Class 3 Psychoanalytic Theory Freud and His Background

Class 3 Psychoanalytic Theory

Freud and His Background Born 1856 in Moravia, currently Czech Republic Jewish roots a. Anti-Semitism as spur to P-A b. P-A emphasis on symbols, hidden meanings, text c. Role of ego as “Fiddler on the Roof” btwn ID, Superego Trained as a neurologist Association with Josef Breuer – hypnosis and hysteria

Freud and Sex and sexual urges are central to P-A Reasons: a. Freud’s self-analysis b. Era in which Freud lived was sexually repressed Ms. Steinway, have you no shame!

How Does Psychoanalysis Relate to Social Psychology? 1. Levels of consciousness 2. Overt social behavior driven by unconscious drives, motives, emotions, memories 3. Importance of language, and especially self-to-self language 4. Importance of inner life 5. Struggle to coordinate private needs with social, societal demands 6. Connection between psychological life and physical health

“Genetic” System of Psycho-sexual Development a. Oral phase (Birth - 1 Yr): self vs. non-self b. Anal phase (1 -3 yrs): control vs. release c. Phallic phase (3 -4 yrs): explore vs. inhibit, Oedipus/Electra complexes. d. Latency phase (5 to puberty): consolidation of phases a – c e. Genital phase: accommodation vs. fear/hostility Each stage presents "conflict". Failure, or over-success, at stage leads to fixation on it.

Additional Features of Freud’s Analogues to Psychic Triad? Theory Structural System of Psyche a. Id – pleasure principle b. Ego – accommodator/negotiator Mob Congress Motor Governor President Driver Priest c. Superego – rule writer/moralist Defenses of Ego a. Resistance b. Repression Personality = interaction of all three systems Supreme Court GPS

Lecture 1: Introduction to P-A Opens with warning to audience Method of P-A: Free association: (for treatment and science). “Data” of P-A: a. Unobservable b. Like history (based on artifacts dug up from uncons. c. Learned first on oneself Mind-body problem

Lecture 1: Introduction to P-A, Psychoanalysis is denigratedcont. by other psychologists, society. Why? a. Promotes notion of unconscious b. Champions non-rational (aka feminine? ) c. Addresses sexuality 1. Sex is central to unconscious 2. Sex is key to culture 3. Sex is motor that drives civilization

Lecture 2: Psychology of Errors Freudian slips: When you say one thing but mean your mother. 1. Secrets of psyche found in language errors a. Slips of the tongue b. Mis-readings c. Forgetting, misplacing objects, damaging things 2. Deterministic – there are no coincidences, nothing random in behavior. 3. Errors represent conflicted motives a. Between private desires, public rules

Lecture 2: Psychology of Errors, cont. Hidden meaning of errors facilitated by fatigue, 4. verbal associations, etc. -- occur when defenses are relaxed. 5. Scientific problems of P-A approach to errors a. Falsifiability b. Tautology 6. Note Freud's argument style: Voices audiences’ distain, resistance, Creates counterarguments to audience, Then challenges his own

"Motoric" Freudian Slip: Paul Ekman's Emotional Leakage Ekman & Friesen,

On-Air Freudian Slips ''For seven and a half years I've worked alongside President Reagan. We've had triumphs. Made some mistakes. We've had some sex. . . uh. . . setbacks. '' George W. Bush, 1988 More slips: https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v =BEIsl. G 2 Mcp. A

Lecture 3: Resistance and Repression 1. Free association should be easy. Is it? 2. Resistance to free association reflects repression; resistance serves repression. Defense against threatening thoughts/wishes 3. Why repress? 4. Architecture of Psyche a. Unconscious = large ante-chamber b. Narrow passage with gate-keeper c. Smaller room = consciousness/preconscious d. “Spotlight of attention" consciousness.

Lecture 3: Resistance and Repression, cont. 5. Repression occurs at narrow passage, but repressed material sneaks through via back doors, in disguise. How? “Suppressed”!!! Neurotic symptoms serve two functions: 1. Guide to what is repressed 2. Sustain repression 6. "Let There Be Light", John Huston https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=ui. D 6 bnqp. JDE

Lecture 4: Anxiety 1. Statement on normal anxiety = mini thesis on emotion 2. Normal anxiety a. Response to expected harm b. Intensity = nature of threat + ability to handle threat. c. Functions: 1. Draw attention to threat 2. Readies body for action 3. Where do all emotions come from? a. Memories of past events

Neurotic Anxiety Free-floating anxiety: a. Appears to have no cause, but must have a cause b. Cause is hidden 1. Freud: hidden cause is forbidden, e. g. , sex. urges 2. Modern POV: Cause is any dangerous meaning c. Anxiety arises when encountering cue related to forbidden /threatening meaning or inclination.

Anxiety Aroused by Threatening Cues You would be surprised if you listen to the number of times a day people tell you something will last a lifetime or tell you something killed them, or tell you they are dead. “I was simply dead” they say, “He killed me, ” “I am dying, ” which I never noticed before but now begun to notice more and more. Mark Harris, Bang the Drum Slowly, 1953

Neurotic Anxiety, cont. Free-floating anxiety: d. Neurotic symptoms: 1. Serve as escape hatch by which impulse is expressed. 2. Serve as cue to nature or impulse Eye twitch when near potential romantic interest: a. Releases tension b. “Inadvertently” Signals what? c. Has what effect on observer? Serving what function for “twitchee”.

Sublimation: The Motor of Civilization