The psychodynamic approach is a psychological perspective that focuses on the unconscious mind and the influence of childhood experiences on behavior and mental processes.
what are the main assumptions of the psychodynamic approach?
unconscious mind
instincts / drives
early childhood experience is crucial
interactional
tension and pleasure
in the main assumptions what is the unconscious mind?
the driving force behind much of our behaviour
in the main assumptions, what do instincts and drives do
motivate our behaviour
in the main assumptions, why is early childhood crucial?
it shapes who we are. traumatic events can resurface in adulthood
what did Frued believe tension was a result of?
built up libido
in the iceburg metaphor for the human mind, what is the conscious?
the part of the mind that we are aware of - our everyday thoughts and feelings
in the iceburg metaphor for the human mind, what is the preconscious?
thoughts and memories not accessible at all times but easily recalled
in the iceburg metaphor for the human mind, what is he unconscious?
the dark shameful part. holds repressed memories, thoughts and feelings that still drive much of our behaviour
what is the evidence for the unconscious?
freudian slips
in the tripartite personality mind what are the three components?
18 months - 3 years -> reliability principle. our consciousness and ability to think rationally
what is the superego?
5 years old + -> morality principle that develops through socialisation. it is rigid, punishing and repressive
what are the key features of the Oedipus complex?
during the phallic stage of development
sexual feelings towards their mother and resent for their father
castration anxiety and so befriend their father
what was the case study of little Hans?
phobia of horses
fascination with his penis and noticed many animals had larger ones
hans was jealous of his father who got to enjoy his mother's attention
hans felt a sexual attraction to his mother
what are the key features of the electra complex?
during the phallic stage
girls realise they are just castrated males
they have penis envy
when that desire isn't fulfilled they desire a baby
little girls have sexual desires for their fathers but these are repressed in favour of identifying with their mother
what are the three defence mechanisms?
repression
denial
displacement
what is repression?
forcing a distressed memory out of the unconscious mind
what is denial?
refusing to accept some aspect of reality
what is displacement?
transferring feelings from the true source of distress onto a substitute target
what are the strengths of the psychodynamic approach?
introduced psychotherapy which can help MILD mental disorders by providing access to their unconscious - dream analysis
it has explanatory power - controversial but it has had a large impact on western contemporary thought. it draws attention to the importance of childhood experience
what are the weaknesses of the psychodynamic approach?
psychoanalysis only works with mild problems and can be harmful to those with more serious issues
unstable concepts - Karl Popper argued that it doesn't meet the scientific criteria of falsification. id and oedipus complex occur at an unconscious level which makes hem difficult to test
what are the psychosexual stages?
oral 0-18 months
anal 18-36 months
phallic 3-6 years
latency 6-12 years
genital
description of the oral stage
the infant's main source of pleasure is the mouth. it gets pleasure from biting and sucking
description of the anal stage
pleasure is derived from expelling or retaining faeces
description of the phallic stage
child focuses on own genitals and becomes aware of anatomical sex differences
description of latency stage
sexual desires are repressed as libido is dormant
description of the genital stage
sexual instinct is directed to heterosexual pleasure rather than self pleasure
what are the results of fixation at the oral stage?
Oral fixation can result in dependency, oral aggression, or oral passivity.
what are the results of fixation at the anal stage?
Anal retentiveness or anal expulsiveness.
what are the results of fixation at the phallic stage?
self assured, vain, reckless, impulsive
what are the results of fixation at the latency stage?