personality and the psychoanalytic perspective. personality and the four perspectives personality...

Personality and The Personality and The Psychoanalytic PerspectivePsychoanalytic Perspective

Personality and the Four Personality and the Four PerspectivesPerspectives PersonalityPersonality refers refers

to your characteristic to your characteristic pattern of thinking, pattern of thinking, feeling, and acting. feeling, and acting.

Theories of Theories of Personality you Personality you Must Know: Must Know:

1. Psychoanalytic 1. Psychoanalytic 2. Trait 2. Trait 3. Humanistic 3. Humanistic 4. Social Cognitive 4. Social Cognitive

The Psychoanalytic The Psychoanalytic PerspectivePerspective

Mostly based on the ideas Mostly based on the ideas of of Sigmund Freud.Sigmund Freud.

Freud argued that Freud argued that personality was mostly personality was mostly influenced by influenced by unconscious unconscious conflicts/motivations and conflicts/motivations and early childhood early childhood sexuality/experiences. sexuality/experiences.

2 most basic motives 2 most basic motives were were sex and sex and aggressionaggression..

The Psychoanalytic The Psychoanalytic PerspectivePerspective

Psychoanalysis:Psychoanalysis: specifically refers to specifically refers to Freud’s theory on unconscious Freud’s theory on unconscious motivations influence on our personality motivations influence on our personality and to the and to the techniquestechniques used to uncover used to uncover and interpret unconscious conflicts and and interpret unconscious conflicts and tensions which may be causing a tensions which may be causing a psychological disorder.psychological disorder.

From his viewpoint, only through From his viewpoint, only through understanding your unconscious conflicts understanding your unconscious conflicts can you overcome psychological can you overcome psychological problems like depression, anxiety, etc. problems like depression, anxiety, etc.

Unconscious vs. Unconscious vs. PreconsciousPreconscious

Unconscious:Unconscious: According to Freud is a reservoir of mostly According to Freud is a reservoir of mostly

unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings unacceptable thoughts, wishes, feelings and memories we are unaware of. and memories we are unaware of.

Contemporary viewpoint- information Contemporary viewpoint- information processing of which we are unawareprocessing of which we are unaware

Preconscious:Preconscious: information that is not information that is not conscious, but is retrievable into conscious conscious, but is retrievable into conscious awareness. Ex: phone number, best awareness. Ex: phone number, best friend’s last name, etc. friend’s last name, etc.

Structure of Our Personality Structure of Our Personality According to FreudAccording to Freud

To Freud, To Freud, Personality is Personality is like an iceberg.like an iceberg.

We can only We can only see a very see a very small part of it small part of it (conscious) (conscious) while most of it while most of it is unseen is unseen (unconscious)(unconscious)

Id

Superego

Ego Conscious mind

Unconscious mind

Parts of Personality Parts of Personality According to FreudAccording to Freud

Id:Id: largest part of your largest part of your personality that is personality that is unconscious, largely unconscious, largely instinctual, and purely instinctual, and purely operates to satisfy biological, operates to satisfy biological, sexual, and aggressive sexual, and aggressive drives. drives.

Seeks immediate Seeks immediate gratification and operates gratification and operates according to the according to the pleasure pleasure principle.principle.

Parts of Personality According to Parts of Personality According to FreudFreud

Superego:Superego: part of personality part of personality that develops around the age of that develops around the age of 4 to 5.4 to 5.

It is your voice of conscience It is your voice of conscience and focuses on the and focuses on the morality morality principle:principle: how you should act how you should act according to ideals. according to ideals.

It provides standards for It provides standards for judgment and future judgment and future aspirations; pushes you towards aspirations; pushes you towards perfection. perfection.

Parts of Personality Parts of Personality According to FreudAccording to Freud

Ego:Ego: the largely conscious the largely conscious part of your personality part of your personality that mediates conflict that mediates conflict between your id and between your id and superego. superego.

Operates according to the Operates according to the reality principlereality principle satisfying the id’s desires satisfying the id’s desires in ways that will in ways that will realistically bring pleasure realistically bring pleasure rather than pain. rather than pain.

Your Personality Arises From Conflict Your Personality Arises From Conflict Between Pleasure Seeking Impulses (Id) and Between Pleasure Seeking Impulses (Id) and

Internalized Social Restraints (Superego) Internalized Social Restraints (Superego) Against ThemAgainst Them

Personality DevelopmentPersonality Development According to Freud, personality According to Freud, personality

developed during the life’s first few years. developed during the life’s first few years. He believed that adult’s conflicts are He believed that adult’s conflicts are rooted in unresolved conflicts from early rooted in unresolved conflicts from early childhood which were often related to childhood which were often related to conflicts in psychosexual development.conflicts in psychosexual development.

Psychosexual Stages:Psychosexual Stages: childhood childhood stages of development during which stages of development during which according to Freud, the id’s pleasure according to Freud, the id’s pleasure seeking energies are focused on distinct seeking energies are focused on distinct erogenous zones. erogenous zones.

Know the Psychosexual Know the Psychosexual StagesStages

Freud’s Psychosexual Stages

Stage Focus

Oral Pleasure centers on the mouth--(0-18 months) sucking, biting, chewing

Anal Pleasure focuses on bowel and bladder (18-36 months) elimination; coping with demands for

control

Phallic Pleasure zone is the genitals; coping with (3-6 years) incestuous sexual feelings

Latency Dormant sexual feelings(6 to puberty)

Genital Maturation of sexual interests(puberty on)

Personality Development Personality Development and Conflictand Conflict

Fixation:Fixation: refers to a lingering focus refers to a lingering focus of pleasure seeking energies at an of pleasure seeking energies at an earlier psychosexual stage. Occurs earlier psychosexual stage. Occurs when those “sexual needs” are when those “sexual needs” are overindulged or deprived.overindulged or deprived.– Ex: Anal Retentive, etc. Ex: Anal Retentive, etc.

Conflict/Fixation in the Oral StageConflict/Fixation in the Oral Stage Oral stage focuses on “sexual pleasure” Oral stage focuses on “sexual pleasure”

infant gets from sucking, biting, and infant gets from sucking, biting, and chewing. chewing.

Conflict arises when child is weaned off of Conflict arises when child is weaned off of breast or bottle, which in some cases breast or bottle, which in some cases causes traumatic separation anxiety. causes traumatic separation anxiety.

Fixation in this stage leads to: 1. Fixation in this stage leads to: 1. Oral Oral dependent personality:dependent personality: gullible, gullible, passive, dependent or 2. passive, dependent or 2. Oral aggressive Oral aggressive personality:personality: sarcastic, argumentative sarcastic, argumentative personality. personality.

Adults fixated may smoke, drink, chew Adults fixated may smoke, drink, chew pens, or have other oral habits when they pens, or have other oral habits when they get anxious. get anxious.

Conflict/Fixation in the Anal StageConflict/Fixation in the Anal Stage Anal stage focuses on “sexual pleasure” child Anal stage focuses on “sexual pleasure” child

receives from being able to control defecation receives from being able to control defecation (pooping) at the anus.(pooping) at the anus.

Conflict arises during toilet training. Child may Conflict arises during toilet training. Child may

become fixated if training is too strict and become fixated if training is too strict and inflexible or too lenient.inflexible or too lenient.

Fixation in this stage leads to: 1. Fixation in this stage leads to: 1. Anal Anal retentive personality:retentive personality: compulsive compulsive cleanliness, orderliness, etc. OR cleanliness, orderliness, etc. OR Anal Anal Expulsive personality:Expulsive personality: disorganized, messy, disorganized, messy, hot temper. hot temper. “The Anal Retentive Chef”

Conflict/Fixation During the Conflict/Fixation During the Phallic Stage (Focus on Genitals)Phallic Stage (Focus on Genitals)

The Oedipus Complex:The Oedipus Complex: boys develop sexual desires boys develop sexual desires towards their mothers and feelings of jealousy and towards their mothers and feelings of jealousy and hatred towards their father…hatred towards their father…Little Hans Case Study Little Hans Case Study Schick Commercial

Fear of punishment from their father leads to Fear of punishment from their father leads to castration anxietycastration anxiety and eventual repression of and eventual repression of feelings towards mother and identification with rival feelings towards mother and identification with rival parent (father). parent (father).

Identification:Identification: process by which children incorporate process by which children incorporate their parents’ values into their developing superegos. their parents’ values into their developing superegos.

Remember to Mention Remember to Mention Electra Complex. Electra Complex.

Latency StageLatency StageFrom age 6 to 12, sexual feelings From age 6 to 12, sexual feelings

are repressed. are repressed. Freud argued this was the stage Freud argued this was the stage

in which children put energy into in which children put energy into forming social relationships and forming social relationships and learning new tasks. learning new tasks.

If child does not fulfill their own If child does not fulfill their own expectations they may feel expectations they may feel inferior.inferior.

Genital StageGenital StageChildren enter this stage during Children enter this stage during

adolescence. adolescence. When one develops warm When one develops warm

feelings toward others and feelings toward others and sexual attraction and intimate sexual attraction and intimate relationships with others. relationships with others.

Freud viewed this as a smooth Freud viewed this as a smooth period for those with little energy period for those with little energy fixated in previous stages.fixated in previous stages.

Personality and Dealing with Personality and Dealing with AnxietyAnxiety

The ego has to deal with a variety of The ego has to deal with a variety of forms of anxiety based on forms of anxiety based on unconscious conflicts and the unconscious conflicts and the conflicting desires of id and conflicting desires of id and superego. At times to avoid anxiety superego. At times to avoid anxiety it looks to protect itself by using: it looks to protect itself by using:

Defense Mechanisms:Defense Mechanisms: methods methods that the ego uses to reduce anxiety. that the ego uses to reduce anxiety. Involves Involves unconsciously distorting unconsciously distorting realityreality to make itself feel better. to make itself feel better.

Examples of Defense Examples of Defense MechanismsMechanisms

1. 1. Repression:Repression: banishes anxiety- banishes anxiety-arousing thoughts, feelings, and arousing thoughts, feelings, and memories from consciousness.memories from consciousness.Ex:Ex: Child Sexual Abuse is “forgotten.” Child Sexual Abuse is “forgotten.”

2. 2. Regression:Regression: when an individual when an individual retreats to an earlier more infantile retreats to an earlier more infantile psychosexual stage, where some psychosexual stage, where some psychic energy remains fixated. psychic energy remains fixated. Ex:Ex: When stressed someone may When stressed someone may smoke or drink more (oral fixation). smoke or drink more (oral fixation).


3. 3. Reaction Formation:Reaction Formation: when the ego when the ego unconsciously switches unacceptable impulses unconsciously switches unacceptable impulses into their opposites. People will express into their opposites. People will express opposite of their anxiety arousing feelings.opposite of their anxiety arousing feelings.

Ex:Ex: Those with unacceptable homosexual Those with unacceptable homosexual impulses may become gay bashers.impulses may become gay bashers.

4. 4. Projection:Projection: when people disguise their own when people disguise their own threatening impulses by attributing them to threatening impulses by attributing them to others. others.

Ex:Ex: Husband who is cheating may constantly Husband who is cheating may constantly accuse wife of the behavior.accuse wife of the behavior.


5.5.Rationalization:Rationalization: offering self-justifying offering self-justifying explanations in place of the real, more explanations in place of the real, more threatening, unconscious reasons for one’s actions. threatening, unconscious reasons for one’s actions.

Ex:Ex: Justifying cheating on taxes by saying the Justifying cheating on taxes by saying the government would only waste the money.government would only waste the money.

6.6.Displacement:Displacement: shifting one’s sexual or aggressive shifting one’s sexual or aggressive impulses to a more acceptable or less threatening impulses to a more acceptable or less threatening object or person…redirect anger at “safer outlet.”object or person…redirect anger at “safer outlet.”

Ex:Ex: Angry at boss or supervisor and you take it Angry at boss or supervisor and you take it out by yelling at spouse, who might take it out on out by yelling at spouse, who might take it out on her child, who then might kick the dog.her child, who then might kick the dog.


7.7.Sublimation:Sublimation: when people rechannel their when people rechannel their unacceptable impulses into socially approved unacceptable impulses into socially approved activities. activities. Ex:Ex: Playing football to rechannel aggressive Playing football to rechannel aggressive impulses. impulses.

8.8.Intellectualization:Intellectualization: separating oneself from separating oneself from the emotional impact of a situation by focusing the emotional impact of a situation by focusing on the problem in systematic factual way or in on the problem in systematic factual way or in the abstract. the abstract. Ex:Ex: A A wife who learns her husband is dying of wife who learns her husband is dying of cancer tries to learn all she can about the cancer tries to learn all she can about the disease, prognosis, treatment options, etc. disease, prognosis, treatment options, etc. She looks at it in a scientific way to avoid She looks at it in a scientific way to avoid dealing with the emotions. dealing with the emotions.


9.9. Denial:Denial: when person denies threatening when person denies threatening behavior or events are taking place. behavior or events are taking place.

Ex:Ex: Person who is in a horrible accident Person who is in a horrible accident states emphatically “I will walk again!” states emphatically “I will walk again!”

10.10. Undoing:Undoing: idea that if you have idea that if you have unacceptable impulses/behavior you can unacceptable impulses/behavior you can undo or make it up by doing something.undo or make it up by doing something.

Ex:Ex: After cheating on wife, husband buys her After cheating on wife, husband buys her jewelry. jewelry.

DEFENSE MECHANISM DEFENSE MECHANISM SKIT ACTIVITYSKIT ACTIVITY

Methods for Tapping Into the Methods for Tapping Into the UnconsciousUnconscious

1.1. Hypnosis:Hypnosis: Freud “discovered” the Freud “discovered” the unconscious when hypnotizing his unconscious when hypnotizing his patients. Under hypnosis patients would patients. Under hypnosis patients would talk freely about the onset of their talk freely about the onset of their symptoms and their lives which allowed symptoms and their lives which allowed Freud access to “unconscious conflicts.”Freud access to “unconscious conflicts.”

Freud eventually turned away from Freud eventually turned away from hypnosis since not all patients reacted to hypnosis since not all patients reacted to it. it.

Methods for Tapping Into the Methods for Tapping Into the UnconsciousUnconscious

2. 2. Dreams:Dreams: considered the considered the “royal road to the “royal road to the unconscious.”unconscious.”

Manifest contentManifest content (dream (dream sequence) was a censored sequence) was a censored expression of the dreamer’s expression of the dreamer’s unconscious wishes called unconscious wishes called latent contentlatent content which can be which can be analyzed by psychoanalysts. analyzed by psychoanalysts.

Methods for Tapping into Methods for Tapping into The UnconsciousThe Unconscious

3. 3. Free Association:Free Association: technique in which technique in which patients relax and say patients relax and say whatever comes to their whatever comes to their mind without censoring mind without censoring themselves no matter themselves no matter how trivial or how trivial or embarrassing the flow embarrassing the flow of thoughts is. of thoughts is.

Methods for Tapping into The Methods for Tapping into The UnconsciousUnconscious

To Freud nothing you did or said was ever To Freud nothing you did or said was ever accidental; Everything offered insights into accidental; Everything offered insights into the unconscious. the unconscious.

4. 4. Freudian Slips:Freudian Slips: slips of the tongue or slips of the tongue or actions which may illustrate unconscious actions which may illustrate unconscious motives/feelings.motives/feelings.Ex:Ex: Accidentally calling your wife “mom” Accidentally calling your wife “mom”

Ex: Ex: Man sending a post card to Man sending a post card to his wife while on vacation which his wife while on vacation which reads: “Wish you were reads: “Wish you were herher.” .”

Freudian SlipFreudian Slip #2

Psychoanalytic Personality Tests: Psychoanalytic Personality Tests: Assessing the UnconsciousAssessing the Unconscious

Projective Tests:Projective Tests: test which test which presents ambiguous (unclear) stimuli presents ambiguous (unclear) stimuli which is designed to get at one’s which is designed to get at one’s inner/unconscious dynamics when inner/unconscious dynamics when you interpret it. you interpret it.

Types of Projective TestsTypes of Projective Tests Thematic Thematic

Apperception Apperception Test (TAT):Test (TAT): test test where people where people express their express their inner feelings and inner feelings and interests through interests through the stories they the stories they make up about make up about ambiguous ambiguous scenes. scenes.

““The Scout”The Scout”(Netflix – 49:50 – 55:10)(Netflix – 49:50 – 55:10)

Types of Projective TestsTypes of Projective Tests

Rorschach Inkblot Test:Rorschach Inkblot Test: most most widely used projective test, looks widely used projective test, looks to identify people’s inner feelings to identify people’s inner feelings by analyzing their interpretations by analyzing their interpretations of blots. of blots.

Neo-FreudiansNeo-Freudians Alfred Adler:Alfred Adler: emphasized the emphasized the

importance of SOCIAL tensions in importance of SOCIAL tensions in childhood rather than sexual childhood rather than sexual tensions to explain personality tensions to explain personality development. development.

Proposed idea of Proposed idea of inferiority inferiority complex:complex: feeling of inferiority feeling of inferiority during childhood which causes during childhood which causes individuals to overcompensate individuals to overcompensate (people’s behavior consistently (people’s behavior consistently directed toward the goal of directed toward the goal of superiority) and either have superiority) and either have significant achievements or develop significant achievements or develop antisocial tendencies. antisocial tendencies.

Neo-FreudiansNeo-Freudians Carl Jung:Carl Jung: Came up with several Came up with several

important Psychoanalytic ideas important Psychoanalytic ideas including: including: – Collective Unconscious:Collective Unconscious: idea that humans idea that humans

have a shared reservoir of memory traces have a shared reservoir of memory traces from our species’ history.from our species’ history.

– Inherited memories were known as Inherited memories were known as archetypesarchetypes and can be seen in the common and can be seen in the common themes in religions, cultures, literature, etc. themes in religions, cultures, literature, etc.

Neo-FreudiansNeo-Freudians Karen Horney:Karen Horney: brought a feminist brought a feminist

perspective to psychoanalytic theory perspective to psychoanalytic theory and sharply attacked the male bias and sharply attacked the male bias she saw in Freud’s work. she saw in Freud’s work.

– Argued against Freud’s concept of Argued against Freud’s concept of “penis envy.” “penis envy.”

Criticisms of Criticisms of Psychoanalysis?Psychoanalysis?

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