the psychodynamic approach

Question 1

what is the psychodynamic approach

Answer 1

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

Question 2

what is the unconscious

Answer 2

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

Question 3

what did Freund suggest about our mind

Answer 3

Freund suggested that the part of our mind that we know about and are aware of conscious mind - is merely the “tip of the iceberg”

Most or mind is made up of the unconscious

Question 4

what is the role of the unconscious

Answer 4

the unconscious is a vast storehouse of biological drives and instincts that has a significant influence on our behaviour and personality

The unconscious also contains threatening and disturbing memories that have been repressed or locked away and forgotten (these memories are threatening and disturbing)

Question 5

how can the memories locked away in the unconscious be accessed

Answer 5

we can access these memories:

1. during dreams
2. through “slips of the tongue” (what Freud referred to as parapraxes) e.g. calling a female teacher “mum” instead of “miss”

Question 6

what is the preconscious

Answer 6

under the surface of our conscious mind is the preconscious which contains thoughts and memories which are not currently unconscious awareness but we can access if desired

Question 7

what is the structure of personality

Answer 7

Freud describes personality as “tripartite” composed of three parts:

1. Id
2. Ego
3. the Superego

Question 8

what is the Id

Answer 8

the Id is the primitive pat of our personality

It operates on the pleasure principle - the id gets what it wants
It is a seething mass of unconscious drives and instincts

The Id is only present at birth -Freud describes babies as “bundles of Id”

Question 9

what is the ego

Answer 9

the ego is the reality principle

It is the mediator between the other two parts of the personality
It develops around the age of two years and its role is to reduce the conflict between the demand of the id and the superego

Question 10

how does the ego reduce the conflicts between the id and the superego

Answer 10

it does this by employing a number of defence mechanisms

Question 11

what is the superego

Answer 11

The superego is formed at the end of the phallic stage around the age of 5

It is our internalised sense of right and wrong
Based on the morality principle it represents the moral standards of the child’s same - sex parent and punishes the ego for wrongdoing (through guilt)

Question 12

what are the different defence mechanism

Answer 12

defence mechanisms are unconscious and from being overwhelmed by temporary threats or trauma

the three main defence mechanisms are:

• repression
• denial
• displacement

Question 13

what is repression

Answer 13

repression is forcing a distressing memory our of the conscious mind

Question 14

what is denial

Answer 14

denial is refusing to acknowledge some aspect of reality

Question 15

what is displacement

Answer 15

displacement is transferring feelings from the source of distressing emotion onto a substitute target

Question 16

what are the psychosexual stages

Answer 16

Freud claimed that a child development occurred in five stages

each stage (apart form the latency stages) is marked by a different conflict that the child must resolve in order to progress successfully to the next stage

unresolved psychosexual conflict leads to “fixation” where a child becomes “stuck” and carries certain behaviours and conflicts associated with the stage through to adult life

Question 17

what are the different stages

Answer 17

stage 1:
oral (ages 0-1years old)

stage 2:
anal (1 - 3 years)

stage 3:
phallic (3-5 years)

stage 4:
latency

stage 5:
genital

Question 18

what happens in stage 1 (oral) and what is the consequence of unresolved conflict

Answer 18

The focus of pleasure is the mouth with the mother’s breast is the object of desire

unresolved conflict:
oral fixation, smoking, biting nails, sarcastic, critical

Question 19

what happens in stage 2 (anal) and what is the consequence of unresolved conflict

Answer 19

focus of pleasure is the anus
the child gains pleasure from withholding and expelling feces

unresolved conflict:
Anal retentive (held feces in)
- perfectionist, obsessive

Anal expulsive (let feces out) 
-thoughtless, messy

Question 20

what happens in stage 3 (phallic) and what is the consequence of unresolved conflict

Answer 20

the focus of pleasure is thee genital area
-the child experiences the Oedipus or Electra complex

consequence of unresolved conflict:
narcissistic, reckless possibly homosexual

Question 21

what happens in stage 4 (latency) and what is the consequence of unresolved conflict

Answer 21

Earlier conflicts are repressed

there is no conflicts to be resolved at this stage

Question 22

what happens in stage 5 (genital) and what is the consequence of unresolved conflict

Answer 22

sexual desires become conscious alongside puberty

consequence of unresolved conflict:

difficulty forming heterosexual relationships

Question 23

what is the heart of the psychodynamic approach

Answer 23

childhood and the role of the unconscious