Key Approaches, The Psychodynamic Approach

Key Approaches, The Psychodynamic Approach

1. Assumptions

   • Unconcious processes of which we are unaware determine our behaviour
   • Instincts, or drives motivate our behaviour and energize the mind
   • Childhood experiences determine adult behaviour
   • Personality has three parts, Id, Ego and Superego

2. The iceberg analogy

   • The mind is like an iceberg, with much of it (unconcious mind) laying below the surface, exerting a dynamic influence on the concious mind

3. Psychosexual stages of development

   • The oral stage
     • 0-18 months
     • Infants pleasure centres around the mouth
   • The anal stage
     • 18-36 months
     • The child gains pleasure from using the toilet
   • The phallic stage
     • 3-6 years
     • Sexual instinct is focused on the genital area. Boys experience the Oedipus complex and girls the electra complex. Resolution forms gender identity
   • The latent Stage
   • The genital stage

4. Three parts of personality

   • Id
     • The pleasure principle. this is the selfish part of personality, where we desire instant gratification of our needs/desires
   • Ego
     • The reality principle. Acts as mediator between Id and Superego. Reduces conflict between the two
   • Superego
     • Forms during the phallic stage of psychosexual development. We learn to internalise our parental values and social standards. The morality principle.

5. defence mechanisms

   • Denial
     • Reduce anxiety by refusing to see bad aspects
       • e.g. getting poor grades and telling yourself that it doesn't matter
   • Displacement
     • Redirecting emotions to a safer outlet
       • Instead of punching a person punch a pillow
   • Rationalisation
     • Giving a justification for something
       • An alcoholic says they drink wine as it is good for you instead of facing that they are an alcoholic
   • Sublimation
     • Chanelling impulses to socially accepted behaviours
       • Joining the army to hide violent behaviour

6. Case studies

   • Little Hans
     • Little Hans had a fear of horses. The horse had black mouth and eyes. Freud said this was Hans expressing the Oedipus complex, fear of his father
       • Hans had seen a horse fall over and kill someone
       • Freud never met Hans, he came up with this from letters Hans father wrote to Freud

7. Strengths

   • Acknowledges how childhood determines adult personality
   • Offers causal explanations of underlying atypical psychological conditions
   • This method of psychoanalysis is still used today

8. Limitations

   • It is unfalsifiable and therefore not scientific
   • Case study method means that results cannot be generalised
   • Idea that infants display sexual urges has received enormous criticism