The Psychodynamic Approach - Key Terms

Question 1

Unconscious mind

Answer 1

• the part of the mind that cannot be accessed and is hidden away yet is the main cause of our behaviour
• contains repressed, traumatic memories and disturbing urges and desires
• contains our Eros (life instinct) and Thanatos (death and destruction instinct) drives and the id

Question 2

Conscious mind

Answer 2

• part of the mind we’re immediately aware of
• anything within the conscious mind is easily accessible
• this part of the mind has little influence on our behaviour

Question 3

Preconscious mind

Answer 3

• just below the surface (the conscious mind)
• not instantly accessible but can be accessed relatively easily

Question 4

Id

Answer 4

• part of the personality that demands instant gratification of its sexual and aggressive urges
• it is impulsive and is governed by the pleasure principle
• it is present from birth and is in the unconscious mind

Question 5

Superego

Answer 5

• the moral part of the personality
• it tells the id what it can and can’t do
• is acquired through identification with the same sex parents at about 4 years old
• it is governed by the mortality principle
• it is in constant conflict with the id

Question 6

Ego

Answer 6

• the conscious, rational part of the personality
• it acts as the mediator between the id and superego
• attempts to find compromises that will satisfy both in a socially acceptable way
• it is governed by the reality principle

Question 7

Repression

Answer 7

• an ego defence mechanism
• pushes traumatic memories out of the conscious mind into the unconscious
• can cause no further pain or trauma in the unconscious mind

Question 8

Displacement

Answer 8

• an ego defence mechanism
• transferring your feelings from their true target to a safer, less threatening target

Question 9

Denial

Answer 9

• an ego defence mechanism
• refusing to accept some aspect of reality

Question 10

Psychosexual stages of development

Answer 10

• 5 stages that all children go through (OAPLG)
• beginning at birth, ending at puberty
• the libido (sex instinct) is focused on different parts of the body at different ages
• the libido is satisfied through stimulation of the associated body part
• if libido experiences too much or too little pleasure, fixation can occur and will affect adult personality

Question 11

Fixation

Answer 11

• being attached to a particular stage of development
• due to too much or too little satisfaction

Question 12

Oedipus complex

Answer 12

• during the phallic stage
• boy has passionate feelings towards his mother
• sees his father as a rival
• fears his father
• experiences castration anxiety

Question 13

Electra complex

Answer 13

• during the phallic stage
• girl has passionate feelings towards her father
• sees her mother as a rival
• experiences penis envy

Question 14

Wish fulfilment

Answer 14

• one of the purposes of dreaming
• dreams are a way of satisfying the id’s demands while the conscious mind is out of action (ie sleeping)

Question 15

Manifest content

Answer 15

• what you dream about

Question 16

Latent content

Answer 16

• the deeper, hidden real meaning of the dream

Question 17

Dreamwork

Answer 17

• the process used by the mind
• to convert the latent content into the manifest content

Question 18

Condensation

Answer 18

• the combining of several unconscious thoughts into one image

Question 19

Displacement

Answer 19

• the emotion towards someone or something is transferred onto a safer, less threatening target

Question 20

Symbolism

Answer 20

• abstract concepts are represented in concrete forms

Question 21

Secondary revision

Answer 21

• the unconscious mind collects all the different images
• ties them together to form a logical storyline

Question 22

Subjective

Answer 22

• open to interpretation

Question 23

Psychic determinism

Answer 23

• all behaviour is caused by the unconscious mind and early childhood experiences
• our behaviour is therefore beyond our control

Question 24

Unscientific

Answer 24

• not objective
• untestable
• not open to interpretation

Question 25

Interactionist

Answer 25

- acknowledges that both nature and nurture work together to cause behaviour

Question 26

Maternal deprivation

Answer 26

- an extended period of time spent away from the mother

Question 27

Affectionless psychopathy

Answer 27

- a child characterised by a lack of normal affection, shame or sense of responsibility

Question 28

Case study

Answer 28

- an in depth, detailed analysis of one person over a long period of time - uses a variety of data collection methods such as interviews, questionnaires, school records etc.