Chapter 12 Psychoanalysis after Freud Neo Freudians Object Relations and Current Research 1 Objectives Discuss how Freud s theory has been reinterpreted and altered by neo Freudians Discuss important elements of several neo Freudian theories Discuss current research on attachment theory Identify propositions of psychoanalytic theory that have been empirically supported 2 Developments in Psychoanalysis Many people are still trying to prove Freud was wrong Many people strongly hate him as a person 3 Neo Freudians Removing from unconscious and sex Common themes in neo Freudian thought Reinterpretation of the libido More emphasis on conscious thought and interpersonal relationships Less emphasis on instincts 4 Alfred Adler Inferiority and Compensation Thought Freud focused too much on sex Social interest the desire to relate positively and productively with other people More important than sex Organ inferiority Motivated to attain equality or superiority over other people to compensate for weaknes in childhood Physically weak before strong Just based on perception 5 Adler Inferiority and Compensation Type of overcompensation Masculine protest the desire of an adult to act and become powerful because of feeling inadequate or inferior as a child a particular kind of compensation Also experienced by women because everyone feels inferior as a child Particularly acute for boys because the most powerful person in their lives is their mother Helps explain some universal needs for power love and achievement because they have their roots in early experience Style of life a particular mode of behavior based on compensations for perceived childhood inferiorities Need to show power 6 Carl Jung The Collective Unconscious Collective unconscious memories ideas that all humans share Basic Images Archetypes core ideas of how people think about the world both consciously and unconsciously Examples Earth mother hero devil supreme being Appear in dreams fantasies mythology and modern literature 7 Mandalas circular symbols that contain pathways to the center Jung believed these were archetypes for the self Left Tibet Right Native American Carl Jung Persona Persona Everyone s persona is false to some degree Possible danger Anima Prototype for what a women is in the mind of a man and animus Prototype of a man in the mind of a women Cause a masculine side and feminine side in everyone Shape responses to the other sex Leads to problems if the perception is not accurate 9 Carl Jung Personality Introverts vs extraverts psychologically turned inward vs outward Ways of thinking rational recognize meaning feeling determine the value of things sensing establishing what is present in the world and intuiting figuring out where something comes from and where it is going People vary in which way predominates but having a balance is best The Myers Briggs Type Indicator MBTI 10 Karen Horney Horn eye Feminine Psychology Disagreed with penis envy and women s desire to be male Basic anxiety fear of being alone and helpless in a hostile world influences adult behavior Neurotic contradictory needs Needs that people feel but that are neither realistic nor truly desirable finding a life partner who will solve all your problems to be loved by everybody and to dominate everybody and to be independent of everybody can lead to self defeating behavior and relationship problems because the needs are contradictory 11 Erik Erikson Psychosocial Development Many conflicts are conscious Conflicts between career choices relationships Conflicts arise at various stages of life 12 Object Relations Theory Objects emotionally important people Object relations theory the analysis of interpersonal relationships We relate to others via the images of them in our minds The images do not always match reality Most active area at present 13 Latter Day Issues and Theorists Object Relations Theory Four principal themes Every relationship has elements of satisfaction and frustration The mix of love and hate Distinction between parts of the love object and the whole person The psyche is aware and disturbed by these contradictory feelings 14 Latter Day Issues and Theorists Object Relations Theory Theories based on work with children Play therapy communicating with and diagnosing children through play Allows the symbolic expression of emotions such as hate anger love and fear Splitting of love objects into good and bad parts it is contradictory to love and hate the same person may use neurotic defenses to ignore the bad such as idealization of the person Transitional objects Do you know anybody who brought a transitional object to college The false self used to please others Prevents exposure of the true self 15 Current Psychoanalytic Research Attachment Theory Based on idea of transference applying old patterns of behavior and emotions to new relationships focuses on patterns of relationships with others that are consistently repeated with different partners throughout life importance of parental relationships Consistency of attachment styles is empirically supported Opposites too clingy vs dismissive 16 Psychoanalysis in Perspective It s difficult to evaluate the theory Five neo Freudian propositions that are firmly established and supported 1 Much of mental life is unconscious Explains why sometimes people don t understand their own behavior 2 The mind does many things at once and can be in conflict with itself 3 Events of childhood shape adult personality Especially in styles of social relationships 17 Psychoanalysis in Perspective 4 Relationships formed with significant other people establish patterns that are repeated 5 Psychological development involves moving from an immature and self centered state to a more mature state in hich reltionships become increasingly important 18 Question 1 According to Karen Horney why do women envy men a Men have penises b Men do not have the burden of bearing c Men have more freedom to pursue their children interests d Men do not have basic anxiety 19 Question 2 Erikson s theory of development whereas Freud s theory a focuses on childhood covers the entire life span b focuses on conscious social conflicts focuses on the location of mental energy c is based on unconscious conflict is based on the structure of society d All of the above 20 Question 2 According to object relations theory a interpersonal relationships are very important b the objects we form to represent people are always realistic c it is possible for