Unit 2 prt1 Flashcards
What are the main topics in ‘Psychoanalytic Approaches to Personality’?
Remembering Freud, fundamental assumptions, structure of personality, dynamics of personality, psychosexual stages, psychoanalysis, and Freud’s contributions.
Who was Sigmund Freud?
A neurologist from Vienna who developed psychoanalysis, emphasizing the unconscious mind and psychosexual development.
What book did Freud publish in 1900 that laid the foundation for his theories?
‘The Interpretation of Dreams’
What are the fundamental assumptions of psychoanalytic theory?
Psychic energy, basic instincts (sex and aggression), unconscious motivation, and psychic determinism.
What are Freud’s basic instincts?
Eros (life instinct, libido) and Thanatos (death instinct, aggression).
What are the three levels of consciousness?
Conscious (aware thoughts), Preconscious (easily retrievable), and Unconscious (hidden thoughts, desires, traumas).
What is psychic determinism?
The belief that everything a person does is driven by unconscious motivation (e.g., Freudian slips).
What are the three structures of personality in psychoanalytic theory?
Id (pleasure principle), Ego (reality principle), and Superego (morality and societal values).
How do the id, ego, and superego interact?
The ego mediates between the impulsive id and the moralistic superego, balancing desires with reality.
What is anxiety in psychoanalytic theory?
A signal that the ego is struggling to balance the id and superego.
What are the three types of anxiety according to Freud?
Objective (real threats), Neurotic (conflict between id and ego), and Moral (conflict between ego and superego).
What are defense mechanisms?
Unconscious strategies used by the ego to reduce anxiety.
Name three common defense mechanisms.
Repression (blocking thoughts), Denial (refusing to accept reality), and Displacement (redirecting emotions).
What is reaction formation?
Expressing the opposite of an unacceptable impulse (e.g., being overly kind to someone you dislike).
What is projection?
Attributing one’s own undesirable traits to others.
What is sublimation?
Channeling unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable activities (e.g., exercising when angry).
What are Freud’s psychosexual stages?
Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latency, and Genital stages.
What happens in the oral stage?
Pleasure from the mouth (e.g., sucking, biting). Fixation can lead to habits like smoking or overeating.
What happens in the anal stage?
Pleasure from bowel movements. Fixation can lead to being overly controlling (anal-retentive) or messy (anal-expulsive).
What is the Oedipus complex?
A boy’s unconscious desire for his mother and rivalry with his father.
What is the Electra complex?
The female counterpart to the Oedipus complex, involving penis envy.
What happens in the latency stage?
Sexual impulses are dormant; focus is on social and intellectual skills.
What happens in the genital stage?
Sexual interests mature and shift towards relationships.
What is free association?
A psychoanalytic technique where patients say whatever comes to mind to access the unconscious.
What is Freud’s view on dreams?
Dreams are a way to fulfill unconscious desires. They have manifest (literal) and latent (hidden) content.
What are projective techniques?
Methods like the Rorschach inkblot test that reveal unconscious thoughts.
Why is Freud’s theory still relevant?
It influenced psychotherapy, personality theory, and everyday language.
What are some criticisms of Freud’s work?
Lack of scientific evidence, reliance on case studies, and overemphasis on sexuality and unconscious conflicts.
