Psychodynamic approach outline

Question 1

THE ROLE OF THE UNCONCIOUS

Answer 1

Unconscious mind is the driving force behind our behaviour
Contains vast store of innate biological drives and basic instincts
It protects the conscious self with defence mechanisms (e.g. from past trauma–> not easily accessible)
Conflict during development of psychosexual stages —> fixation (resides in unconscious mind)
Accessed though symbolism in dreams, slips of tongue, creativity

Preconscious –> thoughts and memories (currently not consciously aware but can be accessed)
Conscious –> what we are aware of

Question 2

THE STRUCTURE OF PERSONALITY

Answer 2

A tripartite structure (3 parts)
Conflicts in childhood shape the development of 3 parts and affect behaviour.

The ID:
Principle: pleasure principle
Purpose: immediate gratification
Age: 0 – 18 months
Where operates: unconscious mind

The EGO:
Principle: reality principle
Purpose: reduce conflict between ID and SUPEREGO
Age: 18 months – 3 years
Where operates: conscious and preconscious

The SUPEREGO:
Principle: morality principle
Purpose: sense of right and wrong
Age: 3 years - 6 years
Based on: parental and societal values
Where operates: preconscious/unconscious level

Question 3

DEFENCE MECHANISMS

Answer 3

Why they exist: help ego manage conflict between the Id and the SUPEREGO to prevent getting overwhelmed
Why problematic: overuse –> mental health problems

Repression: unconscious defence mechanism employed by ego to keep disturbing or threatening thoughts from becoming conscious
Denial: refusal to accept reality –> block external events from awareness
Displacement: projection of emotions onto powerless substitute

Question 4

PSYCHOSEXUAL STAGES
Stage, age, pleasure zone, primary activity, cause of fixation, result of fixation
.

Answer 4

1. ORAL; (0-1y); mouth; taste, sucking; deprival of love & food; smoke, bite nails, chew gum
2. ANAL; (1-3yrs); anus; pee, poop; toilet training; obsessiveness, mean, tidy, rigidity
3. PHALLIC; (3-5 yrs); genitals; excessive attachment to other sex parent; no father/dominant mother, self-obsession, sexual anxiety, envy, pride
4. LATENCY; (6-12yrs); no pleasure zone; friendship, sports, hobbies; /; /
5. GENITAL; (12yrs/puberty-adulthood); conscious sexual desire; sexual attraction begins; / ; difficulty forming heterosexual friendships

Question 5

Oedipus conflict

Answer 5

phallic stage
Boys unconsciously are attracted to their mum and father is seen as rival; boys feel castration anxiety (punishment from father); solution: boys repress feelings for mother and identify with father –> adopt his gender role and moral code

Question 6

Girls penis envy / Electra complex

Answer 6

phallic stage
penis envy –> they desire their father as the penis is primary love object; hate mother (Electra complex) ; give up desire for father and replace with desire for baby; identify with mother

Question 7

Case study of Little Hans – support for Oedipus complex

Answer 7

Little Hans (5y) –> phobia of horses –> Freud analysed this as a displacement of Hans’ unconscious fear of his father whom he saw as a rival for his mother’s affection.
Hans had dreams e.g. giraffe –> reflection of Oedipus desires and conflicts
with Freud’s guidance and his father’s involvement he overcame his phobia –> 19 y Hans came to Freund to read case history –> and he couldn’t remember –> Freud concluded it is in the unconscious