The Psychoanalytic Approach Sigmund Freud The Psychoanalytic Approach

Background Began as a physician In seeing patients, began to formulate basis for later theory Sexual conflicts were primary cause of all neuroses

Instincts Basic elements of the personality Life instincts: Eros - Serve purpose of survival Libido: Pleasurable behaviors Death instincts: Thatanos - drive to death and destruction Aggressive drive: Compulsion to destroy, conquer, kill

Levels of Personality Conscious: Ordinary everyday meaning Preconscious: Between 2 layers Memories of which we are not consciously aware, but can be easily called into consciousness Unconscious: Instincts, wishes and desires that direct all behaviors

3 Part Model of Personality Id Pleasure principle – immediate gratification Instinctual – since birth Ego Reality principle – satisfy the id in a realistic way Mediator between id and superego Superego Morality principle Conscience Ego ideal: Moral ideal for a behavior to which a person should strive

Anxiety Feeling of fear and dread without an objective cause Reality: Fear of tangible dangers in the real world Neurotic: Conflict between id and ego Moral: Conflict between id and superego

Defense Mechanisms Function: Used by ego to defend against anxiety Involves distortion of reality Operate unconsciously

Defense Mechanisms Repression – negative, painful thoughts and memories remain in the unconscious Denial – refusal to admit something bad is happening. (Invincibility) Reaction Formation – reverses unacceptable impulse by expressing the opposite of the original sentiment Regression – Retreat to a more infantile stage of life

Defense Mechanisms Projection – pushes feelings of guilt and anxiety onto others Displacement – shifts an unacceptable impulse towards a less threatening object in a negative way. Sublimation – finds a positive outlet for unacceptable impulse. Rationalization – justifying negative behavior with an alternate and seemingly more acceptable reason.

Psychosexual Stages of Development Oral Anal Phallic Latency Genital Fixation: Portion of libido is stuck in one stage because of excessive frustration or gratification

Oral Stage Birth to 1 year Id dominates Mouth is pleasure center State of total dependence on caregivers

Anal Stage Ages 1-3 years External reality (toilet training) interferes with gratification received from defecation Learn to control id impulses

Phallic Stage Ages 4-5 Pleasure derived from genitals Oedipus complex: unconscious desire of a boy for his mother, desire to replace his father Castration anxiety Electra complex: unconscious desire of a girl for her father, desire to replace her mother Penis envy

Latency Period Age 5-puberty Structures of personality largely formed by age 5 Sexual instinct temporarily dormant

Genital Stage Adolescence-adulthood If no major fixations from earlier stages are present, the individual leads a normal life Sexual energy finds acceptable outlets First 5 years of life determine adult personality

Assessment Free association Patient says whatever comes to mind Catharsis: Expression of emotions that is expected to lead to the reduction of disturbing symptoms Dream analysis: The royal road to the unconscious Manifest content Latent content

Research Case study method Personality formed by age 5 Studies show changes over time from preschool to ages 12-13 Middle childhood years may be more important in adult personality (ages 7-12) Notion of unconscious well-supported Defense mechanisms: Use simpler ones earlier in life, more complex later

Criticisms of Freud Deterministic, negative view of human nature Flaws in case study approach Neglect of social factors in personality Emphasis on past to neglect of present and future behavior View of women Ambiguous concepts

Freud’s Theory is complex because: He kept modifying it as he went along He never presented a comprehensive summary of his final views His theory is more comprehensive than must since it has a number of aspects. For example, he gives us: A theory of motivation A theory of thinking (which includes dreaming, etc.) A theory of personality development (psychosexual theory) A theory of mental structures (id, ego, superego) A theory of psychopathology and symptom formation A theory of psychotherapy

Contributions of Freud Contributed to empirical study of psychology Role of unconscious in behavior Role of childhood experiences Defense mechanisms