Module 55: Freud s Psychoanalytic Perspective: Exploring the Unconscious Psychoanalytic Theory s Core Ideas - Sigmund Freud Probably the most popular theorist He is to psychology what Elvis was to rock-n-roll within common psychology knowledge - Influences present in psychotherapy, clinical psychology, literary works and film interpretations - A product of his time, Victorian era a time of discovery and scientific advancement, also as a time of sexual repression and male dominance o Gender roles were clearly defined at this time with males being superior and only males sexuality was acknowledged (albeit discretely)
- Driving question for Freud Might some neurological disorder have psychological causes? o Led to his discovery of the unconscious o Placed cause of symptoms (numbness in hand without any neurological basis for such numbness) on subconscious ideas and desires o Failed attempts at hypnosis.led to use of free association - Free Association a method of exploring the unconscious in which the person relaxes and says whatever comes to mind o Allowed for people to follow the trail of thoughts produced in the free association to the painful memory of the past. By leading the patient to their subconscious, he could retrieve and release the painful past memories that were causing them stress in the present time
- Psychoanalysis Freud s theory of personality and the associated treatment techniques - Unconscious mind contains thoughts, wished, feelings and memories, including repressed memories o Conscious awareness is part of an iceburg model of consciousness - According to Freud, nothing is accidental everything comes from our unconscious mind
Personality Structure - Personality, emotions and strivings, arise from a conflict between impulse and restraint - Proposed three interacting systems ID- unconscious psychic energy constantly strives to satisfy basic; operates on pleasure principle EGO develops as child responds to the real world; operates on reality principle SUPEREGO around age 4 or 5 a child recognizes voice of moral compass (conscious) that forces the ego to consider onto only the real but the ideal; focuses on how we ought to behave Strong superego may be virtuous yet guilt ridden; weak superego may be self-indulgent and remorseless - Superego s demands often oppose the id s
Personality Development - Personality forms through during life s first few years. Children pass through a series of psychosexual stages during which the id s pleasure seeking energies focus on distinct pleasure sensitive areas of the body called erogenous zones - Stages create conflict within relationships o Oedipus Complex- boy s sexual desires toward mother and jealousy toward the father (phallic stage ages 3-6) o Electra Complex- girl s parallel struggle with feeling toward parents o Freud s theory was unresolved conflict at any of these stages could result in maladaptive behavior in adult years Fixation is the locking in to the pleasure seeking energies that were unresolved at any particular stage Ex. Overindulgence or early weaning in the oral stage could lead to oral fixation
Defense Mechanisms - Freud proposed that the ego protects its self with defense mechanisms (tactics to reduce anxiety) - He believed these happened indirectly and unconsciously - Also believed repression is foundation all defense mechanisms
Evaluating Freud s Psychoanalytic Perspective - Modern research contradicts many of Freud s Ideas - Development seen as a lifelong process, not something fixed in childhood - Doubt that conscious and gender identity form as the child resolves the Oedipus complex at age 5 or 6 - New research on dreams disputes Freud s ideas that dreams are a result of unfilled wishes and desires - Research rests on few object observations and parts of it offer few testable hypothesis - Modern research also challenges the idea of repression, however admitting that sometimes we spare our egos by neglecting threatening information