The Psychodynamic Approach Flashcards
What are defence mechanisms?
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.
Give 6 examples of defence mechanisms
- repression
- denial
- sublimation
- projection
- displacement
- regression
What is repression?
unconscious mechanism employed by the ego to keep disturbing or threatening thoughts from becoming conscious
Give an example of repression
during the Oedipus complex aggressive thoughts about the same sex parents are repressed
What is denial?
when we block external events from awareness. If a situation is just too much to handle, the person simply refuses to experience it
Give an example of denial
smokers may refuse to admit to themselves that smoking is bad for their health
What is projection?
when an individual attributes their own unacceptable thoughts, feelings and motives to another person
Give an example of projection
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
What is displacement?
satisfying an impulse (e.g. aggression) with a substitute object
Give an example of displacement
someone who is frustrated by their boss at work may go home and shout at their partner
What is regression?
a movement back in psychological time when one is faced with stress
Give an example of regression
a child may begin to suck their thumb again when they need to spend some time in hospital
What is sublimation?
satisfying an impulse (e,g, aggression) with a substitute object - in a socially ACCEPTABLE way
Give an example of sublimation
boxing is an example of putting our emotions (e.g. aggression) into something constructive
What is psychoanalysis?
a term use to describe the personality theory and therapy associated with Sigmund Freud
What is psychodynamic?
refers to any theory that emphasises change and development in the individual, particularly those theories where ‘drive’ is a central concept in development
Give an example of a psychodynamic theory?
Freudian psychoanalysis
What is the unconscious?
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
What are the 2 main drives we are driven by?
sex (eros) and aggression (thantanos)
According to the psychodynamic approach, what influences our behaviour?
the unconscious mind
Did Freud believe behaviour was determined by biological/psychological/environmental factors?
psychological factors
Can the conscious mind access the unconscious mind?
no, the unconscious is inaccessible to conscious thought
Describe how the ‘iceberg analogy’ link to the mind
the tip of the iceberg (visible) = conscious mind larger part (under water) = unconscious mind
What, did Freud believe, controlled our everyday actions and behaviours?
not controlled consciously, but are the product of the unconscious mind
How can the thoughts in the unconscious mind reveal itself?
- through Freudian slips (‘slip of the tongue’ phenomenon)
- creativity
- neurotic symptoms
What are Freudian slips?
an unintentional error regarded as revealing subconscious feelings.
Give an example of a Freudian slip, and explain why it happens
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.
What did Freud divide the mind into?
- the id
- the ego
- the superego
How do the 3 structures of the mind interact?
the ego mediates between the demands of the id and the demands of the superego
What is the tripartite personality?
- the id
- the ego
- the superego
Where does the ID operate? (and what does it contain?)
- 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
What is the role of the EGO?
the ego mediates between the impulsive demands of the id and the reality of the external world (the reality principle)
What is the SUPEREGO divided into?
the conscience and the ego-ideal
In the superego, what is the conscience - and what is its role?
the internalisation of societal rules - it determines which behaviours are permissible and causes feelings of guilt when rules are broken
In the superego, what is the ego-deal - and what is its role?
what a person strives towards
Give an example of a circumstance involving the ID
if a person is hungry, the id demands that they eat there and then
Give an example of a circumstance involving the EGO
ego may delay gratifying the id until there is a more appropriate opportunity to satisfy its demands
What does the ego compromise between?
the impulsive demands of the id and the moralistic demands of the superego
How did Freud believe personality develops?
through a sequence of 5 stages - i.e. psychosexual stages
Why are the 5 stages called ‘psychosexual stages’?
to emphasise that the most important driving force in development is the need to express sexual energy (libido)
Why did Freud believed an individual experiences tension during the psychosexual stages?
because of the build up of this sexual energy and that pleasure only comes from its discharge `
What are the 5 psychosexual stages, and when do they occur?
- oral stage (0-2 years)
- anal stage (2-3 years)
- phallic stage (3-6 years)
- latent stage (6 -12 years)
- genital stage (12+ years)
Describe the oral stage
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)
Describe the anal stage
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
Describe the phallic stage
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
Describe the latent stage
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
Describe the genital stage
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
What are the 5 PEEL evaluation points for the psychodynamic approach?
- a pioneering approach to understanding human behaviour
- scientific support for the psychoanalytic approach
- psychoanalysis is a gender-biased approach
- psychoanalysis is a culture-biased approach
- psychoanalysis: a comprehensive theory
What is the PEEL evaluation paragraph for the psychodynamic approach evaluation point; a pioneering approach to understanding human behaviour
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
What is the PEEL evaluation paragraph for the psychodynamic approach evaluation point; scientific support for the psychoanalytic approach
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
What is the PEEL evaluation paragraph for the psychodynamic approach evaluation point; psychoanalysis is a gender-biased approach
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
What is the PEEL evaluation paragraph for the psychodynamic approach evaluation point; psychoanalysis is a culture-biased approach
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
What is the PEEL evaluation paragraph for the psychodynamic approach evaluation point; psychoanalysis: a comprehensive theory
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
