psychodynamic approach

• Psychodynamic approach

  Explains our conscious mind as the tip of the iceberg, and explains that most of our mind is made up of the unconscious parts
• Parts of the mind (according to Freud)

  • Conscious mind
  • Preconscious mind
  • Unconscious mind
• Conscious mind

  The part of the mind we are aware of, the part we are using to form conscious thoughts (the tip of the iceberg)
• Preconscious mind

  Sits just below the surface of the conscious mind: it is where memories can be retrieved if needed
• Unconscious mind

  The largest part of the iceberg and sits below the surface, it may hold disturbing and threatening memories plus the effects of trauma
• Unconscious thoughts, wishes, desires and fears can show themselves in

  • Freudian slips
  • Dreams
• Freudian slips

  What is said appears to be said accidentally but it actually expresses the person's true, hidden feelings
• Dreams of flying

  • Wish to break free from limitations, to be free
• Dreams of being naked in public

  • Anxiety about others accepting you
• Personality

  Freud describes it as a tripartite (consisting of three parts): the Id, Ego and Superego
• Id, Ego and Superego

  • They all develop at different points in a person's life
  • They are qualitatively distinct from each other
  • They work together but not necessarily in harmony
• Id

  • Present from birth
  • The primitive part of our personality
  • Operates on the pleasure principle
  • Selfish and demanding
  • Contains unconscious biological drives, instincts and urges
  • Important in early life to ensure infants survival
• Ego

  • Develops around age 2
  • Operates on the reality principle
  • Mediator between the Id and Superego
• Superego

  • Develops around age 5
  • Operates on the morality principle
  • Our internalised sense of right and wrong
  • Represents the moral standards of the same-sex parent
  • Punishes the ego through feelings of guilt
  • Rewards the ego with feelings of pride
  • Tries to civilise our behaviour and suppress the unacceptable urges of the Id
• Imbalance between Id, Ego and Superego

  • If Id is more dominant, person becomes impulsive and uncontrollable
  • If Superego is more dominant, person becomes incredibly moralistic and judgmental
• For a healthy personality, there had to be a balance between the Id, Ego and Superego
• Defence mechanisms

  Used by the ego to help it balance the conflicting demands of the Id and Superego
• Defence mechanisms

  • Unconscious
  • Ensure the ego is able to prevent us from being overwhelmed by temporary traumas and/or threats
• Displacement

  The focus of a strong emotion is expressed onto a neutral person or object, which reduces anxiety as it allows the expression of that strong emotion
• Repression

  Unpleasant memories are pushed down into the unconscious mind and so are unable to cause anxiety
• Denial

  Refusal to accept the reality of an unpleasant situation, which stops the situation from causing anxiety
• Psychosexual Stages

  According to Freud, children go through 5 psychosexual stages
• Children must go through all 5 stages to become well-adjusted adults
• Psychosexual Stages

  • During each stage the child fixates on a different part of the body
  • During each stage the child goes through conflict which they must resolve to move through the stage successfully
  • If they do not resolve the conflict in each stage, it can result in adult fixation
• The 5 Psychosexual Stages

  • Oral
  • Anal
  • Phallic
  • Latency
  • Genital
• Oral Stage

  0-1 years, the mouth is the focus of pleasure, conflict can arise when weaning off bottle or breast
• Oral Fixation

  Smoking, overeating, biting nails, critical and sarcastic verbalisations
• Anal Stage

  1. 3 years, the anus is the focus of pleasure, conflict can arise when toilet training
• Anal Retentive

  Neatness, perfectionism
• Anal Expulsive

  Messiness, insensitivity
• Phallic Stage

  1. 6 years, the genital area is the focus of pleasure, conflict can arise and cause the Oedipus or Electra complex
• Phallic Stage Consequences

  Vanity, overambition, narcissism, impulsivity
• Latency Stage

  Earlier conflicts become repressed, no consequences
• Genital Stage

  The genitals are the focus of pleasure, sexual desires become conscious with the onset of puberty
• Genital Stage Consequences

  Difficulty forming heterosexual relationships
• Oedipus Complex

  Boys desire closeness with the opposite sex parent (mother), the same-sex parent (father) is a rival, boys fear castration by father, boys use defence mechanisms and identify with father
• Electra Complex

  Girls desire closeness with the opposite sex parent (father), girls do not fear the same-sex parent (mother) as they believe they have already been castrated, girls fear losing mother's love, girls identify with mother