Freudian Psychodynamic Theories of Behaviour

1. Freudian Psychodynamic Theories of Behaviour Robert Averbuch, MD Assistant Professor Department of Psychiatry University of Florida Modified/edited and illustrations added by Lina Medaglia-Miller, Ph.D. For “The Great Pretender: The Art of Passing” GSSC 1073

2. Who Was Freud?

3. Freud’s Theories, in Context Freud was originally trained as a Neurologist- biological approach to illness Treated mostly Hysteria (conversion disorders) Applied findings from abnormal patients to “normal” development

4. Freud: A Sign of the Times? Time period: late 1800’s Victorian times: conservative, repressed society Prohibitions against sex

5. Selected Contributions of Freud Psychic Determinism/ Dynamic Model The Power of Catharsis Transference and Countertransference Topographical Model of the Mind Unconscious, Preconscious, Conscious

6. Selected Contributions of Freud Structural Model of the Mind ID, EGO, SuperEGO Defense Mechanisms

7. Behavior is Predetermined Freud sees people as passive; behaviors determined by interaction of external reality and family with internal drives Psychic Determinism: all behaviors driven by past experiences “There are no accidents”

8. Conflict and Behavior Instinctual Drives (libidinal: sexual, aggressive) instincts drive people Behaviors result from conflicts: Between instinctual (libidinal) drives and efforts to repress them from consciousness

9. Catharsis Inherent benefits come from releasing pent-up tension Some inherent value in the “talking cure”: being able to “unload,” or “get stuff off your mind”

10. Transference and Countertransference

11. Transference Aka “emotional baggage” UNCONSCIOUS misattribution of feelings, attitudes, and expectations from an important childhood relationship to a current one

12. Countertransference Traditionally refers to the physician projecting her own feelings (“issues,” “emotional baggage”) onto her patient The corollary to “Transference”

13. Freud’s Topographic Model The “Landscape” of the Mind

14. Topographical Model Freud’s first model of psychopathology Division of the mind into three different layers of consciousness: Unconscious Preconscious Conscious

15. Freud conceived of these levels as parts of a “mental iceberg”

16. Unconscious Contains repressed thoughts and feelings Unconscious shows itself in: Dreams Hypnosis Parapraxes (Freudian slips) Driven by Primary Process Thinking

17. Primary Process Thinking Not cause-effect; illogical; fantasy Only concern is immediate gratification (drive satisfaction) Does not take reality into account Seen in dreams, during hypnosis, some forms of psychosis, young children, psychoanalytic psychotherapy

18. Freudian Slips (Parapraxes) A “slip of the tongue” Errors of speech or hearing that reveal one’s true but unconscious feelings

19. Preconscious Accessible, but not immediately available Always running in the background/ behind the scenes

20. Conscious Fully and readily accessible Conscious mind does not have access to the unconscious Utilizes Secondary Process Thinking: Reality-based (takes external reality into consideration), logical, mature, time-oriented

21. Structural Theory ID, EGO, and SuperEGO

22. The Structural Model

23. The ID Home of instinctual Drives Completely Unconscious Present at birth “I want it and I want it NOW!” (Governed by Pleasure Principle)

24. The Superego Internalized morals/ values- sense of right and wrong aka Conscience Suppresses drives of ID (thru guilt and shame)

25. The Superego Mostly unconscious Develops with socialization, and thru identification with same-sex parent (Neo-Freudians acknowledge that identifications can be with either parent)

26. The EGO Mediates between the Id, Superego, and reality Mostly conscious Governed by Reality Principle

27. Defense Mechanisms Keeping the unpleasant stuff out of mind

28. “Ego” Defense Mechanisms They serve to protect an individual’s Ego from unpleasant thoughts or emotions Mostly unconscious

29. Mature/Healthy Defenses Altruism Anticipation Humour Sublimation Suppression

30. Sublimation Rerouting an unacceptable drive in a socially acceptable (often constructive) way A healthy, conscious defense Martial arts, sports

31. Suppression Deliberately (consciously) pushing anxiety-provoking material out of conscious awareness

32. Immature Defenses Repression Acting Out Somatization Regression Denial Projection Splitting Displacement Reaction Formation Magical Thinking Intellectualization Rationalization

33. Repression Keeping an idea or feeling out of conscious awareness The primary ego defense Freud postulated that other defenses are employed only when repression fails

34. Acting out Behaving in an attention-getting, often socially inappropriate manner to avoid dealing with unacceptable emotions or material

35. Somatization Unacceptable impulses or feelings converted into physical symptoms

36. Regression Return to earlier level of functioning (childlike behaviors) during stressful situations Kids regress after trauma

37. Denial Unconsciously discounting external reality

38. Projection Falsely attributing one’s own unacceptable impulses or feelings onto others Can manifest as paranoia

39. Splitting Selectively focusing on only part of a person Seeing people as either all-good or all-bad (Black and White thinking) Serves to relieve the uncertainty engendered by the fact that people have both bad and good qualities

40. Displacement Redirection of unacceptable feelings, impulses from their source onto a less threatening person or object Mad at your boss, so you go home and kick the dog

41. Reaction Formation Transforming an unacceptable impulse into a diametrically opposed thought, feeling, attitude, or behavior; denying unacceptable feelings and adopting opposite attitudes Ex. Person who loves pornography leads a movement to outlaw its sale in the neighborhood

42. Magical Thinking The idea that one can control external events just by thinking a certain way, or by doing something that’s unrelated (superstitious behavior)

43. Intellectualization Using higher cortical functions to avoid experiencing uncomfortable emotions; thinking without accompanying emotion

44. Rationalization • Perceived controversial behaviors or feelings are explained in a rational or logical manner to avoid the true explanation

45. The End / Fin