Chapter 3 The Psychoanalytic Approach Freudian Theory Sigmund

Chapter 3 The Psychoanalytic Approach: Freudian Theory

Sigmund Freud (1856 -1939) Was his mother’s favorite Was not close to his father Was enormously ambitious Was trained as a medical doctor Studied hysteria and hypnosis with J-M. Charcot and Josef Breuer 4 Applied his genius and inventiveness to the creation of the psychoanalytic approach 4 Was a prolific writer and a charismatic mentor 4 Achieved his outsized ambition, but at a cost 4 4 4

Freud’s models of the mind: The topographical model 4 The conscious mind (thoughts, feelings, perceptions) 4 The preconscious mind (memories and stored knowledge) 4 The unconscious mind (fears, unacceptable violent and sexual urges, irrational wishes, selfish needs, shameful and traumatic experiences)

“The mind is an iceberg—it floats with only one-seventh of its bulk above water. ” — Sigmund Freud

Freud’s models of the mind: The dynamic model of id, ego, and superego 4 The id (id = “it”) – The first aspect of consciousness – The pleasure principle 4 The ego (ego = “self”) – The second aspect of consciousness – The reality principle 4 The superego (superego = “above self”) – The third aspect of consciousness – The morality principal

“In popular language, we may say that the ego stands for reason and sanity, in contrast to the id, which contains untamed passions. ” — Sigmund Freud

Three types of anxiety experienced by the ego in Freud’s structural/dynamic model of the mind 4 Neurotic anxiety: occurs when the id threatens to overwhelm ego constraints, leading to unacceptable or impulsive behavior 4 Reality anxiety: occurs when the ego feels overwhelmed by threats from the external environment 4 Moral anxiety: occurs when the ego is threatened by the superego’s punitive response to some forbidden thought, feeling, or action

Freudian defense mechanisms 4 Repression: “the cornerstone on which the whole structure of 4 4 4 psychoanalysis rests” Sublimation: “the only truly successful defense mechanism” Displacement: “channeling out impulses to a non-threatening object” Denial: “refusing to accept the reality of certain facts” Reaction formation: “acting in a manner opposite to our unconscious desires” Intellectualization: “removing the emotional content from the threatening idea” Projection: “attributing our unacceptable unconscious impulses to others instead of to ourselves”

Freud’s psychosexual stages of development 4 The oral stage: first 18 months of life; fixation at this stage can 4 4 result in oral dependency or oral aggressiveness The anal stage: around 18 to 36 months; fixation at this stage can result in anal-compulsiveness or anal-expulsion The phallic stage: around 3 to 6 years; the period in which the Oedipal or Electra complex must be dealt with and resolved The latency stage: around 6 to 11 years; the period in which same-sex friendships are predominant The genital stage: puberty years; fixation at this stage can result in the inability to establish a mutually satisfying sexual relationship with another person

Psychoanalysis 4 Talk therapy: the goal is to bring crucial unconscious material into consciousness, where it can be examined in a rational manner from an adult perspective 4 An array of techniques: dream interpretation, free association, hypnosis, Freudian slips, “accidents, ” symbolic behavior 4 Common outcomes in psychotherapy – – Resistance Transference Countertransference Insight

Getting at unconscious material 4 Dream interpretation 4 Projective tests 4 Free association 4 Freudian slips 4 Hypnosis 4 Accidents 4 Symbolic behavior

Dream interpretation 4 Manifest content versus latent content 4 Symbols representing unconscious thoughts, feelings, and desires – – Penis: tower, fountain, pencil, snake Vagina: cave, box, pouch, doorway Sexual intercourse: dancing, riding, climbing Male erection: flying, sailing a kite

Getting at unconscious material 4 Dream interpretation 4 Projective tests 4 Free association 4 Freudian slips 4 Hypnosis 4 Accidents 4 Symbolic behavior

Examples of projective tests 4 The Rorschach Inkblot test 4 Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) 4 The Human Figure Drawing Test

The Rorschach Inkblot Test Developed by Herman Rorschach - born in 1884, died in 1922 at age 37 - published his book Psychodiagnostik in 1921

The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) Developed by Henry Murray - born 1883, died 1988 at age 95 - developed the TAT in the 1930 s

The Human Figure Drawing Test

Getting at unconscious material 4 Dream interpretation 4 Projective tests 4 Free association 4 Freudian slips 4 Hypnosis 4 Accidents 4 Symbolic behavior

Strengths and criticisms of Freud’s theory 4 Strengths – Freud proposed the first comprehensive theory of human behavior and personality – Freud proposed the first system of psychotherapy, along with an array of useful techniques – Freud popularized and promoted important psychological principles and concepts 4 Criticisms – Some of Freud’s ideas weren’t original or groundbreaking – Some of Freud’s hypotheses aren’t testable – Freud’s case study data were biased in the direction of psychopathology – The tone and emphases of Freud’s theory reveal his personal biases