Psychodynamic A01

• Freud

  Freud stated that study of the conscious was only the 'tip of the iceberg'. Most of our mind is unconscious and a vast storehouse of biological drives and instincts that has influence over our behaviour.
• Unconscious mind


  Contains threatening and disturbing memories that have been repressed. They can be expressed during dreams,memories or 'slip of the tongue' like calling female teacher mom.
• Preconscious mind

  Under the surface of our conscious mind is the preconscious which contains thoughts/memories. They are not in conscious awareness but we can access them if desired.
• Tripartite

  Freud described personality as a 'tripartite' , composed of 3 parts:
• ID


  Primitive part of personality and operates on pleasure. Seething mass of unconscious thoughts and instincts, ID is selfish and demands instant gratification.
• Ego

  Works on reality principle, mediator between ID and Superego and reduces conflict between them. Employs number of defense mechanisms
• Superego

  Formed at end of phallic stage- age 5. Internalised sense of right and wrong - morality principle. Represents the moral standards of same sex parents. Punishes ego for wrong doing-guilt
• Psychosexual stages


  Childhood stages of development during which, according to Freud, the id's pleasure-seeking energies focus on distinct erogenous zones in 5 stages
• Conflict


  Child must resolve conflict to progress to next stage. Psychosexual conflict that is unresolved leads to fixation where child is 'stuck' and carries certain behaviours and conflicts associated with stage through to adult life.
• Psychosexual stages Description

  0-1 years (Oral)- Focus of pleasure is the mouth, mother's breast= object of desire 1-3 years (Anal)- Focus of pleasure is anus. Child gains pleasure from withholding/expelling faeces 3-5 years (Phallic)- Focus of pleasure is genital area. Child experiences the Oedipus/Electra complex. Latency- Earlier conflicts are repressed

  Genital- Sexual desires become conscious alongside the onset of puberty
• Psychosexual stages Consequences

  Oral fixation: smoking, biting nails, sarcastic, critical Anal retentive- Perfectionist, obsessive Anal expulsive- Thoughtless, Messy Phallic personality- Narcissistic, Reckless, Possibly homosexual Genital- Difficulty forming heterosexual relationships
• Oedipus complex

  In Phallic stage, boy's sexual desires toward his mother and feelings of jealousy and hatred for the rival father yet he repress his feelings due to fear of castration. Boy identifies with father, taking on his gender role and values.
• Electra complex

  In Phallic stage, girls have penis envy where they have feelings for their father and hatred for their mother. Typically, feelings disappear and over time replace their feelings for a baby.
• Little Hans case study


  5 year old boy having phobia of horses after seeing one collapse on the street. Freud explained the phobia being symbolic of displaced fear towards father
• The defense mechanisms used by ego

  Represion- Forcing a distressing memory out of the conscious mind. Denial- Refusing to accept so acknowledge some aspect of reality. Displacement- Transferring true feelings from true source of distressing emotion onto a substitute target