Psychodynamic theories

Parts of the mind: Conscious

Thoughts & feelings that we’re aware of

Parts of the mind: Preconcious

Info that we aren’t aware of but can retrieve into consciousness

Parts of the mind: Unconscious

Unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings, and memories locked deep in mind

Parts of the personality: Ego

The adult

The conscious part of the personality that mediates between the id and the superego; represents reason and reality; reality principle

Parts of the personality: Superego

The parent

Internalized societal ideals, also called your conscience; strives for discipline and perfection

Parts of the personality: Id

The child

Unconscious psychic energy whose sole goal is pleasure; wants instant gratification for any basic physical drives; pleasure principle

Defense Mechanisms

Conflict between the id and superego causes anxiety; the ego reduces this anxiety with defense mechanisms

Defense mechanism: Displacement

Rerouting feelings to less threatening people

Ex. The chain of screaming

Defense mechanism: Denial

Refusing to acknowledge an unpleasant external event

Ex. Breakup → Still act like they are together, wait by locker, calls every night, plans future dates

Defense mechanism: Projection

Attributing your own problems to other people

Ex. Hating things about someone cuz it reminds you of yourself

Defense mechanism: Rationalization

Offering excuses that feel more comfortable

Ex. Breakup → I can find someone better. They weren't that great anyway

Defense mechanism: Reaction formation

Thinking the opposite of the unpleasant feeling

Ex. Breakup → I hate them, I never liked them anyway

Defense mechanism: Regression

Retreating to a more comfortable life stage

Ex: Breakup → Start to sleep with teddy bear

Defense mechanism: Repression

Banishing unpleasant thoughts

Ex: Breakup → "What Oh yeah, I haven't thought about it"

Defense mechanism: Sublimation

Transferring unacceptable impulses into socially valued motives

Ex: Breakup → Writing songs about breakup (Taylor Swift)

Psychosexual stage: Oral

Age 0-1

Experiences:

• Gains pleasure from sucking, biting, or chewing

• May be anxious from weaning

Fixation signs:

• Gullibility

• Dependency

• Passivity

Psychosexual stage: Anal

Age 1-3

Experiences:

• Gains pleasure from bathroom activities

• May be anxious about toilet training

Fixation signs:

• Cleanliness

• Messiness

• Destructive tendencies

Psychosexual stage: Phallic

Age 3-6

Experiences:

• Develops sexual curiosity and awareness of gender

• Theorized Oedipal/Electra complex

Fixation signs:

• Flirty or promiscuous

• Vanity or pride

Psychosexual stage: Latency

Age 6-puberty

Experiences:

• Sexual feelings are dormant as the id is repressed

• Focuses on further developing the ego

Fixation signs:

• Unfulfilled sexuality

Psychosexual stage: Genital

Age puberty-onwards

Experiences:

• Gains pleasure from intimate (sexual) relationships

Fixation signs:

• Unsatisfactory relationships

Alfred Adler (yes Freud)

Focus on unresolved childhood issues and their effect on the unconscious

Alfred Adler (no Freud)

Driven by social, not sexual, tensions

Alfred Adler (key terms)

Inferiority complex, fictional finalism

Karen Horney (yes Freud)

Focus on unresolved childhood issues and their effect on the unconscious

Karen Horney (no Freud)

Driven by social anxiety; critics Freud’s male bias

Karen Horney (key terms)

Basic anxiety, neurotic needs

Carl Jung (yes Freud)

Power of the unconscious

Carl Jung (no Freud and key terms)

Collective unconscious, filled with archetypes from universal experiences

Projective tests

Seek to stir up the test-taker's unconscious thoughts/feelings/motives

Projective tests examples

Thematic Apperception Test (TAT; story about picture)

Rorschach inkblot test

Strengths of psychodynamic theories

Considers the importance of unconscious thoughts and childhood experiences in shaping personality

Limitations of psychodynamic theories

Cannot be supported (or disproved) with empirical evidence

Assessments are highly subjective and open to interpretation

Not predictive (however, never claimed to be!)