty (approx.)
-earlier conflicts repressed into sports & other hobbies
-focus on developing same-sex friendships
Genital stage description
-puberty into adulthood
-focus on genitals & experiencing such pleasure with a partner
-aim to develop healthy adult relationships
-occurs if earlier stages have been negotiated successfully
What are defence mechanisms?
unconscious strategies that Ego uses to manage conflict between Id and the Superego
How does the psychodynamic approach have real life application?
-introduced the idea of psychotherapy
-psychoanalysis was the first attempt to treat mental disorders psychologically rather than physically
-employed a range of techniques such as dream analysis & free association used to access the unconscious
-forerunner to modern talking therapies such as counselling
-merit
What is a counterpoint for the psychodynamic approach real life application?
-psychoanalysis regarded inappropriate even harmful for people experiencing more serious mental disorders
-symptoms of schizophrenia such as paranoia & delusional thinking
-lost grip on reality & cannot articulate their thoughts in the way requires
-not applicable to all
What is a strength of the psychodynamic approach?
-ability to explain human behaviour
-used to explain a wide range of phenomena such as; personality development, abnormal behaviour, gender identity, & moral development
-significant in drawing attention to connection between experiences in childhood & relationships with parents on later development
