psychodynamic approach - assumptions

Question 1

what is the first assumption of the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 1

the influence of childhood experiences :
- Freud believed that childhood experiences shape our adult personality
- he proposed that psychological development happens in 5 stages of psychosexual development; oral, anal, phallic, latency, genital
- problems at any stage can lead to fixation at the body part associated with that stage

Question 2

how does fixation occur?

Answer 2

frustration - when the stage has not been resolved because needs have not been met
overindulgence - when the needs of the child have been more than satisfied and the child feels reluctant to move to the next stage
- fixation can lead to problems in adulthood

Question 3

what are the ages associated with the psychosexual stages?

Answer 3

oral : 0-18 months
anal : 18 months - 3 years
phallic : 3-5 years
latency : 5 years - puberty
genital : puberty onwards

Question 4

what is the second assumption of the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 4

the unconscious mind :
-Freud proposed our minds are like icebergs, with much of our thoughts and emotions hidden beneath the surface
- the conscious mind is logical thoughts and perceptions
- the unconscious mind is not logical and it is ruled by pleasure seeking, we cannot access it directly but it expresses itself indirectly in our dreams or slips of tongue

Question 5

what are some examples of the contents of the conscious, preconscious and unconscious?

Answer 5

• conscious : thoughts and perceptions
• preconscious : memories and stored knowledge
• unconscious : fears, unacceptable sexual desires, violent motives, selfish needs

Question 6

what are the ways of accessing the unconscious?

Answer 6

• dream analysis
• Rorschach inkblot test
• word association

Question 7

what is the third assumption of the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 7

the tripartite personality :
- the ID, ego and superego all pull us in different directions
- the ID : unconscious, impulsive, present at birth, demands immediate satisfaction, aims to gain pleasure and gratification
- the ego : conscious, rational, develops around 2 years old, works out ways of balancing the demands of the ID
- the superego : develops around 4 years old, embodies the sense of right and wrong, seeks to perfect our behaviour, learned through identification with parents and others

Question 8

what is the effect of the conflict between the tripartite personality?

Answer 8

the ego protects itself through devices, which can cause disturbed behaviour if overused;
- regression : retreating to an earlier developmental stage
- displacement : putting feelings onto someone or something else
- projection : undesirable thoughts are assigned to someone else
- repression : pushing painful things far down so they are forgotten about

Question 9

how can one psychodynamic assumption be applied to relationship formation?

Answer 9

the importance of childhood experiences :
- relationship between the child and their primary care giver (PCG), which would have been the mother at the time these theories were being written
- Bowlby argued that it’s vital for children to form strong, secure attachments during the oral stage
- inconsistent or neglectful parenting will lead to an insecure attachment
- a secure attachment will lead to more friends at school, secure and stable romantic relationships as adults
- an insecure attachment will lead to problems in friendships and antisocial behaviour at school, an avoidance of intimacy in romantic relationships or being overly clingy
- if no attachment is formed, this will lead to affectionless psychopathy