• The psychodynamic approach: the role of the unconscious, the structure of personality, that is Id, Ego and Superego, defence mechanisms including repression, denial and displacement, psychosexual stages.

What are the Basic Assumptions of the Psychodynamic Approach?

• Behaviour is influenced by unconscious processes.
• Childhood experiences shape adult personality and behaviour.
• Personality is structured into the id, ego and superego.

What is the Unconscious Mind?

• Part of the mind containing thoughts, memories and desires we are unaware of.
• Influences behaviour without conscious awareness.

Why are Childhood Experiences Important in the Psychodynamic Approach?

• Freud believed experiences in the first five years strongly shape adult personality and behaviour.

What is the Structure of Personality?

• Freud proposed personality consists of the id, ego and superego.
• These parts constantly interact and create internal conflict.

What is the Id?

• Present from birth.
• Operates on the pleasure principle.
• Seeks immediate gratification of instincts and desires.
• Entirely unconscious.

What is the Ego?

• Develops around age 2.
• Operates on the reality principle.
• Mediates between the id, superego and reality.
• Partly conscious.

What is the Superego?

• Develops around ages 3–5.
• Operates on the morality principle.
• Represents morals, guilt and ideal behaviour.
• Based on parental and societal values.

Difference Between the Id, Ego and Superego

• Id seeks immediate pleasure.
• Superego focuses on morality and guilt.
• Ego balances demands of the id, superego and reality.

What are Defence Mechanisms?

• Unconscious strategies used by the ego to reduce anxiety and internal conflict.

What is Repression?

• Unpleasant memories or thoughts pushed into the unconscious mind.

What is Denial?

• Refusing to accept reality or truth because it causes anxiety.

What is Displacement?

• Redirecting emotions from a threatening target to a safer target.
• Example: shouting at sibling after conflict with teacher.

What are the Psychosexual Stages?

• Five developmental stages proposed by Freud.
• Personality develops through conflicts at each stage.

What is the Oral Stage?

• Occurs from birth to around 1 year.
• Pleasure focused on the mouth.
• Fixation may lead to smoking or nail biting.

What is the Anal Stage?

• Occurs from around 1–3 years.
• Pleasure focused on bowel and bladder control.
• Fixation may lead to excessive cleanliness or messiness.

What is the Phallic Stage?

• Occurs from around 3–6 years.
• Pleasure focused on the genitals.
• Includes the Oedipus complex.

What is the Latency Stage?

• Occurs from around 6 years to puberty.
• Sexual urges become dormant.

What is the Genital Stage?

• Begins at puberty.
• Sexual desires mature and healthy adult relationships develop.

What is Fixation?

• Occurs when conflict at a psychosexual stage is unresolved.
• Personality becomes stuck at that developmental stage.

What is the Oedipus Complex?

• Occurs during the phallic stage in boys.
• Boy develops unconscious sexual desire for mother and sees father as a rival.
• Creates castration anxiety.

What is Castration Anxiety?

• Fear that the father will punish or castrate the boy for desiring the mother.
• Leads to repression of these desires.

How is the Oedipus Complex Resolved?

• Boy identifies with his father.
• Adopts father’s morals and values.
• Leads to development of the superego.

What is the Electra Complex?

• Freud’s explanation of psychosexual conflict in girls.
• Girl supposedly desires father and feels jealousy toward mother.
• Resolved through identification with mother.

Who was Little Hans?

• Five-year-old boy studied by Freud.
• Used as evidence for the Oedipus complex.

Little Hans Study — Aim

• Investigated the Oedipus complex and unconscious conflict.

Little Hans Study — Procedure

• Freud analysed Little Hans’ conversations, dreams and behaviour through reports from his father.
• Hans had a strong fear of horses.

Little Hans Study — Findings

• Freud believed horses symbolised Hans’ father.
• Hans’ fear represented castration anxiety and unconscious conflict.
• Freud concluded the study supported the Oedipus complex.

Psychodynamic Approach AO3 — Case Study Evidence

• Freud used detailed case studies such as Little Hans.
• Produced rich qualitative data about behaviour and unconscious conflict.

Psychodynamic Approach AO3 — Unfalsifiable

• Concepts such as the unconscious mind cannot be scientifically tested.
• Makes Freud’s theories difficult to prove or disprove.

Psychodynamic Approach AO3 — Psychic Determinism

• Suggests behaviour controlled by unconscious conflicts and childhood experiences.
• Ignores free will and conscious choice.

Psychodynamic Approach AO3 — Overemphasis on Sexuality

• Freud placed heavy emphasis on sexual explanations of behaviour.
• Many psychologists consider this reductionist and unrealistic.

Psychodynamic Approach AO3 — Influence on Psychology

• Influenced counselling, psychotherapy and understanding of mental disorders.
• Had major impact on modern psychology and therapy.