2. Aims and Objectives
Aim: To introduce the Psychodynamic Approach and Freud’s theories
By the end of the lesson you should be able to:
• Describe the main assumptions of the psychodynamic approach
to psychology
• Describe the three parts of the mind as proposed by Freud
3. Sigmund Freud (1856 – 1939)
• Born into a Jewish family
• After fleeing Nazism as he
rejected Anti-Semitism (prejudice
against or hatred of Jews), he
eventually died in London of
mouth cancer.
• In the 1930’s the government
arranged a book burning to burn
the works of Freud and others as
they were considered to have
degenerate views
4. Freud’s Main Concepts
• Model of the mind/psyche
• Structure of Personality
• Psychosexual Stages of Child Development
• Defence Mechanisms
• Psychoanalysis (Treatment of abnormality)
6. Psychoanalytic Theory’s Key Assumptions
The key assumption of the psychodynamic approach is that all
human behaviour is driven by unconscious motives that we
often have no awareness or knowledge of
Childhood is a critical period in development of our behaviour
and personality
Our behaviour is a result of an interaction between
unconscious innate drives (i.e. desire of pleasure) and early
experiences (extent to which our early desires were gratified)
Personality differences can be traced back to the way the
early conflicts between desire and experience were handled.
These conflicts remain with the adult and exert pressure
through unconsciously motivated behaviour.
8. Freud’s Structure of Personality
• Personality consists of three main parts:
1. Id
2. Ego
3. Superego
• Called Iceberg Analogy
9. The Id
• Primary driving force is
sexual instinct, which
operates in the
unconscious
• Operates using the
pleasure principle – wants
things immediately!
10. The Ego
• This is the conscious,
rational mind and it
develops during the first
two years of life.
• It works on the reality
principle
• Balances the needs of the
Id and Superego
11. The Superego
• This is the moral component of
personality
• Developed from societal and
parental standards of what is
appropriate behaviour
• Develops at Age 5
