psychodynamic approach

• The psychodynamic approach: the role of the unconscious, the structure of personality, that is id, ego and superego, defence mechanisms including repression, denial and displacement, psychosexual stages.
• The psychodynamic approach views behaviour as being a result of drives and forces from within the individual’s psyche.  Most of these are influenced by the unconscious mind.
• The role of the unconscious:

  Freud suggested that our conscious mind, the part we know, was just the ‘tip of the iceberg’. The larger part (the unconscious) was hidden under water and contained biological drives and instincts.  Freud believed that our everyday actions and behaviours resulted from the unconscious mind.  Any distressing material is pushed into the unconscious, where it is safer.  However, it can ‘leak out’, particularly in dreams.
• The structure of the personality: Freud believed that the personality (the psyche) was made up of 3 parts: the Id, the Ego and the Superego.  Each of these parts demands gratification, but is frequently in conflict with the other parts.
• Id (from birth): is the pleasure principle, it is unconscious and is present from birth.  It demands immediate gratification, regardless of circumstance.  For example, if a person is hungry the id demands that they eat there and then.  Gratification of the id results in pleasure and frustration of the id leads to tension (an unpleasant state).
• Ego (2 yrs): This is the reality principle, it is conscious and mediates between the other two parts of the personality.    For example, it may delay gratifying the id until there is a more appropriate opportunity to satisfy its demands.  The ego must make compromises between the impulsive demands of the id and the moralistic demands of the superego. 
• Superego (4-5 yrs): This is the last part of the personality to develop, it is unconscious and is the morality principle.  It is our internalised idea of right or wrong and represents the moral standards of the child’s same-sex parent, producing feelings of guilt for wrongdoing.  It also includes an ego-ideal, which is a guide of how we should behave that is constructed based on parental standards.
• Defence mechanisms:  Freud believed that defence mechanisms are used to reduce anxiety and to neutralise threatening material that could potentially damage the ego.  These are unconscious and prevent the ego being overwhelmed by temporary threats or trauma.
• Repression = This involves pushing material out of the conscious mind and into the unconscious. 
• Denial = Unpleasant or worrying information is ignored. 
• Displacement = Feelings are directed onto a less threatening target than where they originated. 
• Psychosexual stages - Freud suggested child development occurs in five stages (the first three are the most important).  Each stage has a conflict that the child must resolve in order to move to the next stage.  Any unresolved conflict leads to fixation at that stage and affects adult behaviour.
• Oral stage (birth-18 months)

  • The focus for energy and sexual pleasure is in the mouth.  The infant gets pleasure from feeding, biting and sucking.  The id is in control and from around six months babies put most objects in their mouth.
  • If the infant is weaned too early or weaning caused upset, the individual would feel unsatisfied and develop into a pessimistic and sarcastic person.
  • If the infant was weaned too late, the individual will become too trusting in others and gullible.
• What is the age range for the anal stage of development according to Freud?

  18 months to 3 years
• What is the primary focus of pleasure during the anal stage?

  The anus
• What is the source of possible conflict during the anal stage?

  Control related to faeces and potty training
• How can being too strict during potty training affect a child?

  It could cause a fixation
• What can happen if a child takes excessive pleasure in excretion during the anal stage?

  They may become anally-expulsive as adults
• What are the characteristics of an anally-expulsive adult?

  Messy, creative, and spontaneous
• What might happen if a child is forced to use the potty before they are ready?


  The child may refuse to go, holding onto control
• What are the potential adult outcomes of being forced to potty train too early?

  They may become anally-retentive, stubborn, and mean with money
• What traits are associated with an anally-retentive adult?

  Stubborn, overly clean, and tidy
• How might an anally-retentive adult behave with money?

  They may be mean with money
• What is the age range of the phallic stage in Freud's psychosexual development theory?

  1. 5 years
• What is the focus of pleasure and sexual energy during the phallic stage?

  The genitals
• What complex is associated with the development of gender identity in children during the phallic stage?

  The Oedipus/Electra Complex
• What is the nature of the Oedipus/Electra Complex?

  An unconscious rivalry between the child and the same-sex parent for the affection of the opposite-sex parent
• What fear do boys experience during the phallic stage?

  Fear of castration from their father
• How do boys respond to their fear of castration during the phallic stage?

  They repress their desire for their mother and identify with their father
• What do girls experience during the phallic stage?

  Penis envy
• How do girls respond to their penis envy during the phallic stage?

  They repress their desires toward their father and identify with their mother
• What can happen if a child is fixated at the phallic stage?

  There may be problems due to inappropriate learning of gender behavior
• What characteristics may a phallic character exhibit if fixated at this stage?

  Self-assured, reckless, vain, and proud
• Strength of the psychodynamic approach

  • Supporting research: There is research to support that the role of the unconscious on behaviour.  For example, many of the concepts have been tested and been confirmed using scientific methodology.  Fisher and Greenberg (1996) summarised 2,500 of these studies and found support for the existence of unconscious motivations in human behaviour and the defence mechanisms of repression, denial and displacement.  This supports that the complex psychic factors that Freud suggested influence adult behaviour do seem to be important.
• What is one strength of the psychodynamic approach?

  It has led to important practical applications.
• What is psychoanalysis aimed at accessing?

  The unconscious mind.
• Which techniques are used in psychoanalysis to access the unconscious?

  Free association and dream analysis.
• What did Maat et al. (2009) demonstrate about psychoanalysis in their review?

  Psychoanalysis produced significant improvements in symptoms of depression and anxiety.
• What was maintained in the years after treatment with psychoanalysis according to Maat et al. (2009)?

  Significant improvements in symptoms.
• If psychoanalysis is a long-term treatment for mental health, what does it suggest about unconscious drives?


  Unconscious drives may be a cause of behavior.