The Psychodynamic Approach

Question 1

Assumptions

Answer 1

1. Unconscious mind is the driving force behind our behavior
2. We’re driven by instincts to go through stages of development of our personality & behavior
3. Early childhood experiences are pivotal in making us the person we are

Question 2

Describe the id structure of our personality

Answer 2

It operates on the pleasure principle (get what it wants) and is entirely selfish

Question 3

Describe the ego structure of out personality

Answer 3

It works on the reality principle and is the mediator between the other 2 parts out personality by employing several defence mechanisms

Question 4

Describe the superego structure of our personality

Answer 4

It is based on the morality principle and internalises between right and wrong

Question 5

What is the Oral Psychosexual Stage & a consequence if conflict unresolved

Answer 5

Mouth is the focus of pleasure (mother’s breast)

Consequence:
Oral fixation e.g smoking, biting nails

Question 6

What is the Anal Psychosexual Stage & a consequence if conflict unresolved

Answer 6

Anus is focus of pleasure (child gains pleasure from withholding & expelling faeces

Consequence:
Perfectionist (anal retentive) or thoughtless (anal expulsive)

Question 7

What is the Phallic Psychosexual Stage & a consequence if conflict unresolved

Answer 7

Genital area is focus of pleasure (child experiences Oedipus or Electra complex)

Consequence:
Narcissist, reckless

Question 8

What is the Latency Psychosexual Stage & a consequence if conflict unresolved

Answer 8

Earlier conflicts are repressed

Question 9

What is the Genital Psychosexual Stage & a consequence if conflict unresolved

Answer 9

Sexual desires become conscious along puberty

Consequence:
Difficulty forming heterosexual relationships

Question 10

What are defence mechanisms

Answer 10

Unconscious strategies ego uses to manage conflict between id & superego

Question 11

What are the 3 types of defence mechanisms

Answer 11

Repression, Denial and Displacement

Question 12

What is repression

Answer 12

Forcing a distressing memory out of the conscious mind

Question 13

What is denial

Answer 13

Refusing to acknowledge some aspect of reality

Question 14

What is displacement

Answer 14

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

Question 15

Evaluation: Explanatory power

Answer 15

• although Freud’s concepts are unusual they’ve had a huge impact on psychology
• it has explained personality development, abnormal behaviour, moral development & gender
• it draws attention to the connection between childhood experiences & later development

Question 16

Evaluation: The case study method

Answer 16

• Freud’s study was usually based on single individuals often in therapy
• although his observations were detailed critics have suggested it isn’t possible to make claims on the entirety of human nature based on studies on small numbers of people that were psychologically abnormal
• Freud’s interpretations are very subjective and his methods lack scientific credibility

Question 17

Evaluation: Untestable concepts

Answer 17

• Popper argued the psychodynamic approach doesn’t meet scientific criteria of falsification since it’s not open to empirical testing
• Freud’s concepts (like Oedipus complex) occur at an unconscious level making it impossible to test
• according to Popper the psychodynamic theory is therefore pseudoscience (‘fake’ science)