The psychodynamic approach

What are the 3 assumptions of the psychodynamic approach?

1. Unconscious activity is the key determinant of how we behave.

2. We posses innate drives, motivations, or instincts, that energise our minds to motivate behaviour as we develop through our lives.

3. Childhood experiences have significant importance in determining our personality when we reach adulthood.

What is hysteria?

A term to describe emotionally charged behaviour that seems excessive and out of control.

Freuds patients could not give an conscious reason for this so concluded that they had an unconscious mind.

What is Freuds iceberg theory?

Part - location on iceberg - Access? - includes…

1. The conscious - small part above the water

   Currently being accessed

   Includes current thoughts, feelings and perceptions.

2. The preconscious mind - just below the surface

   Not immediately accessible but can become conscious if you focus on it.

   Includes memories, thoughts or knowledge you’re not currently thinking about.

3. The unconscious mind - The largest part.

   Cannot directly access it but it still influences your behaviour.

   Contains; repressed memories, innate biological drives, Unresolved childhood conflicts.

   Defence mechanisms keep this material hidden

What are the 3 parts of Freuds personality?

The id, Superego, ego

Each demand gratification

What does conflict between the id, superego, and ego cause?

Conflict between them leads to anxiey which the ego manages using defence mechanisms.

The id

Description - Principle - Unconscious/preconscious/conscious? - When does it develop

Innate, selfish, pleasure seeking

Contains the libido - biological energy created by the reproductive instincts

Operates according to the pleasure principle and solely in the unconscious.

Born with it.

The Ego

Description - Principle - Unconscious/preconscious/conscious? - When does it develop?

Mediates between the Id and Superego

Compromises

Operates according to the reality principle and is mostly conscious but can be unconscious or preconscious.

Develops during the anal stage (1-3 years)

The superego

Description - Divided into … - Principle - Unconscious/preconscious/conscious? - When does it develop?

Moral conscience

Determines what behaviours are permissible and causes feelings of guilt when rules are broken.

Divided into the conscience and ego ideal - what a person strives for.

Operates according to the morality principle and is mostly unconscious and partly conscious.

Develops during the Phallic stage (3-5 years)

What are the 3 defence mechanisms and what are they used by/for?

Used by the ego to reduce anxiety caused by the conflict between the id and superego. They are unconscious and can disort reality.

1. Repression - Forces distressing memories into the unconscious.

2. Denial - refusing to accept reality

3. Displacement - Redirecting emotions from one source onto a safer target.

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What are the 5 psychosexual stages of development proposed by Freud?

Oral

Anal

Phallic

Latent

Genital

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Oral stage

Age - Focus - Characteristics - fixation

Oral stage

0 - 1 years

Focus of pleasure is the mouth and the mother’s breast is the focus of desire

Characteristics: Sucking behaviour

Fixation: Smoking, eating, kissing

(Id is present from birth)

Anal stage

Age - Focus - Characteristics - fixation

Anal stage

1 - 3 years

Focus of pleasure is the anus and the child focusses on withholding and expelling faeces

Characteristic: Toilet training

Fixation: Anal retentive - overly tidy/stubborn, Anal expulsive - messy/ rebellious

(Ego develops)

Phallic stage

Age - Focus - Characteristics - fixation

Phallic stage

3 - 5 years

Focus is pleasure is genitals and children experience the oedipus/electra complex

Characteristics: Genital fixation, Oedipus complex - Castration anxiety, Electra complex - Penis envy.

Possible fixation: Aggressive, Jealous, dominant/passive towards men.

(Superego develops)

Latency/Latent stage

Age - Focus - Characteristics - fixation

Latent stage

6 years - puberty

Previous conflicts are resolved/repressed and early years are largely forgotten.

Characteristic: Fixation to prior stages of development.

Fixation: Repressed sexual urges.

Genital stage

Age - Focus - Characteristics - fixation

Genital stage

Puberty - adulthood

Sexual desires become conscious with the onset of puberty.

Characteristics: Independence from parents, repairing earlier stages.

Fixation: Awakened sexual urges.

What do problems with each psychosexual stage lead to?

Problems with any stage lead to fixations affecting personality.

What did Freud believe about dreams?

Freud believed that dreams give us insights into the unconscious mind.

Little Hans case study:

What does it prove ? (3)

Little hans

• Scared of horses

• His father made descriptions of his dreams and Little Hans’ life and sent them to Freud.

• Hans was curious about his penis - Freud saw this as evidence that he was in the Phallic stage.

• Hans didn’t like his father or newborn sister - Freud saw this as evidence that he was experiencing an Oedipus complex.

• Freud concluded that Hans’ fear of horses stemmed from his unconscious fear of his father (Due to the rivalry he had with him for his mothers attention) - Evidence of defence mechanisms - Displacement

Evaluate the Little Hans case study

Limitation

Case study

Point: Case study - limits generalisability

Evidence: Focuses on just little Hans - cannot be applied to wider population

Explain: Provided detailed insight, its difficult to make general conclusions about Oedipus complex based on one case.

Link: Therefore findings may not be representative - low in external validity.

Evaluate little Hans case study

Limitation

Self report

Point: Study relies on self report method - lacks objectivity

Evidence: Reports of little Hans by his father could have been influenced by personal bias or subjective interpretations.

Explain: Freuds theory is based on these subjective observations - may not accurately reflect the reality of Little Hans’ experience.

Link: Reduces the reliability of the study - findings are influenced by the fathers perspective and potential bias.

Evaluate little Hans case study

Limitation

Non - experimental method

Point: study uses a non experimental method so it doesn’t establish a clear cause and effect relationship.

Evidence: No manipulation of an independent variable - doesn’t test a cause and effect relationship between Hans’ fear of horses and the Oedipus complex.

Explain: Other factors such as past traumatic events. e.g. when he saw a horse collapse when he was younger, could explain his fear of horses.

Link: Study doesn’t provide scientific evidence for Freud’s theory and doesn’t definitively prove the Oedipus complex caused Hans’ fear of horses.

Evaluate the Psychodynamic approach

Strength

Real life application

Point: Real life application in therapy

Evidence: Psychoanalysis - a therapy based on understanding the unconscious and resolving conflicts.

Explain: Influenced modern psychotherapies that aim to explore the unconscious thoughts, especially in treating anxiety, depression and trauma.

Link: Approach has practical therapeutical value showing its lasting impact on psychology.

Evaluate the psychodynamic approach

Limitation

Lack of scientific evidence

Point: Freuds research lacks scientific research

Evidence: Little Hans’ - Psychosexual stages.

Explain: Case studies + Self report → lack objectivity, no clear cause and effect as no independent variable was manipulated.

Link: Criticised for being unscientific - doesn’t use measurable or empirical evidence to support its claims - reducing its reliability and validity.

Evaluate the Psychodynamic approach

Limitation

Psychic determinism

Point: Psychic determinism

Evidence: Freud believed that all behaviour - even seemingly random actions - had a cause rooted in the unconscious mind or early childhood experiences.

Explain: Suggests that individuals have no free will over their behaviour. - Limits applicability in understanding how people change their behaviour.

Link: Deterministic view undermines the idea of personal responsibility and self determination, which are important in understanding human agency and therapy.