Approaches / Psychodynamic Approach

All of the key terms for the Psychodynamic Approach

Psychodynamic Approach

The unconscious and childhood experiences affect our personality. All behaviours can be explained by these.

Unconscious Mind

All of the mental processes that we are not aware of. Also contains repressed memories.

Conscious Mind

The part of the mind which we are aware of at all times.

Preconscious Mind

The thoughts and ideas which we may become aware of during dreams or parapraxes.

Parapraxes

Another term for a Freudian Slip. Saying one thing when you meant to say something else.

Psychic Determinism

Unconscious forces and drives that control our behaviour which are innate.

Manifest Content

The literal, surface-level meaning of a dream.

Latent Content

The hidden, symbolic meaning of a dream which is found through dream analysis.

Free Association

A type of psychoanalysis where the individual is encouraged to relax and say anything that comes to mind.

Dream Analysis

A type of psychoanalysis where the individual describes their dreams so that the analyst can analyse them.

Transference

When the client transfers the characteristics that are unconsciously associated with parents or important people onto the analyst.

Projective Tests

A kind of psychoanalysis where the individual is presented with ambiguous stimuli and their description is analysed.

ID

The primitive part of personality, exists from birth, operates on pleasure principle.

Superego

Internalised sense of right + wrong, develops at around the age of five, works on the morality principle.

Ego

The mediator of the other two parts of personality, develops at around the age of two, works on the reality principle.

Pleasure Principle

Seeking immediate gratification of desires, impulses and needs without any concern for reality, logic, or consequences.

Reality Principle

Mediating the unrealistic demands of the ID with the constraints of the external world. Rational and pragmatic, delays gratification when necessary.

Morality Principle

Internalised moral standards and societal rules learned from parents and culture. Encourages guilt and pride. Can be rigid and unrealistic.

Intrapsychic Conflict

Conflict between the components of personality (ID, Ego, Superego).

Defence Mechanisms

Unconscious processes which block out painful, frightening, and guilty feelings so that we are not as aware of them.

Repression

Forcing a distressing memory out of the conscious mind, usually to the unconscious.

Denial

Refusing to believe something because it is too painful to acknowledge the reality.

Displacement

Transferring feelings from the two source of distressing emotions onto a different target.

Psychosexual Stages

The development of personality through a series of fixed stages in childhood, where the focus of sexual energy shifts to different erogenous zones of the body. Conflicts in these stages could lead to problems later in life.

Oral Stage

A psychosexual stage which happens from the ages of 0-1 years old. The mouth is the erogenous zone. Failure to complete this stage will lead to an oral fixation.

Anal Stage

A psychosexual stage which happens from the ages of 2-3 years old. The anus is the erogenous zone. Failure to complete this stage could lead to being anally retentive or anally expulsive.

Phallic Stage

A psychosexual stage which happens from the ages of 4-6 years old. The genitals are the erogenous zone. Failure to complete this stage could lead to issues with authority or sexual identity.

Latency Stage

A psychosexual stage which happens from the age of 7 to puberty. Sexual feelings are dormant. Focus on peer relationships, learning, and social skills.

Genital Stage

A psychosexual stage which happens beyond puberty. The genitals are the erogenous zone again. If earlier stages are unresolved, there may be problems with relationships or sexuality.

Oral Fixation

The consequence of unresolved conflict in the oral stage. Categorised by behaviours such as smoking, biting nails, being sarcastic and/or critical, etc.

Anal Retentive

A possible consequence of unresolved conflict in the anal stage. Categorised by being a perfectionist, and obsessive.

Anal Expulsive

A possible consequence of unresolved conflict in the anal stage. Categorised by being thoughtless and messy.

Phallic Personality

The consequence of unresolved conflict in the phallic stage. Categorised by being narcissistic, reckless, and possibly homosexual.

Difficulty forming heterosexual relationships.

The consequence of their being unresolved conflict in any of the other stages once you reach the genital stage.

Oedipus Complex

When a boy, usually in the phallic stage, becomes unconsciously sexually attached to his mother, and hostile towards his father (who is viewed as a rival).

Electra Complex

When a girl, usually in the phallic stage, becomes unconsciously sexually attached to her father, and hostile towards her mother (who is viewed as a rival.)