The Psychodynamic Theory Of Abnormality Sigmund Freud Basic

The Psychodynamic Theory Of Abnormality Sigmund Freud

Basic Assumptions • All adult personality and thus abnormalities are a result of childhood experiences • Adult personality is largely determined by the age of five • Behaviour is driven by unconscious motives • Abnormalities are caused by unconscious conflicts

According to Freud… and an iceberg got in common? What have the human mind The greater part is buried beneath the surface

According to Freud, most of what is contained in our minds is pushed below the surface where we can’t access it He calls this repression But why do we repress information? Therefore, repression in a defence mechanism According to theory, any thoughts, feelings or memories that are likely to cause us unpleasant emotions (e. g. guilt, shame, anxiety, sadness) are pushed into the unconscious to protect us from the negative feelings they would provoke

What might be some examples of repressed information? I wish my mother was I am gaydead I would like to have But wefather cannot sex with my completely escape from these thoughts/feelings I have an irrational I hate I feargay of people, They may be I they oftenshould feel very think injections represented in aggressive no be locked upfor conscious reason behaviour in symbolic form Therefore, unconscious conflicts can lead to psychological disorders

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The Structure of Personality Freud argued that there are 3 components of the human personality: The id and I want it NOW! This is about ME! want food, I want sex and I want alcohol This works on the pleasure principle It is wholly concerned with the gratification of physical needs

The Structure of Personality Freud argued that there are 3 components of the human personality: You may well be in love with her, It operates Frog, old son, according to the but it’s only ‘reality principle’ going to lead to heartache This tries to balance the demands of the Do yourself a id with the needs of favour, old bean – the superego (moral go home and drown component) your sorrows with a few pints It is the rational The ego part of the personality

The Structure of Personality Freud argued that there are 3 components of the human personality: The superego We really shouldn’t have done that, Harry This is the moral part of the personality. It results from the internalisation of the values of parents and society I guess it’s eternal damnation for the both of The us superego threatens guilt for bad behaviour and rewards (e. g. high self esteem) for good behaviour

The id and the superego are in constant conflict Oh, but you mustn’t! T! I WAN The ego uses defense mechanisms to protect the superego from the harmful thoughts of the id Hmm… how can I deal with this problem? As we’ve discussed, repression is a defence mechanism Over-use of the defence mechanisms can lead to psychological disorder

But if the ego fails to provide a balance between the id and the superego, then abnormalities can occur if one or the other become dominant A dominant ID can lead to. . Personality disorder RAPE MURDER A dominant supergo can lead to. . Obsessive compulsive disorder Phobias Anxiety disorders:

The psychosexual stages of development Freud believed that during the stages of psychosexual development, the focus of the libido (sexual energy) shifts to different parts of the body During each stage, conflicts arise which have to be resolved. It then moves to the anus It starts in. Ifthe themouth child is overgratified or undergratified, this can lead to fixation And then Fixation can lead to adult to the personality problems genitals

The psychosexual stages of development Oral stage (0 -18 months approximately) The child derives pleasure from sucking and, later, biting Consequences of fixation:

The psychosexual stages of development Nail biting Smoking Biting sarcasm Overeating

The psychosexual stages of development Anal stage (18 months-3 years approximately) The child derives pleasure from defecating and regards its faeces as its first possessions Consequences of fixation:

The psychosexual stages of development Overly controlling personality Miserliness Obsessive-compulsive disorder

The psychosexual stages of development Phallic Stage (3 -6 years approximately) But Daddy might deal with If only could get rid me Iby of Daddy, me mummy castrating would be mine! The focus of the libido moves to the genitals. The boy experiences the Oedipus Complex: The boy wishes to sexually possess his mother and get rid of his father who he sees as a rival for his mother’s affections. But the child fears his father will castrate him if he continues his flirtation with his mother.

The psychosexual stages of development And so the boy represses his love for his mother and becomes like his father (identification with the aggressor) to avoid the threat of castration This is how he acquires his sense of morality (superego), through the internalisation of parental values The equivalent for girls is the Electra Complex The girl becomes sexually attracted to her father

The psychosexual stages of development But because she fears she will lose her mother’s love, she represses her love for her father and identifies with her mother Consequences of fixation:

The psychosexual stages of development Self love Reckless behaviour Homosexuality

Apart from repression, other defence mechanisms can include: Displacement What do you think you’re lookin’ at? Repressed feelings towards a person (e. g. hostility towards a parent) may be displaced onto others, causing the person, in this example, to be overly aggressive

Apart from repression, other defence mechanisms can include: Reaction formation You disgust me! This is where the unconscious feeling is converted to the opposite behaviour Freud believed that homophobia was an indication of repressed homosexuality

Apart from repression, other defence mechanisms can include: Projection This is where we attribute repressed traits/feeling to others This can lead to paranoia I’m not leaving the house All. It’s men notare safe sex maniacs They’re disgusting perverts, the lot of them