PS 4021 Psychology Theory and method 1 Lecture 4-Week 4 The Psychoanalytic paradigm Critical thinking inside Psychology

Psychodynamic Conscious or Unconscious Process – Sigmund Freud and Psychoanalysis

Levels of consciousness Conscious: current awareness-easily accessed Preconscious: information that is not currently “on our mind” but which we could bring into consciousness if we want-available for access Unconscious: storehouse of impulses, wishes and inaccessible memories that affect our thoughts and behavior – Repression

The role of dreams The function of dreams is to preserve sleep by representing wishes as fulfilled The “royal route to consciousness” Manifest content and latent content

Styles of thinking Primary process thinking-irrational mental activity – Pleasure principle: instinct to avoid displeasure and to have our drives met Secondary process thinking-rational thought – Reality principle: operate according to the actual situation

Nature of human beings What is the source of human motivation? The child is born with fixed amount of mental energy-the libido Two types of instincts – Life instinct - Sexual drives – libido – life preserving drives – Death instinct – Thanatos – self-destructive instinct

Structure of personality ID Primitive part present at newborns Basic biological impulses or drives – Sexual and aggressive drives Pleasure principle-Immediate gratification

EGO Reality principle Mediator between the demands of the id, the realities of the world and the demands of the superego Planning, thinking, organizing-secondary process thinking

SUPEREGO – Internalized representation of the values and morals of society – Conscience (guilt if morally improper) and ego ideal (perfect person we wish to be motivates us to do morally right) – Parental rewards and punishments

Development of personality Five stages of psychosexual development At each stage the libido is invested in a single part of the body-the erogenous zone Biological factors are the main influence in development

Development of personality

Fixation At any stage of personality development, there may be over or under stimulation of the erogenous zone Then we are fixated-refuse to transfer the libidinal energy to a new set of objects and activities Fail to pass to the next stage Results are obvious in our personality and behavior

Oral stage (birth to 1 year) Pleasure focused on feeding Mouth, lips and tongue are the erogenous zone Libidinal energy invested on person providing gratification (mother)-Cathexis Basic trust established if needs met Results of under or over stimulation – Oral receptive character – Oral aggressive character

Anal stage (18 m to 3 y) Bowel control Anal area Toilet training-an area of conflict? Results of under or over stimulation – Anal retentive personality – Anal expulsive personality

Phallic stage (3-5 y) Genital area Penis envy-girls realize deficiency of penis Castration anxiety-boys fear they will lose their penis

Relationship with parents BOYS-OEDIPAL COMPLEX Unconscious sexual desire towards mother Father is competition Boy envious of father Father is also a powerful figure –castration anxiety To resolve: identify with father

GIRLS-ELECTRA COMPLEX Unconscious sexual desire towards father Mother is competition Penis envy To resolve: identify with mother But not fully resolved-women have weaker ego

Latency (5-12 y) Resting period Same sex interaction and identification

Genital stage (12-18+) Reawakening of libido Attraction to opposite sex

Defense mechanisms In order to deal with the conflicting demands between the id, ego and superego Purpose is to feel better, to protect our self- esteem They basically help us to push disturbing aspects into the unconscious It is psychologically healthy but they can become unhelpful if used inappropriately

Conversion reaction: unacceptable thoughts or emotions converted into physical symptoms Phobic avoidance: situations or events that arouse anxiety are avoided at all costs Isolation: anxiety associated with an event is dealt with by recalling the event without the emotion associated with it Undoing: ritualistic behaviors are adopted that symbolically negate the thoughts or actions that the person had earlier

Freudian therapy Catharsis: physical expression of emotions as the analyst helps the patient locate fixation and understand unresolved emotional conflicts

Methods: – Dream analysis – Free association – Transference – Countertransference

Evaluation of Freudian theory Contribution and criticisms