Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic Psychoanalytic and Psychodynamic TheoriesTheories

Freud’s notion of an objective psychologyFreud’s notion of an objective psychology

HistoryHistory

Wednesday Psychological SocietyPsycho-Analysis Group

FreudFreud

A mechanistic, deterministic thinker A mechanistic, deterministic thinker who developed a system of who developed a system of psychology with biological/hydraulic psychology with biological/hydraulic elements: a system of stresses and elements: a system of stresses and strains, conflicts and tensions, with strains, conflicts and tensions, with dynamic interaction between dynamic interaction between biological instinctive drives and biological instinctive drives and social demands.social demands.

DeterminismDeterminism

How is behavior determined?How is behavior determined?

Hard Determinism: The universe is like Hard Determinism: The universe is like clocks, what occurs in the world or in clocks, what occurs in the world or in behavior is precisely what must have behavior is precisely what must have occurred.occurred.

Encompasses the idea that psychological Encompasses the idea that psychological events are causally related to each other events are causally related to each other and to the individual’s past.and to the individual’s past.

Soft Determinism: A belief that things Soft Determinism: A belief that things could have gone otherwise than they could have gone otherwise than they did. did. – In Freud, there is lack of psychic In Freud, there is lack of psychic

freedom in the freedom in the unconsciousunconscious mind, mind, but with conscious insight, we can but with conscious insight, we can correct our (propensity toward) correct our (propensity toward) undesired behavior.undesired behavior.

The concept of DynamicsThe concept of Dynamics

The interplay of the forces in the The interplay of the forces in the mind, forces acting in unison or in mind, forces acting in unison or in opposition and finding expression in a opposition and finding expression in a form representing a compromise of form representing a compromise of the participating elements.the participating elements.

TopographyTopography

Concerns the relation of individual Concerns the relation of individual psychic elements to consciousness, a psychic elements to consciousness, a sort of layering of mental contents sort of layering of mental contents according to the criterion of according to the criterion of accessibility to awareness.accessibility to awareness.– ConsciousnessConsciousness– Pre-consciousnessPre-consciousness– UnconsciousnessUnconsciousness

Genetic principleGenetic principle

Recognizes the prevailing and Recognizes the prevailing and enduring influences of the past upon enduring influences of the past upon current mental activity.current mental activity.

It recognizes the extent to which the It recognizes the extent to which the past is embedded in the present and past is embedded in the present and shapes current thoughts, behavior, shapes current thoughts, behavior, and feelings.and feelings.

The Structure of PersonalityThe Structure of Personality

IdId– The biological component. The primary source The biological component. The primary source

of psychic energy, the seat of the instincts…of psychic energy, the seat of the instincts…The pleasure principle.The pleasure principle.

EgoEgo– The traffic cop…governs, controls, regulates The traffic cop…governs, controls, regulates

the personality. Ruled by the reality principle.the personality. Ruled by the reality principle. SuperegoSuperego

– The judicial branch…a person’s moral code, The judicial branch…a person’s moral code, concerned with whether an action is good, bad, concerned with whether an action is good, bad, right, wrong…striving for “perfection.”right, wrong…striving for “perfection.”

Features of Freud’s PsychoanalysisFeatures of Freud’s Psychoanalysis

1. Objective1. Objective 2. Physiological substratum for theory.2. Physiological substratum for theory. 3. Emphasized causality3. Emphasized causality 4. Reductionistic. The individual was divided into 4. Reductionistic. The individual was divided into

“parts” that were antagonistic toward each other: “parts” that were antagonistic toward each other: e.g., id-ego-superego. Eros vs. Thanatos. e.g., id-ego-superego. Eros vs. Thanatos. Conscious vs. unconscious.Conscious vs. unconscious.

5. The study of the individual centers about the 5. The study of the individual centers about the intrapersonal, the intrapsychic.intrapersonal, the intrapsychic.

6. The establishment of intrapsychic harmony 6. The establishment of intrapsychic harmony constitutes the ideal goal of psychotherapy. constitutes the ideal goal of psychotherapy. “Where id was, there shall ego be.”“Where id was, there shall ego be.”

Features of Freud’s PsychoanalysisFeatures of Freud’s Psychoanalysis

7. People are basically “bad.” Civilization attempts to 7. People are basically “bad.” Civilization attempts to domesticate them, for which they pay a heavy price. domesticate them, for which they pay a heavy price. Through therapy the instinctual demands may be Through therapy the instinctual demands may be sublimated but not eliminated.sublimated but not eliminated.

8. People are victims of both instinctual life and civilization.8. People are victims of both instinctual life and civilization. 9. Description of child development was postdictive and not 9. Description of child development was postdictive and not

based upon direct observation of children but upon the free based upon direct observation of children but upon the free associations of adults.associations of adults.

10. Emphasis on the Oedipus situation and its resolution.10. Emphasis on the Oedipus situation and its resolution. 11. People are enemies. Others are our competitors, and 11. People are enemies. Others are our competitors, and

we must protect ourselves from them. we must protect ourselves from them. 12. Women feel inferior because they envy men their 12. Women feel inferior because they envy men their

penises. Women are inferior. Anatomy is destiny.penises. Women are inferior. Anatomy is destiny. 13. Neurosis has a sexual etiology.13. Neurosis has a sexual etiology. 14. Neurosis is the price we pay for civilization.14. Neurosis is the price we pay for civilization.

Freudian PsychologyPsychoanalysis

Object Relations Jung Adler

Neo-FreudianPsychodynamic Theory

Horney, Fromm, SullivanUnconsciousness in

Interpersonal Relationships

Problem-focusedAttachment Theory