The Psychodynamic Approach Flashcards
What is the role of unconscious?
The conscious mind is the tip of the iceberg. The unconscious is a storehouse of biological drives and instincts that affect behaviour. It contains threatening and disturbing memories that have been repressed or locked away. Under the surface of the conscious is the preconscious which contains thoughts and memories which are not currently in the conscious but can be accessed.
What is the Id?
The primitive part of personality - works on pleasure principle. Only the id is present at birth - it is entirely selfish and demands instant gratification.
What is the Ego?
Works on the reality principle - is the mediator between id and superego. Develops at 2 to reduce conflict, which it does by deploying defence mechanisms.
What is the superego?
Morality principle - developed at end of phallic stage. Is the internal sense of Right and Wrong. It represents the moral standard of the child’s same-gender parent and punishes Ego for wrongdoing with guilt.
What are the 3 defence mechanisms?
Repression, Denial, Displacement.
What are the psychosexual stages?
Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latency, Genital
What is the Oral stage?
0-1 Mouth is the pleasure focus - mothers’ breast can be object of desire. The consequence of unresolved conflict is oral fixation - smoking, biting nails, sarcastic, critical.
What is the Anal stage?
1-3 Anus is pleasure centre. Child gains pleasure from withholding or expelling faeces. Consequences are anal retentive - obsessive, perfectionist or anal expulsive - thoughtless, messy
What is the Phallic stage?
3-6 Pleasure centre is own genitals. Consequences are phallic personality - narcissistic, reckless.
What is Latency?
7 to 12, earlier memories and conflicts are repressed.
What is the Genital stage?
12+. Sexual desires become conscious in puberty. Consequences are difficulties forming heterosexual relationships.
What is the strength - RWA?
Introduced the idea of psychotherapy. Psychoanalysis was new and the first attempt to treat mental disorders psychologically rather than physically. It employed a range of techniques such as dream analysis, which brings repressed emotions into the conscious mind. This was the forerunner for talking therapies.
What is the limitation - Limited Application?
Psychoanalysis is harmful for those experiencing schizophrenia or serious mental disorders. Many symptoms mean that those with it have lost their grip on reality and cannot articulate their thoughts well enough.
What is the strength - face validity?
It has explanatory power as it explains human behaviour. It was a key force in psychology in explaining disorders, morals and gender. Also drew the connection to link between childhood and later issues.
What is the limitation - untestable concepts?
Popper argued since it cannot be empirically tested then it does not meet the required definition of falsification and therefore is pseudoscientific.
