The Psychodynamic approach

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What is the conscious?
Small amount of mental activity we know about.
Responsible for dealing with everyday actions.
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What is the pre-conscious?
Things we could be aware of if we tried.
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What is the unconscious?
Everyday actions are controlled unconsciously.
The mind prevents traumatic memories from the unconscious reaching conscious awareness and these memories cause anxiety.
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What is the Id?
Unconscious part of personality.
Demands immediate gratification of its needs which consists of hunger, thirst and sex.
Born with it
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What principle does the Id accord off?
Pleasure principle
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What is the ego?
Conscious part of personality.
Rational and logical to the Id in society.
Mediates between reality of outside world and impulsive demands of the Id.
Develops between 2-3 years
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What principle does the ego accord off?
Reality principle
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What is the supergo?
Divided in conscience and ego- ideal.
Conscience tells us what we should not do (makes us feel guilty).
Ego- ideal tells us what we should do (makes us feel proud).
Morality comes from same sex parent.
Developed around 5-6 years.
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What principle does the superego accord off?
Morality principle
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Why do we have defense mechanisms?
Ego uses ego defense mechanisms to deal with stress and anxiety caused by demands of the Id and superego.
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What is displacement?
Redirecting thoughts and feelings and diverting it from its source onto someone else.
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Example of displacement
Lashing out on someone else.
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What is repression?
Burying the problem into the unconsciousness so you no longer think about it.
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Example of repression
Child abuse have no relocation of these events but have trouble forming relationships.
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What is denial?
Unconscious refusal to accept reality and so individual acts as if traumatic event hasn't happened.
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Example of denial
Alcoholic denies they have a drinking problem.
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Why do we have a psychosexual stages?
Individual experience tension due to the build up of sexual energy.
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What is the Oral stage?
Mouth is focal point where child expresses early sexual energy (sucking and biting).
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At what age is the Oral stage developed?
2 years.
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What is the anal stage?
Beginnings of the ego development.
Child becomes aware of demands of reality.
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At what stage anal stage developed?
2-3 years.
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What is the phallic stage?
Sexual energy is focused on the genitals.
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What is the Oedipus complex?
The major conflict of the phallic stage.
Male child unconsciously wishes to possess mother to get rid of father.
As a result, boys experience castrate anxiety.
To resolve this, the child identifies with the father.
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What is the latent stage?
Child develops mastery of the world around them.
Conflicts and issues are repressed from the previous stages.
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At what age is the latent stage developed?
6-12 years
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What is the genital stage?
The fixing of sexual energy is directed towards sexual energy/ intercourse. Id makes powerful demands in the form of hetrosexual desires.
Opposite sex needs to satisfy the libido.
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Strengths
Introduced psychotherapy
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Why is psychotherapy a strength?
Freuds psychoanalysis was the first attempt to treat mental disorders.
Psychotherapy is the forerunner of modern day therapy.
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Counter point
Psychoanalysis is successful for clients with mild neurosis, it is inappropriate and harmful for more serious mental disorders e.g. schizophrenia.
Therefor Freudian therapy may not apply to mental disorders where a client has lost touch with reality.
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2nd strength
The Psychodynamic approach has explanatory power.
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Why is explanatory power a strength?
Had a huge influence of Western contemporary thought.
It has been used to explain a wide range of behaviors.
Drew attention to the influence of childhood on adult personality.
Suggests it has a positive influence on modern day thinking.
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Limitations
Include untestable concepts
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Why is untestable concept a limitation?
Philosopher of science argued it does not meet scientific criterion of falsification. Many concepts (Id or Oedipus complex) are impossible to test.
The theory lacks scientific rigor rather than real science as it is pseudoscience.
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2nd limitation
Psychoanalysis is gender biased
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Why is gender bias a limitatiom?
Freud seemed content to remain ignorant of female sexuality.
Dismissing woman and their sexuality is problematic.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What is the pre-conscious?

Back

Things we could be aware of if we tried.

Card 3

Front

What is the unconscious?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What is the Id?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What principle does the Id accord off?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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