The Psychodynamic Approach Flashcards
what is the psychodynamic approach
assumes that the experiences in early childhood play a key role in an individuals mental/ behaviour later on in life
What does the psychodynamic approach say about the unconscious mind?
Large parts of the mind are inaccessible to conscious awareness
Freuds Iceberg Metaphor
used to explain the different levels of consciousness
the role of the unconscious
there were distinct divisions to the mind
the three distinct versions of the consciousness
the conscious mind
the preconscious mind
the unconscious mind
the conscious mind
part of the mind that the indvdl is aware of used to form conscious thoughts
tip of the iceberg in freuds model
the preconscious mind
sits below surface level of conscious mind where dreams and freudian slips take place
what is the unconscious mind
in hidden depths of the iceberg
holds info and feelings that the individual may be unaware of
the three structures of personality
Id
Ego
Superego
how do the id ego and superego work
work together but not rlly in harmony
The Id
present from birth
operates according to the pleasure principle
seeks self-indulgent pleasure and primal urges
The Ego
develops at the age of two
operates on reality principle
- id has to be tame and superego ignored
The superego
develops around 5
operates according to morality principle
represents an internalised sense of right and wrong
embodies the conscience morality ethics and the judgement aspect of the self
Evaluation of the role of the unconscious & structure of personality: high external validity
Freud emphasized the role of childhood experiences in shaping adult behaviour.
Parental treatment is central to a child’s world and can influence conflicted behaviour in adulthood.
This alignment with real-world observations gives the theory high external validity.
Evaluation of the role of the unconscious & structure of personality: driving force today in one-to-one and group counselling
means good application to settings and is beyond theortical
difficult to opernationalise test and measure
conceots are highly subjective
is unfalsiable and lacking in scientific methodology
psychic determinism
Freud believes outcomes have already been decided and that deliberate forces come from the unconscious mind
negates the idea of ppl having free will ultimately limits the scope of the theory
defence mechanisms in freuds theory
ego uses it to balance conflicting demands of id and superego
prevents self becoming overwhelmed by short term threats
normally unconscious
types of defence mechanisms
displacement
denial
repression
displacement defence mechanism:
redirecting emotions toward a neutral or uninvolved person
reduces anxiety by allowing action of emotion in a safer way
denial defence mechanism
refusing to accept reality of an unpleasant event
protects indvdl from harm by avoiding acknowledgment of situation
repression defence mechanism
unpleasant memories are pushed down into unconscious mind so unable to cause hurt
the psychosexual stages
oral
anal
phallic
latent
genital
the meaning of psychosexual stages
linked to specific milestones and timelines in the childs life and if they pass through each stage successfully they then should be conflict-free however they can also become fixated
what is fixation in the psychosexual stages
when a child becomes stuck at one of the stages
happens if child up bring was dysfunctional or had trauma
may affect functionality and happiness as an adult
how to indicate healthy development
when child successfully navigates phallic phases by going through oedipus complex or electra complex
what is the oedipus complex
A phase where boys feel an unconscious desire for closeness to their mother.
Father’s Role: Boys simultaneously hate and fear their father due to castration anxiety.
what is the electra complex
when they experience penis envy
Feel closeness to the father and hatred for the mother.
Over time, b girls (Electra complex) resolve these feelings.
They identify with the same-sex parent.
Little Hans case study
Freud studied Little Hans, a 5-year-old boy with a horse phobia.
Interpretation: Freud suggested the horse symbolized Hans’ father, providing evidence of the Oedipus complex.
Resolution: Hans overcame the phobia as he entered the latency stage, which Freud interpreted as resolving the Oedipus conflict.
oral stage
0-1 years mouth is focus of pleasure
conflict arise arounnd breastfeeding
anal stage
1-3 years
anus focus of pleasure
conflict can arise when toilet training
phallic stage
3-6 years
genital area is focus of pleasure
conflict can cause oedipus and electra complex
latency stage
6yrs to puberty
earlier conflict become repressed
genital stage
puberty onwards
genital focus of pleasure
sexual desires become conscious
Evaluation of defence mechanisms & psychosexual stages: good external validity
psyhcotherapy enable ppl to recognise underlying trauma that may cause defence mechanisms
appliable to counselling
good external validity
Evaluation of defence mechanisms & psychosexual stages: Freud influence
highlights how early experiences shape personality and behaviour.
Support: Research identifies oral and anal fixations that trace back to childhood experiences.
Enduring Impact: Freud’s theory remains influential, retaining relevance beyond its early 20th-century origins.
Evaluation of defence mechanisms & psychosexual stages: Freud’s research is under-powered in terms of his methodology
focused on single-subject case studies of wealthy Viennese adults and one child (Little Hans).
Subjectivity: Claims were based on Freud’s own interpretations of dreams, phobias, or fantasies.
Lack of Validation: No confirmation or cross-checking by other psychologists.
Scientific Limitations: Lacks a scientific approach and is unreliable for hypothesis testing.
Evaluation of defence mechanisms & psychosexual stages: possible other explanations
Alternative Explanations for Behaviour:
Needy/critical/addicted behaviour could be learned from parental role models, not due to breastfeeding or fixation.
Extreme neatness may stem from conditions like autism spectrum disorder, involving adherence to order, routine, and precision.
Conclusion: Freud’s theory overlooks other plausible explanations, limiting its applicability.
