psychoanalytic theory

Psychoanalytic Criticism

Look either at the psychological motivations of the characters or the actual authors. Most frequently, psychological critics apply Freudian and/or Jungian (archetypes) psychology to works.

Sigmund Freud

Father of modern psychology. Believed people's behavior is affected by their unconscious, influenced by childhood events.

Id

Based on biological impulses, works to gain satisfaction for instinctual needs, no morality.

Ego

What people decide to display to the world, often responds and controls the id in order to avoid unpleasant consequences, such as being punished.

Superego

Where the conscience is located, helps inhibit the id, controlled by our perspective of social expectations.

Oedipus Complex

Described as the experience of children feeling a possessive fixation toward the parent of their opposite sex, along with rival feelings toward the parent of their same sex.

Electra Complex

Possessive form of attachment between a female child and her opposite-sex parent, may also have a competitive drive against the parent of the same sex.

Abraham Maslow

Hierarchy of Needs: Psychological, Safety, Belonging & Love, Esteem, Self-Actualization.

Erik Erikson

8 stages of personality development: Each stage presents a new conflict between the individual’s needs and societal demands. Conflicts must be resolved in order to obtain a healthy personality & become fully functional members of society.

Carl Rogers

Personality Development: One’s inner personality that can be likened to the soul.
Humanistic Psychology: Client-Centered Approach, humans have a natural desire for personal growth.
Rogerian Theory: Client believed to be the expert in their life.
19 Propositions: How individuals perceive and interact with the world.

Alfred Adler

Psychology of Growth: People strive to overcome difficulties and make actual changes to their lives.

Individual Psychology: One must study all aspects of a human (not just parts of a human) in order to understand an individual.

Community Feeling: True psychological health came from a sense of belonging.

Social inequality: Disease that harms entire populations.

Lawrence Kohlberg

6 Stage Theory of Moral Development: People make decisions based on factors (i.e. punishment, laws, ethical principles, etc.)

Mary Ainsworth

Strange Situation Experiment: Infants have a innate need to form a bond with primary caregivers.

John Bowlby

Attachment Theory: Earliest bonds formed by children with their caregivers largely impact the child’s life.

Conscious

Awake, aware of and responding to one’s surroundings. (ex. Driving to Target for toothpaste)

Preconscious

Caught between the conscious and unconscious, not present in consciousness, can be recalled without inner resistance or oppression. (ex. Driving a car)

Unconscious

Not conscious, the part of the mind that is inaccessible to the conscious mind but still affects behaviors and emotions, unable to respond. (ex. Driving home without remembering the details of the journey)

Iceberg Theory

Id: Resides only in the unconscious level

Ego: Lives in all three levels

Superego: Lives in all three levels