Psychodynamic and Humanistic Therapies

What is the deterministic and pessimistic view of human nature underlying Freudian psychoanalysis?

It views current psychological problems as being due to unconscious, unresolved conflicts that arose during childhood

In Freudian theory, which part of the personality is present at birth and operates according to the pleasure principle?

The id

The ___ develops at about six months of age and operates according to the reality principle, attempting to gratify the id’s instincts in realistic ways

Ego

What is the function of the superego in Freudian psychoanalysis?

It represents the internalization of society’s values and standards and attempts to permanently block the id’s instincts

According to Freud, what happens when the ego cannot resolve a conflict between the id and superego using rational means?

It resorts to one of its defense mechanisms

Which defense mechanism is considered the basis of all others and involves involuntary keeping thoughts and urges out of conscious awareness?

Repression

What is the defense mechanism of ‘denial’?

An immature defense mechanism that involves refusing to acknowledge distressing aspects of reality

A person who defends against an unacceptable impulse by expressing its opposite is using which defense mechanism?

Reaction formation

The defense mechanism that involves attributing an unacceptable impulse to another person is known as

Projection

What is sublimation as a Freudian defense mechanism?

It involves channeling an unacceptable impulse into a socially desirable and often admirable endeavor

What are the two main goals of Freudian psychoanalysis?

1. Make the unconscious conscious

2. Strengthen the ego so behavior is more based in reality

In Freudian psychoanalysis, what does the first step of analysis, confrontation, involve?

Helping clients recognize behaviors they’ve been unaware of and their possible cause

What is the purpose of clarification in Freudian psychoanalysis?

To bring the cause of behaviors into sharper focus by separating important details from extraneous content

The third step of Freudian analysis, ___, involves explicitly linking conscious behaviors to unconscious processes

Interpretation

What is ‘working through’ in the context of Freudian psychoanalysis?

A gradual process during which the client accepts and integrates new insights into their life

How did Jung’s view of personality development differ from Freud’s?

Jung believed that personality continues to develop throughout the lifespan

In Jungian psychology, what does the personal unconscious consist of?

A person’s own forgotten or repressed memories

What is the collective unconscious from Jung’s theory?

Memories that are shared by all people and are passed down from one generation to the next

In Jung’s analytical psychology, what are archetypes?

Universal thoughts and images that predispose people to act in similar ways in certain circumstances

What is the primary goal of Jung’s analytical psychotherapy?

To bring unconscious material into consciousness to facilitate the process of individuation

What two core principles do humanistic and existential therapies share?

1. Focused on the here-and-now

2. Adopt a phenomenological orientation

How do humanistic and existential therapies differ in their primary emphasis?

Humanistic: emphasize acceptance and growth

Existential: emphasize freedom and responsibility

What is the core assumption of Rogers’ person-centered therapy regarding human motivation?

All people have an innate drive toward self-actualization, which motivates them to achieve their full potential

In person-centered therapy, what is ‘incongruence’?

A discrepancy between a person’s self-concept and their experience, which can thwart self-actualization

According to Carl Rogers, what are ‘conditions of worth’?

When a person receives love and acceptance only for behaving in certain ways, leading to incongruence

What is the primary goal of person-centered therapy?

To help the client become a ‘fully functioning person’ who is not defensive and is open to new experiences

In person-centered therapy, which facilitative condition involves valuing and accepting the client as a person?

Unconditional positive regard

The facilitative condition of ___ in person-centered therapy involves being genuine, authentic, and honest

Congruence

What is the curative factor in Gestalt therapy?

Gaining awareness of one’s current thoughts, feelings, and actions

In Gestalt therapy, which boundary disturbance occurs when people adopt the beliefs and values of others without evaluation?

Introjection

When people do to themselves what they’d like to do to others, they are exhibiting the Gestalt boundary disturbance of ___

Retroflection

What is the ‘deflection’ boundary disturbance in Gestalt therpay?

It occurs when people avoid contact with the environment

What boundary disturbance in Gestalt therapy involves blurring the distinction between oneself and others?

Confluence

Describe the ‘empty-chair’ technique used in Gestalt therapy

It requires the client to interact with opposing aspects of their personality or resolve ‘unfinished business’ with a significant person

According to existential therapists like Yalom, psychological disturbances result from an inability to resolve conflicts related to what?

The four ultimate concerns of existence: death, freedom, isolation, and meaninglessness

How does existential therapy distinguish between normal (existential) and neurotic anxiety?

Normal anxiety: proportionate to a threat, can be used constructively

Neurotic anxiety: disproportionate, involves repression

What is the primary goal of existential therapies?

To help clients lead more authentic lives by taking charge, choosing their values, and acting on them

Glasser’s reality therapy is based on choice theory, which proposes that people have what five basic innate needs?

Love and belonging, power, fun, freedom, and survival

In reality therapy, what distinguishes a ‘success identity’ from a ‘failure identity’?

Success identity: involves fulfilling needs responsibly

Failure identity: fulfilling needs irresponsibly

What is the primary goal of reality therapy?

To replace the client’s failure identity with a success identity by helping them assume responsibility for their actions

In the WDEP system of reality therapy, what does the ‘E’ stand for?

Encouraging the client to evaluate their own behaviors

What is the concept of flow as per positive psychology?

A state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter

According to positive psychology, under what condition are people most likely to experience flow?

When there is a challenge-skill balance, with both being relatively high

What is the central focus of Kelly’s personal construct therapy?

How people construe (perceive, interpret, and anticipate) events

In Kelly’s theory, what are ‘personal constructs’?

Bipolar dimensions of meaning (e.g, fair / unfair, friend / enemy) that arise from a person’s experiences

What is the purpose of ‘fixed-role therapy’ in personal construct therapy?

To help clients try out alternative personal constructs by role-playing a fictional character