psychodynamic

• Our unconscious mind - a part of our mind that we cannot access - drives our behaviour. There are parts of our personality that we cannot access, and when something makes us uncomfortable or distressed, we can use our unconscious mind to reduce this distress (defence mechanism)
• Instincts and drives motivates our behaviour through developmental stages. The psychodynamic approach calls these ‘psychosexual stages of development’. Experiences of these stages can affect us in adulthood.
• ID - pleasure principle 

  Completely unconscious, primary urge to seek pleasure; no consideration for what is practical/legal/moral; first part of your mind to develop 

  Forms from birth - 18 months immediate gratification 
• EGO - reality principle

  Rational; acknowledges what is realistic through experience; maintains balance between id and superego once developed. Forms from 18 months to 3 years
• SUPEREGO - morality principle 

  Morals; internalised cultural rules and laws; acts as a conscience. 

  Forms from 3 to 6 years
• The ego balances potential conflict between the ID and superego, and tries to reduce anxiety. In areas of significant conflict, the ego can redirect psychic energy using 'defense mechanisms'.
• • Repression – burying an unpleasant thought or desire in the unconscious
  • Displacement – emotions are directed away from their source or target, towards other things
  • Denial – a threatening thought is ignored or treated as if it were not true
• A problem with the psychodynamic approach is that the concepts that underlie it cannot be tested scientifically. For example, the role of the unconscious cannot be tested as we are not directly aware of it. Additionally, psychodynamic theories, e.g. Freud's psychosexual stages cannot be falsified. This is a weakness as falsification is an important part of the scientific method. As we cannot objectively study these ideas, this weakens the psychodynamic approach in comparison to others, in which we can test using experimental methods.
• A strength of the psychodynamic approach is that it highlights the importance of early childhood experiences. Research therefore increases our understanding of how to raise children in order to improve their well being and reduce the risk of negative consequences later on. Psychodynamic theories (e.g. Bowlby's theory) have confirmed that early childhood plays a vital role in later behaviour. This has further economic implications; children are more likely to grow up to be happy and productive members of society who are able to work and contribute to the economy.
• One issue with this approach is that behaviour is assumed to be governed by the psychic apparatus, at least according to Freud. This is psychic determinism, and suggests that people have no control over their behaviour. This means that the psychodynamic approach denies the existence of free will, and at least some people would disagree with this idea. This makes the psychodynamic approach controversial.
• Conscious: Thoughts that we are able to access
• Pre-conscious: Thoughts that we are currently not able to in our conscious awareness, but can be accessed.
• Unconscious: Inaccessible thoughts. These are often deep biological drives, socially inappropriate thoughts, repressed and painful memories. It reveals itself through Freudian slips.
• Oral

  Mouth - breastfeeding

  0-1

  Smoking (if put off breastfeeding too early)

  Excessive eating (if breastfed too long)
• Anal

  Anus – Potty Training

  1-3

  Messiness/Orderliness
• Phallic

  Genitals – O/E complex

  3-6

  Development of gender identity and morals from same-sex parent
• Latency

  N/A – Develop defence mechanisms

  6-12

  N/A
• Genital

  Genitals

  12+

  Complete development of individual as a result of successfully completing all stages
• Genital stage, incestuous feelings resurface, but they are now displaced onto more socially acceptable forms, such as those who are not related to you. Typically your partner will be similar to your opposite-sex parent
• To be psychologically healthy, we must successfully complete each stage.
• Oedipus complex - boys between the age of 3-6 develop incestuous feelings towards the opposite sex parent. They become jealous of their same-sex parent. Boys repress these feelings and then fear their fathers, as they think that he will castrate them for liking their mother. This is called castration anxiety. Therefore to be liked by their father, they identify with him and internalise his beliefs and moral ideas. This leads to the development of the superego and gender identity.
• Electra complex – Same thing as girls, however, girls believe they have already been castrated, women are seen as ‘failed men’. Therefore they do not have as strong of a pressure to identify with the same-sex parent, due to no castration anxiety, therefore leading to women being ‘less moral’ than men. Girls display penis envy, in which they desire to have a penis, and develop incestuous feelings for their father. The envy gets replaced with the desire to have a child as the girl grows up.
• Psychodynamic therapies – aim to uncover the unresolved, unconscious conflicts from childhood.

  Dream Analysis – Client is told to record a dream diary, and the dreams are analysed by the therapist.

  Two levels to the dreams, obvious content = manifest content , and the deeper meaning of the objects = latent content in the dream, which signify the unconscious thought which are causing the mental illness. The therapist identifies these deeper meanings and therefore uncovers the patient’s unresolved unconscious conflicts.
• Psychodynamic therapies – aim to uncover the unresolved, unconscious conflicts from childhood.

  Free Association - Patient is encouraged to speak freely, even if the thoughts they are having are inappropriate. The superego will attempt to block this, but some unconscious thoughts will slip through via Freudian slips. Therefore unconscious thoughts are revealed, and can be resolved.
• Psychodynamic therapies – aim to uncover the unresolved, unconscious conflicts from childhood.

  Projective Tests – Patient is shown ambiguous images (e.g. inkblots) and patient is asked to state what they see. Their unresolved conflicts would be stapled onto the ambiguous objects. The therapist identifies this, and is able to uncover the patient’s unconscious, unresolved conflicts from childhood.