2.1 Psychodynamic Theories

Psychodynamic theories explore how our unconscious mind shapes behavior. From Freud's psychosexual stages to Jung's archetypes, these ideas help us understand the hidden forces driving our actions, relationships, and personality development.

Early experiences play a crucial role in shaping who we become. Attachment styles formed in childhood influence our adult relationships, while unresolved conflicts can manifest in unexpected ways. Understanding these dynamics can help us navigate our personal and professional lives more effectively.

Psychodynamic Theories

Freud's psychosexual stages

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• Oral stage (0-1 years) involves pleasure-seeking focused on the mouth through sucking, biting, and chewing (pacifiers, thumb-sucking); fixation may lead to oral personality traits like smoking, overeating, or excessive talking
• Anal stage (1-3 years) centers pleasure around bowel and bladder control with toilet training; fixation may result in anal-retentive personality traits of being overly controlled, neat, or stingy or anal-expulsive traits of disorganization, messiness, or defiance
• Phallic stage (3-6 years) focuses pleasure on the genitals with masturbation; Oedipus complex emerges in boys desiring the mother and fearing castration by the father while Electra complex arises in girls desiring the father and experiencing penis envy; fixation may lead to sexual deviations, overcompensation, or relationship difficulties
• Latency stage (6-puberty) represses sexual interests as children focus on developing social skills, forming friendships, and engaging in intellectual pursuits (school, hobbies)
• Genital stage (puberty-adulthood) marks the maturation of sexual interests directed towards opposite-sex peers and the development of mature, reciprocal romantic relationships

Unconscious mind in psychodynamic theory

• The unconscious mind contains repressed thoughts, feelings, memories, and desires that are hidden from conscious awareness but still influence behavior
• Unconscious conflicts between the id's primitive drives and the superego's moral standards create anxiety that is managed by defense mechanisms (repression, projection, sublimation)
• Freudian slips, or unintended errors in speech, writing, or actions, are believed to reveal unconscious desires or conflicts (calling a partner by an ex's name)
• Dreams serve as a "royal road" to the unconscious, expressing hidden wishes and conflicts through symbolic imagery that requires interpretation

Early experiences in personality development

• Early relationships with primary caregivers shape attachment styles that influence future relationship patterns
  • Secure attachment results from consistent, responsive caregiving and fosters a positive self-image, emotional regulation skills, and healthy relationships
  • Insecure attachment stems from inconsistent or unresponsive caregiving leading to anxious, avoidant, or disorganized relationship patterns marked by fear of abandonment, emotional detachment, or chaotic interactions
• Unresolved conflicts and traumas from childhood can unconsciously manifest in adult relationships and behaviors (difficulty trusting others, fear of intimacy)
• Transference occurs when feelings and expectations from childhood relationships are unconsciously projected onto current relationships (viewing a boss as a critical parent)
• Countertransference involves the therapist's unconscious emotional response to the client's transference (feeling protective of a client)

Freud vs Erikson vs Jung

• Sigmund Freud emphasized the role of unconscious drives, conflicts, and psychosexual stages in shaping personality with a focus on the tripartite model of the mind (id, ego, superego)
• Erik Erikson expanded Freud's theory to include social and cultural influences across the lifespan with eight psychosocial stages centered on identity formation and social relationships (trust vs mistrust, autonomy vs shame and doubt)
• Carl Jung introduced the concepts of the collective unconscious (universal inherited memories), archetypes (innate personality patterns), individuation (self-realization), and psychological types (introversion vs extraversion)

Psychodynamic Theories and Human Behavior

Psychodynamic theories and understanding human behavior

• Psychodynamic theories provide a framework for understanding the complex interplay between unconscious processes, early experiences, and current behaviors by examining how hidden conflicts, desires, and defenses shape personality and interpersonal functioning
• They emphasize the role of early relationships in shaping attachment styles (secure, anxious, avoidant) that influence interpersonal patterns, emotional regulation, and self-image throughout life
• Psychodynamic theories highlight how unconscious conflicts and defenses (repression, projection) impact social interactions, occupational functioning, and mental health (difficulty asserting needs, overworking to avoid intimacy)
• They offer insights into the intergenerational transmission of relationship patterns and emotional dynamics (children of emotionally unavailable parents may struggle with intimacy as adults)