PERSONALITY PSY234PERSONALITY PSY234

Lecture Lecture 22::Psychodynamic theoriesPsychodynamic theories

Dr Simon BoagDr Simon Boag

Email: Email: simon.boag@psy.mq.edu.ausimon.boag@psy.mq.edu.au

ReadingsReadings• Carver, C. S. & Scheier, M. F. (2004). Carver, C. S. & Scheier, M. F. (2004).

Perspectives on PersonalityPerspectives on Personality. (pp. 195-207, . (pp. 195-207, 221-230)221-230)

AdditionalAdditional (non-assess(non-assessableable))• Freud, S. (1923). The ego & the id. Freud, S. (1923). The ego & the id. Standard Standard

EditionEdition, vol. XIX. London: Hogarth., vol. XIX. London: Hogarth.• Freud, S (1933). New Introductory Lectures. Freud, S (1933). New Introductory Lectures.

Standard EditionStandard Edition, vol. XXII. London: Hogarth., vol. XXII. London: Hogarth.

Lecture OutlineLecture Outline

I. The Structural theoryI. The Structural theory• Id, Ego & SuperegoId, Ego & Superego

II. Defence mechanismsII. Defence mechanisms• ‘‘Solutions’ to conflictSolutions’ to conflict

III. III. EEvaluationvaluation

Further readingsFurther readings

Learning OutcomesLearning Outcomes

After this lecture you should be able toAfter this lecture you should be able to::• Describe Freud’s structural model and Describe Freud’s structural model and

understand the functions and understand the functions and interactions of the different agenciesinteractions of the different agencies

• Describe the various defence Describe the various defence mechanisms and their place in Freud’s mechanisms and their place in Freud’s theory of personalitytheory of personality

• Appreciate & evaluate criticisms of Appreciate & evaluate criticisms of Psychoanalytic theoryPsychoanalytic theory

PsychoPsychoanalysisanalysis• The mind is a society of competing, The mind is a society of competing, activeactive

desires & motivesdesires & motives (often in conflict) (often in conflict)• All behaviour (eg. desires) motivated by All behaviour (eg. desires) motivated by

Instinctual DrivesInstinctual Drives ( (TriebeTriebe))• Strict Strict determinismdeterminism: biology + environment : biology + environment

gives rise to psychologygives rise to psychology• Biological basisBiological basis: bodily ‘needs’: bodily ‘needs’• eg. need for foodeg. need for food• PsychologicalPsychological: Desires, urges, wishes: Desires, urges, wishes• eg. desire to eateg. desire to eat

Instinctual DrivesInstinctual Drives

(1) (1) Self-preservative vs libidinal drivesSelf-preservative vs libidinal drives• ‘‘Hunger’ vs ‘Love’Hunger’ vs ‘Love’(2) (2) Eros vs destructivenessEros vs destructiveness ( (ThanatosThanatos))• Integration vs disintegrationIntegration vs disintegration• Aggression as channeled self-Aggression as channeled self-

destructivenessdestructiveness• Neurophysiological evidence for Neurophysiological evidence for

Freud’s first proposal (Damasio, Freud’s first proposal (Damasio, 1994; Sewards & Sewards, 2002)1994; Sewards & Sewards, 2002)

I. I. The Structural ModelThe Structural Model• Freud (1923)Freud (1923)• AgenciesAgencies: id, ego & super-ego: id, ego & super-ego• IdId: biological drives: biological drives• EgoEgo: self: self• Super-egoSuper-ego: conscience: conscience

• ConsciousConscious: what we are aware of: what we are aware of• UnconsciousUnconscious: what we are unaware of: what we are unaware of

The Id (The Id (das Esdas Es; the “it”); the “it”) Original & primitive part of the mindOriginal & primitive part of the mind• Basic instinctual drives & desiresBasic instinctual drives & desires• Impersonal/unsocialImpersonal/unsocial• Unconscious eg. sex hormones Unconscious eg. sex hormones

((‘‘unknown & uncontrollableunknown & uncontrollable’’))Operates via Operates via pleasure principlepleasure principle• Desire for Desire for immediate gratificationimmediate gratification

(terminate unpleasure)(terminate unpleasure)• Wishful rather than realistic thinkingWishful rather than realistic thinking

The Ego (das The Ego (das IchIch; the “I”); the “I”)• Our sense of selfOur sense of self; “I”; “I”• Both conscious/unconsciousBoth conscious/unconscious• Self develops through ‘identification’ & Self develops through ‘identification’ &

rejection of desires based on rejection of desires based on socialisationsocialisation

• Reality principleReality principle• We learn to satisfy desires via realityWe learn to satisfy desires via reality• Secondary processSecondary process::• ‘‘RReason & commonsenseeason & commonsense’’• Gratification postponement eg. uniGratification postponement eg. uni

The Super-ego The Super-ego ((das Über-Ichdas Über-Ich; “; “Over-Over-I”)I”)• Conscience, moral beliefs & valuesConscience, moral beliefs & values• Belief of who we Belief of who we shouldshould be be• Impact of social forces on our self-Impact of social forces on our self-

regulationregulation• Develops from fear of punishment/loss Develops from fear of punishment/loss

of loveof love (anxiety & guilt) (anxiety & guilt)• InternalisationInternalisation of parental/societal of parental/societal

demandsdemands, , prohibitionsprohibitions & ideals & ideals• Built up from actual experiences with Built up from actual experiences with

authority figuresauthority figures

Personality DevelopmentPersonality DevelopmentInfancyInfancy::• Originally all id; unsocialised desiresOriginally all id; unsocialised desires• Dependency: need for parents’ loveDependency: need for parents’ loveSocialisation:Socialisation:• Learn that some desires lead to Learn that some desires lead to

punishment/anxietypunishment/anxietyeeg. aggressive & sexual desiresg. aggressive & sexual desires• Conflict between desires & parental Conflict between desires & parental

prohibitionsprohibitions• Morality an extension of socialisationMorality an extension of socialisation

Personality Development Personality Development (cont).(cont).RepressionRepression (inhibition) (inhibition) of ‘antisocial’ of ‘antisocial’

desiresdesiresEgo development:Ego development:• Dominant part of personality (“I”)Dominant part of personality (“I”)• ‘‘I am this, not that’ I am this, not that’ Superego development:Superego development:Moral beliefs, self-restrictions & idealsMoral beliefs, self-restrictions & idealsUnconscious conflict between Unconscious conflict between

biological impulses and moral beliefsbiological impulses and moral beliefs

Conflict with ‘Sexuality’Conflict with ‘Sexuality’

Q. Q. Are humans conflicted with their Are humans conflicted with their sexual processes?sexual processes?

A. Freud: A. Freud: YesYes “… “… at no point has civilisation tried to at no point has civilisation tried to

exercise severer suppression than in exercise severer suppression than in the sphere of sexuality” the sphere of sexuality” (Freud, 1905, p. 110)(Freud, 1905, p. 110)..

• ‘‘Sexuality’ broadly defined in terms Sexuality’ broadly defined in terms of sensual pleasure & ‘love’of sensual pleasure & ‘love’

PsychoPsychosexualitysexuality

““… … we prefer to speak of we prefer to speak of psychosexualitypsychosexuality, thus laying stress on , thus laying stress on

the point that the mental factor in the point that the mental factor in sexual life should not be overlooked or sexual life should not be overlooked or

underestimated. We use the word underestimated. We use the word ‘sexuality’ in the same comprehensive ‘sexuality’ in the same comprehensive

sense as that in which the German sense as that in which the German language uses the word language uses the word liebenlieben

[to love]”[to love]”(Freud, 1910, pp. 222-3).(Freud, 1910, pp. 222-3).

II. Defence MechanismsII. Defence Mechanisms• ‘‘Solutions’ to conflict used by the egoSolutions’ to conflict used by the ego• Generally Generally uunconsciousnconscious/automatic/automatic reactions reactions Response toResponse to painful painful affect affect (emotion)(emotion) egeg. anxiety, guilt, shame. anxiety, guilt, shameRepressionRepression::• Anxiety-provokingAnxiety-provoking desire banished from desire banished from

consciousconscious awareness awareness• Similar to defensive reflexSimilar to defensive reflex• Mastery & ‘condemning judgement’Mastery & ‘condemning judgement’

Defence Mechanisms (cont.)Defence Mechanisms (cont.)Reaction-formationsReaction-formations::• Transforming unacceptable wishes into Transforming unacceptable wishes into

their opposite (their opposite (ccf. ‘disgust’)f. ‘disgust’)• Anti-homosexual (homophobic) feelings Anti-homosexual (homophobic) feelings

may be reaction formations against may be reaction formations against unconscious homosexual desiresunconscious homosexual desires

• Homophobic males show increased Homophobic males show increased levels of sexual arousal to homosexual levels of sexual arousal to homosexual stimuli compared to non-homophobic stimuli compared to non-homophobic males (Adams, Wright & Lohr, 1996)males (Adams, Wright & Lohr, 1996)

Defence Mechanisms (cont.)Defence Mechanisms (cont.)ProjectionProjection::• “… “… an unacceptable feeling, impulse, or idea an unacceptable feeling, impulse, or idea

is attributed to another person or thing” is attributed to another person or thing” (Willick, 1995, p. 488)(Willick, 1995, p. 488)

• Refusing to see or accept undesirable desires Refusing to see or accept undesirable desires in oneself; instead attributing them to othersin oneself; instead attributing them to others

• eg. a paranoid person who believes that eg. a paranoid person who believes that everyone is out to kill him or her may be everyone is out to kill him or her may be harbouring such wishes themselvesharbouring such wishes themselves

Defence Mechanisms (cont.)Defence Mechanisms (cont.)

IsolationIsolation (intellectualisation) (intellectualisation)• Thought & feeling ‘isolated’Thought & feeling ‘isolated’• Thinking without feelingThinking without feeling• eg. overly intellectual person cut off eg. overly intellectual person cut off

from their own feelings from their own feelings SublimationSublimation: : • Transforming socially unacceptable Transforming socially unacceptable

desires into socially acceptable outletsdesires into socially acceptable outlets• eg. aggression channelled into sporteg. aggression channelled into sport

Empirical Evidence?Empirical Evidence?• Difficulty testing unconscious processesDifficulty testing unconscious processes• BaumeBaumeisister et al (1998): Meta-analysis ter et al (1998): Meta-analysis

of studies of defence mechanisms;of studies of defence mechanisms;• ConclusionConclusion::• ‘‘Substantial supportSubstantial support’’ for for many defence many defence

mechanismsmechanisms• However: problems of definitionsHowever: problems of definitions & &

interpretation of resultsinterpretation of results

III. III. EvaluationEvaluation of of Psychoanalytic TheoryPsychoanalytic Theory

• The problem of evidenceThe problem of evidence• ““Unscientific/untestable/unfalsifiable” Unscientific/untestable/unfalsifiable” • eg. dream interpretation (eg. dream interpretation (Sir Sir Karl Popper) Karl Popper) • However, literally thousands of However, literally thousands of

experiments (Fisher & Greenberg, 1996)experiments (Fisher & Greenberg, 1996)• ““Has been tested & falsified” (EysenckHas been tested & falsified” (Eysenck, ,

1985; 1985; McCarley & Hobson, 1977)McCarley & Hobson, 1977)• Ongoing debate & neuropsychoanalysisOngoing debate & neuropsychoanalysis• Evidence of biological drives & impact of Evidence of biological drives & impact of

socialisation (Damasio, 1994)socialisation (Damasio, 1994)

SummarySummary• Psychodynamic models emphasise the Psychodynamic models emphasise the

active, motivated nature of the mind & active, motivated nature of the mind & personalitypersonality

• Freud’s structural theory describes Freud’s structural theory describes personality in terms of the idpersonality in terms of the id (drives) (drives), , egoego (self) (self) & superego & superego (conscience) (conscience)

• Defence mechanisms protect the ego Defence mechanisms protect the ego from anxiety and guilt-provoking from anxiety and guilt-provoking desiresdesires

Further ReadingFurther Reading• Non-assessableNon-assessable• Adams HE, Wright LW, & Lohr BA Adams HE, Wright LW, & Lohr BA

(1996). Is homophobia associated with (1996). Is homophobia associated with homosexual arousal? homosexual arousal? Journal of Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 105Abnormal Psychology, 105, 440-445, 440-445

• Baumeister RF Baumeister RF et alet al (1998). Freudian (1998). Freudian defence mechanisms… defence mechanisms… Journal of Journal of Personality, 66Personality, 66, 1081-1124 , 1081-1124

• Fisher S & Greenberg RP (1996). Fisher S & Greenberg RP (1996). Freud scientifically reappraisedFreud scientifically reappraised. NY: . NY: John WileyJohn Wiley