freud’s psychodynamic explanation for aggression

what is the psychodynamic theory proposed as?

a contrast to the biological explanations for human behaviour and aggression

who was Freud?

a medical doctor who observed the treatments of those with severe mental health problems, he wanted to develop a theory applicable to all people

why has Freud been criticised for being unscientific?

due to his methods of dream analysis and slips of the tongue

what does the psychodynamic explanation of aggression suggest?

we have two innate (inborn) drives that Freud believed were the motivation for all human behaviour

what is eros?

the life instinct, focused on the preservation and enjoyment of life

what is thanatos?

the death instinct, a drive towards death and destruction (initially towards the self), it is our drive to reduce arousal and to reduce life

how is aggression explained through the instincts of eros and thanatos?

human behaviour is seen as an interaction between these opposing forces, to prevent us hurting ourselves, the energy of thanatos will be redirected towards others

what is Freud's explanation for humans not being uncontrollably aggressive all the time?

catharsis, a way of satisfying our urges without resorting to violent impulses

what is the id?

the demanding and primitive part of the personality we are born with

what is the id driven by?

the impulses of eros and thanatos, with no thought for consequences

what principle does the id operate on?

the pleasure principle, demanding the immediate gratification of its urges

when does the ego emerge?

at around the age of 2 years old

what is the ego?

the rational part of the personality

what principle is the ego driven by?

the reality principle, so the urges of the id begin to be controlled and delayed

what happens during the ego's stage in the development of personality?

the rules and norms of society are learned, and despite not understanding right from wrong, there is an appreciation of to when and to what extent it is appropriate to show certain behaviours

when does the superego develop?

at around the age of 4 years old

what is the superego made up of?

the conscience given to individuals by their parents and by society, indicating what is right and wrong and the ego ideal

what is the ego ideal?

the idea people have of what they should be like

what principle does the superego operate on?

the morality principle

what does a child begin to feel during the superego stage of personality development?

pride for acting correctly and guilt for incorrect behaviour

what is the conscious mind?

perceptual awareness of things around you

what does the conscious mind hold?

the thoughts, ideas, emotions, and other aspects of thinking of which the individual is aware

what does the preconscious mind hold?

thoughts and ideas that can be accessed and are ready to be known about, but are not actually conscious at the time

what is the unconscious mind?

where all thoughts originate, with some becoming conscious and some being allowed into the preconscious

when does the repression of thoughts into the unconscious happen?

on an unconscious level rather than in a considered way

what does Freud claim the unconscious mind uses up?

our energy, as it is not passive but active

what does the unconscious mind hold?

thoughts, emotions, and desires that we do not know about, which can guide our thinking and emotions nonetheless

how did Freud suggest aggression links to the death instinct thanatos?

aggression is the outlet for the death instinct and is what preserves life, no outlet would affect the person's behaviour and thinking

how did Freud suggest aggression links to anger from the id?

having the id's desires blocked may lead to frustration, such as not getting something that leads to pleasure or not being able to avoid something that leads to pain

how did Freud suggest aggression links to the superego?

the child unconsciously feels aggression towards the parents who prevent things that will give the child pleasure, but the child cannot direct the aggression at them as they love their parents, causing it to be taken into the superego, aggression therefore may be channelled into acceptable behaviours

what is catharsis?

the process of releasing negative energy in the mind

what did Freud believe would happen when something that is unconscious is brought into the conscious mind?

the thoughts or memories bring emotion with them, and so the emotions (including aggression) are released (catharsis)

what is an example of catharsis?

watching aggression, such as through other people or television, which according to psychodynamic theory will help to release feelings of aggression

how did Verona and Sullivan 2008 find evidence for catharsis?

they found people who reacted aggressively to being made frustrated in a task had a reduced heart rate compared to those who did not react aggressively

how did Hokanson 1974 find evidence against catharsis?

found that reduction in tension after behaving aggressively seemed to increase the likelihood of later aggression