Psychodynamic Approach

• Freud believes the mind consists of the conscious, preconscious and unconscious
• The unconscious protects us from distressing or embarrassing material that could damage the psyche
• The psyche: the tripartite personality - the id, the ego and the superego
• The id - we are born with it; it is mostly in the unconscious; it is the primitive and instinctive component; operates by the pleasure principle
• The ego - Develops at about the age of 2; executive of the personality; operates on reality principle; experienced as the 'self'
• The superego - develops at about the age of 6; 'relentless policeman'; the conscience; opposes the id; provides the moral standards
• Displacement - redirecting the impulse (usually aggression) to a powerless substitute, which may be a person or object
• Repression - unconsciously pushing a memory away
• Denial - refusing to believe something happened; primitive defence; short term solution
• Oral stage (0-1 year) - pleasure source is the mouth; weaning process if unresolved can cause issues with dependency or aggression
• Anal stage (1-3 years) - pleasure source is the sphincter muscles of anus and urinary tract; potty training if unresolved can cause issues with control
• Phallic stage (3-6 years) - pleasure source is the genitals; boys - oedipus complex and castration anxiety; girls - electra complex and penis envy
• Oedipus complex - boys want to be with their mum and so hate their dad
• Electra complex - girls want to be with their dad so hate their mum
• Penis envy - girls hate their mum for not giving them a penis
• Castration anxiety - boys have a fear of emasculation
• Little Hans - 3 year old Austrian boy who's father was a fan of Freud; had a fear of horses

  Dream 1 - Plumber no. 1 - plumber screws Hans into his mum's stomach

  Dream 2 - Giraffe - 2 giraffes, Hans sits on smaller one which moans and bigger giraffe walks away

  Dream 3 - Plumber no. 2 - plumber swaps Hans' penis and bum for bigger ones

  Fantasy - Grandfather - sat at dinner table, moves dad to grandfather seat
• Latency stage (6-puberty) - sexual desires repressed; interest shifts toward social interaction; identification with the aggressor
• Genital stage (puberty onward) - sexual and romantic interests directed to peers