The Psychodynamic Approach Flashcards
What does the psychodynamic approach argue when explaining human behaviour?
That it can be explained in terms of the unconscious mind.
What other structure of the mind did Freud argue existed below the surface of the conscious mind?
The preconscious mind.
What is the preconscious mind?
We can become aware of this during dreams or ‘slips of the tongue’ often referred to as ‘Freudian slips’.
What are the three factors within the psychodynamic approach?
- The Structure of the Personality.
- Defence Mechanisms.
- Psychosexual Stages.
How did Freud describe personality?
As a tripartite.
What are the three parts of the day tripartite?
- The Id.
- The Ego.
- The Superego.
What principle does the id operate on?
The pleasure principle.
What is the id and what does it demand?
It is entirely selfish and demands instant gratification of its needs and desires.
What principle does the ego operate on?
The reality principle.
When does the ego develop?
Around the age of 2 years.
What is the role of the ego?
It acts as a mediator and reduces conflict between the id and superego.
What does the ego employ to reduce conflict between the id and superego?
A number of defence mechanisms.
What principle does the superego operate on?
The morality principle.
Around what age does the superego develop?
Around the age of 5 years.
What is the development of the superego dependent on?
The moral standards of the same-sex parent.
The superego ________ the ego for wrong-doing through _____.
- punishes.
- guilt.
What is the role of defence mechanisms?
The protect our conscious mind from painful memories and emotions.
What are the three strategies the ego uses as defence mechanisms?
- Repression.
- Denial.
- Displacement.
What does repression involve?
‘Pushing’ a painful memory into the unconscious to keep it away from conscious awareness.
What does denial involve?
Refusing to acknowledge some painful aspect of reality.
What does displacement involve?
Transferring feelings from the true source of distress into a substitute target.
What are the five psychosexual stages Freud claimed occurred during child development?
- Oral stage.
- Anal stage.
- Phallic stage.
- Latency stage.
- Genital stage.
What does Freud claim will occurs if any conflicts at each stage are unresolved?
The child will become ‘fixed’ and carry through certain behaviour or conflicts into adult life.
At what age does the oral stage occur?
0-2 years.
Where is the focus of pleasure in the oral stage?
The mouth (particularly during breast feeding).
What can oral fixation lead to?
Smoking or nail-biting as an adult.
At what age does the anal stage occurs?
2-3 years.
Where is the focus of pleasure in the anal stage?
The anus (from withholding and expelling faeces).
What can anal fixation lead to?
Becoming ‘anally retentive’ (obsessive perfectionism) or ‘anally expulsive (thoughtless and messy).
At what age does the phallic stage occur?
3-6 years.
Where is the focus of the pleasure in the phallic stage?
The genitals.
What does the child experience during the phallic stage?
The Oedipus or Electra complex.
What can a phallic fixation lead to?
Narcissism.
At what age does the latency stage occur?
6-12 years.
What happens in the latency stage?
Conflicts are repressed.
At what ages does the genital stage occur?
12 years onwards.
What happens during the genital stage?
Sexual desires become conscious during puberty.
What are the five evaluation points for the psychodynamic approach?
- Unscientific. \+ Practical applications. - Largely based on case studies. \+ Less reductionist. - Determinist.
