psychodynamic approach

• what are 4 assumptions of the psychodynamic approach? (3UTE)

  the human mind is made up of 3 different levels of consciousness

  human behaviour is affected by the unconscious mind

  human behaviour is affected by the tripartite model of personality

  human behaviour is affected by ego defence mechanisms
• what did freud compare the mind to?

  an iceberg
• what does the conscious mind consist of?

  what we are aware of in the moment
• what does the pre-conscious mind consist of?

  what we can make ourselves aware of if we make an effort to recall it
• what does the unconscious mind consist of?

  what we can't access and aren't aware of
• name the parts of the tripartite model of personality

  id

  superego

  ego
• describe the role of the id

  the id is present at birth and consists of sexual and aggressive energy we're born with - it looks for immediate gratification of its desires (the pleasure principle)
• describe the role of the ego

  the ego develops during the anal stage and is a balancing force which manages the needs of the id and the superego
• what are the id and superego part of?

  the unconscious mind
• why is it important for the id and superego to be balanced?

  if they dominate, they will cause a personality disorder
• how is the ego weakened?

  anything the causes anxiety weakens it
• describe three ego defence mechanisms

  repression - forgetting where anxiety inducing information is in the unconscious mind so we can't access it (remember it) but it still affects behaviour

  
  

  denial - stating that an issue doesn't exist

  
  

  displacement - taking out impulses on someone less threatening
• what are the 5 stages of psychosexual development (Old Age Pensioners Like Guinness)?

  oral 0-2 years

  anal 2-3 years

  phallic 3-6 years

  latency

  genital
• how does libido change during the psychosexual stages?

  at each stage, our libido is centred on different areas of the body and we obtain gratification from stimulations at the areas
• describe the oral stage (0-2 years)

  erogenous zone = mouth.

  sucking and biting provide pleasure (linked to breastfeeding)

  
  

  only the id exists at this stage

  
  

  too much or little stimulation of the erogenous zone leads to fixation:

  addictive personality (smoking, alcoholism) + over-dependency (results in depression/drug misuse)
• describe the latency stage

  a stable period

  
  

  oedipus/electra complex are resolved

  
  

  self identity and gender identity are developed using parents as role models

  
  

  friends of the same sex are made
• what did Freud suggest developed during the phallic stage?

  gender identity

  morality
• describe the oedipus complex as suggested by Freud

  boys have an unconscious wish to kill their fathers and marry their mothers

  they feel guilt for feeling this way

  
  

  the boy notices girls don't have a penis, he thinks that she's been castrated for having desires

  he fears castration and develops anxiety, worried his father will find out

  
  

  anxiety is resolved by repressing desire for the mother and identifying with the father as much as possible
• give two strengths of the psychodynamic approach

  :) good application to changing society's view of people with trauma - Freud was the first to suggest the mind and experiences could influence health e.g. witnessing battlefield horror leading to PTSD

  
  

  :) good application to the development of parenting - Freud emphasised that children aren't 'mini adults' and need two parents as role models for the first 5 years of life - ideas led to increased recognition of the importance of having a family with positive role models
• what does the ego use to prevent itself from weakening?

  ego defence mechanisms
• describe the phallic stage (3-6)

  erogenous zone is the genitals - the child is likely to masturbate

  the child picks upon physical differences between the genders

  males experience the oedipus complex, females experience the electra complex

  the superego develops (child takes on same sex parent moral values)

  fixation - incapable of loving people, inappropriate learning of gender behaviour, becoming vain/reckless
• describe the genital stage

  the erogenous zone are the genitals

  hormone levels change if the oedipus/electra complexes pass successfully

  heterosexual behaviours are developed and the child seeks relations with the opposite sex

  issues at the phallic stage = sexual problems and criminality
• describe the role of the superego

  develops after the phallic stage and is defined as our moral watch dog - it judges everything we do and the consequences are either pride or guilt based on the action being right or wrong according to its high standards
• negative evaluation points for psychodynamic approach 


  :( Freud's theories are androcentric and used unethically to disadvantage women (socially sensitive) e.g. the idea that women don't develop full set of moral values and so can't vote and have less/limited career prospects

  :( generalisability - Freud based much of his work on case studies of psychologically abnormal people e.g. women with 'hysteria' due to suffering abuse/feeling powerless
• describe the anal stage (2-3 years)

  erogenous zone = anus

  withholding or expelling faeces provides pleasure (potty training)

  ego develops

  fixation: too strict potty training = anally retentive (overly tidy, prone to OCD behaviours & possessive toward loved ones)

  too relaxed potty training = anally expulsive (untidy, lazy in terms of putting effort into relationships and take risks e.g. gambling)
• describe the electra complex

  girls are attracted to their fathers. they realise they don't have a penis and experience penis envy. blames her mother for this and experiences anxiety. represses feelings for her father and replaces her desire for a penis with the desire for a baby. identifies with her mother but never fully forgives for the absence of a penis so she never identifies fully with her mother, therefore never achieving a full set of moral values. provides reason for women being inferior to men and being unable to hold positions of responsibility/have the right to vote