FREUD'S PSYCHOANALYTIC THEORY

Psychoanalytic theory

Focuses on childhood experiences, unconscious thoughts/motivations and conflicts to explain personality, motivation, and psychological disorders

Psychoanalysis

"Talking cure" used to cure anxieties, obsessions and fears

Conscious

What is right at the surface of our awareness at a particular point in time (short-term memory)

Preconscious

What lies just beneath the surface of awareness and is ready for immediate retrieval

Unconscious

What lies deep in our unconscious due to the causation of anxiety, uncomfortable feelings.

Libido

"I desire"; instincts derived from biological urges expressed in conscious activity. A part of the ego.

Psychosexual development

Freudian theory which states that personality development during infancy, childhood and adolescence shifts from mouth, anus, to genitals

Oral

Feeding is the main source of behavior (0-1)

Anal

Pleasure resulting from bowel movement (1-3)

Phalic

Stage where boys want to have sex with mama, and girls want to have sex with papa. Main area is the genitals. (3-6)

Latency

Sexually calm, socializes, develops skills, and learns about self and society. Develops defense mechanisms. (6-12)

Genitals

Sexually matures so that repressed sexual urges resurface to flow into socially approved channels (12+)

Penis envy

Wish for a girl to have a penis caused by feelings of inferiority and psychic conflict

Castration anxiety

When a boy has a fear of losing or hurting his genitals

Character

What develops as a result of experiences while growing up

Fixation

When an individual becomes "fixated" or stuck in a stage which they cannot get out of until the initial conflict is resolved

Oral passive character

Character which contains traits such as dependency on others, and holds an interest in oral gratifications such as eating, drinking and smoking

Oral aggressive character

Character which contains traits such as a desire to bite on things such as pencils and gum as well as holds a tendency to be verbally aggressive and sarcastic

Anal expulsive personality

Personality which contains traits such as being disorganized, generous to a fault. Cruel, destructive, and may be a vandal. Caused by parents making a huge deal over potty training.

Anal retentive personalty

Personality which contains traits such as being clean, perfectionistic, dictatorial, stubborn, and stingy. Caused by parents forcing children to be potty trained at an early age.

Phalic stage

Oedial complex develops in the...

Repression

Burying distressing thoughts and conflicts deep into the unconscious

Projection

Seeing the world in a way that is actually just how you feel within

Displacement

Taking out anger on a more inferior object or person.

Example: kicking your puppy after fighting with your wife

Reaction formation

Behaving in a way that is the exact opposite of how one truly feels

Example: Being super nice to the person you talk shit about

Regression

Reverting back to childhood behavior

Rationalization

Making up excuses to justify unacceptable behavior

Identification

Identifying with a group to heighten self-esteem

Denial

Refusing to feel or accept something as it is

Sublimation

Transferring inappropriate feelings and thoughts into a more appropriate channel of energy.