Psychoanalytic Theory Basic Freudian Propositions

Clinical Experiences Anna O. (Breuer) Unexpressed emotion -> pathology Unaware of emotion (unconscious) Emotion expression reduces pathology

Fundamental Assumptions of Psychoanalytic Theory The Basic Instincts Unconscious Motivation Psychic Determinism Energy Model

Fundamental Assumptions of Psychoanalytic Theory The Basic Instincts: Sex and Aggression Closely follows Darwin’s theory Freud believed that everything humans do can be understood as manifestations of the life and death instincts Later termed libido (life) and thanatos (death) Mirrors Darwin’s theory of natural selection: selection by reproduction and selection by survival. Although he initially believed that the life and death instincts worked to oppose one another, he later argued that they could combine in various ways. He believed that from these instincts comes the energy that powers all human behaviors.

Fundamental Assumptions of Psychoanalytic Theory Unconscious Motivation Individuals control their sexual and aggressive urges by placing them in the unconscious These take on a life of their own and become the motivated unconscious According to Freud the mind is made up of 3 parts: the conscious, preconscious, and unconscious. The latter is the largest part of the mind and manifests itself in the dreams, “slips of the tongue”, irrational feelings, physical symptoms, or inexplicable anxiety.

Fundamental Assumptions of Psychoanalytic Theory Psychic Determinism Nothing happens by chance or accident Everything we do, think, say, and feel is an expression of our mind

Fundamental Assumptions of Psychoanalytic Theory Energy Model Humans are viewed as energy systems Hydraulic model. Energy transformed but not destroyed

Levels of Consciousness Conscious - current awareness Preconscious - not aware of material but it’s retrievable (via ordinary retrieval) Unconscious - not aware of material but it’s not retrievable (via ordinary retrieval)

Issues Regarding the Unconscious How can the existence of the unconscious be demonstrated? Why do humans have an unconscious?

Personality and Psychoanalysis Techniques for Revealing the Unconscious Free Association Dream Analysis Projective Techniques Recovered Memories Free Association: Speaking whatever comes into your mind without censoring your thoughts. Psychoanalysts must be able to recognize the subtle signs that something important has just been mentioned. Dream Analysis: Uncovering unconscious material in a dream by interpreting the content of a dream. Consists of manifest content (what the dream actually contains) and latent content (what the elements of the dream actually represent) Projective Techniques: Uses the idea that what a person sees in an ambiguous figure reflects his or her personality.

The Structure of Personality ID EGO Psychoanalytic theory concerns how people cope with their sexual and aggressive instincts within the constraints of a civilized society. One part of the mind creates urges, another has a sense of what civilized society expects, and another part of the mind tries to satisfy the urges within the bounds of reality and society. These parts of the mind are in constant interaction. They have different goals, provoking internal conflicts within an individual. SUPEREGO

The Structure of Personality The Id – Reservoir of Psychic Energy Most primitive part of the mind; what we are born with Source of all drives and urges Operates according to the pleasure principle and primary process thinking The pleasure principle is the desire for immediate gratification. Primary process thinking is thinking without logical rules of conscious thought or an anchor in reality.

The Structure of Personality The Ego- Executive of Personality The part of the mind that constrains the id to reality Develops around 2-3 years of age Operates according to the reality principle and secondary process thinking Mediates between id, superego, and environment The ego recognizes under the reality principle that the urges of the id are often in conflict with social and physical reality. The ego engages in secondary process thinking which refers to the development and devising of strategies for problem solving and obtaining satisfaction.

The Structure of Personality The Superego- Upholder of Values and Ideals The part of the mind that internalizes the values, morals, and ideals of society Develops around age 5 Not bound by reality The superego determines what is right and what is wrong, and enforces this through the emotion of guilt. It sets the moral goals and ideals of perfection.

Psychodynamics Conflict model Id vs. superego; Individual vs. society Restrain expression of all drives Surplus energy results in anxiety

Defense Mechanisms Unconscious psychological processes designed to avoid or reduce the conscious experience of anxiety

Anxiety and the Mechanisms of Defense Repression Unconscious Motivated Forgetting Repression was the forerunner of all other forms of defense mechanisms. Freud believed that people often tend to remember the pleasant circumstances surrounding some event , and that unpleasant memories are often repressed. The process of preventing unacceptable thoughts, feelings, or urges from reaching conscious awareness

Anxiety and the Mechanisms of Defense Denial Unconscious Motivated Not Perceiving Repression was the forerunner of all other forms of defense mechanisms. Freud believed that people often tend to remember the pleasant circumstances surrounding some event , and that unpleasant memories are often repressed. Perceptual Defense Research

Other Defense Mechanisms Anxiety and the Mechanisms of Defense Other Defense Mechanisms Reaction Formation Act opposite of impulse Projection Make impulse external Freud believed that the presence of anxiety is evidence that repression is starting to fail, so other defense mechanisms may be brought into play. Denial: insisting that things are not what they seem. Displacement: a threatening impulse is channeled to a non-threatening target. Rationalization: generating acceptable reasons for outcomes that might otherwise appear socially unacceptable. Reaction Formation: in an attempt to stifle an unacceptable urge, displaying a flurry of behavior that indicates the opposite impulse. Projection: seeing in others those traits and desires that we find most upsetting in ourselves. Sublimation: channeling unacceptable sexual or aggressive instincts into socially desired activities.

Other Defense Mechanisms Anxiety and the Mechanisms of Defense Other Defense Mechanisms Isolation/Intellectualization Isolate emotional reaction Process abstractly Freud believed that the presence of anxiety is evidence that repression is starting to fail, so other defense mechanisms may be brought into play. Denial: insisting that things are not what they seem. Displacement: a threatening impulse is channeled to a non-threatening target. Rationalization: generating acceptable reasons for outcomes that might otherwise appear socially unacceptable. Reaction Formation: in an attempt to stifle an unacceptable urge, displaying a flurry of behavior that indicates the opposite impulse. Projection: seeing in others those traits and desires that we find most upsetting in ourselves. Sublimation: channeling unacceptable sexual or aggressive instincts into socially desired activities.

Other Defense Mechanisms Anxiety and the Mechanisms of Defense Other Defense Mechanisms Displacement Channel impulse to non-threatening target Sublimation Channel impulse into socially desired activity Freud believed that the presence of anxiety is evidence that repression is starting to fail, so other defense mechanisms may be brought into play. Denial: insisting that things are not what they seem. Displacement: a threatening impulse is channeled to a non-threatening target. Rationalization: generating acceptable reasons for outcomes that might otherwise appear socially unacceptable. Reaction Formation: in an attempt to stifle an unacceptable urge, displaying a flurry of behavior that indicates the opposite impulse. Projection: seeing in others those traits and desires that we find most upsetting in ourselves. Sublimation: channeling unacceptable sexual or aggressive instincts into socially desired activities.

Defense Mechanisms in Everyday Life Anxiety and the Mechanisms of Defense Defense Mechanisms in Everyday Life Useful in coping with unexpected or disappointing events Can also make circumstances worse Defense mechanisms can help us deal with stress; however, when a behavior inhibits the ability to be productive or to maintain relationships, there may be problems.

Personality and Psychoanalysis Making the Unconscious Conscious Techniques for Revealing the Unconscious The Process of Psychoanalysis

Personality and Psychoanalysis The goal of psychoanalysis is to make the unconscious conscious Identify unconscious thoughts and feelings Enable the person to deal with the unconscious urges realistically and maturely But how to penetrate the unconscious mind?

Personality and Psychoanalysis The Process of Psychoanalysis The psychoanalyst offers the patient interpretations of the psychodynamic causes of the problems The interpretations bring insight Resistance may occur as a defense Transference of feelings

Evaluating Freud’s Contributions Proponents argue it is the first and perhaps only comprehensive theory of human nature Psychoanalysis has had a major impact on Western thought Critics maintain it is not contemporary The nature of evidence upon which it was built can be criticized Emphasis on sexual drives is inappropriate

Summary There are 3 main forces in the psyche that constantly interact to tame the 2 motives Defense mechanisms help keep urges, thoughts, and memories that cause anxiety in the unconscious Psychoanalysis is a therapy used for making the patient's unconscious conscious

Anxiety and the Mechanisms of Defense Types of Anxiety Repression Other Defense Mechanisms Defense Mechanisms in Everyday Life

Anxiety and the Mechanisms of Defense Types of Anxiety Objective Anxiety Neurotic Anxiety Moral Anxiety Defense Mechanisms Anxiety is a signal that the control of the ego is being threatened by reality, by impulses from the id, or by harsh controls exerted by the superego. Objective: Fear. Occurs in response to some real, external threat to the person. Neurotic: Occurs when there is a direct conflict between the id and the ego. Moral: Caused by a conflict between the ego and the superego. In all 3 types of anxiety, the function of the ego is to cope with threats and to defend against the dangers they pose in order to reduce anxiety. This is done through the use of various defense mechanisms.