Theory of personality: Psychoanalytic perspective (Part 1)

Who is associated with psychoanalytic theory?

Sigmund Freud

Psychoanalysis involves long verbal interactions with the patient to determine the influence of these three things

Repressed conflicts, sexual urges, early childhood memories

Freud believed slips of the tongue (Freudian slips) reveal a person’s ___

Unconscious desires

Three criticisms toward Freud’s psychoanalytic theory

• If behavior is primarily controlled by unconscious thoughts, that suggests we have no conscious control over ourselves

• Freud suggested that our future is determined by early childhood

• Focused too much on sexual desires

Freud believed that our personality has these three components and the way they interact determines our behavior

Id, ego, superego

Describe the id

The instinctive component of personality that desires to maximize pleasure

Describe the ego

The decision-making component of personality that desires pleasure but in a more rational way to avoid consequences

Describe the superego

The moral component of personality that strives for perfection

What is the relationship between the id, ego, and superego?

The id and superego work in contradiction, so the ego has to balance the two

Where are the id, ego, and superego found in the levels of awareness?

Ego and superego are found in all levels while the id is strictly in the unconscious

What are the 5 immature defense mechanisms in psychoanalytic theory?

• Denial

• Identification

• Projection

• Regression

• Repression

A defense mechanism that involves internalizing aspects of others

• A child developing the same behaviors as their parent

Identification

What are the 4 mature defense mechanisms

• Displacement

• Rationalization

• Reaction formation

• Sublimation

A defense mechanism that involves transferring emotional feelings from the original object to a substitute object

Displacement

The defense mechanism involving denying one’s true feelings by acting in the opposite way

Reaction formation

The defense mechanism involving channeling unacceptable feelings into socially acceptable actions

Sublimation

What are Freud’s 5 stages of psychosexual development (and ages)?

1. Oral stage (age 0-1)

2. Anal stage (age 2-3)

3. Phallic stage (age 4-5)

4. Latent stage (age 6-12)

5. Genital stage (13+)

According to Freud’s stages of psychosexual development, in the oral stage, gratification is achieved through ___ and ___.

To move onto the next stage, the child must…

Fixation at the oral stage can result in ___ and ___ later in life.

• Breast feeding and biting

• Be weaned off from breast/bottle

• Smoking and overeating

According to Freud’s stages of psychosexual development, in the anal stage, erotic pleasure is attained from ___.

The challenge at this stage is ___.

• Bowel movements

• Toilet training

According to Freud’s stages of psychosexual development, in the phallic stage, erotic pleasure is attained from…

To move on to the next stage, the child must…

Fixation at the phallic stage can result in…

• Self-stimulation of genitals

• Resolve their hostility towards same-sex parent and desire for opposite-sex parent

• Oedipus/electra complex

According to Freud’s stages of psychosexual development, in the latent stage, there is no source of erotic energy. Instead, the child is focused on…

This stage ends at…

• Expanding social contacts beyond the family

• Onset of puberty

According to Freud’s stages of psychosexual development, in the genital stage, the genitals become the erotic focus, but…

The focus of the stage is…

• Sexual urges are directed toward the opposite sex

• Establishing intimate relationships