Psychology Lecture 2 — Freud & Psychodynamics

Study Notes

Freud addressed an epidemic of hysteria in Europe, leading him to explore hypnosis and the subconscious mind.
Influenced by Charles Darwin’s evolutionary theory, Freud acknowledged a darker side of human nature and admired Mesmer's work.
Developed a hydraulic model representing psychic energy flow; termed this energy LIBIDO.
Psychodynamics refers to the conflict between three psychic structures: the ID, EGO, and SUPER EGO.

ID:
- Present from early development, driven by the pleasure principle, acts on immediate desires without tolerating frustration.
- Engages in primary process thinking, focusing on fantasy rather than reality, and is considered the main driver of behavior.
EGO:
- Emerges within the first six months of life, operates realistically, and balances the demands of the ID and external reality.
- Serves as a mediator, regulating behavior according to consequences and situational demands.
SUPER EGO:
- Develops last, embodying caution and morality to avoid punishment.
- Functions as a conscience, influencing the understanding of right and wrong, absent in early childhood development.
Freud emphasized the significance of childhood experiences in shaping the dynamics of the psyche.

Conflicts arise from the drives of the ID, labeled as LIBIDINAL ENERGY, throughout developmental stages.
Neurotic anxiety is the result of unresolved conflicts between the ID, EGO, and SUPER EGO.
Fixation of energy occurs if conflicts remain unresolved, potentially resulting in psychopathology.

Pros:
- Validates the importance of childhood experiences in influencing adulthood.
- Recognizes unconscious motivations affecting behavior.
- Highlights the role of instincts and drives within human psychology.
Cons:
- Lacks scientific rigor; cannot empirically measure or study the ID.
- Freud's methods, such as dream interpretation and inkblots, lack reliability in therapeutic application.
- Psychoanalytic therapy’s ineffectiveness led to the decline of Freudian paradigms, paving the way for alternative theories.

Behaviorism emerged as a response against Freud’s focus on the unobservable aspects of behavior.
Emphasizes empiricism, rejecting non-testable phenomena, influenced by John Locke's concept of the mind as a blank slate shaped by experiences.

Pavlov’s study demonstrated associative learning where an unconditioned stimulus (food) elicited an unconditioned response (salivation).
Discovery that a conditioned stimulus (bell) could trigger a conditioned response (salivation) when paired with the unconditioned stimulus.
Differentiates between unconditioned and conditioned responses based on natural or learned interactions.

Proposed by Edward Thorndike, illustrating that behaviors followed by positive outcomes are likely to be repeated, while those followed by negative consequences are less likely to recur.