Chapter 12: Personality Sigmund Freud and Psychoanalysis

Chapter 12: Personality

Sigmund Freud and Psychoanalysis

Chapter 12: Personality—FreudIntroduction Biography

1856 – 1939 Raised in Vienna,

Austria Wanted to be famous

became medical doctor

Family Step-mother was close

in age Freud was oldest Father was distant

Chapter 12: Personality—FreudIntroduction Professional influences

Jean-Martin Charcot French physician Used hypnosis to treat mental d/o’s

Josef Breuer Pub. paper “Studies in Hysteria” in which he proposed idea

that past traumas and psychol. scars are causes of hysteria (common mental d/o at time)

Hypnosis as treatment of hysteria (cond. where ind exp’s physical symptoms w/o apparent cause)

Pt would re-enact event so emotional energy could be discharged (catharsis)

Case of Anna O.

Chapter 12: Personality—FreudIntroduction Historical influences

and events Culture of Vienna World War I Jewish doctor working

in Austria during rise of Hitler

1938 flees Nazis and moves to England

1939 dies of throat cancer due to smoking cigars

Chapter 12: Personality—FreudIntroduction

Freud’s influence Three significant intellectual revolutions in

history of thought Copernicus and Heliocentric Theory Darwin and Evolutionary Theory Freud and Psychoanalytic Theory

Where do you see influence? First game in town most therapists/theorists agree

or push off of his theory to disagree Art and literature

Chapter 12: Personality—FreudIntroduction Things to keep in mind when studying his theory

Bias of presenters Language concerns Influence of historical and personal influences

Historical Vienna and sexuality WW I

Personal Family Career as doctor Therapist goes from abnormal to normal beh

Chapter 12: Personality—FreudNew Topic Levels of awareness

Conscious = our current thoughts—what we are thinking about at present time

Preconscious = memories that are not in conscious mind, but could be easily recalled

Chapter 12: Personality—FreudLevels of awareness (cont’d) Unconscious = thoughts, desires, impulses, and

memories not in conscious mind and not easily recalled Saw material as inadmissible to conscious mind Repressed driven from conscious awareness Too anxiety-producing/too threatening Affects behavior

Disguised as symptoms Freudian slips (aka – parapraxes) –

Today video clip Video clip

Dreams

Chapter 12: Personality—FreudNEW TOPIC Structures of Personality Id

Definition Inherited source of psychic energy (libido)

Our primitive innate urges “Cauldron full of seething excitations

which knows no values, no good or evil, no morality.”

Original structure of personality ego and superego developed from the id

Chapter 12: Personality—FreudStructures of Personality (cont’d) Id (cont’d)

For Freud, psychological reality includes the individual (organism) with needs of hunger, thirst, avoidance of pain, sex, etc.

Nervous system is part of organism One of the functions of the nervous system is to be sensitive to organism’s needs

Id works to translate organism’s needs into motivational forces known as instincts (which drive us to meet needs)

Instincts: inborn psychological representations of our bodily needs (how we “know” our needs?)—they direct and drive our beh toward their satisfaction


Instincts Life Instincts (Eros)

Pleasure and preservation of species Rooted in biological process of anabolism

(constructive metabolism or building up) Motivates us to perpetuate self by seeking

food, water, etc. Also motivates us to perpetuate species

through reproduction


Instincts (cont’d) Death instincts (Thanatos)

Aggression and self-destructive tendencies “The goal of all life is death.” Rooted in biological process of catabolism

(destructive metabolism or breaking down) Influence of Fechner’s constancy principle

desire of all organic states is desire to return to stability of inorganic state (no change, therefore balance)

Influence of WW I concept begins to appear in his writing in 1920’s (Beyond the Pleasure Principle)

Chapter 12: Personality—FreudStructures of Personality (cont’d)

Id (cont’d) Pleasure Principle

Id intolerant of frustration When needs not met, tension and frustration build. Satisfaction of need releases tension which in turn

causes pleasurable experience Summary: Need not met => tension => lack of

balance => attempt to satisfy need => need met => tension reduced => pleasure


Id (cont’d) Problem Id resides completely in unconscious

Id unable to contact conscious world to satisfy own needs

Only able to conjure up images Primary Process Thinking: ability to form mental

image of what would satisfy need and reduce tension Wish fulfillment: when use of primary process

thinking actually satisfies need and reduces tension

Chapter 12: Personality—FreudStructures of Personality (cont’d) Ego

Arises out of necessity Id unable to contact reality Therefore cannot reduce tension Ego develops out of id to satisfy needs of id

Ego = structure that attempts to satisfy demands of id while taking into account what reality and superego will allow Part of personality that is connected to conscious

world Carries out intentions of unconscious id

Resides in conscious, preconscious, and unconscious


Ego (cont’d) Reality Principle: prevention of reduction of

tension (satisfying need) until appropriate and acceptable object can be found Takes reality and superego into consideration Directs behavior to maximize pleasure and to

minimize pain What is the best thing to do? What’s available?

Secondary Process Thinking: realistic, logical, and problem-solving

Chapter 12: Personality—FreudStructures of Personality (cont’d) Superego

Internalized societal values which come from parents Our inner voice/conscience Develops from resolution of Oedipus Complex/Electra

Complex (explained later) Two subsystems

Ego-ideal = what is proper, good internalization of rewards Conscience = what is improper, bad internalization of

punishments and warnings

Social needs that are in conflict with id’s needs

Chapter 12: Personality—FreudStructures of Personality (cont’d) Superego (cont’d)

Resides mostly in preconscious and unconscious

Tries to inhibit ego from giving in to amoral id Substitutes moral goals Strives for perfection

Moral Principle: substitution of moral goals as motivation of behavior—what is right thing to do?


Chapter 12: Personality—FreudNEW TOPIC Dynamics of Personality Homeostasis and hedonism

Homeostasis = balance Hedonism = striving for pleasure For Freud, all beh = build up and release of

tension and how we go about doing this Needs met => balance achieved Need not met => no balance & tension Release of tension => pleasurable Thus, we seek pleasure

Chapter 12: Personality—FreudDynamics of Personality (cont’d) Conflict

Normal development = clash of instinctual impulses of id which seeks immediate gratification and restraining forces of superego and real world

Ego is battleground Personality result of how ego negotiates

demands of id, sanctions of superego, and constraints of reality

Chapter 12: Personality—FreudDynamics of Personality (cont’d) Libido

Psychic energy Freud believed we were closed energy system

Had finite amount of energy available for tasks Influence of knowledge in Physics at time (Helmholtz’s

principle of conservation of energy) When energy used for one purpose, it is unavailable for

other purposes Causes problems If one need not met, energy is directed from other needs until

first need is satisfied Creates imbalance (which id does not like)

Chapter 12: Personality—FreudDynamics of Personality (cont’d)

Anxiety Anxiety (Freud’s definition): tension ego feels

that results from anticipation of danger Types/sources

Realistic anxiety: anticipated threat from real world Moral anxiety: anticipated threat from superego (fear

of punishment) Neurotic anxiety: anticipated threat from id (fear ego

will lose control to id)—what most interested Freud


Defense mechanisms: ego’s unconscious ways of dealing with anxiety. They protect ego by altering threat in some way. Repression: forcing unacceptable material out of

conscious awareness All of memory or part of it (e.g., emotional

component—as if telling someone else’s story) Unconscious process Suppression = conscious attempt at forgetting (putting

memory in preconscious)

Chapter 12: Personality—FreudDynamics of Personality (cont’d) Defense mechanisms (cont’d)

Displacement: transfer of psychic energy from original object to safer object Original object too dangerous or unavailable “Kick-the-dog”

Identification: incorporating features of another “If-you-can’t-beat-them-join-them” During Phallic Stage of development, use of

identification results in birth of superego in ind


Defense mechanisms (cont’d) Sublimation: instinctual sexual impulses diverted

to more socially acceptable and more creative channels Art work, poetry, music, etc. Da Vinci’s Madonna Artistic displacement

Projection: externalizes (removes from self) unacceptable impulses by seeing them in another person


Defense mechanisms (cont’d) Rationalization: using unreasonable reasons to

explain behavior Intellectualizing reasons for doing something

unacceptable Basically, BS’ing your way

Reaction formation: replacing impulse with opposite (usually in extreme) Kill-them-with-kindness

Chapter 12: Personality—Freud

Examples of Defense Mechanisms Repression

Displacement

Identification

Sublimation

Projection

Rationalization

Reaction Formation

Chapter 12: Personality—FreudNEW TOPIC Stages of Psychosexual Development

Oral Stage Birth to 1 Erogenous zone = mouth

What is happening at this time? Feeding Development of teeth

Erogenous zone: area of body that is particularly sensitive to irritation (tension) which when removed produces pleasure Becomes focus of that stage Think homeostasis

Chapter 12: Personality—FreudStages of Psychosexual Development (cont’d)

Oral Stage (cont’d) Fixation: getting stuck in stage—results in

overemphasis of those issues later in life—usually from frustration or overindulgence Oral Receptive personality:

Fixation during sucking phase (Life instincts?) Char’s overly trusting, passive, interested in

acquiring knowledge, etc. Oral Sadistic personality

Fixation during biting phase (Death instincts?) Char’s sarcastic, aggressive, exploitative

Chapter 12: Personality—FreudStages of Psychosexual Development (cont’d) Anal Stage

Ages 1 – 3 Erogenous zone = anus

Toilet-training First experience with external regulation to internal

impulses Fixation

Anal retentive personality: stingy, obstinate, tight, rigid, highly organized

Anal expulsive personality: cruel, hostile, destructive, defiant, little self-control


Phallic Stage Ages 3 – 5 Erogenous zone = penis Parents of opposite sex seen as source of pleasure

Fancy term = object cathexis object that will satisfy impulses (libido) – object becomes focus of energy

Complex Oedipus Complex – boys Electra Complex – girls


Phallic Stage (cont’d) Oedipus Complex

Boys Develops object cathexis for mother and jealousy for father Castration anxiety: fear of castration from father for Oedipal

urges Resolution

Castration anxiety => must use defense mechanism Uses identification as defense mechanism Identifies with person who is threat => become like them Birth of superego in boys Seen in boys developing similar interests/hero worship of

father

Chapter 12: Personality—FreudStages of Psychosexual Development (cont’d) Phallic Stage (cont’d)

Electra Complex Girls Develops object cathexis for father and anger at

mother for not equipping her properly Penis envy: anxiety daughter feels—she feels she has

been castrated Resolution

Uses defense mech of identification to deal with penis envy (anxiety)

Becomes like mother – safety in numbers Results in birth of superego in girls


Phallic Stage (cont’d) Both Oedipus Complex and Electra Complex are

extremely anxiety-producing Must deal with anxiety Completely repress memory of these experiences Freud says this is why we do not recall much before age

4 – 5 Video clip (Bill and Ted) Start at 4:20

Fixation Phallic character: reckless, self-assured, narcissistic,

vain, proud, manipulative


Latency Stage Ages 5 – 12 Prior development (esp Phallic Stage) is very

active, very threatening Sexual impulses repressed No erogenous zone Sexual inhibitions develop Same-sex play most common


Genital Stage Ages 12 + Erogenous zone = genitals (more general) Object of satisfaction prior to this stage has been

more self-oriented (narcissistic) Now, others become important Focus on reproduction, socialization, group

activities

Freud videos (3 parts) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q9IRY_

VXPs&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2eyP6iY

5Do&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ex1A2qF

mFWg&feature=related

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Chapter 12: Personality Sigmund Freud and Psychoanalysis