The Psychodynamic Approach - Influence of Early Childhood Experiences on Adult Behaviours and Personality Flashcards
1
Q
How did Freud view childhood?
A
- a time of conflict, turbulence and trauma
- what happens to us as a child causes our behaviour in adulthood
- proposed that all children go through the 5 psychosexual stages of development
2
Q
What are erogenous zones?
A
- certain parts of the body that the pleasure-seeking energies of the id become focused on at different ages
3
Q
How are the pleasure-seeking energies of the Id satisfied?
A
- through stimulation of the associated part of the body
- libido satisfied at different ages
4
Q
What are the 5 psychosexual stages of development and the ages?
A
- oral (0-1)
- anal (1-3)
- phallic (3-6)
- latency (7-puberty)
- genital (puberty)
5
Q
What is oral stimulation?
A
- of the mouth
- sucking
- biting
- breastfeeding
(chewing toys, dummy, sucking thumb)
6
Q
What is anal stimulation?
A
- of the anus
- withholding or expelling faeces
(holding in or letting out poo anywhere)
VERY IMPORTANT STAGE BECAUSE… - you realise you have control over your body
- you realise you can please or disobey parents by using the potty
7
Q
What is phallic stimulation?
A
- of the penis or clitoris
- children also experience the Oedipus complex (for females) or Electra complex (for males)
(phallus = old word for penis)
(acquired gender identity and superego)
8
Q
What is latency?
A
- libido is dormant (resting)
- focus is on learning and developing friendships
9
Q
What is genital stimulation?
A
- of the penis or vagina through heterosexual intercourse
(heterosexuality = seen as normal / the standard)
10
Q
What is the Oedipus complex?
A
- in the phallic stage
- boys will have intense feelings towards mother
- see their father as a rival, want him dead so he can have mother to himself
- but he’s scared of dad because he’s bigger
- he’s scared of dad finding out about his feelings towards his mother as he will castrate him
11
Q
What is the Electra complex?
A
- in phallic stage
- girls hate their mother and blame her for not having a penis (she doesn’t feel complete)
- she constantly desires the penis (the power it symbolises)
- notices her father has a penis, and wants him to give her one
- wants to grow up and find a man like her dad, and wants a baby provided by him (penis baby project)
12
Q
What is thought to happen if you grow up without a father?
A
- boys will be gay
- girls will be lesbian
13
Q
What would cause fixation?
A
- if conflict is experienced through too much or too little pleasure at any of the stages
- they get attached to the stage and display the characteristics as an adult
14
Q
The conflict and how fixation at this stage explains behaviour:
oral
A
- conflict: fed too much, difficulties with feeding
- people who are addicted to smoking, drugs alcohol etc are orally fixated
- didn’t receive enough gratification during this stage
- so they use their addictive substance as a way of compensating for lack of gratification
15
Q
The conflict and how fixation at this stage explains behaviour:
anal
A
- conflict: strict potty training, lax potty training
- anally retentive –> tight with money, obsessively tidy, perfectionist
- anally expulsive –> disorganised, reckless, careless, defiant
