Psychodynamic approach

Question 1

Psychodynamic approach

assumptions

Answer 1

an approach where different dynamics (mainly unconscious) operate the mind and direct human behaviour and experience

Question 2

Psychodynamic approach

person

Answer 2

Sigmund Freud

Question 3

Psychodynamic approach

parts

Answer 3

Role of the unconscious
Structure of personality
Psychosexual stages
Defence mechanisms

Question 4

Role of the unconscious

Answer 4

└conscious
└preconscious
└aware of in dreams/parapraxes (slips of tongue)
└unconscious
└part of mind we are unaware of but directs much of our behaviour
└threatening/disturbing memories- represses/forgotten

Question 5

Structure of personality

list

Answer 5

Id
Ego
Superego

Question 6

Structure of personality

id

Answer 6

└primitive
└pleasure principle
└present from birth

Question 7

Structure of personality

ego

Answer 7

└mediator- defence mechanisms
└reality principle
└present from 2

Question 8

Structure of personality

superego

Answer 8

└how we ought to be
└morality principle
End of phallic stage

Question 9

Psychosexual stages

list

Answer 9

Oral
Anal
Phallic
Latency
Genital

Question 10

Psychosexual stages

oral

Answer 10

0-1
└FOP= mouth
└wants mothers breast

Question 11

Psychosexual stages

anal

Answer 11

1-3
└FOP= anus
└withhold/expel faeces

Question 12

Psychosexual stages

phallic

Answer 12

3-5
└FOP= genital area
└oedipus/electra complex

Question 13

Psychosexual stages

latency

Answer 13

└earlier conflicts repressed

Question 14

Psychosexual stages

genital

Answer 14

└conscious sexual desires

Question 15

consequence of unresolved conflict

oral

Answer 15

Oral fixation

└nail biting, smoking

Question 16

consequence of unresolved conflict

anal

Answer 16

Anal retentive
└perfectionist
Anal expulsive
└messy

Question 17

consequence of unresolved conflict

phallic

Answer 17

Phallic personality
└reckless
└homosexual

Question 18

consequence of unresolved conflict

genital

Answer 18

└difficulty forming heterosexual relationships

Question 19

Defence mechanisms

list

Answer 19

Repression
Denial
Displacement

Question 20

Repression

Answer 20

forcing distressing memory out of conscious mind

Question 21

Denial

Answer 21

refusing to acknowledge an aspect of reality

Question 22

Displacement

Answer 22

transferring feelings from true source of distress to substitute target

Question 23

Psychodynamic approach

strengths

Answer 23

Practical application 
└psychoanalysis
  └e.g. hypnosis, dream analysis
  └access unconscious 
  └good for mild neurosis
  └harmful for schizophrenia etc.  

Explanatory power
└dominant force in psychology for first half 20th century along with behaviourism
└explains phenomena
└personality development
└gender
└draws connection to childhood experiences and later development

Question 24

Psychodynamic approach

limitations

Answer 24

Case study method
└Freuds theory bases on single individuals
└e.g. Little hans
└subjective recordings
  └lack of scientific rigour 

Unstable concepts
└Kar Popper
└psychodynamic approach doesn’t meet scientific criteria of falsification
└not open to empirical testing (can’t be disproved)
└concepts occur at unconscious level so impossible to test
└e.g. id and Oedipus complex
└pseudoscience > real science