the psychodynamic approach

Question 1

What are the basic assumptions of the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 1

The psychodynamic approach assumes that unconscious processes influence behavior, early childhood experiences shape personality, and psychic determinism governs behavior.

Question 2

What is the role of the unconscious in the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 2

The unconscious is a reservoir of feelings, thoughts, and memories, often inaccessible to conscious awareness, that influence behavior and personality.

Question 3

What are the three structures of personality according to the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 3

The Id, Ego, and Superego.

Question 4

What is the Id in the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 4

The Id is the part of personality driven by primitive desires and operates based on the pleasure principle.

Question 5

What is the Ego in the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 5

The Ego mediates between the Id and reality, operating on the reality principle to satisfy the Id’s desires in socially acceptable ways.

Question 6

What is the Superego in the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 6

The Superego is the moral conscience, internalizing societal rules and striving for perfection.

Question 7

What are defence mechanisms in the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 7

Defence mechanisms are unconscious strategies used by the Ego to reduce anxiety by distorting reality.

Question 8

What is repression as a defence mechanism?

Answer 8

Repression involves unconsciously blocking unpleasant memories or thoughts from conscious awareness.

Question 9

What is denial as a defence mechanism?

Answer 9

Denial involves refusing to accept reality to avoid dealing with distressing emotions.

Question 10

What is displacement as a defence mechanism?

Answer 10

Displacement involves redirecting emotions from a threatening target to a less threatening one.

Question 11

What are the psychosexual stages in the psychodynamic approach?

Answer 11

The psychosexual stages are oral, anal, phallic, latency, and genital, each focusing on pleasure from different areas of the body.

Question 12

What happens during the oral stage of psychosexual development?

Answer 12

The oral stage (0-1 year) focuses on pleasure from sucking and biting.

Question 13

What happens during the anal stage of psychosexual development?

Answer 13

The anal stage (1-3 years) focuses on pleasure from controlling bowel and bladder elimination.

Question 14

What happens during the phallic stage of psychosexual development?

Answer 14

The phallic stage (3-6 years) focuses on pleasure from the genitals and includes the Oedipus and Electra complexes.

Question 15

What happens during the latency stage of psychosexual development?

Answer 15

The latency stage (6-puberty) is a period of social and intellectual development with minimal sexual focus.

Question 16

What happens during the genital stage of psychosexual development?

Answer 16

The genital stage (puberty onwards) focuses on mature sexual intimacy and the balance of all aspects of personality.

Question 17

Who was Little Hans and why did Freud study him?

Answer 17

Little Hans was a 5-year-old boy whose father sought Freud’s help for Hans’ phobia of horses. Freud used the case to support his Oedipus complex theory.

Question 18

What phobia did Little Hans develop?

Answer 18

Little Hans developed a phobia of horses specifically being bitten or falling off.

Question 19

What theory did Freud aim to support through the Little Hans case?

Answer 19

Freud aimed to support his theory of the Oedipus complex suggesting Hans’ fear of horses symbolized fear of his father.

Question 20

What did Hans’ father report about his son’s behavior?

Answer 20

Hans’ father reported that Hans expressed anxiety asked questions about his genitals and feared horses biting him.

Question 21

What symbolic meaning did Freud attribute to Hans’ fear of horses?

Answer 21

Freud believed horses symbolized Hans’ father particularly due to the horse’s large features resembling a moustache and glasses.

Question 22

How did Freud explain Hans’ fear of horses in relation to the Oedipus complex?

Answer 22

Freud suggested Hans feared his father due to unconscious desires for his mother projecting this fear onto horses.

Question 23

How was Hans’ phobia eventually resolved?

Answer 23

Freud claimed Hans’ phobia resolved when he overcame his Oedipus complex reducing anxiety towards his father.

Question 24

What method did Freud use to analyze Little Hans’ case?

Answer 24

Freud used correspondence with Hans’ father and interpreted Hans’ dreams and statements to form conclusions.

Question 25

Evaluation: Strength - How does the Little Hans case provide support for psychoanalytic theory?

Answer 25

The case provides qualitative support for Freud’s theories demonstrating how unconscious conflicts manifest in behavior.

Question 26

Evaluation: Limitation - Why is the case of Little Hans criticized for lack of generalizability?

Answer 26

The case is a single instance meaning findings cannot be applied broadly to other children or populations.

Question 27

Evaluation: Strength - How does the case of Little Hans demonstrate the utility of case studies?

Answer 27

It highlights how in-depth longitudinal analysis can provide insights into complex psychological phenomena.

Question 28

Evaluation: Limitation - How does the case of Little Hans suffer from potential researcher bias?

Answer 28

Freud’s interpretations were subjective and could be influenced by his desire to support his theories.

Question 29

Evaluation: Limitation - Why is there criticism about the reliability of data in the Little Hans study?

Answer 29

Hans’ father a supporter of Freud may have influenced or selectively reported information to align with Freud’s theories.