Freuds Personality Structure

Definition of Personality Personality is the dynamic and organized set of characteristics possessed by an individual that uniquely influences his or her cognitions, motivations and behaviors in various situations. The Role of Conscious, Preconscious, and Unconscious Forces in Personality Conscious forces - ideas and sensations of which we are aware. It operates on the surface of personality and plays a relatively small role in human personality.Preconscious forces - contains those experiences that are unconscious but that could become conscious with little effort. Unconscious forces - operates on the deepest level of personality. Experiences and memories of which we are not aware. mental states remain out of awareness because making them conscious would create tremendous pain and anxiety for us.

Instincts as Driving Forces in Mental Life Instincts have four basic characteristics:a source in some bodily deficitan aim gratification of the needan impetus that propels the person to act an object through which the instinct achieves its aim Instincts as Driving Forces in Mental Life (cont.)Kinds of Instinctslife instincts - each person has instinctive urges that seek to preserve life. Hunger, thirst, and sexual needs. Without food and water, we could not survive.Libido (eros) - psychic and pleasurable feelings associated with gratification of the life instincts.death instincts (thanatos) - motivation by human beings to return to an inorganic state of balance that preceded life, in which there is no painful struggle to satisfy biological needs.

Freuds Personality StructureTo understand the dynamics of individuals conflicts, Freud proposed three system of mind. IdAccording to Freud, the source of instinctual energy, which works on the pleasure principle (seeking immediate pleasure) and is concerned with immediate gratification.EgoIn Freuds theory, the rational part of the psyche that deals with reality by controlling the id while also satisfying the superego; (from the Latin ego meaning I)Freuds Personality StructureReality principleAccording to Freud, the principle on which the conscious ego operates as it tries to meet the demands of the id and the superego and the realities of the environment.SuperegoIn Freuds theory, the part of the personality that incorporates parental and societal standards of moralityTwo major components conscience - punitive aspect of the superego; violation of the conscience makes the person feel guilty or ashamed. ego-ideal - positive aspect of the superego, comprising the standards of perfection taught to the child by the parents.

Ego Defense MechanismsWhen the ego fails to satisfy both the id and the superego, anxiety occurs. In order to avoid the discomfort of anxiety, the ego distorts reality by the use of defense mechanisms.Ego Defense MechanismsRepressionpreventing painful or dangerous thoughts from entering consciousnessSublimationWorking off unmet desires or unacceptable impulses in activitiesDenialProtecting oneself from an unpleasant reality by refusing to perceive itRationalizationSubstituting socially acceptable reasonsEgo Defense MechanismsIntellectualizationIgnoring the emotional aspects of a painful experience by focusing on abstract thoughts, words or ideasProjectionTransferring unacceptable motives or impulses to othersReaction formationRefusing to acknowledge unacceptable urges, thoughts or feelings by exaggerating the opposite stateEgo Defense MechanismsRegressionResponding to a threatening situation in a way appropriate to an earlier age or level of developmentDisplacementSubstituting a less threatening object for the original object or impulseSuppression individuals active ad conscious attempt to stop anxiety provoking thoughts by simply not thinking about them. Psychsexual Stages of DevelopmentIn Freudian theory, five developmental periods during which particular kinds of pleasures must be gratified if personality development is to proceed normallyOral Stage0-18 monthsinfant receives satisfaction through sucking, eating, biting, etc. Erogenous zone is the mouth. Overindulgentgullible, dependent, and passiveUnderindulgentaggressive, sadistic personOral fixated adults orient their life around their mouth by overeating, alcoholism, smoking, talking too muchTheory of Psychosexual Development Oral stage - first pregenital stage of psychosexual development, in which primary gratifications center around the mouth.oral aggressive - an individual who becomes fixated because of underindulgence during feeding.oral aggressive character - as an adult, this person is characterized by envy, manipulation of others, and suspiciousness.oral receptive - an individual who becomes fixated because of overindulgence during feeding.oral receptive character - as an adult, this person is characterized by gullibility, admiration for others, and excessive dependence. Anal Stage18 months-3 yearsthe child receives satisfaction by having and retaining bowel movements. Erogenous zone is the anus.Fixation results in retentive or explosive personalityAnal-retentivehighly controlled, compulsively neatAnal-explosivemessy, disorderly, rebellious, and destructiveTheory of Psychosexual Development (cont.)Anal stage - second pregenital stage of psychosexual development, in which primary gratification centers around the anal cavity.anal character - child is locked in a power struggle for control with parents; if parents are too harsh and demanding, child may develop traits of defiance, obstinacy, and stinginess. Phallic Stage3-6 yearscenter of pleasure is the genitals, typically a time of exploration of pleasure through masturbation and playing doctorChild resolves the Oedipus Complex(the period of conflict during the phallic stage when children are sexually attracted to the opposite-sex parent and hostile toward the same-sex parentCastration anxiety in males and penis envy in girlsTheory of Psychosexual Development (cont.)Phallic stage - third pregenital stage of psychosexual development, in which main gratifications are derived from manipulation of the genitals. phallic character - an individual fixated at the phallic stage who, later in life, needs to prove continually his or her sexual adequacy. Latency StageAge 6 to pubertychildren repress sexual thoughts and engage in nonsexual activities such as developing social and intellectual skillsTask is to develop successful interactions with same-sex peers and refine appropriate gender rolesGenital StageAdolescence ongenitals are again the erogenous zones.Individual seeks to fulfill his or her sexual desires through emotional attachment to members of the opposite sex.Unsuccessful outcomes lead to sexual relationships based on lustful desires rather than respect and commitment.Theory of Psychosexual Development (cont.)Latency stage - period during which libidinal energy lies dormant and the primary focus is on the development of interests and skills through contact with childhood peers and teachers.Genital stage - final stage of psychosexual development, in which an attempt is made to conduct a mature love relationship with a member of the opposite sex. genital character - a mature, healthy individual who is sexually developed and capable of relating to members of the other sex.

Therapeutic Assessment Techniques Free association - technique in which the therapist encourages patients to report, without restriction, any thoughts that occur to them.Dream analysis - procedure used to probe the unconscious through interpretation of the patients dreams.Transference - feelings presumed to have originally directed toward the parent(s) are now directed toward the therapist. CHAPTER 3JUNG'S ANALYTICAL PSYCHOLOGY

Analytical Psychology A depth psychology that emphasizes the complex interplay between oppositional forces within the psyche and the ways in which these internal conflicts affect personality development. Psyche Construct to represent all of the interacting systems within human personality that are needed to account for the mental life and behavior of the person.

Psyche (cont.)Libido - general life process energy (encompasses not only the sexual, but the creative and spiritual).Operation of the psycheprinciple of opposites - idea that the energy that propels personality and behavior is derived from the interplay between opposite forces within the psyche.principle of equivalence - idea that energy expended in one part of the psyche will be compensated for by an equal amount of energy in the same or different form in another part of the psyche.principle of entropy - idea that energy is automatically redistributed in the psyche in order to achieve equilibrium.

Psyche (cont.)Components of the Psyche:ego - force in the personality responsible for feelings of identity and continuity.personal unconscious - region that contains all of the personal experiences that have been blocked from awareness.collective unconscious - depository of instincts and archetypes that go beyond personal experience. These transpersonal experiences are the residue of human evolutionary development.

Psyche (cont.)archetypes - universal themes or symbols that can be activated by forces operating in the psyche.persona - role human beings play in order to meet the demands of others.shadow - inferior, evil, and repulsive side of human nature.anima - feminine archetype in men, including both positive and negative characteristics of the transpersonal female. Psyche (archetypes cont.)animus - masculine archetype in women, including both positive and negative characteristics of the transpersonal male. self - an archetype that leads people to search for ways of maximizing the development of their multifaceted potentials.mandala - symbolic representation of the self; multifaceted, balanced, harmonious.Theory of Psychological Types Fundamental attitudesextraversion - characterized by an outgoing and relatively confident approach to life.introversion - characterized by a retiring and reflective approach to life.

Theory of Psychological Types (Cont.)Functionsrational - modes of making judgments or evaluations of events in the world. (thinking and feeling)irrational - Modes of apprehending the world without evaluating it. (sensation and intuition)

Theory of Psychological Types (Cont.)Typology: combines 2 attitudes and 4 functions: extraverted thinking type - characterized in a positive way by an ability to organize masses of facts into a coherent theory and in a negative way by a selfish and exploitative attitude toward others.introverted thinking type - characterized positively by imagination and an ability to think originally and boldly and negatively by social ineptness.extraverted feeling type - characterized positively by an acceptance of the standards of society and negatively by a change in emotions from situation to situation.Theory of Psychological Types (Typology Cont.)introverted feeling type - characterized positively by intense feelings of sympathy for others who have experienced misfortune and negatively by shyness and inaccessibility.extraverted sensing type - characterized positively by an appreciation for the arts and negatively by crude pleasure seeking.introverted sensing type - characterized positively by the intensity of subjective sensations and negatively by oversensitivity and obtuseness.extraverted intuitive type - characterized positively by a quick grasp of the creative possibilities in various ventures and negatively by impatience and flightiness.introverted intuitive type - characterized positively by the ability to envision the future and negatively by an inability to communicate effectively with others. Personality DevelopmentSelf - realization - goal of development is the realization of one's potentials. Therapeutic Assessment Techniques Dream Analysis - means of resolving current problems and pointing to directions for healthy development.Method of Amplification - technique in which the patient and analyst continue to reassess and reinterpret the same symbols in an attempt to broaden their understanding of them.Word Association Test - patients are presented with stimulus words and asked to give responses to them. Greater time latencies in responding are assumed to reflect the existence of underlying complexes.Painting Therapy - technique used to help patients clarify the various symbols seen in their dreams and increase their understanding of themselves.