psychodynamic approach

• what does the psychodynamic approach assume?

  experiences in early childhood determine individual's mental state and outcomes in later life
• what's the outcome of dysfunctional parental behaviour?

  exhibit defence mechanisms in denial to their unhappy childhood
• what's a key assumption of the psychodynamic approach?

  vast amount of the mind that are inaccessible to conscious awareness
• outline what freud suggested about levels of consciousness

  iceberg metaphor

  • unconscious mind is represented by the hidden part of the iceberg
  • unconscious thoughts lie deep and push upwards into preconscious and conscious mind
  • unconscious thoughts intrude upper part of iceberg and manifest in behaviours of dreams, defence mechanisms or fixation
• what are the 3 different levels of consciousness?

  1. conscious mind
  2. preconscious mind
  3. unconscious mind
• outline the conscious mind

  part of the mind that the individual is aware of which is used to form conscious thoughts
• outline the preconscious mind

  part of the mind that sits just below the surface of the conscious mind

  • freudian slips reveal secret feelings which is the individual's repressed feelings
  • dreams reveal secret desires
• outline the unconscious mind

  part of mind that holds information and feelings that individual are unaware of

  • e.g. secret desires, repressed memories or the effects of trauma

  psychodynamic therapists suggest psychoanalysis is a necessary way to confront frightening parts of unconscious and trauma
• who conceptualised personality as a tripartite structure?

  Freud
• what were the 3 parts of the personality?

  1. id
  2. ego
  3. superego
• are the id, ego and superego separate parts?

  no

  • they work together within the personality but not necessarily in harmony
• explain the id

  present from birth

  • instinctive part of personality
  • operates to the pleasure principle
  • consists of erotic energy and primal urges
  • seeks self-indulgent pleasure and instant gratification
  • important in early life to ensure survival
• explain the ego

  develops around the age of 2

  • operates according to the reality principle
  • acts as the mediator between the id and the superego
  • id must be tamed and superego must be ignored
  • develops in response to control by others during the anal stage of development
• explain the superego

  develops around the age of 5

  • operates according to the morality principle
  • shows approval
  • represents internalised sense of right and wrong
  • conscience, morality, ethics and judgemental aspect of the self
  • moral standards learned via one's same-sex parent
• evaluate the role of the unconscious and structure of personality

  • forefront of the move in psychology considering role of childhood experiences, linked parental treatment and conflicted behaviour, high external validity

  
  

  • freud's theory is difficult to operationalise, test and measure due to concepts and mechanisms which are highly subjective and open to interpretation, theory is unfalsifiable

  
  

  • suffers from psychic determinism, assumes all outcomes have been decided due to deliberate force, negates idea of free will
• what part of the personality uses defence mechanisms?

  ego
• why does the ego use defence mechanisms?

  balance conflicting demands of id and superego

  • ego has to manage internal struggle to prevent being overwhelmed by short-term trauma or threat
  • balancing happens at unconscious level
• outline the use of defence mechanisms

  work as a protective mechanisms for the psyche

  • protect individual from having to face harsh truths or unpleasant realities which are socially unacceptable
• outline what defence mechanisms provide

  temporary relief or solution from confronting unsavoury factors which in the long-term are psychologically unhealthy and damaging
• what are the 3 types of defence mechanisms?

  1. displacement
  2. repression
  3. denial
• outline displacement

  focus of a strong emotion directed towards neutral person/object

  • reduces anxiety as it allows expression of strong emotion
• outline repression

  unpleasant or distressing memories are pushed into unconscious mind so they're unable to cause anxiety or hurt
• outline denial

  manifests as a refusal to accept reality of unpleasant situation or event
• what are the psychosexual stages?

  1. oral
  2. anal
  3. phallic
  4. latent
  5. genital
• what is the age period for the oral psychosexual stage?

  0 - 1 years
• what is the age period for the anal psychosexual stage?

  1 - 3 years
• what is the age period for the phallic psychosexual stage?

  3 - 6 years
• what is the age period for the latent psychosexual stage?

  6 years - puberty
• what is the age period for the genital psychosexual stage?

  puberty onwards
• what is each psychosexual stage linked to?

  specific milestones and timelines

  • if person develops healthily and deals successfully with the conflict, should pass through stages without difficulty
  • at adulthood, person should be fully adjusted and conflict-free
• what is fixation?

  child has become stuck at one of the stages

  • child's upbringing is dysfunctional or suffered trauma or adverse experience
  • fixation is likely to impede and obstruct happiness and functionality
• what's the main indicator of healthy development?

  if child successfully navigates the phallic phase by going through the oedipus complex or electra complex
• outline the oedipus complex

  phase in which boys initially feel unconscious desire for closeness to mother and hate their father due to castration anxiety
• outline the electra complex

  girls experience penis envy, closeness to father and hate for mother
• what is the outcome of the oedipus and electra complex?

  identification with the same-sex parent
• outline the case study of Little Hans

  5 year old boy with a horse phobia

  • detailed notes and observations which allowed him to interpret phobia as evidence of the oedipus complex
  • phobia emerged at beginning of the latency stage which interpreted as resolving conflict
• describe the oral stage

  mouth is the focus of pleasure

  • conflict arises around breastfeeding
• explain the consequence of the oral stage in adulthood

  oral fixation

  • smoking
  • overeating
  • critical and sarcastic comments
  • addiction
• describe the anal stage

  anus is focus of pleasure

  • conflict arises during toilet training
• explain the consequences of the anal stage in adulthood

  anal retentive fixation

  • neatness
  • perfectionism
  • neuroticism

  anal expulsive

  • messiness
  • insensitivity
  • chaos