PSYCHOANALYSIS
INTRODUCTION
Freud’s view continues to influence contemporary practice. Many of his basic concepts are still
part of the foundation on which other theorists build and develop. Freud’s idea on defensive
mechanisms provides a valuable insight into the way in which people sustain self- defeating
behaviour.
Freud’s psychoanalytic system is a model of personality development, a philosophy of human
nature and a method of psychotherapy. Freud gave psychotherapy a new look and new horizons.
He called attention to psychodynamic factors that motivate behaviour focused on the role of the
unconscious and developed the first therapeutic procedures for understanding and modifying the
structure of one’s basic character.
Specific Objectives
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
1. Explain the key concepts of psychoanalytic theory
2. Explain the therapeutic goals.
3. Describe the therapist’s function and role.
4. Discuss the therapeutic techniques.
5. Show an understanding on how unconscious drives influence behaviour.
Psychoanalysis is a model of: Personality Development, A Philosophy of human nature, A
method of psychotherapy.
What are the basic assumptions?
1. A basic assumption that sex and Aggressive drives are determinants of behaviour.
He referred to them as instincts.
a) Life Instincts (Eros) sex drive.
❖ They serve the purpose of the survival of the individual and human race.
❖ They are oriented towards growth development and creativity.
❖ They are oriented towards gaining pleasure and avoiding pain.
❖ It is a source of motivation
, b) Death instincts (Thanatos)
They accounted for aggressive drive. Driving man to self destruction, hatred, death,
hurting themselves and others.
2. An assumption that the client’s difficulties have their ultimate origins in childhood
experience 0-6 years.
3. An assumption that we behave the way we behave because of the of the unconscious
process in our life.
What are the key concepts?
1. View of Human Nature.
❖ He viewed human nature as basically deterministic. That is, we have no control
of our behaviour.
❖ We behave the way we behave because of some irrational forces, unconscious
motivations, biological and instinctual drives and certain psychosexual events
during the first 6 years of life.
2. Consciousness and the Unconscious
❖ The role of the unconscious is a fundamental concept of psychoanalysis theory.
❖ Through hypnosis, Freud came to see that many of his client’s problems were the
result of mental processes which were hidden to them.
❖ He was interested to show that the mind is not in fact always clear to itself, and
that there are many inaccessible memories wishes and impulses which are often
unacceptable to a person’s memories wishes and impulses which are often
unacceptable to a person’s consciousness.
❖ Freud came up with a description of the human mind which had three dimensions.
(i) Conscious – Is a thin slice of the total mind. We need to bring what is in the
unconscious to the conscious.
(ii) Pre-conscious – Is the area that contains thoughts and ideas which are available to
recall.
(iii) Unconscious – Where feelings, thoughts and ideas are repressed and therefore
unavailable to recall in the ordinary sense.
3. The Structure of Personality
Freud came to believe that human personality is made up of three connecting systems.
The ID, EGO AND SUPEREGO.
These three areas of personality constantly interact with one another as a means of regulating
an individual’s behaviour.
INTRODUCTION
Freud’s view continues to influence contemporary practice. Many of his basic concepts are still
part of the foundation on which other theorists build and develop. Freud’s idea on defensive
mechanisms provides a valuable insight into the way in which people sustain self- defeating
behaviour.
Freud’s psychoanalytic system is a model of personality development, a philosophy of human
nature and a method of psychotherapy. Freud gave psychotherapy a new look and new horizons.
He called attention to psychodynamic factors that motivate behaviour focused on the role of the
unconscious and developed the first therapeutic procedures for understanding and modifying the
structure of one’s basic character.
Specific Objectives
By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:
1. Explain the key concepts of psychoanalytic theory
2. Explain the therapeutic goals.
3. Describe the therapist’s function and role.
4. Discuss the therapeutic techniques.
5. Show an understanding on how unconscious drives influence behaviour.
Psychoanalysis is a model of: Personality Development, A Philosophy of human nature, A
method of psychotherapy.
What are the basic assumptions?
1. A basic assumption that sex and Aggressive drives are determinants of behaviour.
He referred to them as instincts.
a) Life Instincts (Eros) sex drive.
❖ They serve the purpose of the survival of the individual and human race.
❖ They are oriented towards growth development and creativity.
❖ They are oriented towards gaining pleasure and avoiding pain.
❖ It is a source of motivation
, b) Death instincts (Thanatos)
They accounted for aggressive drive. Driving man to self destruction, hatred, death,
hurting themselves and others.
2. An assumption that the client’s difficulties have their ultimate origins in childhood
experience 0-6 years.
3. An assumption that we behave the way we behave because of the of the unconscious
process in our life.
What are the key concepts?
1. View of Human Nature.
❖ He viewed human nature as basically deterministic. That is, we have no control
of our behaviour.
❖ We behave the way we behave because of some irrational forces, unconscious
motivations, biological and instinctual drives and certain psychosexual events
during the first 6 years of life.
2. Consciousness and the Unconscious
❖ The role of the unconscious is a fundamental concept of psychoanalysis theory.
❖ Through hypnosis, Freud came to see that many of his client’s problems were the
result of mental processes which were hidden to them.
❖ He was interested to show that the mind is not in fact always clear to itself, and
that there are many inaccessible memories wishes and impulses which are often
unacceptable to a person’s memories wishes and impulses which are often
unacceptable to a person’s consciousness.
❖ Freud came up with a description of the human mind which had three dimensions.
(i) Conscious – Is a thin slice of the total mind. We need to bring what is in the
unconscious to the conscious.
(ii) Pre-conscious – Is the area that contains thoughts and ideas which are available to
recall.
(iii) Unconscious – Where feelings, thoughts and ideas are repressed and therefore
unavailable to recall in the ordinary sense.
3. The Structure of Personality
Freud came to believe that human personality is made up of three connecting systems.
The ID, EGO AND SUPEREGO.
These three areas of personality constantly interact with one another as a means of regulating
an individual’s behaviour.
