AO1 - The Psychodynamic Approach

• Assumptions:

  • Behaviour is due to unconscious motives
  • Our understanding of ourselves is distorted by defence mechanisms
  • It focuses on past experiences - especially the relationships with our parents and childhood conflicts in creating behaviour and personality
• The first feature of the psychodynamic approach is the role of the unconscious
• Role of the unconscious:

  • Conscious - The part of the mind that we know about and are aware of , 'the tip of the iceberg'
  • Preconscious - The part of the mind that is just below the conscious mind, this includes thoughts and ideas which we may become aware of during dreams or 'slips of the tongue' (Freudian slip)
  • Unconscious - The part of the mind that we are unaware of. Biological drives and instincts and threatening/disturbing memories that have been repressed and forgotten but continue to drive our behaviour
• The second feature of the psychodynamic approach is the structure of personality, which involves the id, ego and superego
• Id - "pleasure principle"

  • Unconscious part of the mind
  • Only the id is present at birth
  • Focuses on the self and expects immediate gratification
  • If the id is too overpowering, it can result in a selfish personality
• Ego - "reality principle"

  • Rational and conscious part of the mind
  • Forms from 18 months to 3 years
  • Balances the demands of the id and superego by using defence mechanisms to reduce conflict
• Superego - "morality principle"

  • Forms between 3-6 years
  • Arises through identification with a same-sex parent
  • Internalised sense of what is right and wrong based on parental values
  • If the superego is too overpowering, it can produce an anxious personality or feelings of guilt
• The third feature of the psychodynamic approach is defence mechanisms
• Defence mechanisms - Unconscious strategies that the ego uses to manage the conflict between the id and superego. (1) For example, repression is forcing a distressing memory out of the conscious mind. (1)
• We have defence mechanisms because:

  • The ego has a difficult job balancing the conflicting demands of the id and superego so it uses defence mechanisms
  • These are unconscious and stop the ego from becoming overwhelmed with the conflicts
• Types of defence mechanisms:

  1. Repression - Forcing a distressing memory out of the conscious mind to the unconscious, e.g. forgetting the trauma of your favourite pet dying
  2. Denial - Refusing to acknowledge an unpleasant aspect of reality, e.g. continuing to turn up to work even though you have been sacked
  3. Displacement - Transferring feelings from the true source of distressing emotions to a less threatening substitute target, e.g. slamming a door after an argument with your mum
• The fourth feature of the psychodynamic approach is the psychosexual stages
• Freud suggests that we are born with an id, and from the moment we are born the id has an innate sex energy that wants satisfaction - therefore Freud suggested that all children progress through 5 developmental stages known as the psychosexual stages as a way to explain how the id gets sexual satisfaction from birth

  • The child must resolve conflict at each stage before they can progress to the next stage, if they do not resolve the conflict then they become 'fixated' which can lead to certain behaviours in adulthood
• 1. The first psychosexual stage is oral. This happens between 0-1 years: Gratification for the id is gained from the mouth, such as thumb sucking. Unresolved conflict results in oral fixation, such as smoking or nail biting
• 2. The second psychosexual stage is anal. This happens between 1-3 years: Gratification for the id is gained from the anus such as expulsion. Unresolved conflict results in anal retentive personality (perfectionist) or anal expulsive personality (messy)
• 3. The third psychosexual stage is phallic. This happens between 3-5 years: Gratification from the id is gained from exploring their own genitals. Unresolved conflict results in a phallic personality (narcissistic, reckless)

  • To resolve, the child will need to identify with its same sex parent and take on their values
• The fourth psychosexual stage is latency. This happens between 6-12 years: Earlier conflicts are repressed
• The fifth psychosexual stage is genital. This happens from 12 years: Sexual desires become conscious alongside puberty. Unresolved conflict results in difficulty forming heterosexual relationships
• PSYCHOANALYSIS:

  • Focus on the past such as childhood trauma
  • The therapist is the expert and interprets the patient's dreams and experiences
  • This is directive where the therapist takes the central role to direct the conversation to the problem