Psychodynamic Theory Flashcards
What is the conscious mind?
The small amount of small mental activity that we know about
What is the unconscious mind?
Things we are aware of and can’t beware of
What is dream analysis?
‘The royal road to the unconscious’ (manifest and latent content)
What is free association?
Exploring unconscious but spontaneous word association
What are Rochards ink blocks?
Subjects are recorded and analysed using psychological interpretation
What is the structure of the personality?
Freud’s personality theory saw the pysche structured into three parts
- ID
- Super Ego
- Ego
What is the ID?
The pleasure seeking part of the personality
What is the Ego?
The sensible and logical part of the personality
What is the super ego?
Really uptight,usually developed through the same sex parent. Punishes the ego
Who came up with the psychodynamic theory?
Freud
Name 3 ways in which the unconscious motivations can be assessed?
Dream analysis
Free association
Ink Blots
Name one way in which Freud theory can be said to be unscientific?
Hasn’t got any evidence
Totally subjective
No scientific methodology
What was the determinism in how you act due to unconscious drives?
Psychic Determinism
What object can the unconscious and conscious mind be compared to? And why?
Iceberg
Most of your unconscious motivations are underneath the surface
How does the ego balance potential conflict between the ID and the super ego, and try to reduce anxiety?
Defence Mechanisms
When does your unconscious develop?
Childhood
What is Oedipus Complex?
When the boy wants his mother as his primary ‘love object’ and his father out of the way
What are the psychosexual stages?
The oral stage The anal stage The Phallic stage The latency stage Genital stage
What is the age range for the oral stage?
0-1 years
What is the Erogenous Zone for the oral stage?
Mouth
What are the consequences of unresolved conflict of the oral stage?
Orally aggressive
Orally Receptive
What are the features of being orally aggressive?
Hostile
Verbally abusive to others
What are the features of being Orally Retentive?
Possessive
Needy
Sensitive to rejection
What age range is the Anal Stage?
1-3 years approx
What Erogenous Zone is the Anal Stage?
Anus
What are the consequences of unresolved conflict in the anal stage?
Anal Retentive
Anal Expulsive
What are the features to being Anal Retentive?
- compulsive seeking order to be tidy
- stubborn
- perfectionist
What are the features to being Anal Expulsive?
- opposite of retentive
- careless
- messy
- lack of control
What age range is the phallic stage?
3-5 years approx
What Erogenous Zone is the Phallic Stage?
Genitalia
What is the Electra Complex?
- Girls experience penis envy
- They desire their father as the penis is the primary love object and want their mother gone
What age range is the latency stage?
6 to puberty
What Erogenous Zone is the Latency stage?
Dormant Sexual Feelings
What age range is the Genital Stage?
Puberty to adulthood
What erogenous zone is the genital stage?
Genitals but not to same extent as phallic stage.
What are the consequences of unresolved conflict in the genital stage?
Difficulty forming heterosexual relationships
What are defence mechanisms?
Unconscious strategies used by the ego to manage anxiety by redirecting psychic energy
What are the three defence mechanisms?
Denial
Displacement
Repression
What is Denial?
Defence mechanism where a threatening thought is ignored or treated as of it is not true
What is displacement?
Defence mechanism where emotions are redirected away from their source or target,towards something else
What is repression?
Defence mechanism which involves burying an unpleasant thought into the unconscious
What are some strengths to this theory?
Led to effective therapies
Case study methodology
Psychic determinism
What are some weaknesses to this theory?
Can’t be used for some mental disorders
Lack of scientific methodology
Can’t be generalised (case studies)
Doesn’t allow for free will
