Module 19 Freudian Humanistic Theories Module 20 Social cognitive theory Trait theory Application Assessments objective tests Module 19 Freud s Psychodynamic theory Divisions of the mind Developmental stages Freud s followers critics Humanistic theories Application Assessments projective tests Introduction Personality refers to a combination of long lasting and distinctive behaviors thoughts motives and emotions that typify how we react and adapt to other people and situations PS232 The Concept of Personality and its Development Freud s Psychodynamic Theory of Personality Psychodynamic Theory of Personality emphasizes the importance of early childhood experiences unconscious or repressed thoughts that we cannot voluntarily access and the conflicts between conscious and unconscious forces that influence our feelings thoughts and behaviors Freud s Psychodynamic Theory of Personality Conscious thoughts our wishes desires or thoughts that we are aware of or can recall at any given moment Unconscious forces represent wishes desires or thoughts that because of their disturbing or threatening content we automatically repressed and cannot voluntarily access Freud s Psychodynamic Theory of Personality Free association a Freudian technique in which clients are encouraged to talk about any thoughts or images that enter their head Dream interpretation a Freudian technique of analyzing dreams is based on the assumption that dreams contain underlying hidden meanings and symbols that provide clues to unconscious thoughts and desires Freudian slips are mistakes or slips of the tongue that we make in everyday speech Divisions of the Mind Id pleasure seeker first division of the mind to develop contains two biological drives sex and aggression id s goal is to pursue pleasure and satisfy the biological drives Pleasure principle id operates according to the pleasure principle satisfy drives and avoid pain without concern for moral restrictions or society s regulations Divisions of the Mind Ego executive negotiator between id and superego second division of the mind develops from the id during infancy the ego s goal is to find safe and socially acceptable ways of satisfying the id s desires and to negotiate between the id s wants and the superego s prohibitions Reality principle satisfying a wish or desire only if there is a socially acceptable outlet available Divisions of the Mind Superego regulator third division of the mind develops from the ego during early childhood the superego s goal is to apply the moral values and standards of one s parents or caregivers and society in satisfying one s wishes Divisions of the Mind Anxiety in Freudian theory is an uncomfortable feeling that results from inner conflicts between the primitive desires of the id and the moral goals of the superego Defense mechanisms Freudian processes that operate at unconscious levels and that use self deception or untrue explanations to protect the ego from being overwhelmed by anxiety Divisions of the Mind Rationalization involves covering up the true reasons for actions thoughts or feelings by making up excuses and incorrect explanations Denial refusing to recognize some anxiety provoking event or piece of information that is clear to others Divisions of the Mind Repression Projection involves blocking and pushing unacceptable or threatening feelings wishes or experiences into the unconscious falsely and unconsciously attributes your own unacceptable feelings traits or thoughts to individuals or objects Reaction formation involves substituting behaviors thoughts or feelings that are the direct opposite of unacceptable ones Divisions of the Mind Displacement involves transferring feelings about or response to an object that causes anxiety to another person or object that is less threatening Sublimation type of displacement involves redirecting a threatening or forbidden desire usually sexual into a socially acceptable one Developmental Stages Psychosexual stages five developmental periods oral anal phallic latency and genital stages each marked by a potential conflict between parent and child conflicts arise as a child seeks pleasure from different body areas that are associated with sexual feelings erogenous zones Developmental Stages Fixation refers to a Freudian process through which an individual may be locked into a particular psychosexual stage because his or her wishes were either overgratified or undergratified Developmental Stages Oral stage lasts for the first 18 months of life and is a time when the infant s pleasure seeking is centered around the mouth Fixation at this stage results in adults who continue to engage in oral activities due to too much or too little gratification demanding gullible Developmental Stages Anal stage lasts from the age of about 1 to 3 years and is a time when the infant s pleasure seeking is centered on the anus and its function of elimination Fixation at this stage results in adults who continue to engage in activities of retention or elimination retention very neat stingy or behaviorally rigid elimination generous messy or behaving very loose or carefree Developmental Stages Phallic stage lasts from the age of 3 to 6 and is a time when the child s pleasure seeking is centered on the genitals Oedipus complex process in which a child competes with the parent of the same sex for the affections and pleasures of the parent of the opposite sex Fixation at this stage boys may go through life trying to prove toughness girls may go through life feeling inferior to men Developmental Stages Oedipus complex boys discovers that his penis is a source of pleasure result feels hatred jealousy and competition toward his father and fears castration Castration anxiety a boy s fear that as punishment for loving mother and hating father his father will cut off his penis resolves the complex by identifying with his father Developmental Stages Oedipus complex Electra complex girls penis envy girl discovers that she does not have a penis loss makes her turn against her mother and develop sexual and feels a loss desires for her father resolves complex by identifying with her mother according to Freud because girls are unable to experience castration anxiety they can only partially resolve the complex and remain fixated at this stage Developmental Stages Latency stage lasts from about 6 to puberty is a time when the child represses sexual thoughts and engages in nonsexual activities such as developing social