psychodynamic approach

key assumptions

behavior is influenced by the unconscious mind ie. conflicts between Id, ego and superego. behavior is determined by early childhood experiences e.g. psychosexual stages. behavior is motivated by instinctive drives i.e sex and aggression.

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the 3 levels of the unconscious

FREUD believed that the human mind is like an iceberg in that most of its content are 'beneath the surface' (not directly accessible so assumptions have to be made). the mind has 3 levels, conscious, pre-conscious and the unconscious level.

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the role of the unconscious mind

to store biological drives, thoughts, memories that are seen as unacceptable or unpleasant. these ares repressed in the unconscious so we arent aware of them. sex and aggression could be these drives.need to satisfy these needswillinfluencepersonalit

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HARRIS AND CAMPBELL 1999

3 groups of women that have unplanne,planned and not pregnant.researcher measures life events, difficulties, partners, SE and benifits of being pregnant. secondary gains- things they will benifit by having child,housing?relationship ties? marriage?

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structure of personality

FREUD SAYS personlity is based on 3 components: the id(instinct, narsatistic, self absorbant), ego(reality, 'maybe we can find a comprimise')and superego(morality, morals).

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defense mechanisms

one way of helping the superego of helping to balance the ego and id. unconscious strategies used by the ego to prevent anxiety when faced with unpleasant situations that may crate guilt or embarrassment.distort reality-protect from confrontingfeels

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psychosexual stages

FREUD-children develop their identity and sexuality through 5 stages from birth to puberty.

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during each stage

libido focus on particular erotogentic zone. child gains organ pleasure from stimulating body part.conflict child has to resolve.unresolved conflict leads to fixation,child stuck in that zone. this manifests certain personality traits in adulthood.

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oral stage-0-1 years-zone-mouth

sucking/breast feeding. consequence of unresolved conflicts are biting nails or smoking

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anal stage- 1-3 tears-zone-bumhole

harsh potty training, so gets pleasure from pooing. this could result in OCD.

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phallic stage-3-5/6 years-zone- genital/masterbation

resolves oedipus complex and can result in gender identity problems if nort resolved.

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letency-7-11 years

libido and earlier conflicts are repressed and sublimated into non sexual pursuits e.g. sports, school, same sex friendships

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genital stage- puberty to adult

It is a time of adolescent sexual experimentation, the successful resolution of which is settling down in a loving one-to-one relationship with another person in our 20's. Sexual instinct is directed to heterosexual pleasure, rather than self pleasu

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the opedius complex

during the phallic stage, boy develops this complex where libido is unconsciously directed on the first opposite sex template in his experience-mother. conflict arises when his sexual pleasure cant be from the mother and the father is the rival

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the opedius complex

boy would develop an unconscious fear that father may stmp out amny competition by removing the boys penis - fear thats called castration anxiety.conflict is naturally resolved at end of phallic stage when boy identifies with father&becomemorlikehim

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the electra complex

this is during the phallic stage when girl sees mother as competition for possession of father.conflict resolves when conflict has been resolved and no longer sees mother as threat. sexual identity is formed here.

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CASE STUDY OF LITTLE HANS FREUD 1909

5 year old son of friend of freuds who asked him about his sons bizarre behaviour. boy had phobia of horses and scared to go out incase he got bit.he got this when denied access to his parents bed. he was occupied with his penis.

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freuds interpretation

hazda an oedipus complex as he wanted his mother to touch his penis. he was experiencing castration anxiety 'preoccupied nwith his penis'. e was uing defense mechanism-displacement-touching penis displaced to horses phobia.resolved conflict.

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strength-practical applications

psychoanalysis treatment for mental illness from this approach. assmption that mental illness is caused by repression of childhood traumatic memories suggests that to treat illness memories most be undercovered.the approach is valuable in real life.

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strength- supporting evidence for some concepts .

unplanned pregnancies back up the idea of the unconscious mind can motivate behaviour. also feud little hans study-phallic stage- castration anxiety. means it is a valid explanation of human behaviour.

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weakness- some supporting evidence is unscientific

most evidence comes from case studies that focus on one individualsuffering mental illness. unlikely to be representative of the general public.eg little hans suffered from oedipus state doesnt mean all 5 year olds will.many parts cant be directly

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weakness- adopts deterministic view of human behaviour

freud believed that behaviour is determined by factors we have no control of- unconscious mind and childhood memories (experiences). he claims there is no such thing as an accident as behaviour is motivated by those things. he suggests freewill is

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psychodynamic approach

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