The psychodynamic approach

What is the literal meaning of psychodynamic?

Any theory that emphasises change and development in an individual. (dynamic)

What is the best known psychodynamic theory?

Freudian psychoanalysis

What did Freud believe about behaviour?

He believed it was determined mostly by psychological factors.

He assumed that behaviour was largely controlled by the unconscious mind

What was Freud’s analogy of the unconscious mind

Freud used the metaphor of an iceberg to describe the mind:

The tip of the iceberg being visible (conscious mind) and the much larger part being hidden under water (unconscious mind)

What did Freud believe about the unconscious mind

That the unconscious mind reveals itself in “Freudian slips”.

How did Freud believe that the unconscious mind prevented trauma?

He believed that the unconscious mind actively prevented trauma from reaching conscious awareness through defence mechanisms.

What are defence mechanisms?

If an individual is faced with a situation that is difficult to deal with, their defence mechanisms may be triggered.

Defence mechanisms operate unconsciously and work by distorting reality so that anxiety is reduced.

What are the three examples of defence mechanisms?

Repression

Denial

Displacement

Explain repression

The unconscious blocking of negative thoughts and impulses (e.g forgetting traumatic memories).

These thoughts influence behaviour without the individual being aware - for example, a person who has trouble forming relationships may have been abused as a child but have no memory of this.

Explain denial

The refusal to accept reality in order to avoid painful feelings associated with the event.

The person may act as if the traumatic event has not happened.

Eg an alcoholic may deny they have a drinking problem even after getting arrested for it several times

Explain displacement

The redirecting of thoughts and feelings (usually hostile) towards an innocent victim or inanimate object rather than who they should be directed towards.

This gives their hostile feelings a route for expression

What is the Freudian structure of personality?

Tripartite -

1. The id

2. The ego

3. The superego

What’s the function of the id

The id operates solely in the unconscious.

It is the mind’s pleasure principle - It demands immediate gratification regardless of circumstances.

Eg if a person is hungry, the id would demand they eat there and then

What does the id contain?

The libido - biological energy created by reproductive instincts.

What is the function of the ego?

Its the reality principle - compromises between the impulsive demands of the id and the reality of the external world.

It also compromises between the id and superego.

What is the function of the superego?

Divided into the conscience and the ego-ideal.

The conscience is the internalisation of societal rules - It determines which behaviours are permissible and causes feelings of guilt when rules are broken.

The ego-ideal is what a person strives towards - determined by good behaviour.

How did Freud believe personality developed?

Through a sequence of five psychosexual stages

(Called this in order to emphasise that the most important driving force in development is the need to express sexual energy - libido)

What are the different psychosexual stages?

Oral

Anal

Phallic

Latent

Genital

Explain the oral stage.

Happens from 0-2 years old.

At this stage, the mouth is the area of sensation (sucking, biting). It’s where the child expresses early sexual energy.

Explain the anal stage.

Happens from 2-3 years old.

At this stage, the ego begins to develop. This is because the child becomes aware of the demands of reality.

The major event at this stage is toilet training.

Explain the phallic stage.

Happens at 3-6 years old.

At this stage, sexual energy is focused on the genitals.

This is where the Oedipus complex starts.

What is the Oedipus complex?

When a male unconsciously desires to posses their mother and get rid of their father

Explain the latent stage.

Happens at 6-12 years.

Here, children are unable to remember much of their early years.

This is because the conflicts and issues of previous stages are repressed.

The child develops a mastery of the world around him at this stage.

Explain the genital stage.

Here we are directed towards sexual intercourse.

Sexual energy is fixed into the genitals.

Positive evaluation

Influential approach - suggested new methods of gaining evidence (case studies), was based on observation of behaviour rather than relying on introspection. This led to psychological treatments (psychotherapy). It was a massive shift in psychological thinking

Research support - Fischer and Greenberg found support for the existence of unconscious motivation in human behaviour and for defence mechanisms. This adds scientific credibility to psychoanalysis.

Negative evaluation

Gender biased approach - this approach dismisses the entire female population. Freud had ignorant views on female sexuality. He said that they had weaker identification with their same-sex parent than males, so were less morallly-developed. This isn’t true.

Culture biased approach - many non-Western cultures believe it is best to avoid thoughts that cause distress rather than being willing to discuss them openly (Sue and Sue, 2008). Psychoanalysts believe in freeing these in therapy.

Victorian ideas - outdated views in general