PERSONALITY THEORIESFREUDIAN PSYCHODYNAMICS

PERSONALITY DEFINED

The unique pattern of enduring thoughts, feelings,

and actions that characterize a person

A LITTLE BACKGROUND ON SIGMUND FREUD…

PSYCHODYNAMIC PERSPECTIVE

Freud believed psychological influences caused disorders

Wanted to see what these psychological influences were

Developed first comprehensive personality theory ever!!

PSYCHODYNAMIC

Sigmund Freud

Conscious

Unconscious Fears

Immoral urges Selfish needs

Traumatic

experiences

Unacceptable sexual

desires

Irrational wishes

Violent impulses

Thoughts

Unresolved conflicts

Painful memories

Emotionsmemories

EXPLORING THE UNCONSCIOUS

• Freud asked patients to say whatever came to their mind to tap the unconscious

Free association

• Patients retrieved painful thoughts, once retrieved feel better

Psychoanalysis

• Filled with unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings, and memories

Unconscious Mind

THE STRUCTURE OF THE MIND

ID EGO SUPEREGO

THE ID

• Promote positive, constructive behavior

• Reflect the libido (energy source).

EROS: “Life Instincts”

• Responsible of aggression & destructiveness.

THANTOS: “Death Instincts”

• Seeking immediate satisfaction of both kinds of instincts

• While unconscious, the id seeks expression through…

• 1. Dreams

• 2. Freudian Slips (Slips of the Tongue)

Pleasure Principle

THE EGO

• Parents/teachers & others begin to place restrictions on Id expressions.

Develops from the Id

• Makes compromises b/w the Id’s demands & practicality of the real world.

Reality Principle

THE UNCONSCIOUS AT WORK

Naomi’s id wants her to eat an entire plate of donuts.

The ego suggests a more moderate response, which may partially satisfy the id.

Naomi decides to have one donut.

THE SUPEREGO

• Tells us what we should & should not do

Develops from internalizing societal & cultural values

• Feelings of guilt for doing bad; feelings of pride for doing good.

Moral Guide

THE UNCONSCIOUS AT WORK

You are a small child in a candy store. Your id is screaming for candy.

The superego is saying, “You know it is wrong to steal candy.”

The ego decides that the best way to handle this dilemma is for you to go home and ask your mother for your allowance.

Then you can go back and buy the candy, satisfying both the id and the superego.

PSYCHODYNAMIC CONFLICTS

Id, ego & superego compete and conflict.

Personalities are shaped by the number, nature and outcome of

these conflicts.

Ego’s function in the conflict is to prevent anxiety or guilt when

we are aware of our id impulses or violate superego’s rules.

This ego sometimes uses defense mechanisms to prevent

anxiety or guilt.

ID/EGO/SUPEREGO REVIEW

DEFENSE MECHANISMS

• “To Forget”

Repression

• “To Not Admit”

Denial

• “To Redirect Anger”

Displacement

• “To Express The Opposite”

Reaction Formation

DEFENSE MECHANISMS

• “To Go Backward”

Regression

• “To Make Excuses”

Rationalization

• “To Point The Finger”

Projection

• “To Channel Impulses”

Sublimation

DEFENSE MECHANISMS

• “To Overachieve”

Compensation

PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT

Occurs in stages.

Healthy personalities complete stages

without the libidobecoming fixated in

earlier stages.

Fixation occurs when a child becomes too

comfortable in a stage OR they are

traumatized in a stage.

STAGES OF PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT

Oral Stage

Anal Stage

Phallic Stage

Latency Period

Genital Stage

Impulses stay in the background.

Focus becomes development of social

skills.

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SPAZZ & MR. BEARAPPLYING PSYCHODYNAMICS

What stage does Spazz seem to be strongly fixated in?

Why?

Provide two examples that illustrate Spazz

has reached the Phallic Stage.

List at least 2 personality traits that will remain the same

throughout Spazz’s life.

FREUDIAN PSYCHODYNAMICS

EVALUATING FREUDIAN PSYCHODYNAMICS

Negatives

Not empirical or representative PENIS ENVY???

Positives

Stimulated personality developmental theories

Defense Mechanisms Emotions may not be

consciously felt

VARIATIONS ON FREUD’S PERSONALITY THEORY: NEO FREUDIANS

Carl Jung

• Extroverted & introverted personality types

• “Collective unconscious” & archetypes

VARIATIONS ON FREUD’S PERSONALITY THEORY: NEO FREUDIANS

Alfred Adler

• Personality develops from innate desire to control our environment & overcome helplessness

• “Strive for Superiority”

VARIATIONS ON FREUD’S PERSONALITY THEORY: NEO FREUDIANS

Karen Horney• Countered Freud’s penis envy w/ womb envy

• Women feel inferior because of cultural & political restrictions.

• People in general must deal with “neurotic needs”

CONTEMPORARY PSYCHODYNAMICS: OBJECT RELATIONS

Studies how people’s perceptions of

themselves influence their view of the

world

The first relationships b/w infants & love objects (mothers) vitally important

Focus on attachments (secure & insecure)