Psychodynamic approach

• What is the main focus of the psychodynamic approach/theory?

  • We have an 'unconscious mind', which influences our behaviour
  • Often, our conscious mind is unaware of what thoughts and emotions occur in the unconscious
  • However, these unconscious thoughts and feelings can have an effect on our conscious mind.
• Who was the leading psychologist who researched the psychodynamic approach?

  Sigmund Freud
• What are the 3 assumptions of the psychodynamic approach?

  • Behaviour can be explained by the Tripartite Model of Personality
  • Behaviour can be influenced by the unconscious mind
  • Behaviour is influenced by childhood experiences
• Give a brief description of the assumption that behaviour can be explained by the tripartite model of personality.


  • According to this approach, our personality is not one united whole, but is split into three parts
  • Each part desires different things, however they do not always agree
• What are the 3 parts of the tripartite model of personality?

  • The id- pleasure principle
  • The Ego- reality principle
  • The Superego- morality principle
• What is the id?

  The id behaves according the the pleasure principle:

  • Has a demand to take care of needs immediately
  • Instant gratification
  • An infant, in the Freudian view, is pure (or nearly pure) id.
  • The id is self-serving
• What is the Ego?

  Functions according to the reality principle:

  • Wants to take care of a need, as long as it is appropriate
  • Represents reality, reason and logic
  • Deals with the competing demands of the id and the superego
• What is the Superego?

  Functions according to the morality principle:

  • Children learn to internalise parental values and the social standards of society
  • The super-ego can be thought of as an inner voice which tells the ego when it is falling short of the ego-ideal, which is an image of oneself as one wants to become
• What are the 2 parts of the superego?

  • Conscience: internalisation of punishments and warnings
  • Ego-ideal: derived from rewards and positive role models
  • Both communicate their requirements to the ego with feelings like pride, shame, and guilt
• In terms of the tripartite personality, what does a healthy personality show?

  A healthy personality demonstrates ego strength. This is the ability to function despite the conflict between the different parts.
• How would someone with a dominant id behave?

  • Selfish
  • Demanding
  • Impulsive
  • Low self-control
• How would someone with a dominant superego behave?

  • Submissive
  • Gullible
  • Honest
  • Considerate
• How does Freud explain the reasoning for criminal behaviour?

  • Criminals often lack a sense of morality and remorse
  • They seek instant pleasure and gratification regardless of the costs, especially in psychopaths and those who commit violent offences
  • This shows how criminal behaviour is driven by their tripartite personality, as criminals are ruled by their id and the superego is suppressed
• Briefly describe the assumption that the unconscious mind can influence behaviour


  Freud proposed that there are different levels of consciousness. Often, the metaphor which is used is that of an iceberg.
• What are the 3 levels of consciousness?

  • Conscious mind
  • Preconscious mind
  • Unconscious mind
• What is the conscious mind?

  What we are currently aware of:

  • Rational and logical thoughts
  • Perceptions
  • Morals
• What is the preconscious mind?

  What we could be conscious of if we thought about it:

  • Memories
  • Knowledge
  • Opinions
  • Attitudes
• What is the unconscious mind?

  Contains thoughts and feelings that can motivate our behaviour, but cannot be accessed or thought about
• What are ego defence mechanisms?

  • The way the ego defends itself from unconscious thoughts and feelings that may cause stress if they became conscious
  • The ego uses these defences to deal with the stress causes by the conflicting demands of the superego and id
  • Defence mechanisms can either push a desire or conflict out of conscious thought, or transfer it onto something safer
  • They may help in the short term, but if overused can lead to disturbing behaviour.
• What are the 5 types of ego defence mechanisms?

  • Repression
  • Regression
  • Displacement
  • Projection
  • Denial
• What is repression?


  Pushing bad experiences of negative emotions into the unconscious so you can no longer think about them
• What is regression?


  The abandonment of age appropriate coping strategies in favour of more child-like patterns of behaviour. It is retreating to a time where the person feels safe
• What is displacement?


  Transferring undesirable impulses from one person to another person, object, or animal
• What is projection?


  Attributing undesirable thoughts or emotions onto somebody else
• What is denial?


  Involves blocking external events from awareness. If a situation is too much to handle, the person just refuses to experience it.
• How does the unconscious mind link to schizophrenia?

  • Conflict in the unconscious mind leads to the onset of schizophrenia symptoms
  • A fixation in the oral stage is created during childhood
  • In adulthood, if an individual experiences too much stress, the defence mechanism of regression protects their conscious mind by retreating to their oral stage
  • In the oral stage, the ego is not fully developed, leaving the id to run free
  • This explains the positive symptoms of SZ, like hallucinations and delusions
• Briefly describe the assumption that childhood experiences influence behaviour

  • The id, ego and superego come about through the process of psychosexual development- five stages that all children go through
  • The child's libido is focused on a particular body part at each stage
  • Adult personality can also be shaped by fixation at these stages- this occurs if the child is over-indulged or experiences frustration at a particular stage
• What is fixation?


  When an adult personality is stuck at one or more stages.
• What does 'over-indulged' and 'frustration' mean'

  • Over-indulged= too much
  • Frustration= not enough
• What is a child's libido?

  Sexual or Psychic energy
• What are the 5 psychosexual stages?

  • Oral (0-18 mon.)
  • Anal (18 mon.-3 yrs)
  • Phallic (3-5 yrs)
  • Latency (5-puberty)
  • Genital (puberty onwards)
• At the oral stage, what is the libido and personality focus?

  • Age: 0 yrs-18 months
  • Libido focus: mouth
  • Only part of the personality present is an id
• What would the effect be on adult personality if the child had healthy oral development?

  Gives us the ability to understand that we cannot exercise full control over our environment
• What would the effect be on adult personality if the child was over-indulged in the oral stage?

  Oral Receptive behaviour:

  • Optimistic
  • Gullible
  • Dependent
  • Trusting
• What would the effect be on adult personality if the child was frustrated in the oral stage?

  Oral Aggressive:

  • Aggressive
  • Pessimistic
  • Envious
  • Dominating
• At the anal stage, what is the libido and personality focus?

  • Ages: 18 months-3 years
  • Libido focus: Anus (potty training)
  • Part of personality: Development of ego, id has to wait to be satisfied
• What would the effect be on adult personality if the child had healthy anal development?

  • Learn to deal with authority
  • Assert our wishes
  • Maintains balance between order and ability to tolerate mess
• What would the effect be on adult personality if the child was over-indulged in the anal stage?

  Anal expulsive:

  • Generous
  • Messy
  • Disorganised
  • Rebellious
  • Careless
  • Hoarder
• What would the effect be on adult personality if the child was frustrated in the anal stage?

  Anal retentive:

  • Orderly
  • Stubborn
  • Stingy
  • Rigid
  • Posessive
• At the Phallic stage, what is the libido and personality focus?

  • Age: 3 years- 5 years
  • Libido focus: Genital exploration (external, immature interest in)
  • Part of personality: id and ego fully developed, superego developed by Oedipus and Electra complex