The Psychoanalytic Perspective

Question 1

Roots of the Psychoanalytic Perspective

Answer 1

Darwin: idea that people share characteristics with animals
Helmholtz: conservation of energy ideas
Victorian Europe: reaction to conservatism, that it was taboo

Question 2

Basic themes of the Psychoanalytic Perspective

Answer 2

1. Personality is dynamic and a set of processes always in motion
2. Need for defenses, to protect self from threat
3. Importance of sex and aggression
4. Human experience is suffused with lust
5. Perspective is highly metaphorical

Question 3

Salient characteristics

Answer 3

1. personality develops at a very early age, 5-6 years old and remains constant
2. importance of conflict
3. mind = your personality

Question 4

Topographical model

Answer 4

iceberg model which consists of:
1. conscious: part of your mind holding what you are aware of (thoughts)
2. preconscious: the things that you can easily bring into your conscious (memories)
3. unconscious: the part of the mind that isn’t as accessible (fears, immoral urges, violent motives)

Question 5

Structural model

Answer 5

Id- it’s purpose is to get immediate in anyway possible, the id doesn’t care how the desires are fulfilled
Ego- Tries to make sure that the id’s impulses are expressed effectively
Superego- uses Parental/societal values to try to guide the ego to perfection

Question 6

Pleasure principle

Answer 6

true purpose of life is the IMMEDIATE satisfaction of ALL needs

Question 7

Primary process of the Id

Answer 7

when the id wants something it forms a mental image of desired object

Question 8

Wish-fulfillment

Answer 8

the act of forming that image

Question 9

Problem with Id

Answer 9

-Id doesn’t care how needs are met
-Can be irrational, reckless, immoral
-Doesn’t differentiate between objective and subjective reality

Question 10

Reality principle

Answer 10

Takes into account the external world, and fulfills impulse needs in a safe, appropriate way

Question 11

Secondary process

Answer 11

process of finding a match between image of needed object

Question 12

Reality testing

Answer 12

when you weigh the risk of action before acting, if the risk is too high you find another way to meet your desires

Question 13

Major purpose of the ego

Answer 13

delay of gratification

Question 14

Rider/horse analogy

Answer 14

the id is the horse and the ego is the rider which determine the goal and guides the horse

Question 15

Role of introjection

Answer 15

absorbing the values of your parents

Question 16

Two systems

Answer 16

ego ideal- consists of rules about good behavior
conscience- consists of rules about bad and prohibited behavior

Question 17

Major purpose of the superego

Answer 17

forces the ego to to act morally, rather than just rationally and guides the person towards perfection

Question 18

Balancing forces—ego strength

Answer 18

Must release tension immediately (id demand) in a way that is socially and morally acceptable (superego demand) and realistic (external environment)

Question 19

Basic assumption made about energy

Answer 19

-People are complex energy systems
-Your born with an amount of energy that stays constant throughout your life
-not physical energy, psychic energy

Question 20

Cathexes

Answer 20

is energy investment into something

Question 21

3 different types of Cathexes

Answer 21

Object cathexis= investment in an image
Ego cathexis = investment in a real thing
Anti-cathexis = investment of energy to contain id impulses from acting in irrational/immoral ways (repression)

Question 22

Drive/Instincts

Answer 22

Life/sexual (EROS) instincts-
your drive and desire to partake in pleasure, reproduction, and survival
- the purpose of this instinct is that it drives you to partake is desirable human activities
- Libido: sexual desire/ drive

death instincts (THANATOS)-
your purpose in life is death.
Apoptosis - programmed cell death

Question 23

Catharsis

Answer 23

The release of emotional tension when the built up tension of the Id is so great that it can’t be contained any longer.

Tension reduction- when you engage is aggression you releases and reduces the tension

Question 24

Anxiety and mechanisms of defense

Answer 24

Reality- where you get anxious about something in real life (conscious)

Neurotic- The fear that the Id impulse will be so great that you can’t control it (conscious, unconscious)

moral- the fear that you might disappoint your parents, have or will go against your moral code (conscious, unconscious)

Question 25

defense mechanisms

Answer 25

repression
surpression
denial
projection
rationalization
intellectualization
reaction formation
displacement
sublimation

Question 26

repression

Answer 26

keep unacceptable impulses out of consciousness. Repression is unconscious suppression is conscious.

Question 27

denial

Answer 27

A refusal to believe an external event took place or a condition exists

Question 28

projection

Answer 28

Applying your own unacceptable qualities to someone else

Question 29

rationalization

Answer 29

Finding a somewhat believable but incorrect explanation for an unacceptable action or event

Question 30

intellectualization

Answer 30

Process of thinking about something clinically and without emotion

Question 31

reaction formation

Answer 31

Replacing an unacceptable impulse with its
opposite

Question 32

displacement

Answer 32

Shifts an impulse from one target to
Another less threatening target

Question 33

sublimation

Answer 33

(most mature) Transforms the impulse into a
more socially acceptable form

Question 34

Problems with Psychoanalytic perspective

Answer 34

-The theory is very hard to test
-Defense mechanisms are very flexible and therefore making predictions is hard
-The is a very small sample case which could lead to bias