Psychodynamic Approach

Question 1

Key assumptions of Psychodynamic approach.

Answer 1

• Abnormal behaviour is result of mental conflict.
• Behaviour as adults strongly influenced by childhood.
• Unconscious forces in our mind determines thoughts feelings and behaviour.

Question 2

What are 3 levels of consciousness?

Answer 2

Conscious.
Preconscious - composed of memories we can recall e.g. phone number, childhood memories.
Unconscious - composed of extreme memories and thoughts that cause stress and are repressed. Influences you however conscious mind not aware.

Question 3

What are the 3 parts of personality?

Answer 3

ID:
- Operates on pleasure principle (gets what it wants).
- Only ID presented at birth.
- Controls unconscious drives and instincts

Ego:
- developed at 2
- mediator between ID and superego and reduces conflict.
- makes person aware of others and their feelings.
- employs defence mechanisms to prevent conflict.

Superego:
- developed at 5.
- internalised sense of right and wrong.
- punishes ego’s wrong doing (through guilt).

Question 4

How does the Ego prevent conflict between ID and superego.

Answer 4

• ID wants instant satisfaction however superego imposes morals. Conflict leads to anxiety and issues in the mind. The ego’s job is to reduce the anxiety through:
• repression,
• Denial,
• Displacement,

Question 5

What are the 5 psycho sexual stages?

Answer 5

Oral stage.
Anal stage.
Phallic stage.
Latent stage.
Genital stage.

Question 6

Oral stage.

Answer 6

• 0-18 months.
  -Mouth is the main focus of pleasure.
• child enjoys tasting and sucking.
• Mother’s breast object of desire.
• Successful completion shown through weaning (eating independently).
• Consequences not passing - sarcastic, may smoke/bite nails, critical.

Question 7

Anal stage.

Answer 7

• 18 months - 3 years.
• defecation main source of pleasure.
• successful completion shown through potty training.
• Failure to complete leads to anally retentive (tidy) or anally explosive (messy).

Question 8

Phallic stage.

Answer 8

• 3-5 years.
• Main form of pleasure is genital area.
• Oedipus complex: Boys want mother as primary love object.
• Electra complex: Girls want penis and love dad, hate mother.

Question 9

Latency stage.

Answer 9

• 5 - puberty (prepubescent)
• Earlier conflicts repressed.
• Sexual urges sublimated into sports and other hobbies.
• Focus on developing same sex friendships.
• No particular requirements for completion.

Question 10

Genital stage.

Answer 10

• Puberty to adulthood.
• Focus on genitals but not to the extent as phallic stage.
• developing healthy opposite sex relationships.
• consequences of not completing are difficulty forming heterosexual relationships.

Question 11

What was the method of Freud’s case study of little Hans?