The Psychodynamic Approach
Sigmund Freud
The Psychodynamic Approach
Sigmund Freud
Freud said our minds
are a bit like
icebergs – the part
of the iceberg you
can see above the
water represents our
conscious mind,
what is underneath
represents our
unconscious mind.
What do you think this means?
The Mind (Psyche) is made of 3 things:
Hedonistic
The Superego
The Id
The Ego
How would the 3 parts of the Psyche
view a chocolate cake?
Discuss with your partner how
the 3 parts of the psyche
would view alcohol?
Ego Defence Mechanisms
• If we experience something hurtful or painful
then Freud says we need to protect our psyche
from the hurt, and we employ an
Ego Defence Mechanism
• He said this an unconscious protective device
• Freud says that it’s possible to experience
something traumatic as a child, and your
psyche will employ a defence mechanism for
years to protect you from the hurt of that
experience.
• We might also use ego-defence mechanisms as
adults.
Ego Defence Mechanisms
We will now examine 5 ego defence mechanisms
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Repression
Regression
Denial
Displacement
Sublimation
(see handout PP21 for the full list)
Ego Defence Mechanisms
Repression
• This is when you ‘force’ a
hurtful memory or feeling
out of the consciousness.
• It is still there, but you
have REPRESSED it –
pushed it down into
unconsciousness.
• If it is not in your
conscious mind then it
can’t hurt you.
Think of it in terms of the ice-berg, it’s pushed underwater
and you can’t remember it because it’s in the unconscious.
•
Ego Defence Mechanisms
Repression
Case
Study
A boy is sexually abused when he is 6 years old.
• He represses this event so that it is in his unconscious mind.
He therefore can’t remember it.
• When he becomes an adult he finds that he has many
sexual difficulties such as lack of desire, impotency and
anxiety when he has sex.
• His repressed memories are in his unconscious but they are
affecting his behaviour as an adult. When he wants to have
a sexual relationship he finds that he can’t and he doesn’t
understand why.
• He goes for sexual therapy and during the therapy
remembers the sexual abuse. His repressed memories have
come to the conscious mind. They have come to the
surface. He then continues with therapy and overcomes his
sexual difficulties
Ego Defence Mechanisms
Regression
• If we are upset we ‘REGRESS’
(go back) to a time in life
where we felt safe, and then
engage in behaviours that
someone in that stage in life
would do. For example,
thumb-sucking, cuddling a
teddy bear etc
• This regression makes us feel
comforted and safe and
protects us from feeling
anxious
Ego Defence Mechanisms
Regression Case Study
• Fred & Rose West were
serial killers.
• When they were on trial
and facing life in prison,
Rose would go home
from court at the end of
each day, eat sweets
and watch Disney DVDs.
• Explain why this is an
example of regression.
Ego Defence Mechanisms
Denial
• Refusing to acknowledge certain
aspects of reality.
• Even if something is blatantly true,
we go into DENIAL and refuse to
accept it is true.
Ego Defence Mechanisms
Denial examples
• People know that smoking causes
lung cancer, but they smoke. They
are in denial.
• A boy sees his girlfriend kissing
someone else but denies it is true.
• A woman is given a diagnosis of
breast cancer, but does not attend
any appointments for treatment
because she is in denial that she has
cancer.
• Think of 5 more examples of denial
Ego Defence Mechanisms
Displacement
• Using a substitute person or object for
the expression of your feelings
because it feels too dangerous to
express your feelings towards the real
cause of your anger or upset.
• ‘Taking it out’ on the wrong person –
someone who you know will always
love you or someone you don’t care
about.
Ego Defence Mechanisms
Displacement Case
Study
• A man is shouted at when at work for something
that he feels is not his fault.
• He feels unable to express his feelings to his
manager because they have a difficult
relationship and he is scared he will lose his job.
• He comes home from work and shouts at his
children for not washing up and grounds them
for a week.
Ego Defence Mechanisms
Sublimation
• A form of displacement in
which a substitute activity is
found to express feelings
• The most positive of the egodefence mechanism
• It usually involves something
sporty or creative.
• Going for a run, boxing,
swimming, painting, writing,
drumming, guitar playing,
dancing etc
• Identify more forms of
sublimation (list 10)
Group Work
• In small groups, choose 1 defence mechanism
from PP21 that has not already been addressed.
• Describe what the defence mechanism does
(use PP21 to help).
• Give examples of when the defence mechanism
might be employed.
• Present your findings to the rest of the group.
Name the ego-defence
mechanism
Name the ego-defence
mechanism
Name the ego-defence
mechanism
Name the ego-defence
mechanism
F*** Off
You B***!
Boo
Hoo,
but I
love
you!
F*** Off
Mum!
But I’ve
done
nothing
wrong!
Name the ego-defence
mechanism
Name the ego-defence
mechanism
Name the ego-defence
mechanism
Name the ego-defence
mechanism
Group Work: Make Display Posters on:
• The id, the ego and superego. Describe each one.
Give examples of how each would view sex.
• How Freud presents the psyche and what this is made
up of (the iceberg!). Describe what is in the conscious
and unconscious psyche.
• Task 3, M2 part. Identify the ego-defence mechanism
she is using. Describe how this would affect her
behaviour and her health, how it would impact on
family members (husband, twin girls aged 16, son
aged 8). How they might feel and respond to her
coping mechanism.
• List 5 ego defence mechanisms. Describe in your own
words what each of them mean. Give a NEW example
for one of the defence mechanisms. (x 2 groups)