The Psychodynamic Approach To Studying Psychology

Question 1

who made the psychodynamic approach popular

Answer 1

Sigmund Freud and Neo-Freudians

Question 2

the psychodynamic approach states personality is characterised by what two themes

Answer 2

1. places emphasis on unconscious determinants of behaviour as well as the conscious elements of personality
2. focuses on understanding a person as a whole rather than identifying isolated traits or dispositions (Gestalt)

Question 3

state the definition Vaeley gave for personality

Answer 3

personality is a dynamic set of processes that are constantly changing and are often in conflict with one another

Question 4

state two weaknesses of the psychodynamic approach to personality

Answer 4

1. huge difficulties in testing it

2. focus entirely on internal determinants and gives little focus to the social environment

Question 5

what are the three main elements of Freud’s Psychoanalytical theory of personality

Answer 5

1. different levels of awareness - with a focus on the conscious awareness
2. the dynamic interplay between the three parts of personality
3. the psychosexual stage theory of personality

Question 6

within Freud’s three levels of awareness, explain the tip of the iceberg (2 parts)

Answer 6

1. the tip is the conscious mind (what you are currently aware of)
2. in memory terms, this is your ST memory (what you’re thinning of right now)

Question 7

within Freud’s three levels of awareness, explain the area just beneath the surface of the water (2 parts)

Answer 7

1. area is the precocious mind

2. in memory terms, this is your LT memory - what you’re not presently aware of but you can gain access to

Question 8

within Freud’s three levels of awareness, explain the deep section of the iceberg (2 parts)

Answer 8

1. the large base is the unconscious mind (the part of the mind which you cannot freely access)
2. Freud believes this contains the primary motivations, biological instinctual drives, repressed unacceptable thoughts, memories and feelings and unresolved conflicts from our childhood experiences

Question 9

explain the concept of the ID (4 things)

Answer 9

1. original personality, only one present at birth and which the other two emerge from
2. grouped instincts into life instincts and death instincts
3. adheres to the pleasure principle
4. ID is totally self centred and focused on satisfying biological drives

Question 10

state what it is meant by the key term ‘pleasure principle’

Answer 10

the pleasure principle states the ID strives for immediate gratification for internal drives without concern over consequences

Question 11

explain the concept of ego (3 things)

Answer 11

1. develops from first year of life
2. function to protect personality while ensuring ID’s drives are met
3. adheres to the reality principle
4. located in conscious, pre-conscious and unconscious mind
5. uses memory and conscious thought to do its job
6. must mediate between instinctual drives of ID as well as the superego

Question 12

state what it is meant by the key term ‘reality principle’

Answer 12

the reality principle is responsible for finding gratification for instinctual drives within the constraints of reality (norms and laws of society)

Question 13

explain the concept of the superego

Answer 13

1. represents conscious idealised standards of behaviour or a particular culture
2. develops in childhood
3. tells ego on how one ought to act
4. acts as a morality principle
5. superego and ID come into contact and ego must resolve within the constraints of reality

Question 14

state what it is meant by the key term ‘morality principle’

Answer 14

the morality principle is the principle of the right and wrong accepted by an individual’s social group

Question 15

how does the ego prevent an individual becoming overwhelmed with anxiety

Answer 15

the ego used defence mechanisms

Question 16

state what it is meant by the key term ‘defence mechanism’

Answer 16

a defence mechanism is a process that distorts reality and protects us from anxiety

Question 17

state what it is meant by the key term, in relation to defence mechanisms - repression

Answer 17

1. repression is the process of unknowingly placing an unpleasant memory or though into the unconscious mind
2. eg - not remembering a traumatic insolent from a crime

Question 18

state what it is meant by the key term, in relation to defence mechanisms - ‘regression’

Answer 18

1. regression refers to reverting back to immature behaviour from an earlier stage of development
2. temper tantrum when you don’t get your own way

Question 19

state what it is meant by the key term, in relation to defence mechanisms - ‘denial’

Answer 19

1. denial refers to refusing to acknowledge anxiety provoking realities
2. refusing to accept evidence your spouse is having an affair

Question 20

state what it is meant by the key term, in relation to defence mechanisms - ‘displacement’

Answer 20

1. displacement refers to redirecting unacceptable from the original source to a safer, suitable target
2. taking anger toward boss out on your spouse by yelling at them

Question 21

state what it is meant by the key term, in relation to defence mechanisms - ‘sublimation’

Answer 21

1. sublimation refers to replacing socially unacceptable impulses with socially acceptable behaviours
2. challenging aggressive drives into playing football

Question 22

state what it is meant by the key term, in relation to defence mechanisms - ‘reaction formation’

Answer 22

1. reaction formation refers to acting the entire opposite way to one’s unacceptable impulses
2. being overprotective and loving to an unwanted child

Question 23

state what it is meant by the key term, in relation to defence mechanisms - ‘projections’

Answer 23

1. projections refers to attributing one’s unacceptable feelings and thoughts to others and not yourself
2. accusing spouse of cheating as you feel as if you’ve cheated on them

Question 24

state what it is meant by the key term, in relation to defence mechanisms - ‘rationalisation’

Answer 24

1. rationalisation refers to creating false excuses for ones unacceptable feelings, thoughts or behaviour
2. justifying cheating on an exam as ‘everyone else does’

Question 25

state what it is meant by the key term ‘healthy personality’ - Freud

Answer 25

a healthy personality is one where none of the three segments of a personality (ID, ego or superego) is dominating allowing all three systems to interact in a harmonious way

Question 26

what did Freud believe the issue of defence mechanisms were (2 points)

Answer 26

1. Believed we could become dependent on defence mechanisms and prevent us from facing our problems.
2. This may prevent us from facing our feelings and dealing with them

Question 27

state 2 introductory facts to Freud’s Psychosexual theory

Answer 27

1. developed from his memories of being a chid and years of case studies of patients childhood memories
2. the two stages of the psychosexual theory are: the ‘erogenous zone’ and ‘fixation’

Question 28

explain the concept of the ‘erogenous zone’ in relation to Freud’s psychosexual theory (2 points)

Answer 28

1. the erogenous zone is where the ID’s psychic energy is focused during a particular stage of psychosexual development
2. erogenous parts are areas of the body where instinctual satisfaction can be obtained

Question 29

what are Freud’s 5 stages of the erogenous zone of psychosexual development (only Arron pours lubricant gel)

Answer 29

1. oral
2. anal
3. phallic
4. latency
5. genital

Question 30

explain the fixation component of Freud’s psychosexual theory (2 points)

Answer 30

1. fixation occurs when a part of the ID’s pleasure seeking energy remains in an earlier stage of development due to excessive or insufficient gratification of instinctual needs during that stage of development
2. frustration (lack) and overindulgence

Question 31

state the 3 basic tenets of the Psychodynamic Theory (school of thought)

Answer 31

1. psychodynamic therapists encourage people to speak freely about their emotions, desires and fears
2. being open may reveal vulnerable feelings that have been pushed out of conscious awareness
3. according to the psychodynamic theory, behaviour is influenced by unconscious thought

Question 32

state the 3 life instincts (within the ID)

Answer 32

1. survival
2. reproduction
3. pleasure drives (eg - food, water and sex)

Question 33

what are death instincts ?

Answer 33

destructive and aggressive drives that are detrimental to survival

Question 34

what does Freud believe our best defence mechanism is ? (2 points)

Answer 34

1. the best defence mechanism may be no defence mechanism
2. facing problems allow us to see reality is not that bad and that working to change reality is better than distorting it

Question 35

state what it is meant by the key term - structuralism

Answer 35

Structuralism focuses on breaking down mental processes into the most basic components. Researchers attempt to understand the basic elements of consciousness

Question 36

state what it is meant by the key term - functionalism

Answer 36

functionalism is a direct outgrowth from Darwinian thinking which focuses attention on the utility and purpose of behaviour that has been modified over evolution

Question 37

state what it is meant by the key term - psychodynamic

Answer 37

psychodynamics is the study of psychological forces which underlie human behaviour, feelings and emotions. and how they might relate to early experiences

Question 38

state what it is meant by the key term - gestalt psychology

Answer 38

a theory which emphasises that the whole of anything is greater than the sum of its parts

Question 39

state what it is meant by the key term - evolutionary psychology

Answer 39

attempts to explain useful mental and psychological traits as adaptations (i.e. - functional products of natural selection)

Question 40

state what it is meant by the key term - socio-cultural psychology

Answer 40

examines the influence of your environment on your development