Psychoanalytic Theory

“conscious becoming aware of the unconscious…”

Psychoanalytic …Accepts the importance of early

childhood experiences and the unconscious mind.

Important theorists……Sigmund Freud

Primitive, Animalistic, Unconscious drives, motives and instincts

Carl Jung Analytic psychology with emphasis on

“collective unconscious”

Alfred Adler Less emphasis on (freud’s) biological drives of

sex and aggressions and more on social relationships.

Classic Theory: Sigmund FreudPsychosexual

Basic tenets: Constant struggles between desire to meet

biological urge and realities of living. Unconscious process influence behavior

Sigmund Freud Father of the Psychoanalytic Theory

Born in Moravia, on May 6, 1856 Lived 78 years practicing in

Vienna, Austria and established a private practice for the treatment of nervous disorders.

Youngest daughter, Anna, became an important child psychoanalyst.

Died of cancer of the jaw on September 23, 1939, in London, England.

What is Psychoanalytic Theory?

Psychoanalytic personality theory emphasizes the roles of intrapsychic events (processes occurring in the mind), unconscious drives and early childhood development. (1990, Liebert and Spiegler, p. 43)

Childhood experiences, repressed erotic feelings, and unconscious conflicts can affect adult behavior. (1999, Friedman and Schustack, p. 62)

Freud’s View of a Person

Human nature is under the “dictatorship” of instinctual, unconscious, and irrational forces.

Human organisms are selfish beings, existing in a state of external and internal turmoil. (displaying aggressive and sexual excesses)

Dominated by forces outside of conscious control.Humans are considered incapable of dealing with their

own psychological problems.

Determinism vs Choice

All behavior is determined or caused by some force within the person.

Behavior has meaning (none occurs by chance).

Biological determinism vs. Psychological determinism - Freud emphasized psychological rather than biological “consciousness knows nothing of. . . neurons.”

Personality Structures

What lies beneath the surface of the unconscious mind??

ID, EGO, and SUPEREGO

The Structure of Personality

ID• Operates according to the

pleasure principle • Primitive and unconscious part

of personality EGO

• Operates according to the reality principle

• Mediates between id and superego

SUPEREGO• Moral ideals and conscience

The “ID”According to Freud…

We are born with our ID ID is an important part of our personality as

newborns, it allows us to get our basic needs met.  ID is based on our pleasure principle id wants

whatever feels good at the time, with no consideration for the reality of the situation. 

When the id wants something, nothing else is important.

The “ID” is the reservoir of instincts – powered by libido “sexual desire in the broadest sense.”

The “EGO”

Within the next three years, as the child interacts more and more with the world, the second part of the personality (EGO) begins to develop. 

EGO based on the reality principle. understands that other people have needs & desires, and that sometimes being impulsive or selfish can hurt us in the long run. 

Its the EGO's job to meet the needs of the ID, while taking into consideration the reality of the situation

Ego serves as a bridge to reality (not totally conscious)

The ego calls on various defense mechanisms in order to regain control over threatening id instincts.

You need to get organized !

I’m talking to you ID, are you listening?

No

The “Superego”

By the age of five, or the end of the phallic stage of development SUPEREGO develops. 

Superego is the moral part of us and develops due to the moral and ethical restraints placed on us by our caregivers. 

Many equate the superego with the conscience as it dictates our belief of right and wrong.

Superego’s most important function – control id impulses, direct energy towards inhibiting id’s expression of sexual, aggressive and antisocial instincts.

Incorporates the norms and standards of society

Codes of right & wrong in “Superego”

Introjection – a process by which the personality incorporates the norms and standards of its culture

Morality principle -equivalent to conscience Guilt – an intense feeling of regret over having

done something wrong Ego Ideal – pride and self respect through

positive standards of internal representations of idealized parental figures

Freud’s 5 Stages of Psychosexual Development ORAL STAGE

ANAL STAGE PHALLIC STAGE LATENCY STAGE GENITAL STAGE

According to Freud…….

Human being develop through stages based upon a particular erogenous zone.

During each stage, an unsuccessful completion means that a child becomes fixated on that particular erogenous zone and either over– or under-indulges once he or she becomes an adult.

ORAL STAGEBIRTH – ONE YEAR (18 MONTHS)

Mouth = erogenous zone Focus on Oral Pleasure = sucking ID dominant personality structure TRAUMA = eating/weaning problems – not enough or too much Too much or too little gratification can result in an Oral Fixation

or Oral Personality which is evidenced by a preoccupation with oral activities.

FIXATION OF PSYCHIC ENERGY = oral personality characteristics (eating, drinking, smoking, kissing, sucking on things)

Oral personality = childlike, dependent, gullible OR excessively aggressive (biting)

ANAL STAGE- 3 YEARS

Anal region = erogenous zone Pleasure = defecation EGO plays role in delaying defecation desire through

TOILET TRAINING (fear). Parent either offers praise for successful eliminations or punishment for failures

FIXATION = ANAL PERSONALTIY (2 types) Anal Expulsive: characteristics include being messy, cruel,

destructive, overtly hostile Anal Retentive: rigidity, obsessive style, and orderliness

(reaction against messiness of defecating) In terms of personality, after effects of an anal fixation

during this stage can result in an obsession with cleanliness, perfection, and control (anal retentive) On the opposite end of the spectrum, they may become messy and disorganized (anal expulsive).

Phallic Stage (3-6)Pleasure zone switches to the genitals.The development of

Oedipus Complex (for boys)• Freud believed that during this stage boys develop unconscious

sexual desires for their mother. • He becomes rivals with his father and sees him as competition for

the mother’s affection. • During this time, boys also develop a fear that their father will punish

them for these feelings, such as by castrating them.

Electra Complex (for girls)• Penis envy• Female desire for feelings of strength and self worth that men have

by virtue of their male anatomy (penis)

LATENCY STAGE- 6 - PUBERTY

ID, EGO, & SUPEREGO (personality structures) are fully developed by age 5

Sexual desires become dormant after resolution of the oedipus complex

Sex instinct is sublimated through school activities, hobbies, sports, same sex friendships, etc. during this time Sexual energy is channeled into such activities as going to school and making friends.

It’s during this stage that sexual urges remain repressed and children interact and play mostly with same sex peers.

Latency involves massive repression of sexual, as well as, anal impulses.

GENITAL STAGEADOLESCENCE - ADULTHOOD

Erogenous zone = adult genital regions The final stage of psychosexual development begins

at the start of puberty when sexual urges are once again awakened Development of sex-role identity

Through the lessons learned during the previous stages, adolescents direct their sexual urges onto opposite sex peers.

Development of adult social relationships (“heterosexual”) if conflicts at all earlier stages were resolved and little libido was fixated there CONFLICT = conformity to societal norms, but not a big deal

and can be resolved through sublimation Genital personality type = finding satisfaction in work

and love

Defense Mechanisms

A defence mechanism is an unconscious way to protect the personality from unpleasant thoughts which may cause anxiety.

However, a defence mechanism can also lead to a neurosis if it causes a person to adopt ineffectual or inappropriate coping strategies.

Types of Defence Mechanism Displacement Introjection Projection Rationalisation Reaction Formation Regression Repression Sublimation

Types of defense mechanismDisplacement.

Redirecting emotion from a 'dangerous' object to a 'safe' object. For example punching a cushion when angry at your partner.

Introjection. When an individual internalises the values or characteristics

of another person, usually someone who is significant to the individual in some way.

Projection. The opposite of introjection. Attributing one's own emotions

or desires to an external object or person. For example saying others hate you when it's you who hates the others.

Rationalisation. Inventing a logical reason after an emotional act is made.

Types of defense mechanismReaction formation.

A feeling is converted into its opposite, for example turning hate into love.

Regression. Behaviour reverts to a previous age.

Repression. Thoughts unacceptable to the Ego are moved into

the unconscious where they cannot be easily accessed.

Sublimation. A 'healthy' form of displacement, for example

playing sport to relieve stress or anger.

Healthy vs Unhealthy Personality

According to Freud, In a healthy person … EGO is the strongest so that it can satisfy the needs

of the ID Not upset the SUPEREGO, and still take into consideration the reality of every situation. 

If the ID gets too strong impulses and self gratification take over the person's life. 

If the SUPEREGO becomes too strong, the person would be driven by rigid morals, would be judgmental & unbending in his or her interactions with the world. 

Strengths Of the Psychoanalytic Approach

Emphasizes the effects of patterns established early in life on personality development.

Attempts to understand unconscious forces.Considers defense mechanisms as an

essential aspect of personality.Assumes multiple levels are operations in the

brain.

Limitations of the Psychoanalytic Approach

Pessimistic overemphasis on early experiences and destructive inner urges

Relatively unconcerned with interpersonal relations or with the individual’s identity and adaptation throughout life

Difficult to test empiricallyMany ideas have been discredited by more modern

research on the brainAssumes any deviation from heterosexual relation is

pathologicalFocuses on male behavior as the norm and female

behavior as a deviation

Self Analysis

Do you think Freud’s theory can help you understand yourself?

Do you think Freud really felt that females were inferior?

Do the strengths of Freud’s theory outweigh the weaknesses?

Do profound child experiences affect later personality development?

References Allen, B.P. (2003). Personality Theories , 4th edition. Boston: Allyn and

Bacon. Breger, L. (2000). Freud: In the Midst of Darkness. New York:John Wiley

and Sons, Inc. Friedman, H.S. & Schustack, M.W. (1999). Personality: Classic Theories

and Modern Research. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Websites•“The Psychoanalytic Theory (Terms and Concepts)” www.brocku.ca/english/courses/4f70/terms.html

•“The Psychoanalytic Theory of Emotions” http://member.aol.com/donjohnr/sketch.html

•“Eddy M. Elmer Psychoanalytic Theory Personality Adjustment” www.3.telus.net/eddyelmer/Tools/freud3.html

•“Brief Introduction to Psychoanalysis”

http://homepage.newschool.edu/~quiqleyt/vcs/psychoanalysis.html