APPSY 4.4 Psychodynamic Theory of Personality

Learning Objective 4.4.A
- Explain how the psychodynamic theory of personality defines and assesses personality.
Essential Knowledge
- 4.4.A.1: Unconscious processes drive personality according to psychodynamic theory.
- Exclusion Statement: The stage theory of psychosexual development is out of scope for the AP Psychology Exam.
- 4.4.A.2: Ego defense mechanisms (denial, displacement, projection, rationalization, reaction formation, regression, repression, sublimation) protect the ego from threats unconsciously.
- 4.4.A.3: Psychodynamic psychologists assess personality using projective tests that probe the preconscious and unconscious mind.

Sigmund Freud: Often regarded as the father of psychoanalysis, Freud developed the first comprehensive personality theory.
Clinical Observations: Encountered patients with nervous disorders unexplained by physical causes, identified these as psychological ailments, termed hysteria.

Victorian Era Europe (1800s):
- Clearly defined gender roles.
- Assumed male superiority, with male sexuality acknowledged discreetly.

Unconscious Mind: Reservoir of unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings, and memories.
Free Association: Technique used by Freud to access the unconscious; patients say whatever comes to mind, revealing hidden thoughts.

Process: Free association uncovers painful, embarrassing memories; retrieval of these memories leads to healing.
Example: Participants are prompted to write their thoughts upon hearing the word "banana."

The iceberg model illustrates the visible conscious mind and the vast, hidden unconscious, which dictates much of our thoughts and behavior.

Latent Content of Dreams: Represents symbolic meanings of dreams derived from the unconscious.
Freudian Slip: Occurrences where a slip of the tongue reveals true, unconscious thoughts.

Id: Operates on the pleasure principle, seeking immediate gratification of basic sexual and aggressive drives.
Ego: Functions as the conscious executive, mediating between the id and superego based on the reality principle.
Superego: Provides moral standards for judgment and future aspirations.

Anxiety: Considered the price of civilization due to the repression of the id's desires.

Purpose: Protect the ego from anxiety arising from conflict between id's demands and superego's constraints.
Unhealthy Mechanisms: Only problematic when they result in self-defeating behaviors or emotional issues.

Repression: Forcing painful thoughts into the subconscious.
- Example: Witnessing a traumatic event yet not recalling details during questioning.
Regression: Retreating to childlike behaviors in dealing with adult issues.
- Example: Throwing a tantrum when denied something.
Displacement: Redirecting emotions toward a safer target.
- Example: Yelling at a dog when angry at a family member.
Projection: Attributing one's unacceptable impulses to others.
- Example: Accusing a partner of wanting to break up when feeling that desire oneself.
Sublimation: Channeling impulses into socially acceptable activities.
- Example: Taking up boxing to manage aggression.
Reaction Formation: Converting unacceptable impulses into their opposites.
- Example: Praising a disliked teacher.
Rationalization: Creating logical reasons for behaviors.
- Example: Justifying not studying by claiming failure is inevitable.
Denial: Refusing to acknowledge reality to protect oneself.
- Example: Claiming future attendance at a college after receiving a rejection letter.

Procrastination, Humor, Passive Aggressive Behavior, Introjection, Suppression, Altruism.

Challenges:
- False consensus effect.
- Lack of scientific basis and testability.
- Alleged overemphasis on sexuality.

Alfred Adler (1870-1937): Focused on the drive for superiority, inferiority complex, sibling rivalry, and the significance of birth order.
Karen Horney (1885-1952): Proposed that social relationships, rather than sexual drives, motivate behaviors; introduced concepts like womb envy and basic anxiety.
Carl Jung (1875-1961): Introduced the notion of collective unconscious and archetypes (anima, animus); contrasted individual vs. collective influences on personality.

Evaluation of personality through projective tests designed to uncover the unconscious mind, the two main types being:
- Thematic Apperception Test (TAT): Created by Henry Murray, involves storytelling from ambiguous scenes.
- Rorschach Inkblot Test: Analyzes individuals' interpretations of inkblots to reveal inner feelings.

Function: Individuals describe their thoughts on ambiguous scenes, revealing their inner feelings.
Scoring: Analyzed based on story content, emotional tone, and the subject's behavior during storytelling.

Design: Incorporates 10 inkblots, focused on eliciting and analyzing inner feelings through interpretations.

Subject's Story: Example interpretation reveals themes of partnership, emotional attachment, tension regarding future conflicts.
Analysis Insight: This analysis provides deeper understanding of a patient’s psychological landscape including hopes and fears.