Theories of Development (Psychoanalytic Theory)

Founder

Sigmund Freud

Instincts

Drives/Urges/Needs

Types of Instincts

Life Instincts: Survival

Death Instincts: Self - Destruction

Unconscious Motivation

Instincts/Needs/Inner forces/Past Unresolved issues

Structures of the Mind

Id/Ego/Superego

Id’s function

Pleasure and Immediate gratification

Ego’s Function

Gratify needs in reality/problem solving

Super-ego’s Function

Internalized morals/beliefs

Stages of Personality Development

Oral (0 - 1.5 years) Anal (1.5 - 3 years) Phallic (4-5 years) Latency (5-6 years) Genital (puberty +)

Oral Stage (age, developmental test, types of failed test and consequence of failed and passed stage)

Age: 0-1.5 years

Developmental Test: receiving sufficient food from caregivers

Types of Failed Test: Too much or too little feeding

Consequence of failure either way: oral fixations, sarcastic speech, etc.

If test is passed: Child develops healthy sense of independence, is successfully wained

Anal Stage (age, developmental test, types of failed test and consequence of failed and passed stage)

Age: 1.5 - 3 years

Developmental Test: Potty training

Types of Failed Test: Extremely lenient potty training OR overly strict

Consequences of lenient: sloppy/reckless/defiant adult

Consequences of strict anal-retentive personality

If test is passed: Develops self control, independence and responsibility without being overly rigid or careless

Phallic Stage (age, developmental test, types of failed test and consequence of failed and passed stage)

Age: 4-5 years

Developmental Test: Genital/attraction to opposite sex parent (Preconcious)

Types of Failed Test: Never moving past attraction to opposite sex parent

Consequence of Failed test: weaker super ego which manifests in narcissism for men and vanity for women

If test is passed: child identifies with same sex parents, develops stronger super ego, healthy gender identity

Latency Stage (age, developmental test, types of failed test and consequence of failed and passed stage)

Age: 5 - start of puberty

Developmental Test: Focus shifts to other aspects of life/personal growth

Types of failed Test: focus fails to shift from parents to life/child fails to make social relationships

Consequence of Failed Test: social difficulties, insecurity, difficulties forming relationships

If test is passed: develops healthy friendships, confidence, intelligence

Genital Stage (age, developmental test, types of failed test and consequence of failed and passed stage)

Age: puberty +

Developmental Test: developing mature romantic relationships while balancing personal desires (living out the results of previous stages)

Types of Failed Test: Unresolved fixations/troubles with relationships

Consequence of failed test: relationship issues, selfishness/immaturity

If test is passed: mature and secure adult relationships

Types of consciousness

Conscious: thoughts/perceptions (realized)

Preconscious: Memory/stress/knowledge

Unconscious: instincts/fears/selfish motives

What are Defense Mechanisms?

Unconscious psychological strategies used by the ego to protect individuals from anxiety,internal conflicts or uncomfortable thoughts and feelings. The ego uses these defense mechanisms to manage conflicts between the id, super ego, and reality

List of Defense Mechanisms

Denial

Displacement

Projection

Rationalization

Reaction Formation

Regression

Repression

Sublimation

Denial

Refusal to accept real events

Displacement

Transfer of personal urges to others

Projection

Blaming desires on others

Rationalization

justification of behaviors by replacing true reasons with more acceptable justifications

Reaction Formation

Reducing anxiety by adopting beliefs contrary to your own

Regression

Returning to young coping strategies

Repression

Suppressed painful memories and thoughts

Sublimation

Redirecting unacceptable desires to socially acceptable desires