Textbook Chapter 3 Flashcards
Freud
Austrian neurologist
first acknowledged personality theorist
his work has changed the thinking of psychologists, writers, parents, and laypeople even today
example of Freudian theory in common speech
“I must’ve done that unconsciously”
^idea that sometimes what we do is influenced by unconscious forces
Freudian terms in our language
Freudian slips
denial
libido
repression
Freud was first interested in…
hypnosis
worked under Charcot and Breuer
they used hypnosis to aid physiological and hysterical symptoms
hysteria
disorder consisting of various physical symptoms
ie. blindness, deafness, inability to walk or use an arm
Anna O
set direction of Freud’s career
had hysterical symptoms:
- paralyzed left arm
- hallucinations
- could only speak in English even though native tongue was German
under hypnosis, she’d talk about daydreams and hallucinations and past trauma ie. her dying father
after her session, paralysis was gone and she could speak German again
although Freud used hypnosis to treat Anna O…
Freud became disillusioned with it
discovered that even without hypnosis, under certain circumstances, patients could describe PREVIOUSLY HIDDEN MATERIAL seemingly related to cause/cure of their hysterical symptoms
birth of free association
after Anna O
Freud realized that even without hypnosis
under certain circumstances
patients could describe previously hidden material seemingly related to the CAUSE/CURE of their hysterical symptoms
many memories discovered under free association are…
sexually traumatic
because many memories Freud first discovered via free association were sexually traumatic, Freud concluded…
EARLY SEXUAL EXPERIENCES were responsible for hysterical symptoms
did Freud’s ideas about sexuality do well?
not at first
Victorian Europe was scandalized by his focus on infantile sexuality and omnipresent sexual motives
gradually his ideas gained support and international recognition
divisions in Freud’s topographic model
conscious
preconscious
unconscious
topographic model: conscious
thoughts you’re currently aware of
material changes constantly as new thoughts enter your mind and as others pass out of awareness
only a tiny percentage of your mind
topographic model: preconscious
stuff currently not on your mind but that you could recall
ie. your mom’s phone number, what you had for breakfast, your fav high school teacher
large body of retrievable info
topographic model: unconscious
vast majority of thoughts
most important to psychoanalysis
material to which you have no immediate access
can’t bring unconscious thoughts into consciousness except under extreme situations
but is responsible for much of your everyday behaviour
is the basis of “abnormal behaviour”
Freud’s structural model components
divides personality into:
id
ego
superego
id
at birth, only the id is present
the selfish part of you
id is only concerned with
satisfying personal desires
id acts based on the _________ principle
pleasure
pleasure principle
what the id acts on
id is only concerned with what brings IMMEDIATE PERSONAL SATISFACTION
regardless of physical or social limitations
id impulses are event present, but…
are held in check by the other parts of healthy adult personality
what does the id use to satisfy what it wants?
wish fulfillment
wish fulfillment
ie. “if a baby is hungry and doesn’t see food nearby, the id imagines the food and thereby at least temporarily satisfies the need”
id impulses center on themes of…
sexuality
aggression
ego is based on the _______ principle
reality
reality principle
primary job of the ego is to satisfy id impulses in a way that’s socially acceptable
ego’s job
keep threatening id impulses in the unconscious
ego moves freely…
among the conscious, pre-conscious and unconscious parts of the mind
how does the ego try to satisfy the wants of the id?
in a way that considers the CONSEQUENCES of the action
when does the superego form?
5 years old
what does the superego represent?
society’s (particularly parents’) values and standards
it places more restrictions on what we can and can’t do
primary weapon of the superego
guilt
$5 bill - interplay of id, ego and superego
you see a $5 bill. your id wants it.
ego is aware of problems stealing may cause, so may think of a way to steal it stealthily.
but your superego won’t allow the sneaky action - stealing is a violation of the MORAL CODE, even if you don’t get caught.
what does the superego provide for the ego?
the IDEALS the ego uses to determine if a behaviour is virtuous and therefore worthy of praise
moral anxiety
when the superego is too developed
super-moral
has impossible standards of perfection
underdeveloped superegos result in…
stealing and lying
the id, ego and superego are in…
conflict
they’re at odds
in healthy individuals…
strong ego doesn’t allow the ID or SUPEREGO too much control over personality
three components represented by the id, ego and superego
id: desire for indulgence
ego: concern for reality
superego: enforcement of strict moral code
to Freud, human behaviour is motivated by…
strong internal forces/drives/instincts
aka Triebe
triebe
the strong internal forces/drives/instincts that motivate human behaviour
2 major categories of instincts
- libido
- thanatos
libido
life or sexual instinct
thanatos
death or aggressive instinct
can the two instincts combine?
yes
results in our behaviour being motivated by erotic and aggressive motives
Freud attributed most behaviour to which instinct?
libido: life/sexual instinct
used in broad sense: behaviour with obvious erotic content but also actions broadly aimed at creating pleasure
death instinct is usually turned…
outward
and expressed as aggression towards others
Freud believed in _______ energy
limited
wanted to help patients release unconscious impulses being held in check
because holding them uses energy
freeing them would open up energy for daily functioning
themes of the unconscious
hatred of one’s parents
aggression towards one’s spouse
incestuous thoughts
memories of childhood trauma
neurotic anxiety
vague feelings of anxiety sparked by sensation that unacceptable unconscious thoughts are about to burst into conscious awareness
when unconscious thoughts are about to burst into conscious awareness…
feel a vague anxiety
called neurotic anxiety
ego uses ________ ____________ to deal with unwanted thoughts and desires
defense mechanisms
cornerstone on which the whole structure of psychoanalysis rests
repression
the most important defense mechanism
repression
repression
active effort by ego
to push threatening material out of consciousness
to keep that material from ever entering consciousness
everyone has repressions - material in our unconscious mind we’d rather not bring into awareness
cost of repression
requires ego to CONSTANTLY expend energy
drains our energy to function
the most productive defense mechanism
sublimation
sublimation
ego channels threatening unconscious impulses into SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE actions
ie. sublimating aggressive impulses into playing football
productive because id is allowed to express its aggression
so ego doesn’t have to tie up energy holding back the impulses
and athlete is ADMIRED for aggressive play
with sublimation, unlike repression, the more…
more we use sublimation
more productive we become
often referred to as the only truly successful defense mechanism
all defense mechanisms are guided by…
the ego
displacement
channeling our impulses on NON-THREATENING objects/individuals
unlike sublimation, displaced impulses…
don’t lead to social rewards
ie. result of spousal abuse, someone carries around a lot of unconscious anger - and directs it towards coworkers/her children instead of her spouse
many _____ ____/_____ are merely symbolic displacements
irrational fears/phobias
ie. fear of horses expressed by child are really displaced fear of father
denial
refusal to accept that certain facts exist
insist something isn’t true despite all evidence
ie. setting table for dead wife because you refuse to accept she’s dead
the more we use denial…
the less in touch with reality we become
and the more difficulty we have functioning
reaction formation
hiding from a threatening unconscious idea or urge by ACTING IN MANNER OPPOSITE to our unconscious desires
ie. young woman who constantly tells people how much she loves her mother may be masking strong unconscious hatred for her mother
intellectualization
ego handles threatening material by REMOVING THE EMOTIONAL CONTENT from the thought before allowing it into awareness
considering something in a purely intellectual, unemotional manner
intellectualization allows us to bring…
previously difficult thoughts into consciousness without anxiety
intellectualization example
woman imagines her husband in a bad car accident and tells herself she’s doing this to ponder the importance of wearing seatbelts
psychoanalysts would say she holds unconscious hostility towards her spouse
projection
attributing unconscious impulses to OTHER PEOPLE instead of to ourselves
free ourselves from perception that we’re the one who actually holds this thought
projection example
ie. woman who thinks everyone in her neighbourhood is committing adultery
may be harbouring sexual desires for the unmarried man living next door
displacement example
fear of horses expressed by child is really displaced fear of father
sublimation example
sublimating aggressive tendencies into playing football
id releases aggression, ego doesn’t have to tie up energy holding back the impulses, and athlete is admired for aggressive play
denial example
setting table for dead wife because refuse to accept she’s dead
Freud argued that adult personalities are heavily impacted by…
what happens to us during the…
first 5 or 6 years of life
during first 5-6 years of life…
children progress through developmental stages
chief characteristics of each stage = the PRIMARY EROGENOUS ZONE
each stage influences the adult personality
what happens if someone struggles to move through a developmental stage?
FIXATION
fixation
the tying up of psychic energy
results when one struggles to move through a particular stage/wants to stay there
leaves adult with less energy available for normal functioning
express behaviour characteristics of the stage where the energy is fixated
how many defense mechanisms are there?
seven
the seven defense mechanisms
- repression
- sublimation
- denial
- projection
- reaction formation
- intellectualization
- displacement
oral stage
first 18th months of life
mouth, lips, tongue = primary erogenous zones of pleasure
oral stage: what results in fixation
traumatic weaning/feeding problems
results in development of an ORAL PERSONALITY
anal stage
enter at about 18 months of life
anal region = erogenous zone
anal stage: what results in fixation
time when kids are toilet trained
traumatic toilet training can lead to anal personality
can be orderly, stubborn or generous depending on how training went
phallic stage
ages 3-6
penis/clitoris becomes most important erogenous zone
oedipus complex
oedipus complex
Freud argued that kids this age develop sexual attraction for the opposite sex parent
boys: castration anxiety
girls: penis envy
eventually desire for opposite-sex parent is repressed
reaction formation: they come to identify with the same-sex parent
castration anxiety
part of oedipus complex occurring ages 3-6 during phallic stage
fear their father will discover their desire for their mother
and cut off their penis
penis envy
part of oedipus complex occurring ages 3-6 during phallic stage
desire to have a penis
feelings of inferiority/jealousy because of its absence
what happens to desire for same-sex parent?
it gets repressed
reaction formation: they come to identify with the same-sex parent
important functions of the oedipus complex
- IDENTIFY with same-sex parent
- take on masculine or feminine characteristics - adopt parents VALUES/STANDARDS which paves way for emergence of SUPEREGO
do Oedipal urges ever go away?
no, they’re just repressed
latency stage
sexual desires abate during these years
boys and girls fairly disinterested in each other
boys play with boys, girls play with girls
genital stage
puberty
erogenous urges return
focused on adult genital regions
genital stage: normal sexual function as long as…
as long as large amounts of libido aren’t fixated at earlier stages
unconscious impulses don’t disappear when pushed out of consciousness…
they’re often expressed in disguised/altered form
dreams are often called
“the royal road to the unconscious”
dreams provide id impulses…
with a stage for expression
dreams are a type of…
wish fulfilment
our dreams represent the things we desire
believe trained psychoanalysts could identify many common dream symbols
manifest and latent content
manifest content:
- what dreamer sees and remembers
latent content:
- what is really being said
vast majority of dream symbols are…
sexual
projective tests
present test takers with ambiguous stimuli
asks them to respond by identifying objects, telling a story, drawing a picture
ie. game of finding images in cloud formations
projective tests: where do our interpretations come from?
Freud would say they’re projections of the material in the perceiver’s unconscious mind
free association
take a few minds to clear mind
then allow whatever comes to mind to enter
say whatever, even if surprising or embarrassing
“strange, uncensored ideas flowing through your awareness…may be experiencing free association”
free association temporarily bypasses…
censoring mechanism the ego usually employs
slipping ego’s roadblocks and obstacles
is free association easy?
it isn’t easy
ego has invested considerable energy into repressing threatening thoughts
Freudian slips
“your mind is really your “breast” feature”
they represent unconscious associations that momentarily slip out
ie. the husband who calls his wife by her maiden name accidentally may unconsciously wish he’d never married this woman”
hypnosis
more to human mind than what we can bring into awareness
believed ego was somehow put into a SUSPENDED STATE during deep hypnotic trance
allows hypnotist to bypass ego and get directly to unconscious material
hypnosis drawback
not everyone is responsive to hypnotic suggestion
accidents
ie. arguing with a friend and you “accidentally” knock something off a shelf
many apparent accidents are in fact INTENTIONAL actions stemming from unconscious impulses
accidents: resistance
consciously, people believe they made an accident
but unconsciously, there’s been a deliberate effort to commit the misdeed
accidents: things aren’t… they’re …
unintended
they’re not CONSCIOUSLY intended
symbolic behaviour
daily behaviours interpreted as symbolic reps of unconscious desires
pose no threat to ego because they AREN’T PERCEIVED FOR WHAT THEY ARE
they allow for the expression of unconscious impulses
symbolic behaviour allow for…
expression of unconscious impulses
example of symbolic behaviour
ie. daisy doormat purchased for mother by a son who dislikes her
mom’s fav flower is a daisy
he enjoys stomping his feet on the mat everyday
psychoanalysis is a kind of…
psychotherapy
primary goal of psychoanalysis
bring crucial unconscious material into consciousness where it can be examined rationally
psychoanalytic therapist is like a…
detective
must evaluate cryptic messages about underlying cause of disorder
as client unconsciously works to mislead/frustrate them
psychoanalysis length
lengthy process
several hour long sessions a week for several years
Freud cautioned that therapists shouldn’t reveal true meanings too soon
why did Freud caution that therapists shouldn’t reveal true meanings too soon?
because early insight could be threatening for an unprepared ego
could cause the construction of new/stronger unconscious defenses
psychoanalysis: one of the first signs that therapy is progressing
resistance
ie. clients want to end therapy because they don’t think it’s helping
indication that client & therapist are getting closer to desired material
threatened ego is attempting to defend against approaching demise of its defenses
transference
emotions associated with people from past situations are displaced onto therapist
unleashing of unconscious emotions and previously undelivered speeches onto therapist
counter-transference
when therapists displace their own feelings toward other individuals onto the client
does psychoanalysis work?
recent reviews of carefully designed studies
find evidence that psychoanalytic therapies are often effective when treating many psych disorders
but they’re very controversial and met with heavy skepticism
psychoanalysis has unique methods…
because its sought material is unconscious and locked away
bypass direct reports altogether
use projective tests
ambiguous material of projective tests allows people to…
express pent up impulses
3 types of projective tests
- Rorschach inkblot test
- Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
- Human Figure Drawing Test
Rorschach inkblot test
consists of 10 cards
each with a blot of ink, sometimes in more than one colour
have to DESCRIBE WHAT ONE SEES in the inkblot
analysed using SEVERAL SCORING SYSTEMS
but most psychologists rely on PERSONAL INSIGHTS/INTUITION
Rorschach inkblot test reliability
unacceptably low indices of reliability
frequent failures to find evidence for test validity
“there is currently no scientific basis for justifying the use of Rorschach scales in psych research”
BUT newer coding systems = far more reliable than older ones
but you can’t really empirically demonstrate that a Rorschach test is accurate
thematic apperception test (TAT)
consists of series of ambiguous pictures
intentionally vague
asked to TELL A STORY about each one
who the people are, what’s going on, what’s led up to the scene, what the outcome will be
what the test taker sees PROVIDES CLUES to their PERSONALITY
thematic apperception test (TAT) reliability
relatively objective scoring procedures are used
human figure drawing test
ambiguous stimulus is a blank piece of paper
told to draw a pic for the psychologist
person, family or tree
typically view the person drawn by the test taker as SYMBOLIC REP OF THE SELF
strengths of Freud’s theory
Carl Jung said “Freud’s greatest achievement probably consisted in taking neurotic patients seriously”
Freud’s observations set direction for subsequent personality theory and research
Developed the first system of psychotherapy
Credited with popularizing and promoting important psych concepts ie. anxiety
criticisms of Freud’s theory
Might not be as original as it seems - evidence of earlier writing on the unconscious, erotic symbolism in dreams, etc.
- But Freud combined them in a single theory
Many hypotheses generated from his theory are not testable
- Criticisms of psychoanalytic diagnoses can be met with excuses like “oh, it’s repressed” or “that’s a reaction formation”
- If hypothesis cannot be unsupported, neither can it be truly supported
Heavy reliance on case study data - biased
- Freud’s patients hardly repped typical adults - came from wealthy and well-education European fams
- Were suffering psych disorders
- Also possible that Freud recognized & recorded only statements/behaviours that supported his theory
- He also could’ve caused his patients to say what he wanted to hear - in interpreting Dora’s dream, Freud wrote that “the dream confirmed what he already knew”
Freud’s idea of the goal of human behaviour
to reach a TENSIONLESS state
(intra-psychic conflict creates tension)
Freud’s healthy personality
one in which the ego controls id impulses and superego demands
through defense mechanisms
are defense mechanisms costly?
yes, use the ego’s energy
except for sublimation
Freudian methods
dream analysis
symbol interpretation
projective tests
free association
hypnosis
clues about unconscious feelings may be expressed in…
Freudian slips
accidents
symbolic behaviour
Freud developed the first system of…
psychotherapy
Freud’s 1900 book
The Interpretation of Dreams
what did Freud first enrol in?
medical school
then he began working in his instructor’s medical lab
but then he left and went into private practice
then won a grant and went to work with Charcot on hypnosis
Freud’s relationship with his parents
dad has several kids from an earlier marriage
but Sigmund’s mother was the apple of his ete
mother was very young when Freud was born
Freud and his mother formed a very close relationship
but his relationship with his father was cold and occasionally hostile
NOT HARD TO SEE ORIGINS OF OEDIPUS COMPLEX IN FREUD’S OWN LIFE
Freud and his father’s funeral
he arrived late
something he later said was unconsciously motivated
he struggled with feelings of guilt over his relationship with his father many years after his death
