The Psychodynamic Approach

Question 1

What are 3 assumptions of the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 1

-The main part of our mind is unconscious.
-Childhood experiences influence who we are.
-Personality is made up of 3 parts: id, ego and superego.

Question 2

What are Freud’s psychosexual stages of development?

Answer 2

Old Age pensioners love Greens

1.Oral (0-1)
2.Anal (1-3)
3.Phallic (3-5)
4.Latency (6-puberty)
5.Genital (puberty+)

Question 3

Outline the oral stage of freud’s psychosexual stages.

Answer 3

-Focus of pleasure is mouth.
-Unresolved conflict results in oral fixation e.g smoking.

Question 4

Outline the Anal stage of Freud’s psychosexual stages.

Answer 4

-Focus of pleasure is on the anus.
-Unresolved conflict results in retentive (perfectionist) + expulsive (messy) behaviour.

Question 5

Outline the phallic stage of Freud’s psychosexual stages.

Answer 5

-Focus of pleasure is the genital area.
-Oedipus or electra complex.
-Unresolved conflict results in phallic personality e.g reckless.

Question 6

Outline the latency stage of Freud’s psychosexual stages.

Answer 6

-Conflicts of earlier stages are repressed.
-Children cannot remember much of their early years.

Question 7

Outline the genital stage of Freud’s psychosexual stages of development

Answer 7

-Sexual desires become conscious.
-Unresolved conflict results in difficulty forming heterosexual relationships.

Question 8

What are defence mechanisms?

Answer 8

Unconscious strategies used by the ego to manage conflict between id and superego to prevent anxiety.

Question 9

Give 3 defence mechanisms.

Answer 9

1.Repression.
2.Denial.
3.Displacement.

Question 10

Describe the role of defence mechanisms according to the psychodynamic approach.

Answer 10

1.Help manage conflict between id + superego.
2.Provide solutions to deal with unresolvable conflict.
3.Reduce anxiety.

Question 11

What is meant by the defense mechanism repression?

Answer 11

Unconscious mechanism which prevents disturbing thoughts from becoming conscious

Question 12

What is meant by the defence mechanism displacement?

Answer 12

Unconscious mechanism which redirects hostile feeling towards a more acceptable target.

Question 13

What are the 3 parts of personality according to the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 13

Id, ego and superego.

Question 14

What is meant by the id?

Answer 14

Part of personality which:
1. Operates according to pleasure principle.
2. Demands immediate gratification.
3. “I want to do that now”.

Question 15

What is meant by the ego?

Answer 15

Part of personality which:
1. Seeks to satisfy id in socially acceptable ways.
2. Operates on reality principle.
3. “Maybe we can compromise”.

Question 16

What is meant by the superego?

Answer 16

Part of personality which:
1. Operates on morality principle.
2. Is our sense of right and wrong.
3. “It’s not right to do that”.

Question 17

What is the role of the unconscious?

Answer 17

-Controls much of our everyday behaviour.
-Contains repressed+traumatic memories.

Question 18

What are 2 strengths of the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 18

1. Research support
   Little hans: unresolved conflict led to phobia of horses.
   Shows extent to which UC can impact life.
2. Huge influence on psychology.
   Dominant force for first half of 20th century - explained wide range of phenomena e.g personality development.
   Drawn attention to experiences in childhood and later development e.g consequences of unresolved conflict
   High credibility + maintained over years as fundamental theory.

Question 19

What is a weakness of the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 19

1.Untestable concepts.
Popper - argues approach isn’t open to empirical testing, concepts can’t be directly observed.
Findings cannot be scientifically verified - were open to bias + interpretation.
Approach lacks objectivity required in a science.