Psychoanalytic Theory - Freud

Object Relations Theory

Psychoanalytic theory based on Sigmund Freud & Colleagues

Mental health/illness determined by our

relationships with

OBJECTS (human/non-human)

& ENVIRONMENT

Freud

Work led to "Talking Cure"

Started w/hypnosis, then free association, then dream interpretation

2 Basic Drives

1. Sexuality or life drive

2. Agression or death drive

3 Parts of Mind

1. Id - Instinctual Needs ;Pleasure Principle; Wants what is wants NOW.

2. Ego - Reality Principle;Helps w/conflicts of Id and Superego

3. Superego - Represents Conscience (ethics/morals); If not followed, can cause guilt, shame & anxiety

5 stages of development:

1.oral- (birth to 18 months) focus: oral pleasure, sucking & biting favorite activity; crisis: weaning

2.anal- (18mo-3/4yrs) focus of pleasure: anus, holding & letting go are greatly enjoyed; crisis: toilet training

3.phallic- (3/4-5/6/7yrs) focus of pleasure: genitalia; crisis: Oedipus complex

4.latent- (5/6/7-puberty/12yrs) believed that sexual impulses were suppressed in the service of learning

5. genital- (begins at puberty) represents resurgence of sex drive; focus of pleasure: sexual intercourse

Purpose: To protect the mind/self/ego from anxiety, social sanctions or to provide a refuge from a situation with which one cannot currently cope.

Repression

Denial

Projection

Rationalization

Conversion

Regression

Undoing

Idealization

Identification

Sublimation

Substitution

Displacement

Compensation