The Psychodynamic Perspective and Freud

what are basic assumptions of the psychodynamic perspective

human behavior is motivated primarily by unconscious processes, early development affects adult functioning, and a key component of psychotherapy is insight (into unconscious processes)

major plays in the psychodynamic perspective

Freud (psychoanalytic), Adler (individual), and Jung (analytical)

what is the object relations theory of personality development an offshoot of

the psychodynamic perspective

what was the life of Sigmund freud like

experienced deep depression and extreme anxiety (self treated with cocaine), lived music of his life in Vienna (even after the Nazis invaded Austria), left Vienna for London in the late 1920s and died of cancer im 1939 from smoking upwards of 20 cigars a day

what is sigmund freud considered the father of

study of personality development

human behavior is determined largely by three “master motives”

sex (eros, “life instinct”), aggression (Thanatos, “death instinct”), and anxiety reduction

psychic determinism

all behaviors are meaningful and serve some psychological function (e.g., parapraxes)

freud’s primary theories related to personality

developmental and structural

major terms associated with freud

defense mechanisms (including repression, projection); id/ego/superego; anal retentive; free association; catharsis

conflict resolution

resolving conflict in childhood leads to one’s ability to successfully resolve conflict as an adult (and the corollary)

freud’s structural drive theory of personality

freud believed that “individual differences in personality arise from the degree to which one or two components of personality structure become dominant over the component or components”

personality is composed of 3 structures

id, ego, superego

id - pleasure principle (immediate gratification of instincts)

present at birth, dueling drives such as eros (life instinct) vs Thanatos (death instinct); beyond the pleasure principle

ego - reality principle

develops around 6 months of age, defers gratification (of the id impulses), realistic, rational thinking and planning

superego - morality/idealism (internalization of society’s values)

develops around 4-5 years, aims to permanently block the id’s impulses

ego ideal in superego

rewards “appropriate”, “moral” behavior (pride, self esteem, confidence)

conscience in superego

punishes all behavior that is “wrong” (guilt)

what does the freud’s developmental theory of personality put emphasis on

the sexual drive of the id and experiences at certain critical periods in development

what is the id’s libido focused on

different parts of the body at each stage

what is personality the result of

the resolution of conflicts at each stage (i.e., over - or under gratification of sexual needs during these stages are associated with different personality outcomes)

what stages does freud’s developmental theory of personality include

5 psychosexual stages of development, not sexual per say: the libido freud focused on was concerned with the pleasure experienced when reducing bodily tension

oral stage (birth to 1)

mouth is focus of sensation and stimulation, weaning as the primary conflict, fixation during this stage leads to orally-focused habits (early) or sarcasm, yelling, swearing (late)

anal stage (1-3 years)

main focus is on the anus and expulsion of bodily wastes, toilet training as primary conflict, fixation during this stage leads to anal retentiveness or anal expulsiveness

phallic stage (3-6 years)

main focus is on the genitals, primary tasks is resolution of the oedipal conflict (if successful identical with same sex parent and development of superego), fixation during this stage leads to sexual exploitation of others

latent stage (6-12 years)

libidinal energy is diffuse, not focused on one part of the body, emphasis on social skills (not sexual gratification)

genital stage (12+ years)

main focus on the genitals, successful resolution leads to mature, appropriate sexual relationships

what did freud describe anxiety as

the stimulation of the autonomic nervous system in an effort to alert the ego to a potential (internal or external) threat

internal threat

conflict between the id’s impulses and demands of the superego

external threat

any threat in the environment

what happens if the ego cannot rationally and realistically work through danger

the ego resorts to defense mechanisms

where do defense mechanisms operate

in the unconscious

purpose of defense mechanisms

to deny or distort reality

examples of defense mechanisms

repression, sublimation, denial, projection, reaction formation, displacement

when can defense mechanisms result in maladaptive behavior

may be adaptive in the moment but if they become the ego’s habitual way of handling danger it can result in maladaptive behavior

what are defense mechanisms as

“attempts to avoid unwanted thoughts can backfire, making intrusion more pervasive and troublesome than they otherwise would have been”

what does psychopathology result from

unresolved (unconscious) conflicts that occurred in childhood

what can unresolved psychosexual stages lead to

emotional and behavioral problems in adulthood

depression

result of object loss and anger toward the object (turned inward)

phobia

displacement of anxiety onto an object/event similar to that involved in the unresolved conflict

mania

defense against libidinal/aggressive urges threatening to overwhelm the ego

alcoholism

fixation in the oral stage

OCD

fixation in the anal stage

why was psychoanalysis developed

to help patients recover from emotional disturbances resulting from unresolved conflicts

goals of psychoanalysis

reduce pathological symptoms through (but not just on the surface)

how does psychoanalysis help reduce pathological symptoms

brings the unconscious to conscious awareness (insight), resolve previously unconscious) conflicts, insight → analysis → work through → resolution in all settings, if we only treat the surface issue/presenting problem, the underlying cause won’t be addressed and it will manifest elsewhere

tenets of psychoanalytic therapy

catharsis, free association, dream, working through, resistance, transference, counter-transference

catharsis

stress reduction/ emotional release due to recalling and confronting unconscious material (important to the process of insight)

dreams

the royal road to the unconscious

working through

the final and longest stage of psychoanalysis (assimilation of new insights into his/her personality)

what is the current take on freud

more egalitarian (e.g., penis envy), brief therapies have been found to be efficacious, dreams are seen as representative to things in our conscious level of awareness, object relations theory

object relations theory

a modern approach to psychoanalysis (e.g., Klein, Mahler, Kernberg, Winnicott)

what does object relations theory focus more on

nature or interpersonal relationships and personal identity

what is an inborn drive

object seeking (relationships with others)

working representations

a person’s self concept and their conceptualization of their relationships with others (early working representations affect personal and social development as well as attachment as adults)

what is maladaptive behavior the result of in object relations theory

result of abnormalities in early object relations (e.g., kern berg says adverse childhood experiences can result in BPD because the child never integrated the positive and negative aspects of his/her experiences)

what is the subject of therapy according to object relations theory

support to restore a client’s ability to relate positively with others

object relations in relation to freud’s approach

object relations does not run counter to freud’s approach, but rather extends and supports his conceptualization of the important of early childhood experiences and relationships as they relate to personality development