Psychodynamic Approach Flashcards
What is the conscious mind?
The part of the mind we know and are aware of
It is often described as the tip of the iceberg.
What comprises most of our mind?
The unconscious
It is a vast storehouse of biological drives and instincts that significantly influences behavior and personality.
- contains threatening and disturbing memories that have been repressed
What is the Preconscious?
Thoughts and ideas that we may become aware of during dreams or through ‘slip of the tongue’
Freud referred to these slips as Parapraxes.
What are the three parts of personality according to Freud?
Id, Ego, Superego
Freud described personality as ‘tripartite’.
What does the Id represent?
The primitive part of personality operating on the pleasure principle
It is entirely selfish and demands instant gratification.
Mass of unconscious drives and instincts
- Only the Id present at birth
At what age does the Ego develop?
Around the age of 2 years
Works on the reality principle
Its role is to mediate between the demands of the Id and the Superego.
What are the defense mechanisms managed by the Ego?
- Repression (forcing a distressing memory out of a conscious mind)
- Denial (refusing to acknowledge some aspect of reality)
- Displacement (transferring feelings from true source of distressing emotion onto a substitute target)
These mechanisms help to reduce conflict between the Id and Superego.
What does the Superego represent?
An internalized sense of right and wrong
Formed at the end of the phallic stage, around 5 yrs old
It is based on the morality principle: represents the moral standards of the same sex parent, and punishes the Ego for wrongdoing.
How many psychosexual stages did Freud claim child development occurs in?
Five stages
Each stage (apart from latency) is marked by a different conflict that the child must resolve.
What happens if a psychosexual conflict is unresolved?
The child becomes ‘stuck’ and carries certain behaviors and conflicts into adulthood
This is known as fixation.
What is the focus of pleasure during the Oral stage?
The mouth, with the mother’s breast as the object of desire.
At what age does the Anal stage occur?
1-3 years
What is the primary focus of pleasure in the Anal stage?
The anus, with pleasure derived from withholding and expelling faeces.
What complex do children experience during the Phallic stage?
Oedipus or Electra complex.
What happens to earlier conflicts during the Latency stage?
They are repressed.
What is the focus of pleasure during the Genital stage?
The genital area.
When do sexual desires become conscious?
Alongside the onset of puberty.
What is a consequence of unresolved conflict from the Oral stage?
Oral fixation, such as smoking or biting nails, and being sarcastic or critical.
What personality traits are associated with an Anal retentive individual?
Perfectionist and obsessive.
What traits characterize an Anal expulsive personality?
Thoughtless and messy.
What are the characteristics of a Phallic personality?
Narcissistic, reckless, possibly homosexual.
What difficulty may arise for individuals with unresolved conflicts during the Phallic stage?
Difficulty forming heterosexual relationships.
Fill in the blank: The focus of pleasure during the Phallic stage is the _______.
genital area.
True or False: The Latency stage is characterized by conscious sexual desires.
False.
What is one strength of the Psychodynamic approach?
Explanatory power
It explains a wide range of phenomena including personality development and abnormal behavior.
What is a practical application of the Psychodynamic approach?
Psychoanalysis
It includes techniques such as hypnosis and dream analysis to access the unconscious.
Why is the Psychodynamic approach considered highly subjective?
It lacks reliability and is influenced by researcher bias
Different researchers may draw different conclusions from the same data.
What is a limitation of the Psychodynamic approach regarding universality?
Cannot be universal
It’s based on small scale studies of psychologically abnormal individuals.
What did Popper argue about the Psychodynamic approach?
It is untestable
Many concepts are said to occur on an unconscious level, making them difficult or impossible to test.
What is a harmful application of psychoanalysis?
It may be inappropriate or harmful for people with severe mental disorders
An example is schizophrenia.
What does psychic determinism imply in the Psychodynamic approach?
All behavior is rooted in unconscious conflicts from childhood
This concept negates the idea of free will and conscious decision-making.
