Assumptions
## Assumptions of the psychodynamic approach:
The psychodynamic approach is one of the oldest approaches in psychology. It suggests that mental illnesses are caused by things like childhood experiences, not biological issues. So, therapy based on the psychodynamic approach is usually based on talking through childhood events/events in individual's lives, rather than treating them with drugs.
- Most of Freud's theories are bizarre, and very weird. However, it is important to acknowledge that most of the significance in his theories come from the fact that he was the first to challenge the idea that mental illnesses were caused by physical illnesses.
Main psychologist - Sigmund Freud.
### Influence of childhood experiences:
Events in our childhood are said to shape the people we are as we become adults.
- Children are said to go through 5 psychosexual stages.
Mnemonic to remember: Old Age Pensioners Love Guinness
- Oral, Anal, Phallic, Latency, Genital.
### The five psychosexual stages:
1. The oral stage.
- This occurs from 0-18 months and is focused on the mouth. This comes from things like sucking, chewing and biting (i.e. weaning solid foods and breast feeding, sucking dummies and sucking thumbs).
- If a child is frustrated/restricted at this stage, the may become pessimistic, envious and sarcastic. Alternatively, if a child is overindulged in this stage, they ma become needy in relationships, optimistic and gullible.
2. The anal stage
- This occurs from 18 months to 3 years (libido focus is the anus)
- The key events associated with this stage are that of potty training. If children are frustrated in this stage, so too harsh a regime for potty training, it can lead to them becoming stubborn, possessive and overly tidy. On the other hand, lax potty training may lead to them becoming messy, disorganised and reckless.
Too little gratification: Adults may be too 'uptight' i.e. feel the need to be overly neat and tidy, very much need to be in control and be stubborn.
Healthy development - Children will learn to be in control and organised. The will also have the ability to tolerate authority.
3. The Phallic stage:
- This occurs from the ages 3-5.
- The focus of the libido here is the genitals.
5. The latency stage:
- This stage occurs from 5 years to puberty.
- There is little libido focus here as children are focused on acquiring knowledge and understanding the world around them and focuses on same-sex relationships and friendships.
6. The genital stage:
- This stage occurs from puberty onwards
- The focus of the libido is the genitals, and involves understanding/exploring healthy and safe intercourse.
Freud believed that frustration/difficulties in the oral stage may lead to eating disorders in adulthood, or addictions such as alcohol addictions/smoking. A fixation in the anal stage ma lead to adults developing an anal personality type, or potentially OCD. A fixation in the phallic stage may lead to a confused sexuality and difficulties in maintaining/building romantic relationships.
Gets so weird here:
The Oedipus complex:
Oedipus was a Greek mythical figure who killed his father and married his mother (though was unaware of these relationships). Freud used this as a basis to explain his ideas about boys relationships with their parents.
- Freud suggested that at the phallic stage, boys 'sexual energy' are focused on their mothers - they see their father as a threat towards them and become jealous of him. The boy also starts to fear his father out of fear that he will castrate him (**Castration anxiety**) if he discovers these feelings. As a result, the boy aims to internalise his father, and this becomes his superego.
The Electra complex:
Girls are said to go through a similar complex in the phallic stage. Girls realise they do not have the same genital parts as boys, and develop an envy. They blame their mother for this as they realise they are in the same position. Similar to boys, girls realise they can posses their father by internalising their mothers.
so weird.
## The unconscious mind assumption:
Freud suggested that the mind is like an iceberg. This is a metaphor used to represent the unconscious mind, he believed that most of what goes on inside the mind is below the surface and unconscious. The bit of the iceberg above the water represents the conscious part of the mind, and is the part we are aware of and is logical.
- Freud argued that the unconscious mind has the strongest influence on our behaviour.
- Freud also argued that while you cannot access the unconscious mind directly, you are able to access it through psychotherapy (for example, dream analysis). He believed that dreams are via regia to the unconscious.
Freud suggested that the unconscious mind has unresolved conflicts, and these influence our behaviour. The conflict between the id, ego and superego create anxiety and in order to protect the ego (the self), we are said to have ego defence mechanisms - these occur when there are conflicts between the id, ego and superego (e.g. repression, regression, displacements, projection and denial).
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One assumption of the psychodynamic approach is that the events we experience in our childhood directly relate to how we behave as adults. Freud identified there to be five psychosexual stages. If children experience frustration in any of these, it can negatively affect their adulthood. For example, if a child experiences frustration in the anal stage, they may become stubborn and have a need to be tidy/neat as they get older.
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# Tripartite personality and the unconscious mind:
### Assumption 2 - The unconscious mind:
According to the psychodynamic approach, we have an 'unconscious' mind which influences our behaviour. Our conscious mind is often unaware of what thoughts/emotions occur in the unconscious, but they still have an effect on our conscious mind.
Freud argued that the mind is like an iceberg; this iceberg is used as a metaphor to represent the unconscious mind as he believed that most of what goes on inside the mind is below the surface and unconscious. So, the bit of the iceberg which is above the water represents the conscious mind; the part we are aware of and is logical.
- Freud argued that the unconscious mind has the largest influence on our behaviour.
- While it is said that you are unable to directly access the unconscious mind, Freud believed it was possible through psychotherapy such as dream analysis as he believed dreams were the 'royal road' towards the unconscious.
Freud suggested that the unconscious mind has unresolved conflicts between the id, superego and ego, and these are what influence our behaviour. To protect the ego (self), Freud believed we had defence ego mechanisms, for example: regression, repression, displacement, projection and denial.
- Regression - where people seem to return to an earlier developmental stage
- Repression - the tendency to inhibit the experience/expression of negative feelings or unpleasant experiences in order to preserve ones positive self image.
- Displacement - Involves transferring negative feelings from one thing to another (i.e. 'taking out' anger on another person).
- Projection - Where a person consciously or unconsciously attributes their thoughts/feelings/traits onto another person or group.
- Denial - Involves ignoring the reality of a situation in order to avoid anxiety/reality.
#### Gothelf et al. (1995)
Gothelf et al. discovered that regression, denial, projection and repression were more common to psychiatric patients suffering from severe adolescent anorexia nervosa, especially in comparison to those with no psychiatric disorder.
## Assumption 3 - Tripartite personality:
Freud believed that the adult personality is structured into three parts that develop at different stages in our lives: the id, ego and superego.
The Id:
The Id is referred to as the pleasure principle - it controls the impulsive and unconscious part of our personality and is presrnt from birth.
- The id is said to demand instant gratification and satisfaction at any cost.
The ego:
The ego is referred to as the reality principle which controls the conscious, rational part of the mind. This develops around the age of 2 and its function is to work out logical and realistic ways of balancing the demands of id in a socially acceptable way.
The superego:
The superego is referred to as the morality principle which encompasses the sense of right and wrong. This is the final part of the personality to develop (occurring at around age 4) and its function is to civilise behaviour to ensure it is socially acceptable.
The id and superego are often in conflict with one another and there is a conflict between what is right and wrong. The ego's job is to attempt to resolve this conflict - if the harmony of the three parts are unbalances, it could lead to a domineering personality type.
- If the id is dominant, it may lead to a psychopathic personality type
- If the superego is dominant, this could leaf to a neurotic personality type.
According to Freud, criminals are ruled by their id and their superego is supressed. Criminals, particularly those who commit violent offences, usually lack a sense of morality and remorse.
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