The Psychology of Jane Eyre

The Psychology of Jane EyreNon-Freudian explanationsMainly relevant to first two chaptersFreudian explanationsRelevant to whole novel

Non-Freudian explanationsParticular to the first two chapters

ModellingModelling - copying adults behaviourReed children model mothers behaviour

Learning from observation

Fight or FlightFlight - Jane usually hides behind the curtainFight - when badly hit by John she fights.Adrenaline - Autonomic responseArousal reduced by either Fight or Flight.

THREATOur response to threatSlide 1.7

Obedience to AuthorityMilgram - Potentially lethal electric shocks to a stranger.Servants do not support Jane.They are obedient to Mrs Reed.

Obedience to AuthorityBehavior that is unthinkable in an individual who is acting on her own may be executed without hesitation when carried out under orders.

Milgram:Touch Proximity: Victim received a shock only when the victims hand rested on a shock plate. The teacher had to force his hand on it. Required physical contact with the victim.

Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned Response

Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned ResponseNeutral Stimulus

Unconditioned StimulusUnconditioned ResponseNeutral Stimulus

Conditioned ResponseConditioned Stimulus

RatsDogsBunniesSanta ClausCoats

Classical ConditioningThe Red RoomJanes uncle (Mrs Reeds husband) died here.Ghost appears and Jane is frightenedRed room elicits fear in JaneWomen shut away in rooms

Labelling theoryJane feels that she is labelled by Mrs Reed as:uselessnoxiousand notbrillianthandsomeromping, etc

Modified Labeling ApproachSocietalConceptions of What it Means To Have a Mental IllnessLabeling:ConceptionsBecomePersonallyRelevantLabeled PersonsResponse Secrecy,Withdrawal etc.Negative ConsequencesSelf-esteem, NetworksVulnerability toChronicityNot LabeledSocietal ConceptionsNot Relevant to SelfNoConsequences Due to Labeling

Perceptual primingIn the red roomJane thinks of the dead coming back from the grave when their dying wishes have not been carried out.Then a moving light is seen as a ghostThe grown-up Jane (writing) believes it was most likely a lantern being carried across the lawn.

PrimingPass out demonstration sheets

Priming demonstrationUnscramble the following word:L T E P AAnswer:P E T A LP L A T E

PrimingWhy did half the class say plate and the other half say petal?They were primed to do soThere were two different sheets of unscrambled words

Priming sheet 1Unscramble the following word:F I N E KO P O N SK R O FP U CE C U S A RL T E P A

Answer:K N I F ES P O O NF O R KC U PS A U C E RP L A T E

Priming sheet 2Unscramble the following word:N Y P A S F E L AK T A L S D U B L O B S O M SL T E P A

Answer:P A N S YL E A F S T A L K B U D B L O S S O M P E T A L

Freudian explanationsRelevant to whole novel

The Ego and Mechanisms of Defense (1936) Anna FreudRepressionDisplacementDenialProjectionReaction FormationIntellectualizationRationalizationUndoingSublimationIdentification with the Agressor

The Ego deals with Id, Superego, and Reality by:1. Secondary processIdeal, but especially for children not always possible2. Defense mechanismsSometimes, the best anyone can do. But can be used maladaptively3. Symptoms (neurotic)Last resort, things are bad when you have to use these

Three types of anxietyNeurotic AnxietyFear of being overwhelmed by unacceptable Id impulses [Ego vs. Id]Moral AnxietyFear of being punished by the Superego [Ego vs. Superego]Reality AnxietyFear of danger in the outside world [Ego vs. Reality]

RepressionThe most basic defense mechanismThe use of anti-cathexis to keep a memory or wish from becoming consciousRepression is a component of almost every other defense mechanismMost defense mechanism = repression + .

RepressionGateshead from familyLowood from an institutionThornfield from within a relationshipMoor House from withinFerndean - release from repression

RepressionRochester locks Bertha in the attic and tries to forget he has a wife.

Vagina DentataVictorian morality tale but myth is found in many culturesSex with strange women is dangerousFreud - vagina - men are reminded of castration / also seen as mouth.

Vagina DentataRochester has had at least one mistress and is metaphorically bitten by losing her to another man.Bertha wounds Mason and becomes a Vagina DentataSexual repression - St John Rivers

DisplacementThe second most basic defense mechanismDefinition: The transfer of psychic energy from a repressed object-cathexis to a more acceptable objectThe more acceptable object will in some way be associated with (usually resembling) the original objectSeen in phobias

Displacement in Jane EyreRooms - not connected by plot but by emotionsEmotions are displaced onto the roomsRed Room - Jane is locked into when a childRoom next to Berthas - whilst left alone to tend MasonBerthas room - Bertha is locked and becomes(?) mad.

Displacement in Jane EyreFor transgressing the limits of proper female behaviourJane is imprisoned by John Reed (via his mother)Bertha is imprisoned by RochesterEmotions: Fear, Hysteria, Madness and Claustrophobia.

ProjectionAttributing an unacceptable thought or feeling or your own to someone else instead of yourselfThis involves repression, plus an additional factorEgo senses something unacceptable from somewhere, but convinces self it is external Changes neurotic anxiety into reality anxietySeen in paranoia

ProjectionProjection - Mrs Reed - Jane should be more sociable and childlike.Is John Reed sociable and childlike?Why does Mrs Reed spoil her children?Part of the reason why Mrs Reed puts Jane down.If Jane is Bad then my children are good

UndoingPerforming a ritualistic act to undo an unacceptable act or thoughtJanes fugue or flight from Rochester after she nearly entered into a bigamous marriage.

SublimationTwo definitions of sublimationDisplacement of an impulse to a completely socially acceptable, socially approved outletA displacement which discharges all the psychic energy bound up in the original impulse successfullyJane could have sublimated her desire for Rochester by becoming a missionarys wife but instead finds spiritual meaning in human experience.

SublimationPerhaps Bront is sublimating her wish to criticize Victorian attitudes to women by writing Jane Eyre. A more acceptable activity.Although many men then believed that writing was an inappropriate activity for women!

Identification with the AggressorAnna Freud named this one as a defense mechanismThe basis of the resolution of the Oedipus ComplexJane enters into a sadomasochistic relationship with Rochester.

Split PersonalityUnable to face up to trauma so personality is split.One personality can comment upon how the other has been affected by trauma.Disassociation

Multiple Personality DisorderPresence of two or more distinct identities, each with its own unique, and enduring way of relating to the world or selfAt least two of these identities recurrently take control of the persons behaviorAn inability to recall important personal information to an extent that is more than ordinary forgetfulness

CausesChildhood trauma usually sexual abuse before age 5Experts believe alter arises to protect person from overwhelming memories and protect secrets from outsiders

Case Study: EveThigpen and Cleckley, 1953Rooted from traumatic events witnessed growing up in South during DepressionEve White wife and mother; Eve Black party girl; Jane mature intellectualTotal of 22 personalities

Case Study: SybilTrue name Shirley MasonSet the standard for MPD as a syndrome rooted in child abuse16 separate personalities all having unique talents and characteristics, such as piano playing or having British accent; some were maleDr. Wilbur Freudian psychologist1998 several publications exposed Sybil case as scamDr. Herbert Spiegel - only multiple personality in psychoanalytic setting; just extremely suggestible hystericTo ensure the book deal, Sybil had to be multiple; Dr. Wilburs archives will be opened in 2005

Split PersonalityJane is the good woman who participates in the Victorian patriarchal society without rocking the boat too much for most of the book.Bertha is the bad woman locked in the attic.The attic is rather like the unconscious mindRochester is suppressing a memory that pains him.

Split PersonalityIs Bertha Bad?By modern standards?Compared with Rochester?People who do not fit into society (or are bad) are labelled mad.Bront is using this split to criticise in a more acceptable form the treatment of women. (Sublimation?)

Castration complexPart of little boys psychosexual development.As a punishment for loving mother, father threatens castrationResolved by the boy identifying with father.

Castration complexEarly stage of Rochesters lifeNave marriage to BerthaExpecting Victorian norms of behaviourBertha could have been a mother substitution for RochesterBertha rebelsDivorce not possibleLocks her away

Castration complexRochester expecting his wife to be like his mumRochester expects Jane to be subservient tooSadomasochistic relationship between Rochester and JaneUntil Rochester is maimed in the fireHe is castrated

Castration complexJane can enjoy a future marriage based on equanimity and mutual understanding and respect.Bront like Austen commented on the subservient role of women of their day.

Changing view of BerthaBront could not directly attack these values so used Jane and Bertha to get the message across. Message was too subtle for many VictoriansBertha seen as badModern age could see Bertha in new lightJean Rhys' novel Wide Sargasso Sea.

Thank you for listening

Key words:

Notes:

This is a demonstration of conceptual priming. There are two sheets. Half the class gets one sheet; the remaining half gets the second sheet. It is important not to let the class know there are two different sheets. I generally give tyhe front half of the class the first sheet and the back half of the class the second sheet. Regardless it is necessary to prevent giving different sheets to people sitting in close vicinity to one another. I also tell students they should complete the task themselves without help from their neighbors. I generally give the students this demonstration before telling them what priming is, so they don't have any expectations of what I'm trying to do.

As for the actual demo, on both sheets, students are given a list of scrambled words. Students merely have to unscramble the letters. One sheet contains scrambled words relating to flowers. The other relates to kitchen utensils. The key priming word is the very last scrambled word: L T E P A. Those who received the list with flower words will write "P E T A L". Those who received the utensils list will write "P L A T E". That is, the responses to the last word were primed by the words that appeared before.Key words: long-term memory; implicit memory; non-declarative memory; primingKey words: long-term memory; implicit memory; non-declarative memory; primingKey words: long-term memory; implicit memory; non-declarative memory; primingKey words: long-term memory; implicit memory; non-declarative memory; primingWhat defense mechanisms doThis list is not exhaustiveFreud talked about them, but never systematically listed themHis daughter, Anna Freud organized themShe also added.Defense mechanisms are defenses against anxiety, most commonly neurotic anxietyThe ideal way to deal with anxiety is for the ego to govern the id, and allow satisfaction of id impulses in ways that do no harm to long-run self-interest or to other people.Defense mechanisms are a less satisfactory way to deal with anxietyHowever, they are not all bad either. Especially in childhood, sometimes they are the best we can do to deal with life.

The Ego deals with its situation, and its anxiety in three waysSecondary process: deals with problems realisticallyIdeal but not always possiblee.g., how does a child deal with aggressive impulses against parents upon whom they also depend for survival?When older, you can realize it is fine to have hostility towards your parentsDefense MechanismsNot ideal, but sometimes the best we can doUsually not so bad, but extreme oneslike denialcan be pretty maladaptiveNeurotic symptomsUsually not so greatExamplesHysteria symptoms we have already discussedPhobias: Intense fear of things (kind of like displacement): spiders and snakesguess what they symbolize?Panic attacks: awareness of the feared impulse completely repressedNote these are more debilitating than run of mill defense mechanisms Three types of anxietyNeurotic Anxiety: Id-Ego conflict; danger is Id impulses evading repressione.g., You might become aware you want to kill your fatherMoral Anxiety: Ego-Superego conflict; danger is Superego punishing egoYour Super-ego might punish you for wanting to kill your fatherRealistic Anxiety: Ego-External World conflict: danger is from the external worldHit by a car; eaten by a bear, etc.Repression The most basic defense mechanism, part of all the othersFreud The theory of repression is the corner-stone on which the whole structure of psychoanalysis restsDefinition: Repression is the restraining of a cathexis by an anti-cathexisCan be of an idea or memory, preventing it from becoming consciousCan be of an impulse or wish, preventing it also from becoming consciousalso repression of associated ideas and memories, which are connected to the dangerous one and therefore dangerous themselves

ExamplesCant remember painful incident, e. g., sexual abuse, from the pastGuilt likely involved; threat is to the egoControversy now over repressed memoriesHysterical blindnesssaw something too painful, now all vision repressedSexual desire repressed in deeply religious person brought up to see sexual pleasure as wrongcant remember name of person one had painful encounter withhere, associated memories are also repressedDisplacement Definition: The transfer of energy from a repressed object-cathexis to a more acceptable object. Displacement should be to a target that in some way resembles the original object of the feelings Also a basic mechanism, involved in most other defense mechanismsExamplesTimberlawn examplepatient attacked woman who looked like her husbands mistressFunny story: how plush Timberlawn was!Dr. Amsterdam storyBackground: I screen patients for a studyJay upset with meBut, probably thinks Im a doctor!Left politely but threw papers at BrentClient who broke up with girl B, after girl A broke up with himRepressed religious person focuses on food: If youd like gay nights and pleasant dinners, board with saints and bed with sinners!Angry at your boss, go home and kick your dogHow much resemblance?You may think of your boss as a dog by now!angry at others, take it out on the help/waitperson

doesnt have to be angerfear: phobias explained because unacceptable to be afraid of father, so afraid of horsestransferring love to remaining child after other diesDreamsdisplace repressed wishes onto more acceptable images

Seen in phobias: Example of little Hans: fear of horses was displaced fear of his fatherhorse had a large penisProjectionDefinition: Attributing an unacceptable, anxiety-provoking thought or feeling onto someone else instead of to yourselfExample: I hate him He hates meI love her She loves meThis defense is thought by psychoanalysts to be a major part of paranoiaPerson who believes others are out to get him/her is projecting their own hostile impulsesAnn Coulternasty book about how politics has become too nasty!Read quotesShe clearly sees slander as badWould seem oblivious to extent of her own slander of othersNew book Treason along the same linesseeing negative trait of yourself in everyone else, e.g., seeing timidity in everyone else, feeling contempt for it, but not recognizing it in oneself.This is unconscious, person has no idea they are doing thisTurns neurotic or moral anxiety into reality anxiety, easier to deal withCan also help justify ones own feelings/actionsIm not being aggressive, Im just sticking up for myself in the midst of other aggressive people.Why does this help?Involves repression, plus additional factorIt is as if the ego can sense something unacceptable from somewhere, but convinces itself the unacceptable is external (remember, the ego has some access to both the internal and external world)Undoing Performing a ritualistic act to undo an unacceptable act or thoughtLady MacBeth compulsively washes after murderA man who has physically abused his wife buys her flowers, new clothesSublimationFinally, a really good defense mechanismA kind of displacementDefinitionsDisplacement to a completely socially acceptable, even approved outletFreud believed what mainly drove us was sex and aggressionSublimation allows these drives to discharge in approved waysExamplesPlaying tennisBecoming a surgeon(ask class about motivations people have for becoming surgeons)beat your siblings and cut people!Second definition: a displacement which discharges all the energy successfullyWorks of great art are seen as sublimations of sexual impulsesUsing the paint brush is a displacement of desire to smear your feces!SublimationFinally, a really good defense mechanismA kind of displacementDefinitionsDisplacement to a completely socially acceptable, even approved outletFreud believed what mainly drove us was sex and aggressionSublimation allows these drives to discharge in approved waysExamplesPlaying tennisBecoming a surgeon(ask class about motivations people have for becoming surgeons)beat your siblings and cut people!Second definition: a displacement which discharges all the energy successfullyWorks of great art are seen as sublimations of sexual impulsesUsing the paint brush is a displacement of desire to smear your feces!