The Study of Consciousness Flashcards
When was Franz Brentano alive?
1838-1917
What can Brentano be described as?
An empiricist
Which experimental technique did Brentano advocate for?
Introspection
Which two types of psychology did Brentano distinguish between?
Genetic - 3rd person point of view
Empirical or Descriptive - 1st person point of view
What did Brentano believe psychology is a science of?
Mental phenomena:
- Exclusive object of inner perception
- Always appear as a unity
- Always internally directed towards an object
Brentano argued that ‘what is in the mind’ is less important than what?
What the mind does - experience as activity not structure
Colour is not a mental phenomenon - seeing is mental
What are the three key mental activities of Brentano’s ‘Act Psychology’?
Recall - having an idea of an object
Judging - affirming or denying the object
Feeling - developing an attitude to the object
Why is the mind ordered in its behaviour according to Brentano?
Because the world is ordered, not because of the weight of associations or the imposition of structure by the mind
What is intentionality?
The characteristic of consciousness whereby it is conscious of something
Who were the founders of Gestalt psychology?
Max Wertheimer
Wolfgang Kohler
Kurt Koffka
What is the Bundle Hypothesis and how was it critiqued by Gestalt psychology?
Bundle hypothesis = the objects of consciousness are made up of fixed, atomic element i.e. an object is a collection of its properties
Gestalt = whole different to sum of parts
What is the Constancy Hypothesis and how was it critiqued by Gestalt psychology?
Constancy hypothesis = each conscious sensory object corresponds directly to a physical stimulus’ impact on a sensory organ
Gestalt = percepts are not immutable correlates of local physical stimuli that give rise to them but reflect specific interactive relational aspects of a simulus complex
What is the Phi Phenomenon?
Optical illusion: still image which appears to be in motion
Gestalt argue motion is real in experience but does not correspond to physical moving stimulus
What is the Law of Pragnanz?
The perception of reality is organised or reduced to its simplest form
When was Sigmund Freud alive?
1856-1939
What book is described as the most intriguing book about Freud and Freudian psychoanalysis? And what does it demonstrate?
Freud, biologist of the mind: beyond the psychoanalytic legend - Frank J. Sulloway
How Freudian psychology was influenced by changing world view that followed the Darwinian revolution and the impact of physical theories of dynamics
What is the historical perspective on hysteria?
Only suffered by women - caused by irritation of female sexual organs or mere play acting
What was Charcot’s view on hysteria?
Only accepted mechanistic physical explanations
Argued that it is a hereditary neurological disease
Occurs in men and women
Who is considered the Grandfather of Psychoanalysis?
Josef Breuer
What did Breuer conclude from the case of Anna O?
Neurotic symptoms result from unconscious processes and will disappear when these processes become conscious
What is it that causes problems leading to hysteria?
Negative emotional content of unconscious memories that have been repressed
What is abreaction?
The process by which represses memories emotional force is released
What theory of hysteria did Freud propose?
The Seduction Theory of hysteria - repressed memories usually associated with sexual trauma
Why was the seduction theory retracted within a year?
Therapeutic failure
Implausible frequency of child sexual abuse
Unconscious does not know difference between reality and fantasy
Reports do not emerge in delirium when all repressive defenses break down
How was the seduction theory criticised?
Never provided clinical evidence
Some historians believe that the patients were ‘persuaded’ of early sexual abuse
What do all dreams represent?
The fulfillment of wishes
Dreams are only a partial expression of the wish
When is the latent content of a dream allowed to appear?
Only if it is disguised as manifest content
How does the manifest content of the dream express latent content?
Through Freudian symbols
What is dreamwork?
Process by which underlying wish is translated into manifest contest in order to be processes without inducing anxiety…
What is the oedipus complex?
Boy desires mother and death of father
Castration anxiety then leads to identifying with father
What is the electra complex?
Girl desires mother
Penis envy - rejects mother and transfers desire to father
What are the three parts of the psyche according to Freud?
Id, ego, superego
What is the id?
Present from birth, follows pleasure principle
Primitive desires/instincts - sex, hunger, thirst
Unconscious
What is the ego?
Functions according to reality principle
Develops of function of id’s inability to function efficaciously in external world
Operates at unconscious, preconscious and conscious levels
What is the superego?
Moral component of mind
Incorporates both parental and societal structures about correct behaviour
Controls ego through punishment and reward
What did Freud believe the largest part of the mind? was?
Unconscious
What did Freud believe about mental processes?
They are unconscious - only certain individual acts and portions are conscious
What are parapraxes?
Slips of action/the tongue/writing
What is the method of free association?
Patient invited to say whatever comes to mind
Criticisms of Freud
Not scientific
Not enough evidence
Very hard to test empirically
Prejudiced and discriminative against women
Praise for Freud
Gave rise to new theories and therapy approaches
Emphasised importance of early experiences in later development
Raised awareness regrding sexual abuse
Revolutionised psychology
