1. Chapter 3 The Psychoanalytic Approach: Freudian Theory

3. Sigmund Freud (1856-1939) Was his mother’s favorite
Was not close to his father
Was enormously ambitious
Was trained as a medical doctor
Studied hysteria and hypnosis with J-M. Charcot and Josef Breuer
Applied his genius and inven-tiveness to the creation of the psychoanalytic approach
Was a prolific writer and a charis-matic mentor
Achieved his outsized ambition, but at a cost

4. Freud’s models of the mind: The topographical model
The conscious mind (thoughts, feelings, perceptions)
The preconscious mind (memories and stored
knowledge)
The unconscious mind (fears, unacceptable violent and
sexual urges, irrational wishes, selfish needs, shameful
and traumatic experiences)

5. “The mind is an iceberg—it floats with only one-seventh of its bulk above water.” — Sigmund Freud

7. Freud’s models of the mind: The dynamic model of id, ego, and superego
The id (id = “it”)
The first aspect of consciousness
The pleasure principle
The ego (ego = “self”)
The second aspect of consciousness
The reality principle
The superego (superego = “above self”)
The third aspect of consciousness
The morality principal

9. “In popular language, we may say that the ego stands for reason and sanity, in contrast to the id, which contains untamed passions.” — Sigmund Freud

11. Three types of anxiety experienced by the ego in Freud’s structural/dynamic model of the mind
Neurotic anxiety: occurs when the id threatens to overwhelm ego constraints, leading to unacceptable or impulsive behavior
Reality anxiety: occurs when the ego feels overwhelmed by threats from the external environment
Moral anxiety: occurs when the ego is threatened by the superego’s punitive response to some forbidden thought, feeling, or action

12. Freudian defense mechanisms
Repression: “the cornerstone on which the whole structure of psychoanalysis rests”
Sublimation: “the only truly successful defense mechanism”
Displacement: “channeling out impulses to a non-threatening object”
Denial: “refusing to accept the reality of certain facts”
Reaction formation: “acting in a manner opposite to our unconscious desires”
Intellectualization: “removing the emotional content from the threatening idea”
Projection: “attributing our unacceptable unconscious impulses to others instead of to ourselves”

13. Freud’s psychosexual stages of development
The oral stage: first 18 months of life; fixation at this stage can result in oral dependency or oral aggressiveness
The anal stage: around 18 to 36 months; fixation at this stage can result in anal-compulsiveness or anal-expulsion
The phallic stage: around 3 to 6 years; the period in which the Oedipal or Electra complex must be dealt with and resolved
The latency stage: around 6 to 11 years; the period in which same-sex friendships are predominant
The genital stage: puberty years; fixation at this stage can result in the inability to establish a mutually satisfying sexual relationship with another person

14. Psychoanalysis
Talk therapy: the goal is to bring crucial unconscious material into consciousness, where it can be examined in a rational manner from an adult perspective
An array of techniques: dream interpretation, free association, hypnosis, Freudian slips, “accidents,” symbolic behavior
Common outcomes in psychotherapy
Resistance
Transference
Countertransference
Insight

15. Getting at unconscious material
Dream interpretation
Projective tests
Free association
Freudian slips
Hypnosis
Accidents
Symbolic behavior

16. Dream interpretation Manifest content versus latent content
Symbols representing unconscious thoughts, feelings, and desires
Penis: tower, fountain, pencil, snake
Vagina: cave, box, pouch, doorway
Sexual intercourse: dancing, riding, climbing
Male erection: flying, sailing a kite

17. Getting at unconscious material
Dream interpretation
Projective tests
Free association
Freudian slips
Hypnosis
Accidents
Symbolic behavior

18. Examples of projective tests
The Rorschach Inkblot test
The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
The Human Figure Drawing Test

19. The Rorschach Inkblot Test
Developed by Herman Rorschach
born in 1884, died in 1922 at age 37
published his book Psychodiagnostik in 1921

20. The Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)
Developed by Henry Murray
born 1883, died 1988 at age 95
developed the TAT in the 1930s

21. The Human Figure Drawing Test

22. Getting at unconscious material
Dream interpretation
Projective tests
Free association
Freudian slips
Hypnosis
Accidents
Symbolic behavior

23. Strengths and criticisms of Freud’s theory
Freud proposed the first comprehensive theory of human behavior and personality
Freud proposed the first system of psychotherapy, along with an array of useful techniques
Freud popularized and promoted important psychological principles and concepts
Criticisms
Some of Freud’s ideas weren’t original or groundbreaking
Some of Freud’s hypotheses aren’t testable
Freud’s case study data were biased in the direction of psychopathology
The tone and emphases of Freud’s theory reveal his personal biases