Disciplines and Ideas in the Social Sciences - Psychoanalysis

Vocabulary flashcards covering the key concepts, levels of mind, structure of personality, psychosexual stages, defense mechanisms, and therapeutic techniques of Freud's Psychoanalysis.

Psychoanalysis

A psychological theory and therapy developed by Sigmund Freud in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that aims to explore how the unconscious mind influences human thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

Conscious Mind

The level of the mind containing thoughts and feelings that an individual is actively aware of at any given moment.

Preconscious Mind

The level of the mind containing thoughts that are not currently in awareness but can be easily recalled into consciousness.

Unconscious Mind

The level of the mind containing hidden thoughts, memories, and desires that influence behavior without conscious realization.

Id

The pleasure-seeking component of personality present from birth that operates on the pleasure principle, seeking immediate gratification without regard for rules or consequences.

Ego

The rational part of personality that operates on the reality principle, working to satisfy the id's desires in socially acceptable ways while balancing moral restrictions.

Superego

The moral part of personality developed through interactions with parents, teachers, and society that represents an individual's sense of right and wrong.

Pleasure Principle

The driving mechanism of the id that seeks immediate satisfaction of basic needs and instincts.

Reality Principle

The driving mechanism of the ego that seeks to satisfy the id's desires realistically and in a socially acceptable manner.

Fixation

A condition where an individual fails to successfully pass through a psychosexual stage, causing certain behaviors or personality traits from that stage to persist into adulthood.

Oral Stage

The first psychosexual stage (0 to 1 year) where pleasure is centered on the mouth through activities like sucking, biting, and breastfeeding.

Anal Stage

The second psychosexual stage (1 to 3 years) focused on bowel and bladder control, where children learn self-control and independence through toilet training.

Anal-retentive Personality

An adult personality trait resulting from overly strict toilet training during the anal stage, characterized by perfectionism, extreme neatness, organization, controlling behavior, and stubbornness.

Anal-expulsive Personality

An adult personality trait resulting from overly lenient toilet training during the anal stage, characterized by messiness, carelessness, disorganization, and impulsivity.

Phallic Stage

The third psychosexual stage (3 to 6 years) focused on self-discovery, gender identity, and developing attachments to the opposite-sex parent.

Oedipus Complex

A phallic stage concept where a boy feels attraction toward his mother and jealousy toward his father, eventually identifying with the father.

Electra Complex

A phallic stage concept where a girl feels attraction toward her father and competes with her mother, eventually identifying with the mother.

Latency Stage

The fourth psychosexual stage (6 to 12 years) where sexual urges remain dormant, and focus is placed on social skills, intellectual development, friendships, and learning.

Genital Stage

The fifth psychosexual stage (12+ years / puberty to adulthood) focused on forming mature romantic relationships and establishing a personal identity.

Defense Mechanisms

Unconscious psychological strategies used by the mind to protect an individual from anxiety, stress, or emotional conflict.

Repression

A defense mechanism that involves pushing painful or traumatic memories into the unconscious mind so they do not have to be consciously confronted.

Denial

A defense mechanism where a person refuses to accept truth or reality because it is too emotionally painful.

Projection

A defense mechanism where an individual attributes their own unacceptable thoughts or feelings onto someone else to avoid guilt or anxiety.

Displacement

A defense mechanism where a person redirects anger or frustration from a threatening target onto a less threatening person or object.

Regression

A defense mechanism where an individual reverts to childish or immature behaviors from an earlier developmental stage when experiencing stress.

Rationalization

A defense mechanism where a person makes logical but false excuses to justify actions or failures and protect self-esteem.

Reaction Formation

A defense mechanism where a person behaves in a way that is completely opposite to their true, socially unacceptable feelings.

Sublimation

A healthy defense mechanism where unacceptable impulses are redirected into positive, productive, and socially acceptable activities.

Intellectualization

A defense mechanism where an individual removes emotion from a stressful situation and focuses strictly on facts and logic to reduce emotional pain.

Undoing

A defense mechanism where a person attempts to make up for or "cancel out" bad thoughts or actions by behaving in an opposite, positive manner.

Free Association

A psychoanalytic therapy technique where the patient speaks freely without censorship to uncover hidden unconscious conflicts and emotions.

Dream Analysis

A psychoanalytic therapy technique that interprets symbols and hidden meanings in dreams to reveal repressed desires, fears, or traumas.

Transference

A psychoanalytic therapy phenomenon where a patient unconsciously projects feelings and emotions from past personal relationships onto the therapist.

Interpretation

A psychoanalytic therapy technique where the therapist analyzes patterns in speech, dreams, and behaviors to help the patient gain insight into unconscious conflicts.

Catharsis

The process of emotional release and healing that occurs when repressed unconscious emotions are brought to the surface.