Major Movements in Psychology - Psychoanalytic Theory
8 important questions on Major Movements in Psychology - Psychoanalytic Theory
What is psychoanalytic theory?
Psychoanalysis was so prominent because it provided a psychological method of treating mental distress.
Did Freud change his theory over time?
What is Freud's topological model?
- Unconscious
- Preconscious
- Conscious
In the unconscious, the individual is not aware of the contents of the mind. In the pre-conscious, mental content is capable of entering into consciousness but is not currently there. The conscious part of the mind contains all the mental content that is in our awareness. It is very small compared to the unconscious.
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What is Freud's theory of Libido?
In Freud's view, instincts press for release as part of the pleasure principle. Pleasure is only attained when tension is reduced through release of instinctual energy. If the instinct is blocked from release, it will seek another outlet, much like a river running downstream.
This mechanistic view of human motivation was called the hydraulic model and reflects the scientific models of the day.
What did Freud say about Thanatos, the death instinct?
Because pleasure can only be found through the reduction of tension, there must be a drive to reach a state of total quiescence, a state of no tension at all. This is the equivalent of death, hence the death instinct.
We now realize that pleasure comes from the build-up of tension as well the release of tension.
Why was Freud so focused on Sex?
How is Freudian theory seen today?
However, many advanced in our understanding of behavior and of the brain have shown that Freud was often onto something, although he was wrong in many of the specifics.
Modern neuroscience, for example, has revealed the frontal lobe and the limbic system to function dramatically similarly to the ego and the id.
How was psychoanalytic theory changed over the years?
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