Chapter 4 Psychodynamic Personality Assessment Projective Tests 4 Questions 1 How can one assess personality from psychodynamic perspective 2 What are the causes of psychopathology and the best methods for treating psychologically distressed persons 3 Why did some of Freud s followers break with him and what did they advance 4 What recent developments in recent personality psychology are inspired by Freud s work and what does contemporary scientific work say about Freudian psychoanalysis I Projective tests a person s interpretation will reveal something about his her personality A The person will project their personality onto the test B Tests allow people to respond completely Get behind the person and understand holistic aspect of the person or parts of the whole C 2 types of tests i Rorschach Ink Blot Test Hermann Rorschach Swiss Psychologist 1 10 inkblot cards 2 Assessor gives minimal information person gives their interpretation 3 Percepts matching inkblot reveal healthy really functioning 4 Percepts NOT matching percepts means unrealistic or bizarre behaviors 5 Persons interpret animals or humans conflict vs sharing affection vs hostility 6 Symbolic Interpretation explosion hostility pig gluttony fox crafty spiders witches octopuses negative domineering mothers gorillas and giants negative domineering father ostrich suspicious or paranoid ii Thematic Apperception Test TAT Henry Murray Christine Morgan 1 Cards with scenes of 1 or 2 people a Person tells the story of the scene what each person is saying what led up and the outcome 2 Defenses are bypassed when the person is telling the story 3 Common interpretation themes a Disappointment with a parent b Parental pressure c Sad thoughts about the past 4 Assess implicit and explicit thoughts D Do projective tests work Projective tests should NOT be a part of current psychological testing i ii Problems with Projective Testing 1 Inter judge reliability 2 judges don t necessarily agree 2 Contents of projective tests don t have much to do with day to day functioning II Psychopathology in the Psychoanalytic patient Freud s theory is psychosexual development A Fixations B Regression C Psychoanalytic Personality Types too little or too much gratification results in getting stuck in a stage individual returns to an earlier mode of satisfaction i Oral demanding impatient envious covetous jealous enraged depressed mistrustful 1 Success I get ii Anal rigid striving for power and control concerned with should and ought s pleasure and possessions anxiety over waste and loss of control 1 Success I control iii Phallic male exhibitionistic competitive striving for success macho manly man For females they try to be na ve seductive flirtatious 1 Success I am a man iv Conflict and Defense conflict a given desire and potential behavior is associated with both pleasure and pain To reduce painful experiences of anxiety defense mechanisms are deployed 1 E g Wish I would to like to punch my boss in the face 2 E g Anxiety these feelings are bad and I ll get in trouble 3 Defense I never feel angry or I never fear anyone D If unsuccessful then the energy of the unconscious yields pathological symptoms ticks paralysis compulsions i Free Association Technique and Dream Interpretation reducing the tyranny of the ID 1 Free Association patients are asked to tell the therapist any word that comes to mind the unconscious becomes conscious Helping patient not only understand the meaning of the word but the emotions and wishes that were previously unconscious helping the person recognize what the unconscious is trying to do helping the patient become aware of freeing up their energy for other purposes III Transference attitude toward the analyst that the patient feels towards a parental figure A Research suggests that we all have emotionally laden mental representation from previous experience B Cognitive therapists call these Cognitive Distortions i Karen Horney considered cultural influences rather than sexual ii 3 Components 1 Role of culture in gender identity 2 Eric Fromm and Social and cultural influences 3 Personality structures between European and American citizens IV Henry Stack Sullivan interpersonal theory of psychiatry A Emotional experiences are based on interactions with others especially during adolescence not bio sexual nature B The Self develops from experiences with others C The Good Me associated with pleasurable experiences D The Bad Me with pain and threats to security E The Not Me with intolerable anxiety Object Relations Self Psychology and Attachment Theory A Object a person and Object Relations V Interpersonal Relationships i ii Object Relations theorists study how individuals form mental representations in the mind and hoe residues of past experiences shape current or future relationships iii Object Relations Challenges in early childhood form mental representations of iv Self Psychologists Challenges in early childhood form mental representation of others self v Narcissism Inordinate amount of focus on self 1 Self absorbed center of attention unique and special lacking empathy for others 2 Self aggrandizing mistrust of others cynical of others envious of others 3 Rage shame humiliation if criticized VI Attachment Theory Bowlby Attachment Behavioral System and Ainsworth A Effects of attachment are long lasting and we create Internal Working Models i Mental representations of significant others B Mary Ainsworth and the Strange Situation i Baby and stranger in a room mom leaves baby cries she comes back baby calms down 1 3 Attachment Styles a Secure 65 b Avoidant 25 c Anxious Ambivalent 20 2 Brain and Attachment Neural underpinnings don t contain a single mechanism but multiple brain structures of attachment Structures of human emotions C Attachment cellular and molecular mechanisms i Cellular neurons molecular are neurotransmitters ii Oxytocin purported to be the bonding neurotransmitter 1 Released after birth in moms to assist bonding and forget the immense pain of birth a Experiment insecurely attached individuals given oxytocin reported more securely attachment phrases iii Limbic system brain region implicated in attachment iv Cerebellum lower portion of the brain involved in balance and memory v Ainsworth Attachment Styles not set in stone malleable vi Clinical disorders associated with attachment problems 1 Non organic failure to thrive D Reactive Attachment Disorder i Reviews problems with Freudian Psychoanalytic Theory 1 Not