Psychodynamic

• Assumptions- Unconscious forces in our mind determine our thoughts feelings and behaviours

  Our behaviour as adults is strongly influenced by childhood

  Abnormal behaviour is a result of mental conflict

  The mind can be divided into 3 levels of consciousness
• Role of the Unconscious- Unconscious is the driving force that motivates our behaviour

  Protects our conscious self from fear or anxiety ( defense mechanisms)
• Id- Demands instant gratification for needs and operates on the pleasure principle and is entirely unconscious and selfish
• Ego- Develops around 2-3 years and operates on the reality principle balancing conflict between demands of id and superego
• Superego- Formed around 5-6 years and contains mental values operating on the morality principle, ensures that the ego does not use unacceptable means to satisfy the demands of the id
• Repression is forcing a distressing memory out of the conscious mind.
• Denial is refusing to acknowledge some aspect of reality
• Displacement is transferring feelings from a true source of distressing emotions onto a substitute
• Psychosexual stages

  Freud believed childhood was important and believed development during this time was through stages. If a child does not develop normally in these stages, they become fixated and have negative effects on development
• Oral 0-1 years

  Focus of pleasure is the mouth, the mother’s breast is the object of desire and conflict occurs during weaning. Consequence is oral fixation- Smoking, nail biting or sarcasm
• Anal 1-3 years

  Focus of pleasure is anus and child gets pleasure from withholding or expelling feces. Conflict occurs during potty training and consequences are, Anal retentive- Perfectionist or obsessive nature. Anal expulsion- Thoughtlessness or messiness
• Phalic Stage

  Focus of pleasure is the genitals. Conflict comes from bos unconsciously going through the Oedipus complex where they desire their mothers and are fearful of their fathers. Girls go through the electra complex where they have penis envy. Bad development at this stage causes gender conflict