psychodynamic approach

• What are the assumptions of the psychodynamic approach?

  • Childhood experiences
  • Unconscious mind
  • Tripartie personality
• Psychodynamic classic evidence


  Bowlby's 44 Juvenile Thieves Study (1944)
• Methodology


  • Case study
  • 5-17 years
  • 31 participants
  • 27 - Average IQ
  • 15 - Higher IQ
  • 2 - Lower IQ
  • 22 Grade IV thieves
  • 4 Grade 1 thieves
• Procedures


  1. Mental tests by psychologist to assess intelligence

  2. Psychologist noted emotional attitude of child

  3. Social worker interviewed mother and recorded child's early psychiatric history

  4. Psychologist and social worker reported to Bowlby

  5. Bowlby interviewed child and mother

  6. Team reviewed school and other reports

  7. Children met psychiatrist weekly for 6+ months

  8. Mothers talked to social worker about problems
• Distribution of thieves by character type

  • A. 'Normal'
  • B. 'Depressed'
  • C. 'Circular'
  • D. 'Hyperthymic'
  • E. 'Affectionless'
  • F. 'Schizoid'
• Distribution of thieves by character type and degree of stealing


  • Grade 1
  • Grade 2
  • Grade 3
  • Grade 4
• The participants were not given confidentiality
• Bowlby's report named the boys used in the case studies with their first name and first initial of their surname
• To make this ethical, pseudonyms, just initials or numbers should've been used, which would mask the identity of the participants and maintain confidentiality
• There may have been questions over valid consent
• Bowlby's participants were children aged 5-17 years who were attending a child guidance clinic
• As children were used, in loco parentis was gained
• It is expected today that children would also be informed about the nature of the research
• The study was conducted in 1944 when ethical guidelines weren't as stringent as they are today
• It would be common practice for the children to be informed that their data collected during their stay at the guidance clinic would be used as part of the research
• Juvenile crime is not only attributed to psychological factors, it is linked to social and economic factors too
• A holistic approach should be taken to consider all factors and the impact of each of them on juvenile delinquent behaviour
• Tripartite personality explanation


  • The Id: the pleasure principal which controls the impulsive and unconscious part of our personality and is present from birth. A dominant Id could lead to a psychopathic personality type.
  • The Ego: the reality principal which controls the conscious, rational part of the mind. This develops around the age of two. A dominant ego could lead to a narcissistic personality type.
  • The Superego: the morality principle which encompasses the sense of right and wrong. This is the final part of the personality to develop and this occurs around the age of four. A dominant superego could lead to a neurotic personality type.
• Tripartite personality example


  • According to Freud, criminals are ruled by their Id and their superego is suppressed. Criminals, particularly those who commit violent offences, often lack a sense of morality and remorse, and seek immediate pleasure and gratification regardless of the costs. This is particularly true in the case of psychopaths. Eysenck further supports the role of personality on criminal behaviour recognising that individuals who score highly in extroversion, neuroticism and psychopathy tests are more likely to develop criminality.
• Psychosexual stages


  Influence of childhood experiences example: Freud believed fixations at the oral stage of development could lead to an eating disorder in adulthood or an addiction such as alcohol or smoking. A fixation at the anal stage of development could lead to an adult developing an anal personality type and potentially OCD. A fixation at the phallic stage of development could lead to a confused sexuality and difficulties in building and maintaining romantic relationships. Freud's case study of Little Hans provides further support for the Oedipus complex.
• Unconscious mind


  Freud proposed that the mind is like an iceberg. This iceberg metaphor is used to represent the unconscious mind as he believed most of what goes on inside the mind is below the surface and is unconscious. The bit above the water (the surface) represents the conscious mind and this is what we are aware of and is logical. Freud believed the unconscious mind has the biggest influence on behaviour.
• Unconscious mind


  Freud suggested that the unconscious mind has unresolved conflicts and these conflicts influence our behaviour. Conflict between the Id, Ego and Superego create anxiety. To protect the ego (the self) Freud believed that we have ego defence mechanisms. These occur when there is conflict between the Id, Ego and Superego. Some examples of these defence mechanisms include regression, repression, displacement, projection and denial.
• Unconscious mind example


  • Gothelf et al. (1995) found that regression, denial, projection and repression were common to psychiatric patients suffering from severe adolescence anorexia and distinguished them from adolescents without any psychiatric disorder. It was found that anorexic adolescents relied on more mature defence mechanisms than other adolescents.
• Psychosexual stages


  • Oral (Birth - 18 months)
  • Anal (18 months - 3 years)
  • Phallic (3 - 5 years)
  • Latency (5 years - puberty)
  • Genital (Puberty onwards)
• Oral stage


  Focus - mouth. Frustrated - pessimism, sarcasm and envy. Over indulged - optimistic, gullible, needy.
• Anal stage


  Focus - anus. Frustrated - stubborn, possessive, overly tidy. Overindulged - messy, disorganised, reckless.
• Phallic stage


  Focus - genitals. Frustrated - self-assured, vain, difficulty maintaining relationships.
• Latency stage


  Focus - little/no sexual motivation. No fixations.
• Genital stage


  Focus - genitals. No fixations.
• If one part of the tripartite personality becomes dominate

  This could, in turn, affect relationships
• If the Id is most dominant


  It can lead to a power control relationship which can be aggressive and domineering, making it traumatic for the partner
• If the ego is most dominant


  It can lead to the individual having an overinflated sense of ego and put themselves first neglecting their partner which is detrimental for maintaining a healthy relationship
• If the superego is most dominant


  It can lead to lower levels of satisfaction in relationship and marital quality
• If a child successfully progresses through each psychosexual stage, reaching the genital stage of development


  It will lead to a well-developed adult personality who will go on to form a heterosexual romantic relationship
• If a child is fixated at the oral stage of development and is overindulged


  It could result in an unhealthy over dependence on others in adulthood. If this is the case, this adult could become 'needy' in a relationship and seek constant reassurance
• If a fixation occurs during the phallic stage


  It could pose problems in forming relationships in adulthood. Freud proposed the idea of an Oedipus complex based on the Greek mythical King Oedipus who killed his father to marry his mother. The term is used within the phallic stage of development and the Oedipus complex represents an unconscious sexual desire from the boy to his mother and a wish to exclude the father. The equivalent in girls is the Electra complex whereby the girl has the desire for the father and wishes to exclude the mother
• If the Oedipus complex isn't resolved


  Then problems in forming and maintaining relationships can occur and Freud believed that this explained homosexuality
• If a person is struggling to come to terms with their sexuality in adulthood


  They may use a defence mechanism to protect the ego. Denial may be used whereby the individual will deny their sexuality and form relationships with people they aren't happy with, ultimately, resulting in an unhappy destructive relationship
• When a person is having an affair


  They might accuse their partner of being unfaithful as they are projecting their behaviour onto someone else
• Unconscious mind


  The main aim of psychoanalysis is to make the unconscious conscious, so that people become aware of unconscious influences. Dream analysis is thought to be the 'via regia' (the royal road) to the unconscious mind.