Psychodynamic Approach: Core Content

Who was Wilhelm Wunt

• first person to acknowledge himself as a psychologist

• set up the first laboratory dedicated to experimental psychology at lepzig uni in Germany

• Only studies behaviour that could be strictly controlled in experiment conditions

What as Wundt’s aim

to study the structure of the human mind, believed the best way to o it was to break down behaviours into basic elements

what was Wundt’s approach called

structuralism

what technique did Wundt use

introspection

introspection

process where a person gains knowledge about their own mental and emotional states

example of introspection

person shown an object and asked to reflect upon it using three categories. Thoughts, images and sensations

Empiricism

belief that all knowledge is derived from sensory experience

the scientific method

refers to the use of investigative methods that are objective systematic and replicable leading to the formulation, testing and modification of hypothesis based on those methods

Who developed the Psychodynamic approach

Freud

What is the psychodynamic approach

emphasises the unconscious motives and desires as well as the importance of early childhood in shaping personality

What did Freud believe

that behaviour was determined by more than biology or environmental factors. that we were born with basic intrinsic needs and desires that care controlled by the unconscious mind

Unconscious

part of the mind that is inaccessible to the conscious thought. Drives our everyday thoughts and behaviours

Three structures of our personality

Inate desires (ID)

Ego

Superego

ID

‘animal’ part of our subconscious. Contains the libido and biological energy from reproductive instincts. Operates on the pleasure principle

pleasure principle

demands immediate gratification regardless of circumstances or consequences

super ego

divided into conscience and ego-ideal.

Conscience - where social rules have been internalised and determines what behaviours are permissible and causes feelings guilt

Ego-ideal - what a person strives towards and is most probably determined by parental standards of good behaviours

Ego

mediates between impulsive demands of the ID and the reality of the world. Strives to find compromise between the Super ego and ID to find a more appropriate way to satisfy it’s demands

Oral Stage Age

birth to 2 years

What is the oral stage

pleasure from oral stimulation like sucking or tasting

What happens if you don’t pass the oral stage

aggression - problems with drinking, smoking, eating and nail biting

Anal stage age

15 months to 3 years

What is the anal stage

primary focus on controlling bowels and bladder - eliminating and retaining feces

What happens if you don’t pass through the anal stage

anal expulsive (messy,wasteful,destructive)

anal retentive (orderly,rigid,obsessive)

Phallic stage age

3-6yrs

what is the phallic stage

• primary focus on genitals

• child becomes rival for opposite sex parents attention

• child begins to identify with the same-sex parent

what happens if you don’t pass through the phallic stage

Freud believed that girls continued to possess feelings of envy or inferiority - penis envy

fixation can result in sexual deviancies of confused sexual identity

latency stage age

6-puberty

what is the latency stage

sexual desires pushed to background

focus on intellectual and social persuits

what happens if you don’t pass through the latency stage

important stage for development of communication and self confidence

genital stage age

puberty through adulthood

what is the genital stage

sexual desires renewed - seek relationships with others

what happens if you don’t pass through the genital stage

problems that emerge in this stage are carried over from earlier stages

How does the ego protect itself from anxiety and avoid unpleasant thoughts and feelings

Defence mechanisms

Three types of defence mechanisms

Repression

Denial

Displacement

Repression

Unconscious blocking unacceptable thoughts and impulses

Continue to influence behaviour without the individual being aware of the reasons behind their behaviour

Denial

Refusal to accept reality to avoid having to deal with painful feelings associated with the event

Displacement

Involves redirecting of thoughts to feelings in situations (usually hostile) where a person cant express themselves, their emotions are redirected to another person or object