Psychodynamic Approach

• The psychodynamic approach is one of the earliest approaches in psychology (established after Wundt but

  before behaviourism), originating in the 19th century. Freud was trained as a neurologist - biological approach to

  illness.
• • Unconscious processes, of which we are unaware of, determine our behaviour.
  • Personality has three parts: the id, ego and superego.
  • Early childhood experiences determine adult personality.
• • According to psychodynamic theory, we have an ‘unconscious’ mind which influences our behaviour.
  • Our conscious mind is unaware of what thoughts and emotions occur in the unconscious.
  • However, these unconscious thoughts and feelings can have an effect on our conscious mind.
  • This is one of the key themes in psychodynamic theory and is known as psychic determinism.
• • The conscious. The small amount of mental activity we know about. (e.g. thoughts, perceptions).
  • The preconscious. Things we could be aware of if we wanted or tried. E.g. Memories stored knowledge. Freudian slips.
  • The unconscious. Things we are unaware of and can not become aware of. (e.g. instincts, deeply buried memories.
• Behaviour is seen to be the result of a

  compromise between the three parts of the psyche (personality).
• ID (the ‘it’)

  • Primitive part of our personality.
  • Operates on the pleasure principle (gets what it wants)
  • IT is a mass of unconscious drives and instincts
  • Only the ID Present at birth
• Ego (the ‘I)’

  • Develops around the age of two years.
  • Works on the reality principle and is the mediator.
  • Makes the person aware of other peoples feelings and that it cant always have its own way.
  • Its role is to reduce the conflict between the demands of the id & the super ego; defence mechanism
• Superego (the ‘Other I’)

  • Formed around the age of five
  • It is our internalised sense of right & wrong
  • Represents the moral standards of the child’s same-sex parent
  • Punishes the ego for wrongdoing (through guilt).
• The ego needs to balance the demands of the id and superego – if it fails it may result in conflicts and psychological disorders.
• Intra-psychic conflict: conflict between the components of the psyche can lead to anxiety. The ego tries to avoid anxiety and uses ego defence mechanisms to maintain a balance in relation to the id and superego.
• • Psychodynamic theory states that events in our childhood have a great influence on our adult lives, shaping our personality
  • Events that occur in childhood can remain in the unconscious, and cause problems as adults
  • Freud proposed that all children go through the same five stages of development.
• Growing up, as viewed by the psychoanalytic theory, is a passage through the five psychosexual stages

  • The 5 stages are:

  – the oral stage: 0-1 year of age

  – the anal stage: 1-3 years of age

  – the phallic stage: 3-5/6 years of age

  – the latent stage: 6-11 years of age

  – the genital stage: 12+ years of age
• Fixation (getting stuck) at any one of the stages determines our adult character, personality and behavioural traits. If this happens, traces of that stage will remain in their behaviour as an adult. Fixation may occur due to trauma, pleasant or unpleasant experiences or change in environment.
• Oral Stage

  • The mouth is the main focus of pleasure during this stage
  • The child enjoys tasting and sucking.
  • Successful completion of this stage is demonstrated by weaning– eating independently

  Consequence of unresolved conflict

  Oral Fixation – sarcastic, critical, sensitive to rejection – overeats and drinks, bite nails, may smoke.
• Anal Stage

  • Defecation is main source of pleasure
  • Successful completion marked by potty training

  Consequence of unresolved conflict

  • Anally retentive - very tidy, stubborn, likes order and being in control, perfectionist, obsessive

  • Anally expulsive - Thoughtless, messy
• Phallic Stage

  • Form of pleasure is the genital area
  • Oedipus complex - Boy wants his mother as his ‘primary love object’ & wants his father out of the way
  • Electra complex – Girls experience penis envy; they desire their father, as the penis is the primary love object and hate their mother

  Consequence of unresolved conflict

  Phallic personality – narcissistic, reckless, possibly homosexual.
• Latency Stage

  • Earlier conflicts are repressed
  • Sexual urges sublimated into sports and other hobbies
  • Focus on developing same sex friendships
  • No particular requirements for successful completion
• Genital Stage

  • Focus on genitals but not to same extent as phallic stage
  • Task is to develop healthy adult relationships
  • This should happen if earlier stages have been negotiated successfully

  Consequence of unresolved conflict

  Difficulty forming heterosexual relationships.
• The ego uses many defence mechanisms (unconscious strategies) to protect it from id - superego conflicts.
• Excessive use of defence mechanisms will result in the ego becoming increasingly detached from reality and can cause psychological disorder. Psychoanalysis involves effort to understand defences and unconscious motives driving self-destructive behaviours.
• Denial: You completely reject the thought or feeling and completely refuse to acknowledge some aspect of reality.
• Displacement: you transfer feelings from true sources of distressing emotion onto a substitute target.
• Repression: Forcing a distressing memory out of the conscious mind.
• Free Association

  The individual is encouraged to relax and say anything that comes into their mind, matter how absurd. The idea is that the ego will be unable to carry out its normal role of keeping check of the threatening unconscious impulses, and the conflict can be brought into consciousness. Once verbalised, the therapist can interpret and explain.
• Psychoanalysis

  Therapy benefits through release of pent-up tensions, “catharsis”. Some inherent value in the “talking cure”- being able to “unload”, or “get stuff off your mind”. But it’s not very suitable for all; people with schizophrenia.