psychodynamic approach Flashcards
give some context about sigmund freud
hes from austria
he published his first ever research report on the sex organs of eels.
he was specialised in studying the brain and the nervous system
what did Freud consider about the unconscious
how unconscious biological drives and desires influence our conscious mind and behaviour
what did Ernst Brucke say about humans
they are energy systems and must follow law of conservation of energy according to the law of thermodynamics - “energy cant be created or destroyed, only moved or transformed”
what did Freud convert Bruckes ideas to
psychodynamics
what is psychodynamics
the psychology of mental or emotional forces or processes developing especially in early childhood and their effects on behavior and mental states
what is libido
psychological energy
what happened to Anna O
Joseph Brewer was trying to treat Anna O who suffered from a range of symptoms. she was unable to talk about or explain where her symptoms may have originated
when was Anna able to talk about her symptoms
when in a dreamy, hypnotic state
what did many of Annas memories relate to
childhood
what did Freud propose about Annas memories
her memories from childhood must be painful, perhaps traumatic and therefore no longer accessible to the conscious mind. the physical symptoms were relayed to the psychological issues
if memories are no longer accessible in the conscious mind, where are they found and how do they get there
in the unconscious. the psychic energy from the trauma had been pushed into the unconscious and manifested itself as physical symptoms
what did freud propose about childhood memories
events occuring in childhood can remain in the unconscious and greatly influence our life as adults
what did freud say about the mind
“the mind is like an iceberg with once seventh of its bulk above water”
how is the mind similar to an iceberg
the tip of the iceberg (above water) refers to the conscious mind - what we are aware of at any one time
just underwater but partly visible (sometimes see it) refers to the preconscious - thoughts that may become conscious at some point through dreams and slips of the tongue
largest part of the iceberg (under the surface) refers to the unconscious mind (can’t see) - the part we are unaware of
why is the unconscious significant
the most significant part in influencing and shaping our behaviour
what is one role of the unconcious
it is the driving, motivating force behind our behaviour and personality
- it contains our biological instincts and drives which control our behaviour for e.g survival and sexual instincts
what is another role of the unconscious
it protects the conscious self from trauma and conflict
what are freudian slips
when we make a mistake in our speech that reveals our unconcious thoughts and desires
what do freudian slips provide an insight into
the underlying desires of our unconscious
what does the unconscious do to traumatic memories
memories or ideas that are too painful or too much for the conscious mind to deal with are placed in the unconscious
what is one way to catch a glimpse of our unconcious mind
through dreams
why can dreams provide an insight into our unconsious
events in our dreams are symbolic and give us insight into the unconscious meaning behind them. if some of our anxieties and worries have been repressed our of the unconscious mind they may show themselves in our minds
what is the structure of personality sometimes referred to as
the tripartite structure of personality
what does the personality consist of
the id, ego and superego
what are the structures of personality always doing
always in constant conflict with eachother and this interaction determines our behaviour
what is the id
the pleasure principle
describe the id
only the id is present at birth, entirely unconcioud demands instant gratification or immediate satisfaction. it drives you to act on your urges and desires without restraint, to fulfil your drives for things
what are the two types of instinct
the survival and sexual instincts
what drives the urges in the id
libido
what is the superego
morality principle
describe the superego
mainly in our unconscious but can influence our conscious thoughts. not born with a superego, it develops around 4-5 yrs (during phallic stages). it represents our morals, ideals and standards that we’ve internalised from parents, society etc.
what acts as our conscience and moral guide
the superego
what happens if we fail to live up to the expectations of the superego
we feel guilt or shame
how does the superego behave around the id
it tries to suppress the unacceptable urges of the id. when superego develops, it conflicts with the id’s demands
what is the ego
reality principle
describe the ego
controls the urges and desires so they are expressed in acceptable ways
when does the ego develop
after the id. as the child interacts more with the world the ego begins to develop.
what is the job of the ego
its job is to reduce the conflict between the two opposing forces of the id and the superego. acts as the mediator to balance the conflict.
what happens if the id or the superego are dominant
this can lead to anxiety and other psychological unhealthy states.
what happens if the id is dominant
highly impulsive, lacks self control and involved in criminal behaviour
what happens if the superego is dominant
judgemental, critical and self righteous, highly anxious and depressed at the failure to meet the morals, ideals and standards set by the superego
what is a healthy personality according to freud
a balance of the id and the superego
what does the ego do
moderates demands of the id and superego
what did Freud claim about the development of personality
it occurs in 5 stages
what are the psychosexual stages of development
These psychosexual stages capture the main growth points of a person from infancy to adulthood and focus on different facets of wants, needs, and desire.
what do the psychosexual stages of development emphasise
the importance of libido specifically the expression of sexual energy
when is libido active
at every stage but directed to different areas of the body
what are the psychosexual stages of development
oral, anal, phallic, latency and genital
what is considered to be “normal development”
to pass through one stage successfully and onto the next
what occurs at every stage
a conflict that needs to be resolved
what is fixation
when an individual is stuck at a particular stage due to an unresolved conflict at one of the stages. therefore, the libido energy is stuck at that developmental stage
what are the consequences of fixation
Freud suggested that the child carries those behaviours or conflicts from that stage through to adult life
what happens at the oral stage
the first stage occuring from birth till about approximately 18 months. during this stage, a baby’s libido is focused on the mouth. this is the first area associated with pleasure and satisfaction because of feeding.
give examples of an individual in the oral stage of development
The baby derives immense satisfaction from engaging in oral activities such as sucking, biting, breastfeeding, and chewing various objects, satisfying their inherent desires.
During the oral stages, the baby gets much satisfaction from putting all sorts of things in its mouth to satisfy the libido.
An example of this stage is an infant who gains pleasure from sucking on a pacifier or bottle. This gives them satisfaction and helps them learn about their environment.
what is the conflict that needs to be resolved in the oral stage
weaning - the child must be less dependant on the caregiver for food and transition to other foods.
what did freud theorize about the experiences during the oral stage
they significantly influence personality development.
For instance, he suggested that a child underfed or frustrated during feedings might become a pessimistic, envious, and suspicious adult.
On the other hand, a child who is overfed or overly gratified could become optimistic, gullible, and full of admiration.
what can happen if a person is fixated on the oral stage
a person fixated on the oral stage may engage in excessive eating, smoking, nail-biting, or becoming overly talkative, symbolizing the continued fulfillment of oral needs.
We see oral personalities around us, such as smokers, nail-biters, over-eaters, and thumb-suckers. Oral personalities engage in such oral behaviors, particularly when under stress.
what happens at the anal stage
The anal stage is the second stage of psychosexual development happens between the ages of 18 months and three years. During the anal stage, the libido becomes focused on the anus, and the child derives great pleasure from defecating and urinating.
give an example of an individual in the anal stage of development
An example of this stage would be a child who takes pleasure in controlling and releasing their bowels.
what is the conflict that needs to be resolved in the anal stage
toilet training - parents need to enable their child to develop and control and independance. adults can impose restrictions on when and where the child can defecate.
what can happen if a person is fixated on the anal stage
Unresolved conflicts or issues during this stage can lead to problems later on, such as excessive cleanliness, stubbornness, or a need for control.
what are the two outcomes for the way parents potty train their kids
Early or harsh potty training can lead to the child becoming an anal-retentive personality who hates mess, is obsessively tidy, punctual, and respectful of authority. They can be stubborn and tight-fisted with their cash and possessions. This is all related to the pleasure of holding on to their feces when toddlers and their mum insist they get rid of it by placing them on the potty until they perform!
The anal-expulsive personality underwent a liberal toilet-training regime during the anal stage. In adulthood, the anal expulsive is the person who wants to share things with you. They like giving things away. An anal-expulsive personality is also messy, disorganized, and rebellious.
what happens in the phallic stage of development
The phallic stage, which spans ages three to five, is the third phase of psychosexual development, This period is marked by the child’s libido focusing on their genitals as the primary source of pleasure. In this stage, children become increasingly aware of their bodies, exhibiting a heightened interest in their own genitals and those of the opposite sex.
what is the conflict in the phallic stage
Additionally, their understanding of anatomical sex differences begins to form, sparking a complex mixture of emotions – erotic attraction, rivalry, jealousy, resentment, and fear
what is the collective term for the sparking of differing emotions in the phallic stage
the oedipus complex in boys and the electra complex in girls
how is the conflict in the phallic stage resolved
This period of conflict is resolved through identification, where children start adopting the characteristics of their same-sex parent.
what is the basis of the oedipus and electra complex
the child sees their same sex parent as a threat and rival for their opposite sex parents affection.
what is the oedipus complex
In the young boy, the Oedipus complex or conflict arises because the boy develops sexual (pleasurable) desires for his mother. He wants to possess his mother exclusively and get rid of his father to enable him to do so. Irrationally, the boy thinks that if his father were to find out about all this, his father would take away what he loves the most. During the phallic stage, what the boy loves most is his penis. Hence the boy develops castration anxiety.
what is the result of castration anxiety according to freud
According to Freud, the fear of retaliation from the father (castration anxiety) eventually leads the boy to repress these incestuous desires and identify with the father, adopting his characteristics and values.
how does the boy resolve the oedipus complex
The little boy then begins to resolve this problem by imitating, copying, and joining in masculine dad-type behaviors. This is called identification and is how the three-to-five-year-old boy resolves his Oedipus complex.
what is identification
Identification means internally adopting another person’s values, attitudes, and behaviors. The consequence is that the boy takes on the male gender role, and adopts an ego ideal and values that become the superego.
what is the electra complex
The Electra Complex, a component of Freud’s psychoanalytic theory, suggests that during the phallic stage a girl unconsciously cultivates a sexual attraction towards her father, viewing her mother as a competitor. In essence, the girl covets her father, yet recognizes that she lacks a penis, leading to the phenomenon Freud labeled as ‘penis envy‘ and a subsequent wish to be male.
how does the girl resolve the electra complex
This girl then ostensibly resolves her dilemma by repressing her desire for her father and replacing her yearning for a penis with a longing for a baby. During this process, the girl blames her mother for her ‘castrated state,’ generating significant tension. In order to alleviate this tension, she then represses her feelings and begins to identify with her mother, thereby adopting a traditional female gender role.
what develops during the phallic stage
the superego
when the child identifes with their same sex parent through the resolution of the oedipus and electra complex, they go on to internalise the moral standards, values and characteristics of the same sex parent. identification with the same sex parent resolves the conflict and leads to normal development through the phallic stage
what can happen if someone is fixated at the phallic stage
could potentially lead to future issues such as sexual dysfunction, problems with gender identity, or difficulties in forming relationships.
could lead to adult personalities that are overly vain, exhibitionistic, and sexually aggressive.
In men, phallic fixation might result in anxiety about sexual performance, the need for reassurance and validation, or a tendency to be overly assertive or aggressive.
In women, fixation at the phallic stage could lead to a desire to dominate men, a rivalry with other women, or the need for male attention or approval.
men always looking for a mother figure and women always looking for a father figure.
can cause gender identity confusion
what happens at the latency stage
The latency stage is the fourth stage of psychosexual development, spanning six years to puberty. In this stage, Freud believed sexual impulses are repressed, leading to a period of relative calm.
During this stage, children’s sexual impulses become suppressed (the libido is dormant), and no further psychosexual development occurs (latent means hidden).
where is the focus in the latency stage
The focus shifts to other pursuits such as education, social relationships, and other skills necessary for successful adult life.
Children focus on developing social and intellectual skills, including school, friendships, and hobbies, instead of on sexual or romantic interest
what did freud suggest about sexual impulses during the latency stage
Freud thought most sexual impulses are repressed during the latent stage, and sexual energy can be sublimated towards school work, hobbies, and friendships.
Much of the child’s energy is channeled into developing new skills and acquiring new knowledge, and play becomes largely confined to other children of the same gender.An example of this stage would be a child who engages in hobbies and interests rather than sexual activities.
what is the conflict that needs to be resolved in the latency stage
it is generally calm however, defence mechanisms start to develop
what can happen if a person is fixated at the latency stage
Difficulty expressing emotions or forming healthy relationships.
For instance, if a child fails to make strong social connections or falls behind academically during this stage, they may struggle with feelings of inadequacy, insecurity, and social isolation in adulthood.
what happens at the genital stage
The Genital Stage is the fifth and final phase of Freud’s psychosexual development theory, beginning at puberty and lasting into adulthood.
what happens to the libido in the genital stage
During this stage, the libido re-emerges after its latent period and is directed towards peers of the other sex, marking the onset of mature adult sexuality.
During this stage, individuals start to become sexually mature and begin to explore their sexual feelings and desires more maturely and responsibly.
This period marks the onset of romantic and sexual emotions, leading to the formation of intimate relationships.
where is the libido directed at in the genital stage
Sexual instinct is directed to heterosexual pleasure, rather than self-pleasure, like during the phallic stage.
give an example of individuals in the genital stage
a teenager who begins to experience sexual attraction and begins to explore their sexuality. As they mature physically, they develop deeper romantic interests and sexual attractions toward others.
These feelings may lead to their first romantic relationship, or perhaps a crush on a peer. The teenager might also learn about sexual education and understand the importance of consent and safe sex.
They might experience emotional ups and downs as they navigate these new feelings and relationships. This stage isn’t just about sexual attraction, but also about forming meaningful emotional bonds with others.
Through their experiences, they better understand their own sexual identity and learn how to form mutually satisfying relationships.
what is the conflict or fixation of the genital stage
no conflict or fixation
however it can be argued if individuals have unresolved conflicts or issues during this stage, it can lead to problems such as sexual dysfunction, difficulties forming healthy relationships, or other emotional problems.
what do the development of the ego and superego do
they continue to control and balance the urges to help behaviour be appropiate to expectations of parents and society
what are defence mechanisms
unconscious resources used by the ego to manage the conflict between the id and superego
what do defence mechanisms do
help come to terms with conflict.
why are defence mechanisms considered to be unhealthy
they often involve distortion of reality
what is repression
where a distressing memory is forced out of the conscious mind into the unconscious mind
what is an example of repression
a child abused by their parents may have no recollection of these events but have trouble forming relationships when they are older
is repression conscious or unconcious
unconcious. however these repressed thoughts and impulses continue to influence behaviour without individuals being aware of the reasons behind their behaviour
what is the difference between repression and suppression
repression is entirely unconscious - unwanted thoughts and desires are pushed out of awareness
suppression is consciously, intentionally trying to forget or not think about something
what is denial
when you refuse to acknowledge some part of reality
give an example of denial
you refuse to accept reality to avoid having to deal with any painful feelings that may be associated with the event
what is displacement
when you transfer feelings from the true source of the distressing emotions onto a substitute target
give an example of displacement
involves redirecting the thoughts of feelings in situations where the person feels unable to express them in the presence of the person they should be directed towards. they may take it out on something/someone else
how can the psychodynamic approach have real life applications
in therapy
what theory did Freud develop from his case studies
a theory to try and help people who were suffering from certain disorders. he believed what was behind many forms of mental illness were traumatic experiences from the past that had been repressed (forced into their unconscious mind)
what was Freuds therapy called
psychoanalysis or in other words the “talking therapy”
what was the procedure of psychoanalysis
patients would lie down on his couch with Freud positioned out of sight behind them and patients were encouraged to talk without restraint. they said everything that came in their mind without holding any of it back.
what is free association
Free association is the practice of allowing the patient to discuss thoughts, dreams, memories, or words, regardless of coherency. The patient is allowed to talk without pause in a stream of words.
what did freud believe about free association
it would help bring to life some of the conflicts going on in the unconscious mind. whatever the patient said would be considered symbolic and have hidden meanings which would require analysis and interpretation by Freud himself
what else did psychoanalysis involve
dream analysis
what happened in dream analysis
freud would listen to descriptions of the patients dreams and analyse their deeper desires and wishes in order to gain an insight into what was going on in their unconscious mind
give an example of when dream analysis would be used
if a patient has lost their parent when they were very young but never really processed their experience - never really grieved and experienced that loss so never came to terms with it. it was repressed.
what would happen after unconscious conflicts were brought to light as a result of dream analysis
patients experienced catharsis
what is catharsis
the process of releasing strong or repressed emotions which as result provides relief
real life applications (conluding statement)
therefore, it could argued that the PDA has made a significant contribution to our understanding of human behaviour because psychonanalysis not only attempted to help people with mental disorders in Freuds day but in doing so made a significant contribution towards psychotherapy in modern day psychiatry
how has freud laid the foundation for future theories
his ideas have had a lasting impact shaping various theories of human behaviour
what did freud mainly focus on
early childhood experiences and in particular the significant role that our relationships with our parents can have in influencing and shaping who we become and how we behave in the future
how was John Bowlby influenced by Freud
he developed a theory about the importance of the childs attachment to their parents
what is Bowlby’s Maternal Deprivation Theory
children who are deprived of a continuous loving relationship with their mother in their first two years of life will suffer lasting consequences in later life such as in their intellect, relationships with others and even criminal behaviour
foundation for future theories (concluding statement)
whilst freuds ideas can certainly be questioned, it could be argued that his theory should be recognised for the impact it has had in influencing many modern theories of human behaviour
what is many of the psychodynamic approachs supporting evidence based on
case studies which are in depth analysis of an individual or small group of people
what did the case study of Little Hans provide supporting evidence for
the oedipus complex
what happened to Little Hans
at the age of 5 he developed a phobia of horses after watching one collapse outside his home. Hans father sought freuds help to treat his sons phobia
how often did freud consult with little hans
his direct involvement was very limited as he had only met him twice with the majority of the information and insight coming from Little Hans father
what incidents did hans father report about him
3 yrs - very interested in his widdler, his mother threatened to take him to the doctors to have it cut off to castrate him if he didnt stop playing with it
why would the pleasure little hans gained from his penis be repressed
because of fear of castration.
why did little hans develop a fear of horses
little hans saw a horse collapse outside and die causing him a great deal of anxiety
what happened to little hans at 4 yrs old
he developed a fear for horses and specifically of a white horse that would bite him . hans father also reported that hans commented on the size of a widdler of a horse compared to his own. his fear developed often to the point where he often did not want to leave his home
what happened as little hans phobia for horses developed
he had a conflict with his father as his father was opposed to little hans getting into bed to cuddle with his mum
what happened to little hans at 5 yrs
his phobia of horses reduced but focused on white horses and specifically those who wore blinkers and a noseband
when did little hans phobia end
after some dreams and fantasies one in which was a dream of little hans having loads of children. his own mother was the mother of these kids and his own father was the grandad of these kids
what did freud interpret from little hans case
- his fear of horses was symbolic of his fear for his father (something he repressed)
- his fear of white horses wearing blinkers and a noseband was symbolic of Hans father (who had pale skin, moustache and glasses)
- his fear of horses was symbolic of his fear of castration
- his dreams and fantasies was symbolic of the conflict lh experienced with his father because he desired his mother
how was the conflict little hans experienced with his father resolved
through Hans replacing his father in the fantasy and eventually identifying with his father and becoming like him
give one reason why the research methods for the PDA are limited
based on case studies
why is the use of a case study limited
using an ideographic approach which focuses on indepth study of individuals particularly those with unusual cases means the findings are difficult to generalise to other people. case study research is also limited in its ability to make universal laws about human behaviour
why is the PDA based on unscientific evidence
freuds investigations are highly subjective which means they are based on his personal interpretation and opinion of what is going on in a persons unconscious mind - something we cannot objectively measure
what is one key feature of the scientific research
falsifiability
what is falsifiability
in order for a theory to be scientific it has to have the possibility of being shown to be false or incorrect. so science doesnt just find ways to prove theories, they also find evidence to disprove them
why is the PDA seen as unfalsifiable
there is no way to falsify and disprove the theory
which approaches does the PDA highly contrast with in terms of scientific research methods
the behaviourist approach with its objective falsifiable research of BF skinner
the biological approaches investigation of the human brain through brain scanning technology
research methods (concluding sentence)
it could be argued that the PDA explanation of human behaviour is severely questionable particularly in contrast to other approaches because of the poor quality of evidence
why is the PDA criticised for being highly deterministic
they see all behaviour as being caused by unconscious forces and so as a result we have no free will to change our behaviour. it is outside our control
what did Freud suggest about free will
it is an illusion. we think we are making free choices but actually we are unaware of all the unconcious forces that are driving and influencing the way we behave for e.g repressed memories may be related to struggles with anxiety or certain mental disorders
how does the PDA remove responsibility and accountability for peoples actions
if their behaviour is caused by some internal factor outside their control it means its not down to them and their choices, its because of their unconcious forces that they are unaware of
deterministic debate (concluding sentence)
therefore, the pda is rather limited in this regard because of its deterministic view of behaviour
how can the psychodynamic approach be compared with the humanistic approach (1)
Psychodynamic
- has a pessimistic negative view of behaviour. it focuses on whats gone wrong during the psychosexual stages of development and how fixation on a particular stage has led to negative consequences as an adult
humanistic
- optimistic view on human behaviour. focuses on personal growth and believes in factors such as motivation influencing a persons behaviour
comparisons of pda and hum (2)
pda
- human personality is in conflict
hum
- humans can achieve their full potential
comparisons of pda and hum (3)
pda
- behaviour is caused and determined by unconscious forces which means we lack any control
hum
- puts a large emphasis on the role of free will with our ability to be active and make choices to improve ourselves
comparisons (concluding sentence)
therefore, the psychodynamic approach is rather limited in this regard due to its ovelry negative view on human behaviour
