(1) Unit 1 - Psychodynamic Assumption One - The Unconscious Mind

What does ‘consciousness’ refer to?

The region of the psyche that contains thoughts, feelings, perceptions, and other aspects or mental life currently present in awareness.

What does ‘unconscious’ refer to?

The unconscious part of your mind contains information that is either almost impossible or very hard to bring into conscious awareness.

What did Freud propose the mind is like?

An iceberg.

What is the iceberg metaphor used to represent?

The unconscious mind as he believed most of what goes on inside the mind is below the surface and is unconscious. The bit above the water surface represents the conscious mind; this is what we are aware of and is logical.

What part of the mind did Freud believe had the biggest influence on behaviour?

The unconscious mind. We are unable to access our conscious mind directly.

How did Freud believed the unconscious mind could be accessed?

Through psychotherapy such as dream analysis. He believed that dreams are the via regia (the royal road) to the unconscious.

What does Freud believe is in the unconscious mind?

Unresolved conflicts that influence our behaviour, as well as conflict between our id, ego and superego that creates anxiety.

What did Freud believe we have to protect our ego (the self)?

Ego defence mechanisms. These occur when there is conflict between the id, ego and superego.

What are some examples of these ego defence mechanisms?

Regression, repression, displacement, projection and denial.

However, what can happen if ego defence mechanisms are relied upon too often?

Neuroses can occur, e.g. anxiety, phobias, obsessions or hysteria.

Who research ego defence mechanisms in psychiatric patients who were all assessed using Pfeffer’s Ego Defence Scale?

Gothelf et al (1995).

What did Gothelf find?

That regression, denial, projections and repression were common to psychiatric patients suffering from severe adolescent anorexia nervosa. These patterns distinguished them from adolescents without any psychiatric disorder. It was found that anorexic adolescents relied on more mature defence mechanisms than other adolescents. Anorexic patients also used intellectualisation more frequently than all other patients.