psychodynamic approach

• overall assumptions

  1. emphasis on the unconscious mind
  2. most behaviours stem from past childhood experiences
  3. one of the most influential psychologists is Freud
• the roles of the unconscious

  1. protect us (using defence mechanisms) to prevent abnormalities like anxiety/depression
  2. drive personality
• the tripartite structure of personality

  Id(0-18months)- pleasure principle

  Ego(18months-3yrs)- reality principle

  Superego(3yrs-6yrs)- morality principle
• If the Id is more in control it can lead to psychotic behaviour
• If the superego is more in control it can lead to neurotic behaviour(e.g. OCD, anxiety)
• defence mechanisms roles

  1. manage conflict between id and superego
  2. provide compromise solutions
  3. provide a strategy to reduce anxiety
• the overuse of defence mechanisms can be maladaptive (not adapting to environment helping yo) and can lead to abnormalities (such as drinking/smoking)
• denial- not acknowledging reality

  displacement- taking out emotion on a substitute object

  repression- unpleasant memories pushed down into the unconscious
• defence mechanisms evaluations:

  -some people can remember their traumatic experiences

  -lacks falsifiability and is unscientific
• psychosexual stages

  1. oral(0-1yrs)- pleasure in the mouth. can lead to chain smoking/ biting nails
  2. anal(1-3yrs)- pleasure in the anus. anal retentive-OCD anal expulsive- messy, creative
  3. phallic(3-5yrs)-genital area. oepidus/electra complex. leads to homosexuality
  4. latency(6-11yrs)- represses earlier conflicts
  5. genital(12+yrs)- sexual desires. leads to difficulty with relationships
• psychodynamic evaluations:

  🙂practical application (psychoanalysis)

  ☹️lacks falsifiability and is unscientific

  ☹️too much emphasis on past experiences

  🙂/☹️psychic determinism