Psychodynamic explanation

Objectives Outline the psychodynamic explanation to gender development Evaluate the psychodynamic explanation to gender development

Starter: Psychodynamic approach. Passing notes: in groups of 4 Starter: Psychodynamic approach. Passing notes: in groups of 4. 30 seconds each 1st note: identify two main assumptions of the psychodynamic approach 2nd note: Outline the tripartite personality and briefly define each. 3rd note: Briefly outline and define one defence mechanism. 4th note: Name the 5 psychosexual stages. At which stage does the Oedipus complex occur

Starter: Psychodynamic approach. Passing notes: in groups of 4 Starter: Psychodynamic approach. Passing notes: in groups of 4. 30 seconds each 1st note: identify two main assumptions of the psychodynamic approach The driving force behind our behaviour is our unconscious mind Instincts and drives motivate our behaviour Our behaviour and feelings as adults are rooted in our childhood experiences. (before the age of 5) All behaviour has a cause (usually unconscious), even slips of the tongue. Therefore all behaviour is determined. Personality is made up of three parts (i.e. tripartite): the id, ego and super-ego. Parts of the unconscious mind (the id and superego) are in constant conflict with the conscious part of the mind (the ego). This conflict creates anxiety, which could be dealt with by the ego’s use of defence mechanisms.

Starter: Psychodynamic approach. Passing notes: in groups of 4 Starter: Psychodynamic approach. Passing notes: in groups of 4. 30 seconds each 2nd note: Outline the tripartite personality and briefly define each. Freud described personality as a ‘tripartite’, meaning it comprises of three components. The Id – focuses on the self, hedonistic instinct. Source of our unconscious desires and impulses. Pleasure seeking principle (Selfish, Immediate gratification, sexual desire) – Present from Birth The Ego – conscious mind (2-3 years) reality principle – obeys society. Delay the ID drive for pleasure Nor the ID or superego should become the dominant force. This is the mediator between the ID and the Super-ego. It is left in charge of balancing the desires and requirements of both. The Ego develops around the age of two. It manages this conflict by employing defence mechanisms. The Super-ego – morality principle (act as an individual conscious) This develops during the Phallic Stage (around 3-6 years old). It is a reality based principle with all the notions of right and wrong internalised by the child (accepting moral principles and rules etc.). These are all absorbed through the interaction with the same sex parent. It punishes the ego if it doesn’t follow these rules

Starter: Psychodynamic approach. Passing notes: in groups of 4 Starter: Psychodynamic approach. Passing notes: in groups of 4. 30 seconds each 3rd note: Briefly outline and define one defence mechanism.

Starter: Psychodynamic approach. Passing notes: in groups of 4 Starter: Psychodynamic approach. Passing notes: in groups of 4. 30 seconds each 4th note: Name the 5 psychosexual stages. At which stage does the Oedipus complex occur Oral stage Anal stage Phallic stage (3-6 years) Latent stage Genital stage

Psychodynamic explanation to Gender

Psychodynamic explanation to gender Read the explanation in your pack Activity 1: put the statements in the correct logical order whether they are referring to the Oedipus complex or the Electra complex. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH_PRnY7Jkw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7zZPrY8tGs

Oedipus complex During the phallic stage, sexual energy is directed into the penis and a boy develops sexual feelings towards his mother. They see their father as a rival who is preventing them from having their mother to themselves. They are fearful as they can see that their father is more powerful than them so think they could castrated by him if he discovers the desire they have for their mother. To resolve the conflict, the boy gives up his love for his mother and begins to identify with his father (identification with the aggressor). They develop a strong identity with their father because their fear of castration is strong. They adopt the attitudes and behaviours of their father and develop a male identity. Through the process of identification they become active and dominant.

Electra complex During the phallic stage, girls notice that they do not have a penis. They see their mother as a love rival standing in the way of them and their father. They see themselves and their mother as powerless and the penis as a symbol of male power. They believe they have been castrated by their mother and blame her for the lack of penis. They substitute penis envy for the desire to have children, so identify with their mothers. They develop a weaker identity than men because their fear is not as strong as the fear of castration that men feel. They adopt the attitudes and behaviours of their mother and develop a female identity. Through the process of identification they become quiet and submissive

Evidence: case studies: strengths/limitations Freud carried out a case study to investigate the gender development of a baby known as ‘Little Hans’ Aim: To investigate Little Hans’s phobia Method: Hans’s father wrote to Freud to tell him about Han’s development. At the age of four Hans developed a phobia of horses. He was frightened that a horse might bite him or fall down. He was particularly afraid of large white horse with black around the mouth. Freud analysed this information. Result: Freud claimed that Hans was experiencing the Oedipus complex. He unconsciously sexually desired his mother and saw his father as a rival and feared castration. He displaced the fear of his father on to horses. The white horse with black around his mouth represented his father who had a dark beard. His fear of being bitten by a horse represented his fear of castration and his fear of horses falling down was his unconscious desire to see his father dead.

strengths/limitations of Little Hans case study Evaluate the following points in terms of strengths and weaknesses: The case study method Researcher bias Population validity Secondary data

Strengths: The case study method provides lots of detailed information about an individual, as in this case Little Hans. Hans’ father wrote to Freud telling him about his son’s fear of horses after seeing the horse fall in the street, the changes that occurred in the family, he had a baby sister and about dreams and fantasies that Hans experienced. Limitations: Case studies lack population validity. They are often based on one individual, in this case Little Hans, who was a middle-class European boy growing up about a hundred years ago, so it is questionable whether we can generalise the results to the wider population. Researcher bias may also occur in case studies and this could be true in the case of Little Hans as Hans’ father already knew of the Oedipus complex so it is possible that this led him to ask Hans leading questions and misinterpret Hans’ response to fit with the theory and then report this to Freud. Freud’s case of Little Hans may therefore lack objectivity as Freud himself has been accused of distorting the information given to him to fit in with his theory. Secondary data is data collected by someone other than the researcher. Freud didn't work directly with little Hans, but through correspondence with Hans' father, who wrote to him about his son. An advantage of secondary data is that it allows research on subjects to which the researcher does not have physical access. Freud was not in a position to meet with Little Hans but could find out about his behaviour through the letters his father wrote to him documenting his development.

Evidence: non nuclear families Patterson (2004) reports from a review that sexual identities (including gender identity, gender-role behaviour and sexual orientation) develop in much the same way among children of lesbian mothers as they do among children of heterosexual parents and that children of lesbian and gay parents’ have normal social relationships with peers and adults. Golombok et al (1984) demonstrated how children from single parent families went onto develop normal gender identities. Green (1978) studied a sample of 37 families who were raised by gay or transgender parents, and discovered that only one had a gender identity that was described as ‘non typical’

Evaluation (16 marks: 4 points) One criticism of the psychodynamic approach is that it is unscientific in its analysis of human behaviour. Write on the big whiteboards why the psychodynamic approach is scientific.

Evaluation: Scientific Point: One criticism of the psychodynamic approach is that it is unscientific in its analysis of human behaviour. Explain: Many of the concepts of Freud's theories are subjective and impossible to scientifically test. Evidence: For example, how is it possible to scientifically study concepts like the unconscious mind? Link: In this respect the psychodynamic perspective is unfalsifiable as its theories cannot be empirically investigated. We are unable to deliver any evidence that the unconscious mind does or does not exist. The defence mechanisms that occur in gender development all take place in the unconscious so the child is unaware that they are feeling sexual attraction towards the opposite-sex parent and these are also resolved in the unconscious so we are unable to provide evidence that they are actually happening.

Evaluation: comparison Point: Different explanations see the child acquiring gender at different ages. Evidence: The psychodynamic explanation suggests at the end of the phallic stage (approximately age 6) is when the child’s gender becomes fixed and they are no longer bisexual but have internalised masculine or feminine behaviour through the process of identification with the same-sex parent. Explain: This is in contrast to other explanations of gender development. Kohlberg suggests that children acquire gender identity at around age 2 years, which is earlier than Freud, would suggest. At this stage children can label themselves as male or female. At age 4 they achieve gender stability where they know they will be a mummy or daddy when they grow up and age 6 they reach gender constancy and realise they would remain the same sex through life despite any superficial changes such as appearance. According to Kohlberg, children have an understanding of gender before the psychodynamic explanation would suggest. Link: Freud’s critical age is closer to Gender Schema theory as opposed to Kohlberg’s Gender Constancy Theory. Freud suggested identification with the in-group same sex parent was important for taking on gender attitudes.

Evaluation: comparison Point: The psychodynamic approach contrasts sharply with other explanations of gender such as the biological explanation. Evidence: The biological explanations is interested in looking at chromosomes and hormones such as testosterone and how they influence and affect gender. Explain: The findings are based on objective, verifiable evidence derived from laboratory studies. Link: Whereas, the psychodynamic theory of gender relies heavily on constructs whose existence is difficult or impossible to test directly or scientifically (the unconscious mind, defence mechanisms etc.) or on case studies which are fraught with problems of subjective interpretation and selective reporting. According to Karl Popper (1959) Freud’s theory is pseudoscientific.

Evaluation: lacks predictive validity Point: The psychodynamic approach can be criticised for lacking predictive validity. Explain: According to the Oedipus complex, children would have difficulty acquiring a gender identity if they live in one-parent families or where both parents are of the same sex. Evidence by Patterson (2004) reports from a review that sexual identities (including gender identity, gender-role behaviour and sexual orientation) develop in much the same way among children of lesbian mothers as they do among children of heterosexual parents and that children of lesbian and gay parents’ have normal social relationships with peers and adults. Link: There is no evidence to suggest that a child must grow up in a conventional nuclear family, with mother and father figures, in order to develop a ‘normal’ gender identity.

Evaluation: Alpha bias/psychic determinism Based on the examples above, write your own evaluation point criticising the psychodynamic explanation for being gender bias. Point: Evidence: Explain: Link:

Plan an essay to the following title: Describe and evaluate Freud’s psychoanalytic explanation of gender development. As part of your evaluation you should refer to another explanation of gender development. (16 marks)

Outline the psychodynamic approach in psychology Outline the psychodynamic approach in psychology. Discuss one or more differences between the psychodynamic approach and the humanistic approach (8 marks). Based on the tripartite structure of personality, with the id (unconscious and instant gratification) the ego (operating on reality principle) and super ego (operating on morality principle and unconscious). All behaviour stems from an interplay of these 3. Also psycho-sexual stages of development and whether or not fixation occurs in different stages. The ego can use defence mechanisms to protect itself from the unresolved conflicts with the unconscious. Main difference is the emphasis here is on psychic determinism, while humanistic approach believes as free will. Similarly Freud believed that it was experiences from childhood and the past that affected current behaviour, while humanists believe in the subjective experience of the present. Lastly Freud had a fairly negative view of human behaviour, unlike the very positive view of humanism.

Outline the psychodynamic approach in psychology Outline the psychodynamic approach in psychology. Discuss one or more differences between the psychodynamic approach and the humanistic approach. [8 marks] This is a Level 2 response. There is knowledge of the psychodynamic approach but this is left for the reader to infer and it would be clearer if this answer related the psychodynamic concepts to the approach in an overt way. This could easily be done by stating at the very beginning – “The psychodynamic approach is based on ...” In addition, the differences are appropriate but need a little explanation rather than simply being stated. For example – “the emphasis here is on psychic determinism” does not state that psychic determinism underpins the psychodynamic approach (again this is left to the reader to infer). Additionally, there is no explanation of ‘psychic determinism’ and how this differs from the Humanistic belief in free will. This is a response that contains enough knowledge to gain full marks but has not used the material effectively and discursively enough to answer the question set. The answer reads more like a set of notes rather than an extended answer. Mark awarded = 4

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Outline the psychodynamic approach in psychology Outline the psychodynamic approach in psychology. Discuss one or more differences between the psychodynamic approach and the humanistic approach. [8 marks] Possible content – outline:   The concept of the unconscious and role of unconscious in behaviour   Tripartite structure of the personality – id, ego, superego   Psychosexual stages of development   Conflicts – Oedipus and Electra   Defence mechanisms   Psychodynamic approach to therapy – psychoanalysis Possible differences - discussion:   Negativity of Freud in relation to the positive outlook of humanistic psychology   Emphasis on repressed thoughts and emotions, and past experiences (Freud) versus emphasis on subjective experience of the present and personal growth in the future   Emphasis on unconscious drives/motives versus conscious awareness and experience   Psychic determinism (Freud) versus free will and rational choice   Directive versus non-directive approach to therapy

Evaluation Positives Criticism Boys whose fathers are absent during the age of 5 when their Oedipus complex develops show less sex-typed behaviour than boys whose fathers were present throughout (Stevenson & Black, 1988). The first attempt to identify a series of gender developmental stages. There is no evidence that boys fear castration anxiety or that girls wish they had a penis. Freud argued that gender identification was dependent on fear but boys with warm & supportive fathers identify better than those with overbearing and threatening fathers (Mussen & Rutherford, 1963). Ignored the impact of opposite sex parent and siblings on gender development.

Evaluation Critics of the psychodynamic approach point to cases like Little Hans to demonstrate the weaknesses of its theories. They would argue that, rather than showing empirically the existence of processes like the Oedipus complex, Freud and others would interpret anything they find in ways that made it consistent with theories they already held. For example, whilst it was true that Hans expressed a fear of castration, Freud chose largely to ignore the fact that his mother would routinely threaten him with castration (“if you don’t stop touching that, I’ll send for the doctor to cut it off”) in order to support his claim that it is the father who threatens castration. It is a far more plausible explanation that Hans was scared by the horse collapsing and his phobia developed directly from that. It could also be pointed out that Freud’s theories reflect the prevailing views of the time in which they were developed. For example, the notion of penis envy implies that women are inferior to men, which is not an idea with which many people would now agree. Furthermore, the whole theory relies heavily on constructs whose existence is difficult or impossible to test directly (the unconscious mind, defence mechanisms etc.). Many would argue that this makes the theory unscientific, as it is impossible to obtain evidence that could directly test it.