psychodynamic approach

• The ego is the conscious part of our personality that mediates between the id and superego.
• Displacement is when we direct strong emotions towards one person onto another who is less threatening
• Repression is an ego defence mechanism whereby unpleasant thoughts, feelings and memories are pushed out of consciousness, however these continue to influence behaviour without the individual being aware for the reasoning behind their behaviour.
• defence mechanisms aim to protect the individual from anxieties
• denial is a defence mechanism that involves refusing to acknowledge or accept reality to avoid with painful feelings relating to an event
• Freud believed behaviour was determined by psychological factors rather than biological or environmental reinforcement.
• Freud believed that part of the mind was inaccessible to the conscious thought- the unconscious mind. he likened this theory to an ice burg- the tip being conscious thought, majority being the unconscious.
• He believed that everyday actions are product of the unconscious mind, revealed through slips of the tongue (Freudian slips)
• Freud said there are 3 parts to the personality: the id, ego and superego. They all demand gratification resulting in having to compete for it.
• The id operates solely in the unconscious, demanding immediate gratification (pleasure principle). It contains the libido (the sexual drive)
• the superego contains the conscience: the internalisation of societal rules. it also contains the ego-ideal: the ideal self that we should be determined by parental standards. it causes feelings of guilt when rules are broken
• the ego mediates between the impulsive demands of the id and the reality of the external world: the reality principle. Must also compromise between the demands of the id and the superego
• Freud believe the personality developed through 5 stages, the psychosexual stages. this emphasises that the driving force of development is to release tension caused by the libido
• oral stage - birth to 2 years. The mouth is used as an erogenous zone. If needs aren't met then oral fixations can occur such as smoking or overeating
• anal stage - 2 years old to 3 years old. The anal region becomes the main source of pleasure. If toilet training isn't done properly then anal retentiveness occurs where they become obsessed with cleanliness and orderliness
• phallic stage - 3 years old to 6 years old. The genitals become the focus of pleasure. Boys develop Oedipus complexes and girls develop Electra complexes
• latency period - 6 years old to 12. Sexual urges are suppressed until puberty. This allows children to concentrate on developing their intellect and social skills
• genital stage - adolescence ( 12+). Sexuality returns but now it is directed towards others rather than themselves