The Psychodynamic Approach

Question 1

Psychodynamic approach

Answer 1

A perspective that describes the different forces, most of which are unconscious, that operate on the mind and direct human behaviour and experience

Question 2

The unconscious mind

Answer 2

The part of the mind that we are unaware of but which continues to direct much of our behaviour

Question 3

ID

Answer 3

entirely unconscious, the id is made up of selfish, aggressive instincts that demand immediate gratification

Question 4

Superego

Answer 4

The moralistic part of our personality which represents the ideal self: how we ought to be

Question 5

Ego

Answer 5

The ‘reality check’ that balances the conflicting demands of the id and superego

Question 6

Defence mechanisms

Answer 6

Unconscious strategies that the ego uses to manage the conflict between the id and superego

Question 7

Psychosexual stages

Answer 7

5 developmental stages that all children pass through. Each stage there is a different conflict, the outcome of which determines future development

Question 8

First stage - how many years

Answer 8

Oral
0-1 years

Question 9

Oral description

Answer 9

Focus of pleasure is the mouth, mothers breast is the object of desire

Question 10

Second stage and years

Answer 10

Anal
1-3 years

Question 11

Anal description

Answer 11

Focus of pleasure is the anus, children gain pleasure from withholding and expelling faeces

Question 12

3rd stage and years

Answer 12

Phallic
3-5 years

Question 13

Phallic description

Answer 13

Focus of pleasure is the genital area. Child experiences the Oedipus or electra complex p - reckless behaviour

Question 14

Latency description

Answer 14

Earlier conflicts are repressed

Question 15

Genital description

Answer 15

Sexual desires become conscious alongside the onset of pubity

Question 16

What is most of our mind made up of

Answer 16

The unconscious mind

Question 17

What does the unconscious mind contain

Answer 17

Biological drives and instincts that has a significant influence on our behaviour and personality. It also contains threatening and disturbing memories that have been repressed or locked away and forgotten

Question 18

What is the preconscious mind

Answer 18

It contains thoughts and ideas which we may become aware of during dreams or through slips of the tongue

Question 19

What is paraphrases

Answer 19

‘Slips of the tongue’ - a faulty act due to unconscious interfering with the conscious. For example calling miss mum

Question 20

What does Freud describe personality as

Answer 20

Tripartite - composed of 3 parts

Question 21

3 components of personality

Answer 21

Id - selfish and demands instant gratification of iuts needs
Ego - mediator between the other 2 parts of personality - reduces conflict through defence mechanisms
Superego - internalised sense of right and wrong. Punishes ego for wrongdoing (guilt)

Question 22

When is the id developed

Answer 22

From birth

Question 23

When is the ego developed

Answer 23

Age of 2

Question 24

When is the superego formed

Answer 24

Age 5

Question 25

What happens when psychosexual conflict is unresolved

Answer 25

Leads to fixation and the child becomes stuck and carries certain behaviours associated with that stage through adult life

Question 26

What do defence mechanisms do

Answer 26

Unconscious - they ensure that the ego is able to prevent us from being overwhelmed by temporary threats or traumas

Question 27

What is the problem with defence mechanisms

Answer 27

They involve some form of distortion of reality and as a long term solution, they are regarded as psychologically unhealthy and undesirable

Question 28

3 defence mechanisms

Answer 28

Repression
Denial
Displacement

Question 29

Repression

Answer 29

Forcing a distressing memory out of the conscious mind

Question 30

Denial

Answer 30

Refusing to acknowledge some aspects of reality

Question 31

Displacement

Answer 31

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

Question 32

Psychodynamic approach dominance

Answer 32

Even though in many ways it was a controversial approach and bizzarre in some ways, it dominated force in psychology for the first half of the 20th century. It was used to explain a wide range of phenomena including personality development , abnormal behaviour, moral development and gender . It is also significant in drawing attention to childhood experiences and later development in adulthood

Question 33

What did many scientists see wrong with this approach

Answer 33

Many believed that it is not possible to make such universal claims about human nature based on a small number of psychologically abnormal people. Also many saw it as highly subjective

Question 34

What did Karl Popper believe about the psychodynamic approach

Answer 34

He argued that the approach doesn’t meet the scientific criterion of falsification. (Meaning it is non science). He believed that many of the concepts Freud performed are performed at an unconscious level making them very difficult to test

Question 35

What conclusion of the approach did popper come to

Answer 35

Pseudoscience - fake science

Question 36

What else did Freud bring

Answer 36

A new form of therapy = psychoanalysis

Question 37

What is psychoanalysis

Answer 37

Range of techniques designed to aces the unconscious, such as hypnosis, dream analysis

Question 38

Problem with psychoanalysis

Answer 38

Even though there has been some success with many patients, it has been criticised as inappropriate, even harmful for people suffering from more serious mental disorders

Question 39

Why does psychoanalysis not work with more serious mental disorders

Answer 39

Because psychoanalysis does not identify the disorder and does not recognise the disorder

Question 40

What does Freud believe about accidents

Answer 40

He believes that in human behaviour, there is no such thing as an accident. Even a skip of the tongue (such as called your partner fattening rather than flattering) is driven by unconscious forces and has deep symbolic means g