4.6 psychodynamic approach

Key Concepts

  • Psychodynamic approach: Focuses on unconscious forces that shape human behavior; most influences are unconscious.

  • The unconscious: Part of the mind outside awareness, influencing thoughts, feelings, and behavior.

  • Id: Primitive, instinctual; seeks immediate gratification (pleasure principle).

  • Ego: Reality principle; mediates between Id and Superego, uses defense mechanisms.

  • Superego: Moral conscience; internalizes societal standards (morality principle).

  • Defence mechanisms: Strategies by the Ego to manage conflict between Id and Superego (e.g., repression, denial, displacement).

  • Psychosexual stages: Five developmental stages; unresolved conflict can affect adult behavior.

The Role of the Unconscious

  • Conscious mind = tip of the iceberg.

  • Most mental processes are unconscious (biological drives, instincts).

  • Preconscious: Thoughts/memories not currently conscious but accessible.

  • Repressed memories can influence behavior, dreams, or slips of the tongue (parapraxes).

Structure of Personality

  • Id: Present at birth, selfish, seeks immediate pleasure.

  • Ego: Develops ~2 years, mediates reality vs. instinct; uses defense mechanisms.

  • Superego: Forms ~5 years, internalizes moral standards (phallic stage).

Psychosexual Stages

Stage

Age

Focus

Consequence of unresolved conflict

Oral

0–1 yrs

Mouth

Oral fixation: smoking, sarcasm, nail-biting

Anal

1–3 yrs

Anus

Anal retentive: perfectionist; Anal expulsive: messy, thoughtless

Phallic

3–6 yrs

Genitals

Narcissistic, reckless behavior

Latency

6–12 yrs

Earlier conflicts repressed

Minimal impact if stage passed successfully

Genital

12+ yrs

Sexual desires, puberty

Difficulty forming heterosexual relationships if unresolved

Defence Mechanisms

  • Repression: Forcing distressing memory out of conscious mind.

  • Denial: Refusing to acknowledge reality.

  • Displacement: Redirecting emotions to a safer target.

Examples in action:

  • Forgetting trauma (denial).

  • Anger at partner redirected to slamming a door (displacement).

Case Study: Little Hans & Oedipus Complex

  • Oedipus complex: Boys desire mother, fear father (phallic stage).

  • Displacement: Hans’ fear of father → fear of horses.

  • Girls experience penis envy → desire father, identify with mother (Electra complex).

Evaluation

Strengths

  • Introduced psychotherapy (talking therapy, counselling).

  • Explains wide range of behavior; influential in psychology and literature.

Weaknesses

  • Not scientific; difficult to test (untestable concepts).

  • Limited applicability for severe mental disorders (e.g., schizophrenia).

  • Psychoanalytic claims based on case studies → low generalizability.

Extra concept: Psychic determinism

  • Behavior determined by unconscious conflicts.

  • Criticism: too extreme; discounts free will.