psychodynamic approach

Question 1

psychodynamic approach

Answer 1

describes the forces (dynamics), most of which are unconscious that operate on the mind and direct human behaviour and experience

Question 2

the unconscious

Answer 2

freud- suggested that the part of the mind that we know about and are aware of is the conscious mind , the part of the mind we are unaware of but continues to direct much of our behaviour is our unconscious

Question 3

what does the unconscious contain

Answer 3

threatening and disturbing memories that have been repressed

Question 4

preconscious

Answer 4

includes thoughts and ideas which we may become aware of during dramas or through ‘slips of the tongue’ (parapaxes (freud))

Question 5

ID

Answer 5

pleasure principle- unconscious, gets what it wants, present at birth, selfish and demands instant gratification

Question 6

EGO

Answer 6

reality principle- mediator between id and superego, develops around the age of 2, reduce conflict between id and superego, defence mechanisms

Question 7

SUPEREGO

Answer 7

morality principle- formed at end of phallic stage (5), internal sense of right and wrong, represents the moral standards of the childs same sex parents and punishes the ego for wrongdoing through guilt

Question 8

psychosexual stages-oral

Answer 8

0-1, focus of pleasure is the mouth, mothers breast is object of desire
consequence of unresolved conflict
-oral fixation, smoking, biting nails, sarcastic, critical

Question 9

psychosexual stages- anal

Answer 9

1-3, focus of pleasure is the anus, child gains pleasure from withholding and expelling faeces

consequence of unresolved conflict-
anal retentive, perfectionist, obsessive, anal expulsive, thoughtless, messy

Question 10

psychosexual stages- phallic

Answer 10

3-5, focus of pleasure is the genital area, child experiences the oedipus or electra complex

consequence of unresolved conflict-
phallic personality, narcissistic, reckless, possibly homosexual

Question 11

psychosexual stages- latency

Answer 11

earlier conflicts are repressed

Question 12

psychosexual stages- genital

Answer 12

sexual desires become conscious alongside the onset of puberty

consequence of unresolved conflict-
difficulty forming heterosexual relationships

Question 13

defence mechanisms

Answer 13

repression- forcing a distressing memory out of the conscious mind
denial- refusing to acknowledge some aspect of reality
displacement- transferring feelings from true source of distressing emotion onto a substitute target

Question 14

oedipus and electra complex

Answer 14

oedipus- in the phallic stage little boys develop feelings towards their mothers and a murderous hatred to their fathers, fearing that their father will castrate them, boys repress their feelings for their mother and indemnify with their father, taking on his gender role and moral values

electra- girls of the same age develop penis envy, they desire their father, as penis is the primary love object and hate their mother, over time they give up their desire for their father and replace this with a desire for a baby and identify with their mother

Question 15

explanatory power

Answer 15

had an huge influence on psychology and western contemporary thought, remained the dominant force in psychology for half the 20th century

been used to explain a wide range of phenomena including personality development, abnormal behaviour, moral development and gender

draws attention to the connection between experiences in childhood such as our relationship with our parents and later development

Question 16

case study method

Answer 16

freud theory was based on intensive studies of single individuals who were often in therapy (little hans)

• freud’s observations were detailed and carefully recorded
• critics said it’s not possible to make such universal claims about human nature based on studies of such a small number of individuals
• freud’s interpretations were highly subjective, highly unlikely that other researchers would draw the same conclusions

Question 17

untestable concepts

Answer 17

karl popper- argued the approach does not meet the scientific criteria of falsification, not open to empirical testing so can’t be proved or disproved
-many of freud’s concepts are said to occur at an unconscious level, making them difficult if not impossible to test

Question 18

practical application

Answer 18

brought the world a new form of therapy- psychoanalysis

• designed to access the unconscious such as hypnosis and dream analysis
• freudian therapists have claimed success with many patients suffering from mild neuroses
• has also been criticised as inappropriate and harmful for people suffering from more serious mental disorders such as schizophrenia

Question 19

psychic determinism

Answer 19

freud believed there was no such thing as an accident such as a slip of the tongue, believed it was due to unconscious forces and has a deep symbolic meaning, explains all behaviour as determined by our unconscious