1. The Psychodynamic Approach and Aggression
Unconscious unresolved conflicts from childhood

2. Assumptions of the Psychodynamic Approach
Much of our behaviour is driven by unconscious motives – we are born with a ‘Eros’ life (preservation) and ‘Thanatos’ death (destruction) instinct (forces)
Behaviour is the consequence of the two instincts battling it out. Destruction is often redirected to others.
First 5 years are the most important time in developing your personality
Individual differences arise from unresolved, unconscious conflicts originating in childhood

3. In groups of 3:
You have 5 minutes to each design a character with these characteristics:
Selfish, hedonistic, seeks pleasure no matter what the cost
Uptight, follows rules rigidly, worries constantly, wants to be in control
Considerate, rational, realistic
Choose a name, gender and general character overview for this person – What job might they do? What are their friends like? Would you want to be friends with them?
Would your characters be friends with each other? Why or Why not? Who might argue the most?

4. Your characters are friends with each other but they frequently have arguments about how they should spend their spare time Character A always wants to do something risky and indulgent Character B would rather do something safe and predictable Character C gets stuck in the middle and has to negotiate a compromise Who is most likely to win the argument… and why?

5. Freud’s model of the mind
Tripartite model of the mind
According to Freud, we all have these three characters in our mind at the same time! If they are unbalanced, this can cause us a lot of anxiety and may eventually lead to mental abnormality.
Character A is the id (I want)
Character B is the superego (I must)
Character C is the ego (Balance)

6. Unconscious forces My famous diagram! EGO - reality SUPEREGO- morality
The conscious. The small amount of mental activity we know about.
The preconscious. Things we could be aware of if we wanted or tried.
The unconscious. Things we are unaware of and can not become aware of.
Thoughts
Perceptions
Memories
Stored knowledge
Fears
Unacceptable sexual desires
Violent motives
Irrational wishes
Immoral urges
Selfish needs
Shameful experiences
Traumatic experiences
Bad
Worse
Really Bad
EGO - reality
SUPEREGO-
morality
ID - instincts
Repression = blocking unconscious thoughts and placing them in the unconscious

7. Are we born with an ego?
Id is present at birth – a newborn baby is completely selfish
Ego develops by the age of three – child becomes aware that other people have feelings and that it can’t always have it’s own way Reality Principle
Superego appears around age five – sense of morality (conscience) passed on by parents – child internalises this Morality Principle
What shapes this development?

8. How did he come up with this theory?

9. Proof of the unconscious?
‘Freudian slips’
“A Freudian slip is saying one thing and meaning your mother”

10. Summary Ego too weak – allows id and superego to dominate
Id too strong – selfish, out of control, could become aggressive/psychopathic
Superego too strong – strict, anxious, obsessive – depression, anxiety, OCD

11. Task… How do you think Freud explained aggressive behaviour??
Remember:
Selfish id
Controlling superego
Reasonable ego
What do you think might happen if each part is too strong or weak?
Which personalities might this lead to?

12. Hi everybody! I’m Freud
Explain the psychodynamic explanation of aggression?
Freud explained that we have an unconscious drive that causes aggressive behaviour. Its caused by are ID’s natural instinct Freud called ‘Thanatos (death instinct)’. It is this that drives us to wards self-destruction. Over time this instinct builds up creating pressure which we cannot control and makes us do something aggressive.
Freud believed we deal with our aggressive instincts by redirecting them into other activities. It is a way of ‘letting off steam’ in a safer way than responding to situations in an aggressive manner. This is called Catharsis.

13. Activity: How do you engage in Catharsis?
Freud believed we deal with our aggressive instincts by redirecting them into other activities. It is a way of ‘letting off steam’ in a safer way than responding to situations in an aggressive manner. This is called Catharsis.
Activity: How do you engage in Catharsis?
In pairs/small groups draw up a list of the ways in which you relieve tension caused by your aggressive instincts

14. Catharsis
According to Freud and the Psychodynamic approach, watching aggression, dreaming about doing something aggressive, engaging in aggressive sport or other ‘permitted’ ways of realising aggression can be cathartic.
But, does catharsis work? Does fantasizing about aggression or watching other people be aggressive actually help purge feelings of aggression and make people less violent and hostile?

15. Why would Freud say that some people are more aggressive than others?

16. Describe Freud’s explanation of aggression. (6)

17. Homework: Come up with 2 ST and 2 WK With Evidence to support
Strengths
Weaknesses