Freud: Psychoanalysis Chapter 2

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to Freud's theories in psychoanalysis, including aspects of his life, the structure of the mind, dynamics of personality, and therapeutic techniques.

Sigmund Freud

An Austrian neurologist who founded psychoanalysis and is known for his theories on the unconscious mind. Example: His work introduced concepts like the Oedipus complex and defense mechanisms, profoundly influencing modern psychology.

Catharsis

The process of releasing, and thereby providing relief from, strong or repressed emotions. Example: Crying intensely after a stressful event can be a form of catharsis, providing emotional release.

Free Association

A psychoanalytic technique in which a patient speaks freely about thoughts, feelings, and emotions without censorship. Example: A patient in therapy talking about whatever comes to mind, no matter how trivial or irrational it seems, to uncover unconscious content.

Unconscious

The part of the mind that contains drives, urges, and instincts that are beyond awareness. Example: A person might have an unconscious fear of abandonment that influences their relationship patterns, even if they aren't consciously aware of this fear.

Ego

The governing part of the mind in contact with reality, operating based on the reality principle, mediating between the Id and Superego. Example: Deciding to study for an important exam instead of going to a party, because your ego understands the long-term consequences of failing.

Superego

The moral aspect of personality that incorporates the values and ideals of society and personal morality. Example: Feeling guilty after telling a lie to a friend, even if you weren't caught, because your superego judges the action as wrong.

Drive

A fundamental impulse or instinctual need that motivates behavior. Example: The drive for hunger motivates a person to seek food and eat.

Phallic Stage

A psychosexual development stage (ages 3-6) where genitalia is the primary focus of pleasure and differentiation between genders occurs, often associated with the Oedipus/Electra complex. Example: A young boy developing an attachment to his mother and feeling competitive with his father during this period.

Transference

The phenomenon where patients project feelings and attitudes from past significant relationships (e.g., parents) onto their therapist. Example: A patient who had a critical parent might perceive their therapist's constructive feedback as overly harsh criticism, reflecting their past experiences.

Freudian Slip

A mistake in speech or writing that is believed to reveal a person's unconscious thoughts or desires. Example: Accidentally calling your new romantic partner by your ex-partner's name, potentially revealing lingering feelings or thoughts about the previous relationship.

Anxiety

An affective state that warns individuals of impending danger or threat, manifested in feelings of unease and physical symptoms. Example: Feeling a racing heart and sweaty palms before a job interview, signaling the ego's anticipation of a challenging situation.

Projection

A defense mechanism where individuals attribute their own unacceptable feelings, impulses, or urges to another person. Example: A perpetually unfaithful person accusing their loyal partner of cheating, projecting their own guilt and desire to cheat onto them.

Defense Mechanism

Psychological strategies unconsciously used by the ego to cope with reality, protect itself from anxiety, and maintain self-image. Example: Repression, where a traumatic memory is pushed out of conscious awareness to avoid distress.

Oedipus Complex

A child's feelings of desire for the opposite-sex parent and jealousy toward the same-sex parent, typically occurring in the phallic stage. Example: A young boy wanting to 'marry' his mother when he grows up and seeing his father as a rival for her affection.

Reality Principle

The principle by which the ego operates, seeking realistic and socially acceptable ways to satisfy the Id's desires, often by delaying gratification or finding indirect means. Example: Wanting an expensive new smartphone (Id's desire) but waiting until you've saved enough money or finding a more affordable alternative (ego operating on the reality principle).

Regression

A defense mechanism in which a person reverts to behaviors characteristic of an earlier, less mature stage of development in response to stress or threat. Example: An adult throwing a temper tantrum or stomping their foot when they don't get their way, similar to a young child's behavior.

Id

The primitive and instinctual component of the mind that contains all of the inherited biological components of personality (drives), operating entirely at an unconscious level and driven by the Pleasure Principle. Example: An infant crying uncontrollably to get food or attention, acting purely on immediate urges without consideration for external reality.