Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Module 2. Sigmund Freud's Classical Psychoanalytic Theory
Module 2. Sigmund Freud's Classical Psychoanalytic Theory
Freud:
Classical Icon
Psychoanalytic
Icon Icon
Theory
introduction
Icon
Sigmund Freud's psychoanalysis has endured
because it (1) postulated the primacy of sex and
aggression—two universally popular themes, (2) attracted
a group of followers who were dedicated to spreading
psychoanalytic doctrine, and (3) advanced the notion of
unconscious motives, which permit varying explanations
for the same observations.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Personal Theory
• Structure of Personality
• Dynamics of Personality
• Development of Personality
• Current Research and Evaluation
Psychoanalysis
Unconscious
Sigmund Freud, the founder of psychoanalysis, compared the human mind to an iceberg. The tip
above the water represents consciousness, and the vast region below the surface symbolizes the
unconscious mind. Of Freud’s three basic personality structures—id, ego, and superego—only the
id is totally unconscious.
Parts of
the
Mind
Main difference between Ego and Superego?
Dynamics of
Drives Anxiety
Personality
• Neurotic Anxiety-
Thanatos = Libido or
apprehension about an
Sex Drive MEANS
unknown danger
Aggression/Destructive
• Moral Anxiety- the conflict
Drive( IMPETUS,
between ego and super ego
amount of force exerts,
• Realistic Anxiety- closely
excitement, tension
related to fear
Defense Mechanisms
A mental maneuver that one consciously or unconsciously chooses to use to distort or
falsify the truth of one’s experience in order to protect oneself from feeling painful emotions
like shame, guilt, or anxiety.
LYING REGRESSION
One doesn’t tell the truth for either self-gain or to When adult defense mechanisms stop working for us, we
spare feeling ridicule, rejection, or punishment. regress to a personality we had at childhood.
Phrases like “I swear I didn’t do it,” or “It doesn’t For example, when an adult doesn’t take responsibility, he
mean anything” are often used when we know says, “It’s not my fault, it’s her fault.”
we haven’t lived up to our higher selves. Immature patterns of behavior emerge such as bragging.
In what circumstances do you think people lie
the most?
RATIONALIZATION REPRESSION
Occurs when we tell an element of the truth, but deny The person forces the unacceptable or threatening feeling
the larger truth of the matter. out of awareness to a point where he/she becomes
For example, “I could have won the race but the track unaware of it.
was wet.” The larger truth was that someone was Examples could be a simple reprimand or as serious as a
faster. rape.
“I got fired, but the boss was a jerk.” Failures are a A person is asked, “how do you get along with your
threat to the ego rationalization doesn’t hurt as bad. mother” and he responds, “just fine” as he turns pale.
Negative feelings about the mother are so unacceptable
that they block his awareness.
Defense Mechanisms
A mental maneuver that one consciously or unconsciously chooses to use to distort or
falsify the truth of one’s experience in order to protect oneself from feeling painful emotions
like shame, guilt, or anxiety.
DENIAL PROJECTION
The person doesn’t acknowledge the validity of The person attributes one’s own perceived negative attributes
the matter but acknowledges its presence. They onto someone else.
oppose force with force. For example, Bill blames the instructor for a bad grade when he
For example, the alcoholic expresses, “I may like didn’t study.
to drink, but I’m not an alcoholic.” Sara says, “You envy me,” when Sara really envies the other
Or a smoker concludes that the evidence linking person.
cigarette use to health problems is bogus. Sam cheats on his spouse and blames the spouse for cheating.
SUPPRESSION
The person is aware of the unacceptable desire and
validates it but intentionally tries to keep it from AND MORE……
expressing itself.
For example, “I know I’m an alcoholic so I’m going on
the wagon.”
A homosexual who intentionally doesn’t date members
of the same sex so that the unacceptable does not
express itself.
An introvert is conditioned to be an extrovert.
He often suppress anger.
Age Characteristics Types
Development
erogenous zone
oral activities
Icon
Birth – 1
• Pleasure derived
Oral aggressive:
from sucking
•Excessive pessimism &
aggressiveness
• Id is dominant
The development of the psyche:
Personality develops in stages
Progresses in stages as the libido
(desire, sexual energy) is redirected
to different parts of the body
Fixation: Lack of resolution
Excessive frustration or
overindulgence (vs gratification)
results in fixation
Portion of libido remains invested
Psychosexual
Development Icon
Thus, in order to
understand motivation,
you must understand what
is in your unconscious
memory. This is the basis
for PSYCHOANALYSIS.
Thus, in order to
understand motivation,
you must understand what Free
is in your unconscious Dream
Association-
memory. This is the basis Analysis
for PSYCHOANALYSIS
Amnesia
Paradox of sleep-REM(Rapid Eye Movement)
NON- REM
Premonition Dreams
Sign, Symbol
(unconscious)
Day Dreams
Manifest Content of Dreams- Waking dreams, fantasies
Activation Synthesis Theory- Brain
(unconscious, subconscious)
produces random electrical energy
during REM sleep that stimulates
memories
KEY NOTIONS IN
PSYCHOANALYSIS PSYCHOLOGICAL
DETERMINISM CONFLICT UNCONSCIOUS
There is not such thing Our lives are a constant Consists of the processes
as random behavior; all negotiation of opposing in the mind which occur
our acts are determined impulses (desire/fear; automatically and are not
by internal forces love/hate) available to introspection,
(wishes, fears) related to and include thought
two basic instincts Such conflicts produce processes, memories,
anxiety (realistic, interests, and motivations.
neurotic, moral)
Related Research
Activation-synthesis
theory
Limbic
system
Research Generation (AVERAGE)
Directly and indirectly related to psychoanalytic theory.
Evaluation
Falsifiability (VERY LOW)
Ideas can be explained by other models
Icon
Organization and Explanation of Data (AVERAGE)
Only some principles are confirmed by science
Parsimony (LOW)
Due to complexities on its definition of human personality.
Free Choice over Determinism
Concept of Humanity
Optimism over Pessimism
Icon
Teleology and Causality
UNCONSCIOUS FORCES
AS DETERMINANTS OF BEHAVIOR
PRESENTATION TITLE LINE
THANK YOU!