Psychodynamic approach

• Unconscious-

  • the conscious mind is the ‘tip of the iceberg‘
  • preconscious contains thoughts and memories, that are accessible if needed
  • accessible through our dreams and parapraxes
  • unconscious is a storehouse of biological drives, which influence behaviour and personality
  • threatening and disturbing memories are stored
• Methods-

  • based on case studies
  • treatment through psychoanalysis (‘talking cures’)
  • free association by expressing immediate unconscious thoughts as they happen
  • dream interpretations- analysis of underlying meaning (latent content) of what was remembered from a dream (manifest content)
• Tripartite personality- ID-

  • primate part of personality
  • operates on the pleasure principle (gets what it wants)
  • seething masses of unconscious drives/instincts
  • only aspect present at birth
• Tripartite personality- Ego-

  • works on the reality principle
  • mediator between the ID and superego
  • develops at around age 2
  • manages the usage of defence mechanisms (avoidance and projection)
• Tripartite personality- Superego

  • formed at around age 5
  • internalised sense of right and wrong
  • based on morality principle
  • internalised the moral standards of the same sex parent
  • punishes the ego for wrongdoing through guilt
• Defence mechanisms-

  • used unconsciously
  • balances the ID and Superego
  • prevents the ego being overwhelmed
  • may distort reality
  • unhealthy and undesirable for long term usage
  • denial, repression, displacement, projection
• Psychosexual stages-

  • oral- 0-1years- moth pleasure, unresolved conflict causes smoking, nail biting, sarcasm
  • anal-1-3years- hold then releasing poo, unresolved conflict causes anal retentive (perfectionist) or anal expulsive (messy)
  • phallic- 3-6years, genital pleasure, unresolved conflict causes phallic personality (reckless and narcissistic)
  • latency- earlier conflicts repressed
  • genital- puberty and conscious sex drive, conflict causes difficulty in same sex relationships
  • conflict in each stage blocks moving onto the next stage
  • any unresolved causes fixation + behaviours in adult life