The Psychodynamic Theory Of Abnormality

1. The Psychodynamic Theory Of Abnormality Sigmund Freud

2. 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

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

4. According to the 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 According to Freud, most of what is contained in our minds is pushed below the surface where we can’t access it He calls thisrepression But why do we repress information? Therefore, repression in a defence mechanism

5. I wish my mother was dead I would like to have sex with my father I am gay But we cannot completely escape from these thoughts/feelings What might be some examples of repressed information? I have an irrational fear of injections I hate gay people, I think they should be locked up They may be represented in conscious behaviour in symbolic form I often feel very aggressive for no reason Therefore, unconscious conflicts can lead to psychological disorders

6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfP9AIJA72E

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

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

9. 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 us The superego threatens guilt for bad behaviour and rewards (e.g. high self esteem) for good behaviour

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

11. 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.. Phobias Anxiety disorders: Obsessive compulsive disorder

12. 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 starts in the mouth If the child is over-gratified or under-gratified, this can lead to fixation It then moves to the anus And then to the genitals Fixation can lead to adult personality problems

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

14. The psychosexual stages of development Nail biting Smoking Biting sarcasm Over-eating

15. 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:

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

17. The psychosexual stages of development Phallic Stage (3-6 years approximately) But Daddy might deal with me by castrating me If only I could get rid of Daddy, mummy 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.

18. The psychosexual stages of development The equivalent for girls is the Electra Complex 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 The girl becomes sexually attracted to her father This is how he acquires his sense of morality (superego), through the internalisation of parental values

19. 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:

20. The psychosexual stages of development Reckless behaviour Self love Homosexuality

21. Apart from repression, other defence mechanisms can include: Displacement 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 What do you think you’re lookin’ at?

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

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