learning goal 8.2: discuss freud's psychodynamic theory and evaluate its claims. psychodynamics
TRANSCRIPT
LEARNING GOAL 8.2: DISCUSS FREUD'S PSYCHODYNAMIC THEORY AND EVALUATE ITS
CLAIMS.
Psychodynamics
Sigmund Freud
Austrian neurologist, 1856-1939Introduced to hypnotic methods early on and
developed his practice around hypnosisUpon his father’s death, wrestled with
depressive episodes and dreams that recalled his childhood; self-analysis during this time played a crucial role in the development of his theories
The Mind According to Freud
Three parts: Conscious: thoughts and feelings that we’re
aware of Preconscious: information that we aren’t aware
of but which we can retrieve into consciousness Unconscious: unacceptable thoughts, wishes,
feelings, and memories locked deep in the mindTo Freud, the key to diagnosis and treatment
of problems was unlocking the unconscious
Personality According to Freud
Three parts: Id (the child): unconscious psychic energy
whose sole goal is pleasure; wants instant gratification for any basic physical drives
Superego (the parent): internalized societal ideals, also called your conscience; strives for discipline and perfection
Ego (the adult): the conscious part of the personality that mediates between the id and the superego; represents reason and reality
Freud’s Defense Mechanisms
Conflict between the id and superego causes anxiety; the ego reduces this anxiety with defense mechanisms
Defense Mechanisms
Repression: banishing unpleasant thoughts
Defense Mechanisms
Regression: retreating to a more comfortable life stage
Defense Mechanisms
Denial: refusing to acknowledge an unpleasant external event
Defense Mechanisms
Reaction formation: thinking the opposite of the unpleasant feeling
Defense Mechanisms
Projection: attributing your own problems to other people
Defense Mechanisms
Rationalization: offering excuses that feel more comfortable
Defense Mechanisms
Displacement: rerouting feelings to less threatening people
Freud’s Psychosexual Stages
Freud’s analyses led him to believe that personality problems were rooted in early childhood; more specifically, that an early conflict had not been resolved, causing a person to “fixate” in one of the five psychosexual stages of development
These psychosexual stages are defined by the id’s primary pleasure-seeking focus
Psychosexual Stages
Stage Experiences Signs of Fixation
1: Oral (ages 0-1)
• Gains pleasure from sucking, biting, or chewing
• May be anxious from weaning
• Gullibility• Dependency• Passivity
2: Anal (ages 1-3)
• Gains pleasure from bathroom activities
• May be anxious about toilet training
• Cleanliness• Messiness• Destructive
tendencies
3: Phallic (ages 3-6)
• Develops sexual curiosity and awareness of gender
• Theorized Oedipal / Electra complex
• Flirtatiousness or promiscuity
• Vanity or pride
Psychosexual Stages
Stage Experiences Signs of Fixation
4: Latency(ages 6-puberty)
• Sexual feelings are dormant as the id is repressed
• Focuses on further developing the ego
• Unfulfilled sexuality
5: Genital(puberty onward)
• Gains pleasure from intimate (sexual) relationships
• Unsatisfactory relationships
Neo-Freudian Theories
Alfred Adler Emphasized social tensions over sexual tensions Coined the term “inferiority complex”
Carl Jung Believed in a collective unconscious, in which we share
memories from our ancestors; theory based on common archetypes throughout history (e.g. the hero, the quest)
Karen Horney (pronounced horn-eye) Criticized Freud’s male bias Thought social expectations played a bigger role in
personality than biological factors
Check Your Understanding
You’re feeling a little too warm right now. How does your id want to respond? How does your superego want to respond? How might your ego handle the situation?
Which psychosexual stage would Freud say each person below is fixated in? A child who refuses to fingerpaint because it’s too
messy A teenager who bites her nails whenever she’s
upset A successful businessman who’s always trying to
outdo his father
Check Your Understanding
Fill in the blanks in the comic below: