Psychodynamic Perspective

Question 1

Freud believed that ‘the ___ was the ______ to the ___’

Answer 1

‘The boy was the father to the man’

Question 2

What is the main assumption of the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 2

That early experiences in childhood affect the development of adult personality

Question 3

What are the assumptions of the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 3

• That early experiences in childhood affect the development of adult personality
• That our behaviour as an adult is the product of unconscious thoughts, conflicts and desires that motivate our behaviour
• Our behavioural output is a result of the ‘ego’ part of our unconscious personality, which battles it out between the ‘id’ and ‘superego’ parts

Question 4

Through what stages does Freud say people develop?

Answer 4

Psychosexual stages

Question 5

Explain what happens during psychosexual stages?

Answer 5

Certain body parts are particularly sensitive to sexual (physical) stimulation, and the child’s libido is focused on:

• the mouth (oral stage)
• the anus (anal stage)
• genital region (phallic stage)

Question 6

What can frustration during psychosexual stages result in?

Answer 6

Fixation - some of the child’s libido remains permanently locked into one stage and the method of obtaining satisfaction that characterised the stage will dominate their adult personality

Question 7

What would the result be if a person was frustrated during the oral stage of psychosexual development?

Answer 7

They would become an oral aggressive character, characterised by pessimism, envy and suspicion

Question 8

What would the result be if a person was overindulged during the oral stage of psychosexual development?

Answer 8

They would become an oral receptive character, characterised by optimism, gullability and admiration for others

Question 9

What would the result be if a person was frustrated during the anal stage of psychosexual development?

Answer 9

They would become an anal retentive character, who is neat, stingy and stubborn

Question 10

What would the result be if a person was overindulged during the anal stage of psychosexual development?

Answer 10

They would become an anal expulsive character, who is disorganised, reckless an defiant

Question 11

Explain where in the psychosexual stages of development a person is stuck in/overindulged in if they are orally aggressive.

Answer 11

Frustrated during oral stage

Question 12

Explain where in the psychosexual stages of development a person is stuck in/overindulged in if they are orally receptive.

Answer 12

Overindulgence during oral stage

Question 13

Explain where in the psychosexual stages of development a person is stuck in/overindulged in if they are anal retentive.

Answer 13

Frustrated during anal stage.

Question 14

Explain where in the psychosexual stages of development a person is stuck in/overindulged in if they are anal expulsive.

Answer 14

Overindulgence during anal stage.

Question 15

What 3 parts of the personality did Freud say we all have?

Answer 15

• The id
• The superego
• The ego

Question 16

What is the id?

Answer 16

Demands immediate satisfaction and is ruled by the pleasure principle. It’s the irrational, primitive part of the personality.

Question 17

What does the ego need to balance out?

Answer 17

The conflict between the id and the superego

Question 18

What is the ego?

Answer 18

Conscious, rational part of the personality

Question 19

What is the superego?

Answer 19

Morality principle

Question 20

How does the ego balance out the conflict between the id and the superego?

Answer 20

Using defence mechanisms to reduce anxiety created by conflict

Question 21

Explain the defence mechanism of projection.

Answer 21

Projecting internal feelings onto someone else

Question 22

In simple statements, what are the strengths of the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 22

• Less reductionist than other explanations for abnormal behaviours as it treats patients as individuals with their own childhood experiences leading to individual behavioural differences
• Useful applications as psychotherapy evolves impacting counselling and psychiatry

Question 23

In simple statements, what are the weaknesses of the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 23

• Difficult to test scientifically (non-falsifiable)

- Case study method uses unrepresentative samples so results can’t be generalised

Question 24

Give PEC for ‘useful applications’ being a strength of the psychodynamic approach.

Answer 24

P - Many useful applications with therapy of psychoanalysis
E - Thigpen and Cleckley proved psychoanalysis worked on Eve White, who resolved childhood conflicts and was left with only one
C - Shows less invasive therapy is successful but still may need drugs and a more holistic approach.

Question 25

Give PEC for ‘less reductionist’ being a strength of the psychodynamic approach.

Answer 25

P - less reductionist as each individual has different childhood experiences thus different behaviours
E - unresolved conflicts caused Hans’ phobia from castration fear but with others, it might be another anxiety that leads to different phobia development.
C - Also suggest that it rules out explanations such as phobias being result of classical conditioning, associating a negative response with a stimulus.

Question 26

Give PEC for ‘case studies’ being a limitation of the psychodynamic approach.

Answer 26

P - Provide unrepresentative samples
E - Freud’s study based on only on one boy’s experience; no other boys tested
C - Conclusions are based on small samplse which cannot be generalised so the theory may only apply to a small number of individuals