The Psychodynamic Approach

Question 1

Definition of the psychodynamic approach

Answer 1

Describes the different forces, most of which are unconscious, that operate on the mind and direct human behaviour. Established by Freud and took a more subjective approach to analysing human behaviour and mind with therapists interpreting the real meaning behind behaviour

Question 2

What is the unconscious and what does it contain,how can these be accessed

Answer 2

It makes up most of our mind and contains biological drives and instincts. Also contains repressed and disturbing memories

Question 3

What is the pre conscious

Answer 3

Thoughts and memories that can be accessed with effort and can seep into consciousness through dreams

Question 4

Why is personality called tripartite

Answer 4

Made up of three parts; id, ego and superego

Question 5

What is the id

Answer 5

-operates on the pleasure principle
-present at birth and is unconscious so contains biological instincts
-entirely selfish demanding instant gratification

Question 6

What is the ego

Answer 6

-mediates between unrealistic wants of the id and overly critical super ego
-develops at age two
-operates on reality principle
-role is to reduce conflict, employs defence mechanisms to protect itself from harm and manage conflict

Question 7

What is the superego

Answer 7

-internalised sense of right and wrong
-developed through identifying with same sex parent so taking on their moral standards
-forms at age 5
-operates on morality principle so is punishing

Question 8

Five psychosexual stages in order and ages they occur at

Answer 8

Oral(0-1)
Anal(1-3)
Phallic(3-5)
Latency (6-puberty)
Genital(puberty and older)

Question 9

What is a fixation

Answer 9

When a person is stuck at one of the psychosexual stages due to an unresolved conflict and so they carry this behaviour through to adult life

Question 10

Describe the oral psychosexual stage

Answer 10

-first stage(ages 0-1)
-focus of pleasure is the mouth with mothers breast the object of desire
-unresolved conflict= smoking, biting nails, sarcastic

Question 11

Describe the anal psychosexual stage

Answer 11

-second stage(ages 1-3)
-focus of pleasure is the anus
-gains pleasure from withholding and expelling faeces
-unresolved conflict: anal retentive(perfectionist) or anal expulsive(thoughtless)

Question 12

Describe the phallic psychosexual stage

Answer 12

-third stage (ages 3-5)
-focus of pleasure is the genital area
-boys experience Oedipus complex: desire mother with hated for father as fear he will castrate them, resolved by boy repressing feelings towards his mother and identifying with his father
-girls experience Electra complex: attaches to father as desires to have penis(penis envy) and blames mother for castration, resolved by realising she will never have a penis so converts to desire to have a baby(identifies with mother)
-superego developed
-unresolved conflict:phallic personality(narcissistic, reckless, possibly homosexual)

Question 13

Describe the latency stage of psychosexual stages

Answer 13

-fourth stage(ages 6 to puberty)
-earlier conflicts are repressed

Question 14

Describe the genital psychosexual stage

Answer 14

-fifth stage(puberty and older)
-sexual desires become conscious alongside onset of puberty
-unresolved conflict: difficulty forming heterosexual relationships

Question 15

What are defence mechanisms

Answer 15

Unconscious strategies employed by the ego to manage conflict between the id and super ego and to prevent us from being overwhelmed by temporary threats. As a long term solution they are regarded as psychologically unhealthy

Question 16

What is repression

Answer 16

Forcing distressing memories out of the conscious mind

Question 17

What is denial

Answer 17

Refusing to acknowledge a certain aspect of reality

Question 18

What is displacement

Answer 18

Transferring feelings from the source of distressing emotion onto a substitute target

Question 19

Expand on weakness that the approach is unfalsifiable

Answer 19

-for an approach to be considered scientific it must have ability to be proven right or wrong
-Freud’s theory centred around unconscious mind, concepts that cannot be tested
-lacks validity as cannot be tested

Question 20

Expand on strength that the approach has practical applications

Answer 20

-led to psychoanalysis (accessing the unconscious) which has been successful in aiding those with mild neurosis(not psychosis)
-talking cure still basis for many modern day therapies
-has real world significance, increases validity as has been applied to successful treatments

Question 21

Describe the case of little Hans

Answer 21

-he had a phobia of horses- Freud claimed it was a displaced fear of his father
-advised father to reassure son he would not cut off his penis
-phobia disappeared shortly after this- makes Oedipus complex

Question 22

Expand on limitation that approach is based on case studies

Answer 22

-intensive study of single psychologically abnormal individuals means it is not possible to make universal claims about human nature
-analysis and interpretations of the case studies were also subjective which decreased scientific credibility