the psychodynamic approach A01

• -          The term psychodynamic describes any theory that emphasis changes and development in a individual and is also used to describe theories where the drive is a concept in this development.
• -          The psychodynamic approach views behaviour as being the result of drives and forces from within the individuals psyche and most of these are influenced by the unconscious mind.
• Freuds theory of the psychoanalysis

  Freud believed that behaviour was determined more by psychological factors than by biological factors or environmental reinforcements he made the assumption that that people are born with basic instinct and needs, and that behaviour is in large part controlled by the unconscious mind trying to fore fill these basic instincts and needs.
• The role of the unconscious

  -          Freud believed in the existence of a part of the mind that was inaccessible to conscious thoughts, and he referred to this as the unconscious mind.
• The role of the unconscious

  -          Freud used the metaphor of an iceberg to describe the mind, the tip of the iceberg is representative of the conscious mind since it is visible, but the much larger part of the iceberg is hidden underwater and is representative of the unconscious containing biological drives and instincts.
• The role of the unconscious

  -          Freud believed that most of our everyday actions and behaviours are not controlled consciously and are instead a product of our unconscious mind which revels itself in the slip of the tongue which is termed the Freudian slip and in dreams.
• The role of the unconscious

  -          Freud believed the unconscious mind extended its influence into every part of our waking and sleeping lives.

  -          He also believed the mind activity present traumatic memories from the unconscious from reaching conscious awareness where they are safer, but these memories may cause anxiety which then results in the mind using defence mechanism to prevent the person becoming aware of them / these traumatic unconscious memories.
• The structure of personality

  Freud divided the mind into 3 structures, the id, the ego and the superego, each demanding gratification but also is frequently in conflict with the other parts.
• The structure of personality

  -          The id operates solely in the unconscious and it contains the libido which is the biological energy created by the reproductive instincts the id operates according to pleasure principles and so demand immediate gratification regardless of circumstances -for example if a person is hungry their id will demand that they eat there and then.
• The structure of personality

  -          the ego mediates between the impulsive demands if the id and the reality of the external world) (the reality principle)the ego may delay gratification until there is a more appropriate opportunity to satisfy its demandsit must also compromise between the impulsive demands of the id and the moralistic demands of the superego.
• The structure of personality

  -          The superego

  Is the last part of our personality to develop out of the 3 and it is the unconscious and is the morality principleit is our internalised idea of right or wrong and represents the moral standards of the child’s same sex parent which produces feelings of guilt for wrongdoing.it also includes an ego ideal which is a guide of how we should behave that is constructed based on parental standards.
• The structure of personality

  (This id is divided into the conscious and the ego ideal, the conscious is the internalisation of social rules, and it determines which behaviours are permissible and cause feelings of guilt when rules are broken

  The ego ideal is what a person strives towards and is most probably determined by parental standards of good behaviour)
• Defence mechanisms

  -          If an individual is faced with a situation that they are unable to deal with rationally their defence mechanisms may be triggered and they tend to operate unconsciously and work by distorting reality so that anxiety is reduced
• Defence mechanisms

  -          The use of defence mechanisms allows an individual to stop themselves becoming aware of any unpleasant thoughts and feelings associated with the traumatic situation.
• Defence mechanisms

  -          Freud believed that defence mechanisms are used to reduce anxiety and to neutralise threating material that could potentially damage the ego. these are unconscious and prevent the ego being overwhelmed by temporary threat or trauma.
• Examples of defence mechanism

  • -          Repression – involves pushing material out of the conscious mind and into  the unconscious ( for example forgetting a traumatic experience such as child abuse)however instead of these thoughts staying in the unconscious quietly the represent thoughts and impulses continue to influence behaviour without the individual being aware of the reason behind their behavioura child who experience child abuse and has no recollection of it but may find it hard to develop relationships in the future and have no idea why
• Examples of defence mechanism

  -          Denial – when unpleasant or worrying information is ignored in refusal to accept reality (an individual may fail to believe that a loved one has died)
• Examples of defence mechanism

  -          Displacement –  involves the redirecting of thoughts or feelings which are directed onto a less threating target than where they originated when in a situation where the person feels unable to express them in the presence of the person they should be directed towards and instead may take it out on another person or object and this gives their hostile feelings a route for expression even though they are misapplied to an innocent person or object (taking your anger out on a younger sibling because a class mate has given you a hard time that day)
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  Psychosexual stages

  -          Freud believed that personality developed through a sequence of 5 stages referred to as the psychosexual stages to emphasise that the most important driving force in development is the need to express sexual energy (libido)
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  Psychosexual stages

  -          Freud believed that an individual would experience tension due to a build up of this sexual energy and that pleasure comes from its discharge.

  -          And at each stage this energy is expressed in different ways and through different parts of the body
•    Stage 1 - The oral stage (0-2 years)during this stage the mouth is the focal point of sensation and is the way in which a child expresses early sexual energy through sucking and biting.this effects the adult of the personality because is a child is weaned too early or weaning causses upset the individual would feel unsatisfied and develop into a pessimistic and erratic person as an adultand if the infant was weaned too late the individual will become too trusting in others and gullible.
• 1.       Stage 2 -Anal stage (2-3 years)During this stage there is the begging if ego development and the child becomes aware of the demand of reality and the need to conform to the demands of othersthe major issue at this stage is toilet training as the child learns to control the expulsion of bodily waste.this effects the adult of the personality because if not enough restrictions are given during potty training the child can take excessive pleasure in excretion which can lead to adults who are anally – expulsive meaning they are messy , creative and spontaneous
•     Stage 2 -Anal stage (2-3 years)but id a child is forced to use the potty before they are ready the child may refuse to go and thus holding onto control which leads to adults who is anally retentive so they are stubborn , overly clean and tidy and may be mean with money – all of these are ways of holding back
• Stage 5 -Genital (12+)the culmination of psychosexual development and the fixing of sexual energy in the genitals which eventually directs us towards sexual intercourse and the beginnings of adult life.

  this effects the adult of the personality because
• Stage 4 -Latent stage (6-12 years)a child develops their mastery of the world around themduring this stage the conflicts and issues of the previous stages are repressed with the consequences that children are unable to remember much of their earlier years. And they are more concerned with peer relationships, hobbies and learningthese effects the adult of the personality because.
• Stage 3 - Phallic stage (3-6)sexual energy is now focused on the genitals
•     Stage 3 - Phallic stage (3-6)the major conflict of this stage is the Oedipus complex in which male children unconsciously wishes to possess their mother and to get rid of their fathers and as a result of this desire boys experience castration anxiety and in an attempt to resolve this conflict and problem the child will identify with his fartherthis effects the adult of the personality because if an infant is fixated at this stage there may be problems due to inappropriate learning of gender behaviour and then the phallic character may be self- assured , reckless , vain and proud