Personality and The Psychoanalytic Perspective

Warm Up What is your personality? Choose at least 5 words that you think describe your personality What is your personality? Choose at least 5 words that you think describe your personality

Personality and the Four Perspectives What is personality? What is personality? –Thinking –Feeling –Acting Theories of Personality: Theories of Personality: 1. Psychoanalytic 2. Trait 3. Humanistic 4. Social Cognitive

The Psychoanalytic Perspective Sigmund Freud Sigmund Freud Personality: Personality: –unconscious conflicts & motivations –early childhood sexuality & experiences. Review…what is repression? Review…what is repression? Two main motives: Two main motives: –Sex –Aggression.

The Psychoanalytic Perspective Psychoanalysis: Psychoanalysis: –Freud’s theory: unconscious motivations influence personality –techniques used to uncover unconscious motivations which may be causing a psychological disorder. Freud: must understand your unconscious to fix psych. problems (depression, anxiety, etc.) Freud: must understand your unconscious to fix psych. problems (depression, anxiety, etc.)

Unconscious vs. Preconscious Unconscious: Freud: unconscious = stash of mostly unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings and memories. Freud: unconscious = stash of mostly unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings and memories. –Repressed! We are unaware of it. –Source of dreams Contemporary viewpoint: unconscious = information processing of which we are unaware. Contemporary viewpoint: unconscious = information processing of which we are unaware.

Unconscious vs. Preconscious Preconscious = info that isn’t conscious, but is retrievable into conscious awareness. Preconscious = info that isn’t conscious, but is retrievable into conscious awareness. –NOT repressed. –Ex: memories we can call up at any time - phone number, best friend’s last name, etc.

Structure of Our Personality According to Freud Iceberg analogy Iceberg analogy Conscious v. Unconscious Conscious v. Unconscious Three parts to our psyche: Three parts to our psyche: –Ego –Id –Superego Id Superego EgoConscious mind Unconscious mind

Parts of Personality According to Freud Id: Id: –biggest part of unconscious –drives and instincts (biological, sexual, and aggressive) immediate gratification immediate gratification pleasure principle – seeks pleasure, avoids pain pleasure principle – seeks pleasure, avoids pain

Parts of Personality According to Freud Superego: conscience, morality, right & wrong, socially acceptable Superego: conscience, morality, right & wrong, socially acceptable –Do what’s ‘right’ vs. what is selfish Mostly unconscious Mostly unconscious –We have unconscious ideals, but are also aware of our ‘conscience’ Pushes you towards perfection. Pushes you towards perfection. Develops around 4 or 5 Develops around 4 or 5

Parts of Personality According to Freud Ego: the boss Ego: the boss –mostly conscious part –mediates conflict between id and superego –Judgment, planning, control, long- term consequences Reality principle Reality principle –satisfying the id’s desires in ways that will bring pleasure rather than pain. –e.g. you might want this NOW but what are long-term effects?

Pleasure Seeking Impulses (Id) vs. Internalized Social Restraints (Superego) = personality

Personality Development Freud: Freud: –personality develops during your first few years. –adult’s conflicts come from unresolved conflicts from early childhood (often related to conflicts in psychosexual development.) Psychosexual Stages: childhood stages of development when (according to Freud,) the id’s pleasure-seeking energies are focused on distinct erogenous zones. Psychosexual Stages: childhood stages of development when (according to Freud,) the id’s pleasure-seeking energies are focused on distinct erogenous zones.

Know the Psychosexual Stages Freud’s Psychosexual Stages Stage Focus Oral Pleasure centers on the mouth-- (0-18 months) sucking, biting, chewing Anal Pleasure focuses on bowel and bladder (18-36 months) elimination; coping with demands for control Phallic Pleasure zone is the genitals; coping with (3-6 years) incestuous sexual feelings Latency Dormant sexual feelings (6 to puberty) Genital Maturation of sexual interests (puberty on)

Personality Development and Conflict Fixation: Fixation: –a lingering focus of the Id (pleasure-seeking) at an earlier psychosexual stage. –Occurs when those “sexual needs” are overindulged or deprived. –Ex: Anal Retentive, “oral fixation,” etc.

Conflict/Fixation in the Oral Stage Oral stage Oral stage –“sexual pleasure” infant gets from sucking, biting, and chewing. Conflict? Conflict? –when child is weaned off of breast or bottle –traumatic separation anxiety. “Fixation” in this stage leads to: “Fixation” in this stage leads to: –1. Oral dependent personality: gullible, passive or dependent. –2. Oral aggressive personality: sarcastic, argumentative personality. Adults with “oral fixation” may smoke, drink, chew pens, etc. when they get anxious. Adults with “oral fixation” may smoke, drink, chew pens, etc. when they get anxious.

Conflict/Fixation in the Anal Stage Anal stage Anal stage –“sexual pleasure” child receives from being able to control defecation (pooping) at the anus. Conflict? Conflict? –during toilet training –training is too strict and inflexible or too lenient  child becomes fixated at that stage Fixation in this stage leads to: Fixation in this stage leads to: –1. Anal retentive personality: compulsive cleanliness, orderliness, etc. OR –Anal Expulsive personality: disorganized, messy, hot temper. “The Anal Retentive Chef” “The Anal Retentive Chef” “The Anal Retentive Chef”

Conflict/Fixation During the Phallic Stage (Focus on Genitals) The Oedipus Complex: boys develop… The Oedipus Complex: boys develop… – sexual desires --> mother –feelings of jealousy and hatred --> father –Schick Commercial Schick CommercialSchick Commercial Castration anxiety: Castration anxiety: –boys become afraid Father will cut off their genitalia as punishment for desiring mother. Father = rival –Leads to…eventual repression of feelings towards mother and identification with rival parent (father). Identification: process by which children incorporate their parents’ values into their developing superegos. Identification: process by which children incorporate their parents’ values into their developing superegos. Electra Complex: Electra Complex: –Girl’s version (desire father, compete with mother). –Penis envy - analogous to castration anxiety

Latency Stage Ages 6 to 12 Ages 6 to 12 –sexual feelings are repressed. Freud said: Freud said: –this is when children put energy into forming social relationships and learning new tasks. If child does not fulfill their own expectations they may feel inferior. If child does not fulfill their own expectations they may feel inferior.

Genital Stage Adolescence. Adolescence. One develops warm feelings towards opposite sex and sexual attraction and intimate relationships with opposite sex. One develops warm feelings towards opposite sex and sexual attraction and intimate relationships with opposite sex. Freud: a smooth period for those with little energy fixated in previous stages. Freud: a smooth period for those with little energy fixated in previous stages.

Personality and Dealing with Anxiety The ego has to deal with anxiety from unconscious conflicts between id and superego. The ego has to deal with anxiety from unconscious conflicts between id and superego. –At times to avoid anxiety it protects itself by using:

methods that the ego uses to reduce anxiety. Involves unconsciously distorting reality to make itself (you!) feel better. Defense Mechanisms:

10 Examples of Defense Mechanisms 1. Repression: banishes anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories from consciousness. Ex: Child sexual abuse is “forgotten.” 2. Regression: when an individual returns to an earlier psychosexual stage, where some “psychic energy” remains fixated. Ex: When stressed someone may smoke or drink more (oral fixation).

Examples of Defense Mechanisms 3. Reaction Formation: ego unconsciously switches unacceptable impulses into their opposites. People will express opposite of their anxiety arousing feelings. Ex: Those with unacceptable homosexual impulses may become gay bashers. 4. Projection: when people disguise their own threatening impulses by attributing them to others. Ex: Husband who is cheating may suspect his wife of cheating and accuse her.

Examples of Defense Mechanisms 5.Rationalization: offering self-justifying explanations in place of the real, more threatening, unconscious reasons for one’s actions. Ex: Justifying cheating on taxes by saying the government would only waste the money. 6.Displacement: shifting one’s sexual or aggressive impulses to a more acceptable or less threatening object or person…redirect anger at “safer outlet.” Ex: Angry at boss or supervisor and you take it out by yelling at spouse, who might take it out on the child, who then might kick the dog.

Examples of Defense Mechanisms 7.Sublimation: when people re-direct their unacceptable impulses into socially approved activities. Ex: Playing football to rechannel aggressive impulses. 8.Intellectualization: separating oneself from the emotions of a situation by focusing on the problem in a systematic factual way or in the abstract. Ex: A wife who learns her husband is dying of cancer tries to learn all she can about the disease, prognosis, treatment options, etc. She looks at it in a scientific way to avoid dealing with the emotions.

Examples of Defense Mechanisms 9.Denial: when a person denies threatening behavior or events are taking place. Ex: Person who is paralyzed in a horrible accident states emphatically “I will walk again!” 10.Undoing: idea that if you have unacceptable impulses/behavior you can undo or make it up by doing something. Ex: After cheating on wife, husband buys her jewelry.

DEFENSE MECHANISM SKIT ACTIVITY Instructions: You will work with a partner for this activity. Each pair will be given two defense mechanisms. Your task is to write and perform a short ( second) skit in which you show a defense mechanism in action. Write skits for both defense mechanisms. Everyone will perform at least one. Don’t use the name of the defense mechanism in the skit, and don’t tell us what it is. Make it clear enough that we can figure it out. Be creative! One person should be clearly exhibiting the defense mechanism, while the other person interacts with them in some way or provokes them or talks about them etc. etc….

Methods for Tapping Into the Unconscious 1. Hypnosis: Hypnotized patients would talk freely which allowed Freud access to “unconscious conflicts.” Freud eventually turned away from hypnosis since not all patients reacted to it. Hypnotic regression: The “therapy” people often undergo to remember alien abductions, or other “repressed” memories.

Methods for Tapping Into the Unconscious 2. Dreams: considered the “royal road to the unconscious.” Freud’s book: “The Interpretation of Dreams” was important Manifest content (dream sequence or story) = censored expression of the dreamer’s unconscious wishes. Latent content - the unconscious, “real” meaning of the dream. Latent content - the unconscious, “real” meaning of the dream. Psychoanalysis can uncover this latent content.

Methods for Tapping into The Unconscious 3. Free Association: patients relax, say whatever comes to their mind, no matter how trivial or embarrassing.

Methods for Tapping into The Unconscious To Freud nothing you did or said was ever accidental; Everything offered insights into the unconscious. 4. Freudian Slips: slips of the tongue or actions which may illustrate unconscious motives/feelings. Ex: Accidentally calling your wife “mom” Ex: Man sending a post card to his wife while on vacation which reads: “Wish you were her.” Freudian Slip Freudian Slip Freudian Slip #2 Freudian Slip #2

Psychoanalytic Personality Tests: Assessing the Unconscious Projective Tests: test which presents ambiguous (unclear) stimuli Projective Tests: test which presents ambiguous (unclear) stimuli How you interpret it reveals your unconscious (according to psychoanalysts) How you interpret it reveals your unconscious (according to psychoanalysts)

Types of Projective Tests Thematic Apperception Test (TAT): people express inner feelings/unconscious, through the stories they make up about ambiguous scenes. Thematic Apperception Test (TAT): people express inner feelings/unconscious, through the stories they make up about ambiguous scenes. Examiners look at Examiners look at Content of stories Content of stories Emotion of stories Emotion of stories Other behavior/body language Other behavior/body language Try it! Try it! o What has led up to the event shown o What is happening at the moment o What the characters are thinking and feeling, and o What the outcome of the story was o What has led up to the event shown o What is happening at the moment o What the characters are thinking and feeling, and o What the outcome of the story was

House-Tree-Person Draw a house, a tree and a person. Draw a house, a tree and a person. Let’s interpret! Let’s interpret! –The house represents your feelings about your family –The tree portrays how weak/strong you feel –The person is you…what is your self-concept? How do you see yourself?

Types of Projective Tests Rorschach Inkblot Test: most widely used projective test, looks to identify people’s inner feelings by analyzing their interpretations of blots. Rorschach Inkblot Test: most widely used projective test, looks to identify people’s inner feelings by analyzing their interpretations of blots.

Neo-Freudians Alfred Adler: emphasized SOCIAL tensions in childhood rather than sexual tensions to explain personality. Alfred Adler: emphasized SOCIAL tensions in childhood rather than sexual tensions to explain personality. Proposed idea of inferiority complex: Proposed idea of inferiority complex: –inferiority during childhood causes individuals to overcompensate –significant achievements or antisocial tendencies.

Neo-Freudians Carl Jung: Came up with several important Psychoanalytic ideas including: Carl Jung: Came up with several important Psychoanalytic ideas including: –Collective Unconscious: idea that humans have a shared reservoir of memories from our species’ history. –Inherited memories were known as archetypes and can be seen in the common themes in religions, cultures, literature, etc.  Trickster- often represented by a clown or a magician  Hero – fights the ‘shadow’ archetype, or evil (dragon, monster)  Wise old man - guides the hero, reveals the collective unconscious to him

Neo-Freudians Karen Horney: brought a feminist perspective to psychoanalytic theory and sharply attacked the male bias she saw in Freud’s work. Karen Horney: brought a feminist perspective to psychoanalytic theory and sharply attacked the male bias she saw in Freud’s work. –Argued against Freud’s concept of “penis envy.” –She said: Men experience “womb envy” jealous of female ability to give birth, reason men try to dominate women.