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.
