GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY 11103-01 NOTES
September 20, 2010
Professor Fish questioned the class on the effectiveness of the slide presentations,
hints, and suggested reading. Students responded that emphasis of particular points
of interest and the suggested reading are quite helpful even though ANY of the
material can be on the exam.
Sigmund Freud, Chap. 4 States of Consciousness and Chaps. 2 & 6 in Cross on Freud
and Jung will be on the exam.
While having technical difficulties, Professor Fish requested the class to re-read
Chapter 2 in Cross and invited Loren to ask the students questions.
Loren: What was Freud the founder of?
S: Psychology.
Loren: What kind of psychology?
S: Psychoanalysis.
P: Good. What was the theory that was developed from Psychoanalytic Psychology
that Freud is well known for? I will give you a clue, it is the stages.
S: Psychosexual.
P: Psychosexual, alright. What does ‘Psycho’ mean? Psycho in this context is the
prefix for anything pertaining to the mind. So, the sexual stages in Freud’s idea of
development that are mind based. We are starting to get into the sexual terminology
and theories that may make some students uncomfortable.
P: Freud was an atheist and believed that Faith was a sexual longing for one’s
mother. Darwin was also an Atheist. Did he give us anything of value?
S: The theory of evolution.
P: Good. What about Isaac Newton? Did Isaac Newton give us anything of value?
S: The law of gravity.
P: Does anyone know if Newton a religious man? Well we really do not know. So,
regardless of your religion or lack thereof, if I drop this book do you believe it will
fall?
S: Yes.
P: Does it matter what religion you are to say that this book will fall?
S: No.
P: The fact that this book will fall does not depend on your faith. Darwin’s
contribution to human life was based on what most people considered contrary to
faith. When we talk about Freud, we have to understand that like Darwin and
Newton, we are not studying Freud’s belief and religion as much today, but what we
would be without Freud. We probably would not be without automobiles or law of
GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY 11103-01 NOTES
September 20, 2010
gravity, but many things in psychology can be credited to Freud and his insight. In
addition, in Columbus’ era, people thought the world was flat and that Columbus
was crazy for to think otherwise. Think of this in the reverse; now we think that
Freud is crazy, but in his time, they did not think he was crazy at all.
The Renaissance was also a time when women did not have the same rights as men.
In fact, they did not have any until recently, and many do not have these rights in
other countries that women in the Untied Stated have been given. However, in that
time, women had a very specific role, and Freud’s idea of a woman was very
stereotypical and narrow-minded, but was accepted.
Many of the conditions that Freud treated women for were attributed to hysteria. He
believed that they suffered from this due to the female anatomy. Although, men
suffered from hysteria as well, it was kept as a dirty little secret. There is a Hyster
scale still in use today.
When we talk of the sexual stages in this course, we are talking about Freud’s idea
that there are certain pathologies that can cause a person to be stuck. Unlike
Erikson, you can be stuck in a psychosexual stage. Moreover, if you are stuck, certain
things will happen later in life.
When we look at Chapter 2 in Cross, we are looking at oral, anal, phallic, latency, and
genital stages. Each one of these stages correlates with a body part. Oral relates to
the mouth as in breastfeeding. Anal is relevant to the mouth as well, but is focused
on the sphincter muscle. Phallic refers only to the penis. Latency means no focus.
Genital relates to ALL of the genitals - the penis, testicles, and the vagina.
Latency means that something that has not revealed itself - hidden or not seen.
Genital
Manifest means anything that is apparent. That is to say, that someone’s beliefs
manifest itself in his or her behavior.
KNOW THESE TERMS, THEY WILL BE ON THE EXAM!!!
When the body is formed, people are by default female, but it is the testosterone
that creates the male genitalia. Therefore, when we talk about the genitalia, we
include everything. Freud was very specific in our mental pursuits based on what
equipment we have and what stage of life we are in. When we are born, we are not
focus on the sexual equipment except to eliminate (to pee and poop). Ex: If a child
has an elimination problem, he or she may not be potty trained yet.
The focus of the child is survival. How is the child going to eat? The child must
LEARN to use his or her oral sphincter. This is done by instinct by breastfeeding.
This is all developed around the Oral Stage.
GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY 11103-01 NOTES
September 20, 2010
What we are now going to get into in this chapter is Freud’s Id, Ego, and the
Superego. The theory of personality:
Id - The only structure present at birth and is completely unconscious. The
collection of unconscious urges and desires that continually seek expression (ex: I
want it now - Id be fun). ‘The Cat in the Hat.’
Ego - Part of the personality that mediates between the environmental demands
(reality), conscious (superego), and instinctual needs (Id); now often used as a
synonym for “self.” Parents usually assume this role for the child until they are old
enough to do so for themselves (ex: I need to do a bit of planning before I get it).
‘The Children.’
Superego - The social and parental standards the individual has internalized; the
conscious and the ego ideal. Like the Ego, it works on the conscious, preconscious,
and unconscious levels, but assimilates morality (ex: I cannot have it at all). ‘The
Fish.’
KNOW THESE TERMS, THEY WILL BE ON THE EXAM!!!
Rapport - 1: relation characterized by harmony, conformity, accord, or affinity
2 : confidence of a subject in the operator (as in hypnotism, psychotherapy, or
mental testing) with willingness to cooperate first step in treatment is
establishment of a firm rapport
Professor went on to convey a story of how rapport can help do a lot of the work.
When we go into Logic, we have to take into account faulty logic. Faulty logic can
lead to irrational thinking. A part of what leads to irrational thinking is how we talk.
What we say can also reveal our beliefs and behaviors. In many things we read,
details can be conceptualized in order to persuade you to believe something that
may not give you all of the pertinent information.
1. Half of the people who eat bread score below average on tests.
2. Half of all criminals ate bread before committing a crime.
3. Nearly half of the nation’s obese population eat bread.
Professor Fish advised that his office hours are cancelled for today due to Dr. Black’s
presentation. On regular office hours, he may be in his office, in the secretary’s
office, or somewhere on the floor, but he is there.
The exam will cover Chapters 1-4 Morris/Maisto and Chapters 2 & 6 in Cross.