SIGMUND FREUD

 

The historical importance of the treatment of hysteria (conversion disorder).

 

Core Characteristics

 

I. ID, has energy called libido.

A. Life instincts, ex., hunger, thirst, &                                                               most important SEX

     B. Death instinct, which through displacement causes human aggression

 

     The Id is guided by

           A. The Pleasure Principle (tension reduction of libidinal energy is pleasurable).

           B. Primary Process Thought (dream-like fantasy)

II. EGO, begins development at about 6 mo. is guided by

           A. The Reality Principle (knows external reality), and

           B. Secondary Process Thought (logic and reasoning).

 

III. SUPEREGO, which comes from being rewarded and punished (like the conscience)

     The Superego produces anxiety by remembering previously punished actions. Anxiety is a tension that we always want to reduce.

 

The Ego functions to (A) find realistic objects of gratification for the ID that (B) are morally acceptable to the Superego.

 

Core Tendency: The Ego works to maximize instinctual gratification (Id demands) while minimizing anxiety and guilt (Superego demands) by using defense mechanisms.

 

Development occurs during the PSYCHOSEXUAL STAGES (pp. 208-215) 

 

Fixation during a psychosexual stage is undesirable. Fixation occurs when the Id is over gratified or under gratified. Fixation is incomplete personality development.

 

I. ORAL STAGE

     A. 0 mo – 6 mo. Oral Incorporative (erotic, dependent)

     B. 6 mo. – 1 yr. Oral Aggressive (sadistic)

 

II. ANAL STAGE: 1YR. TO 2-3 YR.

     C. Anal Retentive-(under-gratify)

     D. Anal Expulsive-aggressive (over-                            

           Gratify

 

III. PHALLIC STAGE: 3 YR. TO 5-6 YR.

    

This is the time of the OEDIPUS/ELECTRA Complex

    

 

E. Phallic Character #1-no labels (over- gratification)--a dramatic, histrionic person

 

F. Phallic Character #2-no label (under-gratification)--a withdrawn, schizoid person

 

The latency period lasts from 5-6 yrs. until puberty.

 

IV. GENITAL STAGE; puberty till death

    

G. GENITAL CHARACTER- the most “mature” personality type.

Arbeiten und lieben.”

 

When stressed during adulthood, people regress back to their psychosexual stage of fixation.

 

DEFENSE MECHANISMS are all unconscious, and they deny or distort reality.

 

Conscious: What we are aware of in the present

 

Preconscious: Memories that can be recalled with sufficient cues.

 

Unconscious: Memories forced into the unconscious (and very difficult to retrieve) because they are very anxiety provoking. Also, ID processes and defense mechanisms (EGO processes) are unconscious.

 

The ID is completely unconscious. The Ego and Superego have functions that are conscious, preconscious, and unconscious.

 

  Major defense mechanisms:

 IDENTIFICATION

 INTROJECTION

 PROJECTION

 DENIAL

 RATIONALIZATION (INTELLECTUALIZATION)

 REACTION-FORMATION

 DISPLACEMENT

 SUBLIMATION

 REGRESSION

 REPRESSION versus Suppression (which is not a defense mechanism). This is the modern distinction made between repression and suppression. Freud actually used the two terms interchangeably.

 

Freud’s Clues to the Unconscious

1.           Hypnosis

 

Anna O was a famous patient of Freud’s who suffered from a conversion disorder, known as “hysteria” in those days.

 

     2. Slips of the tongue.

 

3. Psychoanalysis-causing transference The goal is insight. The effect on the client is to replace neurotic misery with ordinary human unhappiness.

 

“Happiness Isn’t Normal”, Time Magazine, Feb. 13, 2006, pp.58-67.  

 

4. Dreams

 

Freud believed that his lack of acceptance was due to his ideas disappointing peoples’ lofty views of themselves. So

Freud classified himself with these great thinkers

 

1. Copernicus & Galileo , Earth is not the center of the universe.

2. Darwin, Human beings are biological cousins of the apes.

3. Freud, Our rationality and intelligence are caused and determined by our biological structure, which is primarily sexually motivated.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EVALUATION:

1.           Conflict theories have poorly defined concepts that often can’t be measured.

2.           Many aspects of conflict theories can not be refuted because they are not testable. A theory that can explain everything is not a good theory.

3.           Psychoanalytic therapies have never proved superior to other therapies.

4.           Most psychologists agree that there are unconscious processes.

5.           Most psychologists agree that people do use defense mechanisms.