Psychoanalytical Theory

What is Psychoanalysis?

A method of investigating the unconscious elements of the mind.

Tell me about the Freudian Approach (doc)

A Freudian approach often includes pinpointing the influences of a character’s personality, which is comprised of…

• id (the instinctual, pleasure seeking part of the mind)

• ego (the part of the mind that controls the id’s impulses and releases them in a healthy way).

• superego (the part of the mind that represses the id’s impulses - societies expectations),

Tell em about the Id

• The id represents primitive desires.

• It is the human “want”.

• The id is the only component of personality that is present from birth.

• The id is driven by the pleasure principle, which strives for immediate gratification of all desires, wants, and needs.

• If these needs are not satisfied immediately, the result is a state of anxiety or tension.

Tell em about the Ego

• It is your personality and the way you portray yourself to the world.

• This is the “self”, or who you view yourself as.

• The ego is the component of personality that is responsible for dealing with reality.

• According to Freud, the ego develops from the id and ensures that the impulses of the id can be expressed in a manner acceptable in the real world.

Tell em about the Superego

• The superego represents the conscience.

• It is the “should” of human beings.

• The superego is the aspect of personality that holds all of our internalized moral standards and ideals that we acquire from both our parents and society--our sense of right and wrong.

• The superego acts to perfect and civilize our behaviour.

• It works to suppress all unacceptable urges of the id and struggles to make the ego act upon idealistic standards.

What does the tip of the iceberg represent?

conscious/awareness

What does the Just under the water line represent?

the preconscious or dream state

What does the Under water (hidden) represent?

the unconscious

What do Freudian critics criticize about Freud?

The implication of sexual tendencies within his work.

What do concave and long, wide objects represent?

concave: female related symbols

long, wide objects: phallic symbols

What did Freud call dreams?

the royal road to the unconscious

What are signifiers and the signified? What are examples of each?

Signifier – symbol or object (brick)

Signified – what the object really means (heavy burden)

This complex represents when an individual has a (jealous) desire to kill father and to possess mother

Oedipal Complex

This complex represents when an individual is jealous of mother and want to possess father.

Electra Complex

This complex represents when an individual does not want to grow up.

Peter Pan Complex

This complex represents when a small individual tries to compensate for their size by being tough.

Napoleon Complex or Little Man Syndrome

a woman who fears independence and wants a man to save her

Cinderella Complex