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Questions and Answers
What is the primary function of defence mechanisms according to Vaillant's theory?
What is the primary function of defence mechanisms according to Vaillant's theory?
Which of the following defence mechanisms is considered 'mature'?
Which of the following defence mechanisms is considered 'mature'?
According to Vaillant's theory, what is the key difference between 'mature' and 'immature' defence mechanisms?
According to Vaillant's theory, what is the key difference between 'mature' and 'immature' defence mechanisms?
What is the main distinction between Vaillant's theory and Freud's theory of personality development?
What is the main distinction between Vaillant's theory and Freud's theory of personality development?
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Which of the following is a characteristic of defence mechanisms according to Vaillant's theory?
Which of the following is a characteristic of defence mechanisms according to Vaillant's theory?
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What is the relationship between defence mechanisms and mental health according to Vaillant's theory?
What is the relationship between defence mechanisms and mental health according to Vaillant's theory?
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What is the term for the integration of one's sense of identity according to Vaillant's theory?
What is the term for the integration of one's sense of identity according to Vaillant's theory?
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What is the primary function of reality testing in Vaillant's theory?
What is the primary function of reality testing in Vaillant's theory?
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What is the term for the process of evaluating the reality of one's perceptions and experiences according to Vaillant's theory?
What is the term for the process of evaluating the reality of one's perceptions and experiences according to Vaillant's theory?
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What is the primary benefit of using mature defence mechanisms according to Vaillant's theory?
What is the primary benefit of using mature defence mechanisms according to Vaillant's theory?
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Study Notes
Freud's Contribution to Personality
- Freud revealed the unobservable parts of personality, a hallmark of his theory
- Later theorists revised and reshaped his work
- Freud claimed that personality does not change after early childhood
- Psychoanalysis has little value for individuals over 50, as their personalities are rigidly set and cannot be altered
Tripartite Theory of Personality
- The Ego: performs rational, executive functions of the mind, uses defence mechanisms to keep the Id out of conscious awareness
- The Id: the deepest part of the unconscious mind, seeks fulfillment of desires that could lead to unacceptable aggressive or sexual acts
- The Superego: the organized part of personality, includes ego ideal, spiritual goals, and conscience, criticizes and prohibits drives, fantasies, feelings, and actions
Functions of the Ego
- Cognition: performs integration, analysis, and synthesis of thought, directs behavior, and engages in second-order thinking
- Defence Mechanisms: strategies used to protect the conscious mind from unwanted material in the unconscious
- Affect Regulation: the ability to regulate emotions
- Reality Testing: the capacity to evaluate one's affect, behavior, and thoughts, and correct them based on observations and cognitive processes
- Identity Integration: having an integrated concept of self and others, consistent image of self, and consistent behavior
Levels of Ego Functioning
- Neurotic, Borderline, and Psychotic levels of functioning, characterized by informational function, emotional rewards, and other factors
Cognitive Perspective
- Views people as driven by the desire to predict and control their experiences
- Emphasizes coping mechanisms people use to manage stress
Midlife Crisis: Theories and Findings
- Derived from an age-stage approach to personality in adulthood
- The term originated in the 1970s to describe radical changes in personality that supposedly accompanied entry into midlife (age 40-45)
- Theories propose that people experience extensive questioning of goals, priorities, and accomplishments, self-scrutiny, and heightened awareness of death's inevitability
Levinson's Theory of Adult Development
- Life structure: the basic pattern or design of a person's life at a given time
- Evolves through an orderly series of universal stages in adulthood, alternating between periods of tranquility and transition
Midlife Crisis: Critique
- Little empirical support for the existence of the midlife crisis as a universal phenomenon
- Criticisms include heavy reliance on age as a marker of development, vagueness on the exact age it is supposed to occur, and lack of specificity
Vaillant's (2000) Theory of Defence Mechanisms
- Emphasizes the development of defence mechanisms over the course of adulthood
- Defence mechanisms are automatic strategies to protect the conscious mind from the unconscious
- They are present throughout adulthood and may be adaptive or maladaptive
- Mature defences (e.g., sublimation and humor) can make an enormous difference in mental health, whereas immature defences (e.g., projection and hypochondriasis) can be pathological
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Description
This quiz covers Freud's theories on personality, including sublimation and the role of the ego in neutralizing drives. It also explores Freud's contributions to the field of psychology and how his work has been revised by later theorists.
