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Approaches in Psychology > The Psychodynamic Approach > Flashcards

The Psychodynamic Approach Flashcards

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1
Q

What are defence mechanisms?

A

unconscious strategies that protect our conscious mind from anxiety. Defence mechanisms involve a distortion of reality in some way, so hat we are able to cope with the situation better.

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2
Q

Give 6 examples of defence mechanisms

A
  1. repression
  2. denial
  3. sublimation
  4. projection
  5. displacement
  6. regression
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3
Q

What is repression?

A

unconscious mechanism employed by the ego to keep disturbing or threatening thoughts from becoming conscious

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4
Q

Give an example of repression

A

during the Oedipus complex aggressive thoughts about the same sex parents are repressed

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5
Q

What is denial?

A

when we block external events from awareness. If a situation is just too much to handle, the person simply refuses to experience it

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6
Q

Give an example of denial

A

smokers may refuse to admit to themselves that smoking is bad for their health

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7
Q

What is projection?

A

when an individual attributes their own unacceptable thoughts, feelings and motives to another person

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8
Q

Give an example of projection

A

you might hate someone, but your superego tells you that such hatred is unacceptable. You can ‘solve’ the problem by believing that they hate you

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9
Q

What is displacement?

A

satisfying an impulse (e.g. aggression) with a substitute object

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10
Q

Give an example of displacement

A

someone who is frustrated by their boss at work may go home and shout at their partner

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11
Q

What is regression?

A

a movement back in psychological time when one is faced with stress

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12
Q

Give an example of regression

A

a child may begin to suck their thumb again when they need to spend some time in hospital

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13
Q

What is sublimation?

A

satisfying an impulse (e,g, aggression) with a substitute object - in a socially ACCEPTABLE way

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14
Q

Give an example of sublimation

A

boxing is an example of putting our emotions (e.g. aggression) into something constructive

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15
Q

What is psychoanalysis?

A

a term use to describe the personality theory and therapy associated with Sigmund Freud

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16
Q

What is psychodynamic?

A

refers to any theory that emphasises change and development in the individual, particularly those theories where ‘drive’ is a central concept in development

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17
Q

Give an example of a psychodynamic theory?

A

Freudian psychoanalysis

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18
Q

What is the unconscious?

A

the part of the human mind that contains repressed ideas and memories, as well as primitive desires and impulses that have never been allowed to enter the conscious mind

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19
Q

What are the 2 main drives we are driven by?

A

sex (eros) and aggression (thantanos)

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20
Q

According to the psychodynamic approach, what influences our behaviour?

A

the unconscious mind

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21
Q

Did Freud believe behaviour was determined by biological/psychological/environmental factors?

A

psychological factors

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22
Q

Can the conscious mind access the unconscious mind?

A

no, the unconscious is inaccessible to conscious thought

23
Q

Describe how the ‘iceberg analogy’ link to the mind

A 
the tip of the iceberg (visible) = conscious mind 
larger part (under water) = unconscious mind
24
Q

What, did Freud believe, controlled our everyday actions and behaviours?

A

not controlled consciously, but are the product of the unconscious mind

25
Q

How can the thoughts in the unconscious mind reveal itself?

A
  1. through Freudian slips (‘slip of the tongue’ phenomenon)
  2. creativity
  3. neurotic symptoms
26
Q

What are Freudian slips?

A

an unintentional error regarded as revealing subconscious feelings.

27
Q

Give an example of a Freudian slip, and explain why it happens

A

a child who accidentally calls their teacher “Mom” is simply transitioning from spending most of day with their mother to spending most of the day with their teacher.

28
Q

What did Freud divide the mind into?

A
  1. the id
  2. the ego
  3. the superego
29
Q

How do the 3 structures of the mind interact?

A

the ego mediates between the demands of the id and the demands of the superego

30
Q

What is the tripartite personality?

A
  1. the id
  2. the ego
  3. the superego
31
Q

Where does the ID operate? (and what does it contain?)

A
  • operates solely in the unconscious.
  • it contains the libido, the biological energy created by the reproductive instincts.
  • the id operates according to the the pleasure principle, i.e. it demands immediate gratification regardless of circumstances
32
Q

What is the role of the EGO?

A

the ego mediates between the impulsive demands of the id and the reality of the external world (the reality principle)

33
Q

What is the SUPEREGO divided into?

A

the conscience and the ego-ideal

34
Q

In the superego, what is the conscience - and what is its role?

A

the internalisation of societal rules - it determines which behaviours are permissible and causes feelings of guilt when rules are broken

35
Q

In the superego, what is the ego-deal - and what is its role?

A

what a person strives towards

36
Q

Give an example of a circumstance involving the ID

A

if a person is hungry, the id demands that they eat there and then

37
Q

Give an example of a circumstance involving the EGO

A

ego may delay gratifying the id until there is a more appropriate opportunity to satisfy its demands

38
Q

What does the ego compromise between?

A

the impulsive demands of the id and the moralistic demands of the superego

39
Q

How did Freud believe personality develops?

A

through a sequence of 5 stages - i.e. psychosexual stages

40
Q

Why are the 5 stages called ‘psychosexual stages’?

A

to emphasise that the most important driving force in development is the need to express sexual energy (libido)

41
Q

Why did Freud believed an individual experiences tension during the psychosexual stages?

A

because of the build up of this sexual energy and that pleasure only comes from its discharge `

42
Q

What are the 5 psychosexual stages, and when do they occur?

A
  1. oral stage (0-2 years)
  2. anal stage (2-3 years)
  3. phallic stage (3-6 years)
  4. latent stage (6 -12 years)
  5. genital stage (12+ years)
43
Q

Describe the oral stage

A

the mouth is the focal point of sensation and is the way in which the child expresses early sexual energy (e.g. through sucking or biting)

44
Q

Describe the anal stage

A

the beginnings of ego development, as the child becomes aware of the demands of reality and the need to conform to the demands of others. The major issue at this stage is toilet training as the child learns to control the explosion of bodily waste

45
Q

Describe the phallic stage

A

sexual energy is now focused on the genitals. The major conflict of this stage is the Oedipus complex in which the male child unconsciously wishes to possess their mother and get rid of their father. As a result of this desire, boys experience castration anxiety (punishment from the father), and in an attempt to resolve this problem, the child identifies with their father

46
Q

Describe the latent stage

A

the child develops their mastery of the world around them. During this stage, the conflicts and issues of the previous stages are repressed with the consequence that children are unable to remember much of their early years

47
Q

Describe the genital stage

A

the culmination of psychosexual development and the fixing of sexual energy in the genitals. This eventually directs us towards sexual intercourse and the beginnings of adult life

48
Q

What are the 5 PEEL evaluation points for the psychodynamic approach?

A
  1. a pioneering approach to understanding human behaviour
  2. scientific support for the psychoanalytic approach
  3. psychoanalysis is a gender-biased approach
  4. psychoanalysis is a culture-biased approach
  5. psychoanalysis: a comprehensive theory
49
Q

What is the PEEL evaluation paragraph for the psychodynamic approach evaluation point; a pioneering approach to understanding human behaviour

A

P - the development of psychoanalysis as an explanation of human behaviour represented a dramatic shift in psychological thinking
E - it suggested new methodical procedures for gathering evidence (case studies) and the development of the approach was based on observations of behaviours rather than relying on introspection
E - from these observations, Freud and his followers were the first to demonstrate the potential of psychological, rather then biological, treatments for disorder such as depression and anxiety
L - this approach has led to successful treatments; for example de Maat et al.’s (2009) large-scale review of psychotherapy studies concluded that psychoanalysis produced significant improvements in symptoms that were maintained in the years after treatment

50
Q

What is the PEEL evaluation paragraph for the psychodynamic approach evaluation point; scientific support for the psychoanalytic approach

A

P - critics of psychoanalysis often claim there is no scientific evidence for psychoanalysis and that its claims are not testable or falsifiable
E - however, many of the claims pf psychoanalysis have been tested and many have been confirmed using scientific methodology
E - Fisher and Greenberg (1996) summarised 2,500 of these studies, concluding that experimental studies of psychoanalysis ‘compare well with studies relevant to any other major areas of psychology’
L - Fisher and Greenberg’s support for the existence of unconscious motivation in human behaviour and for the defence mechanisms of repression, denial and displacement adds scientific credibility to psychodynamic explanations of human behaviour

51
Q

What is the PEEL evaluation paragraph for the psychodynamic approach evaluation point; psychoanalysis is a gender-biased approach

A

P - Freud’s view of women and female sexuality were less developed than his views on male sexuality
E - despite the fact that his theories focused on sexual development, Freud seemed content to remain ignorant of female sexuality and how it may differ from male sexuality
E - this led psychoanalysts such as Karen Horney, who broke away from Freudian theory, to criticise his work, particularly his views on women and their development
L - dismissing women and their sexuality in such a way is problematic, not only because Freud reatmed many female patients, but also because his theories are still so influential today

52
Q

What is the PEEL evaluation paragraph for the psychodynamic approach evaluation point; psychoanalysis is a culture-biased approach

A

P - Sue and Sue (2008) argue that psychoanalysis has little relevance for people from non-Western cultures
E - Psychoanalysts believe that mental disorders are the result of traumatic memories being ‘locked’ in the unconscious and that freeing them through therapy gives the individual the chance to deal with them in the supportive therapeutic environment
E - however, they claim that many cultural groups do not value insight in the same way that Western cultures do. In China, for example, a person who is depressed or anxious avoids thoughts that cause distress rather than being willing o discuss them openly
L - this contrasts with the Western belief that open discussion and insight are always helpful in therapy

53
Q

What is the PEEL evaluation paragraph for the psychodynamic approach evaluation point; psychoanalysis: a comprehensive theory

A

P - one of the main strengths of psychoanalysis is the comprehensive nature of the theory
E - as well as its therapeutic applications, psychoanalysis can be used to explain many other aspects of human behaviour outside of the realm of psychology
E - for example, Shakespeare’s play Hamlet have repressed messages hidden beneath the surface of the text - many aspects of Hamlet’s psyche are seen as a projection of Shakespeare’s own mind
L - as a result, we are able to interpret these works using psychoanalytic concepts, delving into the mind of the author or the fictional character and so enrich our understanding of their psychological state

Approaches in Psychology (7 decks)

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