1.03 Psychodynamic Perspectives

Who created psychoanalytic theory?

Sigmund Freud

Explain the free association technique

Freud's method of uncovering the unconscious mind by having the patient discuss whatever thoughts they have

3 layers of the mind iceberg

conscious, preconscious & unconscious

Where is our conscious awareness on the iceberg?

above the water

What is in our conscious awareness?

Thoughts, emotions, and actions that we are currently experiencing

Where is our preconscious mind on the iceberg?

just below the surface

What is in our preconscious mind?

This region holds information that is not currently in use but is readily accessible if needed by the conscious mind.

What is the largest region of the mind iceberg?

the unconscious mind

Where is the unconscious mind on the iceberg?

far below the surface

What is in our unconscious mind?

thoughts, drives, desires, and memories

According to Feud we were born with?

biological instincts

What are the three personality components?

id, superego, ego

Where is the id found?

completely within the unconscious mind

What principle is the id based on?

pleasure principle

What is the pleasure principle?

the part of the id that demands instant satisfaction for basic, biological wants and needs

What is the goal of the id?

to survive and reproduce

Which component is your conscience?

superego

What is the superego?

the voice inside your head that tells you what you should do, instead of what you want to do

Where is the superego found?

Conscious and unconscious mind

What has the superego been influenced by?

the morals and values that parents, friends, and society taught you when you were a child

What principle does the ego employ?

the reality principle

What is the job of the ego?

It listens to both the id and superego. Then it employs the reality principle to determine if the demands of the id can be met without breaking the rules of the superego.

Where is the ego found?

the conscious and preconscious mind.

What is the goal of psychoanalysis?

to reveal the mechanisms a person is using to solve the underlying issue

10 defense mechanisms

1. Denial

2. Repression

3. Displacement

4. Sublimation

5. Projection

6. Intellectualization

7. Rationalization

8. Regression

9. Reaction Formation

10. Compensation

What is denial?

refusing to admit something is wrong

Example of denial

"I'm not addicted, I can quit anytime I want"

What is repression?

when memories, thoughts, and emotions are unconsciously pushed out of the conscious awareness.

Example of repression

A person who was physically abused as a child might not recall details of the abuse.

What is displacement?

taking emotional feelings (usually anger) out on something safer than its original cause.

example of displacement

a man who gets scolded by his boss may take out his anger on his kids by yelling at them for no apparent reason.

What is sublimation?

allows someone to act out usually unacceptable emotions in socially acceptable ways.

Example of sublimation

If someone is miserable, they could write poetry to express their sad emotions instead of sobbing uncontrollably.

What is projection?

When someone projects, they place their own unacceptable characteristics onto someone else.

Example of projection

If you feel a strong dislike for someone who you feel is selfish, you may actually fear that you are selfish and unlikable.

What is intellectualization?

Someone who intellectualizes focuses on the facts and what needs to be done, instead of feeling the emotional impact of the situation at hand.

Example of Intellectualization

Someone who loses a loved one could dive into funeral preparations to avoid dealing with their loss.

What is rationalization?

using logic and reasoning to explain away an unacceptable behavior.

Example of rationalization

"I can skip doing my homework today. I spent twice as long as usual on homework yesterday and I already have an A in that class."

What is regression?

When a person regresses, they return to a safer, less threatening time in their lives (usually childhood).

Example of regression

an adult who throws a temper tantrum when they don't get their way

What is reaction formation?

causes the individual to feel the opposite emotion to a stressful stimulus or event.

Example of reaction formation

if your crush starts dating someone, you might develop a dislike for him or her once you find out the unhappy news.

What is compensation?

expressing high levels of achievement to overcome failures in another area.

Example of compensation

"I may be a terrible baseball player, but I can run circles around the team on the track!"

Who are Neo-Freudians?

psychoanalysts who were influenced by Freud's theories and methods

Name 3 Neo-Freudians

1. Alfred Adler

2. Carl Jung

3. Karen Horney

What did Alfred Adler believe?

childhood experiences influenced personality.

He felt that after biological needs were met, it was social needs that had the biggest impact on personality.

Examples of social needs

The desire to be accepted or be seen as successful by peers

Did Carl Jung agree with Adler?

No. He did not agree with Adler's emphasis on social needs as the main influence on personality.

What did Carl Jung believe?

he claimed that there is a collective unconscious that is influenced by the experience of our ancestors.

This theory suggests that we are born with memories shared from those before us that influence how we react to certain events.

What part of Freud's theory is Carl Jung's belief based on?

Freud's theory of the id within the unconscious mind

What is the collective unconscious?

Jung's theory that memories are inherited from our ancestors

What is Karen Horney's theory?

womb envy - She argued that men were actually envious of women because they were able to have children.

Did Horney agree with Adler?

Yes. She agreed with Adler's emphasis on social factors, instead of biological factors, as the influence on personality.

5 weakness of Freud's theory

1. No explanation for personality development that occurs beyond childhood

2. Overemphasis on parental influence, while ignoring peer influence

3. Sample for study consisted of middle and upper class Caucasian women and was not diverse

4. Bias toward male development

5. No scientific testing to confirm his theories