Applications and Evaluation of Freud s Theory

Transcription

1 Applications and Evaluation of Freud s Theory QUESTIONS TO BE ADDRESSED IN THIS CHAPTER 1. What, according to psychoanalysis, are the causes of psychopathology and the best methods for trea9ng psychologically distressed persons? 2. Why did some of Freud s early followers break with his approach, and what novel theore9cal ideas did they advance? 3. How can one assess personality from a psychodynamic perspec9ve? 4. What recent developments in personality psychology are inspired by Freud s work, and what does contemporary scien9fic evidence say about Freud s original psychoanaly9cal enterprise? Development of Personality Types Fixations can occur in the various stages of psychosexual development. Regression can occur as a result of fixation. The stronger a fixation, the more likely a regression to that stage. Personality types develop as a result of partial fixation at an earlier stage

2 The Development of Psychopathology Psychopathology is concerned with the nature and development of abnormal behaviour, thoughts and feelings Davison & Neale (1998) Freud s View on Psychopathology Freud proposed that psychopathology results from unconscious intrapersonal conflicts.

3 How does positive change occur? Cathartic method Discharging blocked emotions Hypnosis was one way but not effective in longrun. Free association Dream analysis Ultimate goal: bring both the content and the associated emotions to consciousness where they can be dealt with in a safe environment. Therapeutic Process Transference Analyst remains a mirror or blank screen on which patient projects wishes and anxieties. Leads to transference neuroses Other factors that make change possible Analytic situation provides a safe environment. Analysts are not reactive, like parents are (blank screen). Patients are more mature and can understand infantile urges from a mature perspective.

4 Projective Tests Ambiguous stimuli (inkblots, pictures, incomplete sentences, unstructured tasks) Novel and ambiguous stimuli allow the examinee to project attitudes, thoughts, emotions into responses, which can then be interpreted Example of projective tests: Rorschach technique Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) Example: Card 5 TAT: Example

5 PSYCHODYNAMIC PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT: PROJECTIVE TESTS PROJECTIVE TESTS: DO THEY WORK? Lilienfeld and colleagues (2000) reviewed research on projec9ve methods and methods for scoring responses Some scoring methods valid for some purposes: TAT achievement mo9va9on, and mo9vated behavior TAT memory for daily events However, projec9ve tests commonly do not work Lilienfeld group (2000) recommend ending extensive training in the use of these tests PSYCHODYNAMIC PERSONALITY ASSESSMENT: PROJECTIVE TESTS PROJECTIVE TESTS: DO THEY WORK? Why don't projec9ve tests work very well? Problems with inter- judge reliability No guarantee that the person's thinking style will manifest itself when confronted with abstract blotches What do the limita9ons of projec9ve tes9ng say about Freud's psychoanaly9c theory of personality? Freud did not develop or use projec9ve tests - free associa9on only Psychological tes9ng and predic9on not a strength of the psychodynamic tradi9on Challenges to Freud: NeoFreudians Alfred Adler (Individual Psychology) Emphasized social urges as opp to sexual urges Talked about conscious rather than unconscious Origins of anxiety: organ defect Role of birth order in personality development

6 Neo-Freudians (cont.) Carl Jung (Analytic Psychology) More optimistic view of unconscious Collective unconscious Personality development: life-long process Key to mental health: harmonious coexistence of opposing forces. Neo-Freudians (cont.) Karen Horney Emphasized cultural perspective over biological perspective Basic anxiety: result of insufficient nurturing and protection by parents. Neurosis: develops from difficulty in coping with basic anxiety Moving toward others (approval seeking) Moving against others (find security in dominating others) Moving away from others (become withdrawn) Neo-Freudians (cont.) Harry Stack Sullivan (Interpersonal Theory of Psychiatry) Personality development: heavily due to social and interpersonal forces. Social origins of self Contact with others and perception of how others are evaluating self. Anxiety: results from lack of social acceptance in early childhood.

7 Object Relations Theory Came out of people s concern about self-esteem. How does a person develop a sense of self and then attempt to protect its integrity? Experience with important others ( objects ) in past are represented in present self. Nurturing parent represents nurturing part of self. Human motivation: emphasizes relationship seeking over gratifying sexual urges. Key to mental health: develop trusting relationships with good boundaries. Attachment Theory Importance of infant experience with caretake in personality development. John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth. Early interactional styles serves as basis for future relationships. RELATED THEORETICAL CONCEPTIONS AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS OBJECT RELATIONS, SELF PSYCHOLOGY, AND ATTACHMENT THEORY A"achment Theory What dimensions best capture individual differences in aaachment style? A theore9cal model of individual differences in internal working models of the self and others (Bartholomew & Horowitz, 1991; Griffin & Bartholomew, 1994) Aaachment paaerns can be defined in terms of two dimensions, reflec9ng the internal working model of the self and the internal working model of others Each dimension has a posi9ve end and a nega9ve end

8 RELATED THEORETICAL CONCEPTIONS AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS OBJECT RELATIONS, SELF PSYCHOLOGY, AND ATTACHMENT THEORY A"achment Theory Bartholomew and colleagues model leads to the addi9on of a fourth aaachment style: Dismissing Those with dismissing aaachment paaern not comfortable with close rela9onships and prefer not to depend on others, but s9ll retain a posi9ve self- image Psychoanalytic Theory Major contributions Limitations of theory Cannot be empirically validated Pessimistic view of human motivation does not do justice to efforts humans make towards growth. See other criticisms from last week s slides.