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The Psychodynamic Theory Of Abnormality Sigmund Freud.

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Presentation on theme: "The Psychodynamic Theory Of Abnormality Sigmund Freud."— Presentation transcript:

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

4 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? 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 Therefore, repression in a defence mechanism

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

6 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf P9AIJA72E

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

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

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

10 The id and the superego are in constant conflict I WANT! Oh, but you mustn’t! 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

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.. MURDER RAPE Personality disorder A dominant supergo can lead to.. Obsessive compulsive disorder Anxiety disorders: Phobias

12 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 It then moves to the anus And then to the genitals If the child is over- gratified or under- gratified, this can lead to fixation Fixation can lead to adult personality problems The psychosexual stages of development

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

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

15 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

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

17 Phallic Stage (3-6 years approximately) 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 Daddy might deal with me by castrating me But the child fears his father will castrate him if he continues his flirtation with his mother. The psychosexual stages of development

18 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

19 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

20 Self love Homosexuality Reckless behaviour The psychosexual stages of development

21 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

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

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


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