Psychodynamic Therapy

Question 1

Component: Dreams as wish fulfilment

Answer 1

All dreams unconscious fulfilment of things unable to be expressed in conscious

Dreams protect sleeper + allow expression of buried urges

Question 2

Component: Symbolic nature of dreams

Answer 2

Content of dreams expressed symbolically

Latent - Real meaning of dream

Manifest - Content experienced

E.g. Falling represents fear of losing control

However, Freud recognise not everything symbolic

Question 3

Component: Dreamwork

Answer 3

Latent transformed to manifest through dreamwork processes:

Representation - Thought translated to visual images

Condensation - One dream image represents several ideas

Symbolism - Symbol replaces idea e.g. gun represents penis

Question 4

Component: Role of therapist

Answer 4

Job = Reverse dreamwork processes

Decode manifest to latent

Offer various manifest interpretations

Question 5

Effectiveness: Methodological issues

Answer 5

Dream research conducted in sleep labs = low ecological validity

Dream/ Sleep may not be as authentic as when under normal conditions

Present confounding variables = Participants often sleep deprived, disrupts certain hormones etc..

So, results should be interpreted with caution

Question 6

Effectiveness: Subjective interpretation

Answer 6

Therapist uses subjective pov to interpret manifest content into latent

May be unreliable interpretations

Goes against scientific aims of psychology

Question 7

Ethics: False memory syndrome

Answer 7

False memories coming to light during dream analysis when therapist claims to unearth past trauma

Affects patients identity + relationships

Therapist authority figure so patients believe interpretations

Psychologically harms patient

Question 8

Ethics: Emotional harm

Answer 8

Therapist uncovers interpretation that emotionally distresses patient

Causes more stress than stress because of clients current problems

However, is this necessary for patient to fully recover?