Psychodynamic Perspective Flashcards
Who was Sigmund Freud?
He was a doctor in Vienna in the late 19th and 20th century. He specialised I’m nervous disorders. His work fits in development psychology and is also theory of psychodynamics.
What does Freud suggest?
- that we all have an unconscious mind which is very powerful in our lives
- our behaviours are determined by our past experiences which have been stored in the unconscious mind
- we are engaged in a constant struggle with our feelings and behaviour
What does Freud mean by libido?
Rather than ‘sexual urges’ he meant ‘life force’ or something close to that. E.g.
Eros- the Life Instinct: the preservation and enjoyment of life
Thanatos- the Death Instinct: this is most commonly directed out towards other people as aggression/anger
Eros and Thanatos come together to make up the ‘libido’
What is catharsis?
A way to give in to our desires without fully acting on them
What’s an example of catharsis for aggression?
Violent video games/TV/movies
Biting someone’s head off(not literally)
Catharsis lowers aggression as it’s an outlet
