The Psychodynamic Approach

• (AO1) Give the basic assumption

  Basic assumption = human behaviour is the result of unconscious processes and childhood trauma.
• (AO1) Define the unconscious mind

  In Freud's psychodynamic theory, he believed the unconscious mind to be - largest part of mind, holding thoughts/memories that are not accessible to awareness, but influences our conscious behaviour/feelings.
• (AO1) State structure of personality (tripartite)

  Id = Birth - 18 months) Only has ID - run by the 'pleasure principle'. Selfish aspect of mind, has internal drives to satisfy personal needs/desires. Unconscious part of mind

  
  

  Ego = 18 months - 3yrs) Ego forms - run by the 'reality principle'. Uses rational thinking to manage id's demands, acting as mediator for conflict between id and superego. Conscious part of mind

  
  

  Superego = 3-6 yrs) Develops Superego - run by the 'morality principle'. Child internalises values/norms of parents/society. Moderates behaviour through influencing it, induces guilt when brake's strict standards
• (AO1) Define the first 2 psychosexual stages

  1 Oral (0-1yrs) - Focus of pleasure is the mouth & mother's breasts are the focus of desire. Fixation results in an immature personality.

  
  

  2 Anal (1-3yrs) - Focus of pleasure is the anus and child focuses on withholding and expelling faeces. Anal-retentive ppl (strict toilet training) may become perfectionist/organised/stubborn. Anal-explosive ppl (lenient training) may be messy/rebellious/careless.
• (AO1) Define the next 3 psychosexual stages

  3 Phallic (3-5yrs) - focus of pleasure is genitals and child experience - the Oedipus/Electra complex.

  
  

  4 Latency (6-12 yrs) - previous conflicts are resolved/repressed, and early years are largely forgotten.

  
  

  5 Genital (12-puberty-adulthood) - sexual desires become conscious with the onset of puberty.
• (AO1) Explain the Oedipus Complex

  • During phallic stage, boys develop unconscious desire for mother.
  • They're rivalled by father for her attention.
  • Boys fear father finding out and punishing them, experiences castration anxiety.
  • To resolve this, boys repress desire for mothers, and instead identify with their fathers, internalising their father's behaviour as their own. (manly)
• (AO1) Explain Electra Complex

  • Contrast to boys.
  • Girls experience feelings of desire for fathers in phallic stage.
  • Feel strong resentment for mothers and blames them for absence of a penis, believing have been castrated as punishment.
  • Girls experience penis envy and the desire to be boys.
  • But maturation occurs - so girls repress these feelings, and now long for a baby to cope with empty feelings.
  • Once occurs, girls will identify with mother (same sex parent, role model) and her behaviours will be internalised by girls as their own. (feminine, nurturing)
• (AO1) Explain fixation

  As the children pass through the 5 psychosexual stages, they will experience an unconscious conflict that must be resolved.

  
  

  If they are unable to do so, they become fixated. As the individual remains stuck in a particular stage, this will alter their personality (to express certain negative traits) and can even result in mental disorders called neuroses.
• Define defence mechanisms

  Defence mechanisms = strategies involving the unconscious mind that en ego can use to manage unresolvable conflicts.

  
  

  The use of defence mechanisms reduces the anxiety felt by the conflict between the ID and superego.
• State types of defence mechanisms

  1. Denial - a refusal to accept the reality of a situation
  2. Displacement - when a strong emotion is moved from the source of that emotion and placed onto a substitute target. (Generally - this is a weaker target. E.g. object
  3. Repression - an unpleasant memory/painful emotion is placed into the unconscious mind, and is no longer accessible to the conscious mind. E.g. someone who is bullied at school is unable to recall memories of being bullied.
• (AO3) Strength - Appeal & FV

  Point: Approach has strong intuitive appeal, as people can relate to its concepts, making it feel accurate.

  
  

  Evidence: This face validity explains why psychoanalysis remains a popular treatment for mental illnesses. Patients feel productive when unearthing unconscious memories / discussing early childhood relationships, as they believe they are gaining meaningful insights.

  
  

  HOWEVER: Just because a theory feels correct, does not guarantee scientific validity. This raises concerns about its credibility as a scientific explanation.
• (AO3) Limitation - Bias

  Point: Approach has gender & culture bias, influenced by its historical context.

  
  

  Evidence: In Freud's time when women had few rights, shaped his theories. E.g. in his 1901 interpretation of dreams, suggested women had weaker superego and more reliant on men, reflecting androcentrism and alpha bias. The theory also has a strong individualist basis, focusing on personal drives, which may not apply to collectivist cultures.

  
  

  Evaluate: Freud's gender bias is outdated, no longer accepted & the individualist nature of theory limits relevance in non-Western cultures.
• (AO3) CS support

  P: Supported by Little Hans.

  
  

  E: In the case of LH, Freud used dream analysis to suggest Hans's jealously of his father (linked him to horse's larger penis) and desire to possess his mother (wanted to sit on her) were signs of Oedipus complex.

  
  

  HOWEVER: Case study often criticised as evidence for Freud's theories about childhood development / unconscious desires.

  
  

  E 1: LH evidence can be questioned. These interpretations of Hans's dreams/behaviours may be biased by Freud's own theories, raising concerns about validity of CS evidence.

  
  

  E 2: Difficult to generalise findings to all children, as based on single individual.